Clues to Dickens's "Mystery of Edwin Drood", J. Cuming Walters — 1st Edition

£42.50

Clues to Dickens's "Mystery of Edwin Drood", J. Cuming Walters — 1st Edition

Name: Clues to Dickens's "Mystery of Edwin Drood", J. Cuming Walters — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5636
Price: 42.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London and Manchester, John Heywood, 1905

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 116.

Condition Report: Very Good. The book maintains its structural integrity and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. The original green cloth boards remain handsome and firmly attached, showing signs of careful historical storage with light rubbing to the extremities, particularly at the spine head and tail, and mild bumping to the corners. The black stamped lettering and border on the front board and spine remain notably sharp and unrubbed, retaining their original depth of colour. Internally, the hinges are secure, and the text block is tight. There is moderate, age-appropriate toning to the page edges and preliminary leaves, alongside very faint, scattered foxing, but the overall text block remains remarkably clean, tidy, and highly readable.

Catalogue Note: This copy represents a notable and foundational piece of Dickensian scholarship. Bibliographic records indicate that second issues of this first edition bore a dual imprint featuring Chapman & Hall. This particular copy, bearing solely the John Heywood imprint on the title page and lacking any Chapman & Hall branding on the spine, is identifiable as a scarce true first issue.

Bound in the publisher’s original green cloth with a blind-stamped border to the rear board, the book is a survivor of early 20th-century critical literature. True early printings in their original cloth have become increasingly difficult to source on the open market, having been heavily overshadowed in recent years by modern print-on-demand facsimiles.

J. Cuming Walters’s Clues to Dickens’s "Mystery of Edwin Drood" is one of the most significant and controversial works of early Dickensian scholarship. Published thirty-five years after Charles Dickens's death, this volume famously posited the groundbreaking theory that the mysterious Dick Datchery was, in fact, Helena Landless in disguise. This bold proposition sparked fierce debate among literary critics and initiated a widespread academic fascination with "Droodiana" that continues to this day. It remains essential reading for any Charles Dickens enthusiast or collector of classic literary mysteries.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: J. Cuming Walters

Book Publisher: John Heywood

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Criticism & Essays

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 116

Book Publication Year: 1905

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Cloth

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London and Manchester, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.