ALLEN PRESS. DICKENS, Charles. ~ Pictures from Italy.
One of 140 copies. Printed in Italian Old Style and Deepdene italic on Richard de Bas mill handmade paper. The running headings on each page are in two colours, varying as to the areas of Italy covered: Genoa, Venice, Naples, Rome and Florence. Sm. 4to., original full cloth binding using a red and beige Fortuny hand blocked fabric 'Canestrelli' (named for a Venetian shell), in the original clear vinyl protective jacket. A fine copy.
Original prospectus inserted loose.
A classic of travel literature, Dickens wrote 'Pictures from Italy' at the age of only 32 when he was already famous for some of his greatest work such as Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol. He leased a villa in Genoa and then travelled throughout Italy writing detailed letters all the way. The book was first published in 1846.