A Christmas Carol

DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol. London: William Heinemann, 1915. First Rackham trade edition, finely rebound; together with an Autograph Letter Signed and handwritten by the artist.

Octavo (197 x 143 mm); xi, 147 numbered pages. With colour frontispiece and 11 colour plates all printed directly on plate paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white drawings in the text, pictorial endpapers (here retained), all by Arthur Rackham.

Recently rebound by the talented Rosy Gray of Black Cat Bindery, a traditional craft bookbindery based in the heart of Somerset, UK.  Finely bound in full Harmatan and Oakridge fine green leather, single rule blind-embossed to front and gilt to rear, with Arthur Rackham's original cover illustration and title to front cover and his final vignette used in the book (a delicate candle with its last wisp of smoke) to rear cover, both in gilt. Five raised bands to spine with titles and repeat gilt rules and holly branch motifs. Hand-sewn emerald green and gold headbands, and silk marker ribbon in amber. All edges gilt. Absolutely gorgeous genuine Ann Muir hand-marbled endpapers in complementary colours, with a repeat pattern of holly branches in gilt on the turn-ins. Original illustrated endpapers retained and bound after the new hand-marbled ones. 

Housed in a beautiful clamshell case covered in green cloth, and lined in yellow suedel. The front side of the clamshell is embossed with Rackham's depiction of the doorknocker in the opening scene of the story, and the spine is embossed in gilt with title, author and holly motifs.

Condition-wise, there is sporadic foxing throughout, a few grubby fingermarks here and there, a very tiny hole to top corner of one page, a couple of very tiny marginal nicks (far from affecting text or plates), and a few shallow creases here and there. Overall a lovely copy, with pages clean and free from previous owner's inscriptions.

Nestled inside the clamshell is also a cloth portfolio lined with suedel and embossed in gilt with the doorknocker illustration, housing what is arguably the most fitting Autograph Letter Signed from the creator of Scrooge. In the letter, Arthur Rackham answers an inquiry from one of the editors of the little magazine "Palms," who had written to ask for a colour illustration. The artist replies with seemingly polite disdain: "I am little afraid, however, that your 'budget' would find some difficulty over the idea of a coloured illustration," and he goes on to list his estimate of the magazine's potential revenue from subscriptions, the price of his own work and the fees for engraving, coming to the conclusion that the total would be "not so far from 1/3 of the magazine's total income! I usually take my share on a royalty basis - but that would not do in this case, & I should want my fee in advance; & also the engraver's fee if they were left to me to deal with. But very many thanks for wishing for my work...". Small bifolium, approx. 7 X 4.5 in, written on three sides, with some staining, particularly to lower extremities and some smudges; as pictured. Written on headed paper with the address of Houghton, Arundel, an area of extraordinary legacy where Arthur Rackham had his studio. A rather fitting pairing, we would say, as we found it impossible not to think of the scene in the book where two earnest collectors appeal to Scrooge for a charitable donation, and are briskly sent on their way.