Vintage 1998 Bleak House by Charles Dickens | Book-of-the-Month Club Illustrated Hardcover | Gadshill Edition

A handsome 1998 Book-of-the-Month Club edition of Charles Dickens’s Bleak House, printed from the classic Gadshill Edition and incorporating a text carefully corrected by Dickens in 1867–68.

This substantial hardcover has a beautiful deep burgundy/red binding with gilt lettering, decorative gilt emblem, cream-colored pages, and the original illustrations associated with this classic Dickens edition. The book has a wonderfully old-library presence despite being a 1998 printing, making it especially appealing to collectors of classic literature, Dickens enthusiasts, dark-academia decorators, and lovers of beautifully aged books.

And this one has a story.

Details

• Title: Bleak House
• Author: Charles Dickens
• Format: Hardcover
• Publisher: Book-of-the-Month Club, Inc.
• Edition: Book-of-the-Month Club Edition
• Publication/Copyright Date: 1998
• Original Publication: 1853
• Text: Printed from the classic Gadshill Edition, incorporating a text carefully corrected by the author in 1867–68
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965057496
• ISBN-13: 9780965057493
• Illustrations: Illustrated edition with original Dickens illustrations
• Country of Origin: United States of America 
• Dust Jacket: None present with this copy
• Approximate size: 8 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
• Page count: Approximately 732 pages

The 1998 edition is independently documented as a Book-of-the-Month Club hardcover published in New York in 1998, with the same ISBN and description of being based on the original Gadshill Edition.

The copyright page in the photographed copy specifically states that the edition was created in 1998 for the Book-of-the-Month Club and was printed in the United States.

Condition: Worn vintage condition

This is a used vintage book with noticeable moisture and binding damage. It is not a pristine collector-grade copy.

Visible condition issues include:

• Significant pink/red water or moisture staining around the front endpapers and introductory pages
• Noticeable discoloration and age-related staining
• A large irregular tear/loss along the upper edge of the introductory page
• Additional waviness/rippling consistent with moisture exposure
• Rubbing and scuffing to the burgundy exterior
• Wear along the corners and board edges
• Chipping/loss to the upper spine area
• Small surface marks and blemishes to the cover
• Aged/discolored page edges
• General signs of handling and storage

The text remains readable, and the illustrated title-page material is present. The major condition concern is the moisture damage and associated tear to the introductory pages rather than complete loss of the book's contents.

Please review all photographs carefully. The photographs are part of the condition description.

Styling: This is a fantastic old-library / dark-academia / Victorian literature piece.

The deep burgundy cover with gold lettering is especially attractive displayed with:

• Antique and vintage books
• Dickens collections
• Dark wood bookshelves
• Leather-bound classics
• Brass candlesticks
• Vintage writing desks
• Victorian-inspired interiors
• Dark academia décor
• Literary photography
• Halloween or gothic-inspired displays
• Christmas and traditional holiday décor

The burgundy-and-gold color combination gives it a particularly rich library aesthetic.

It would also make a wonderful prop for a reading nook, bookstore display, literary photo shoot, or collector's shelf.

Shipping: This hardcover will be wrapped and carefully padded before being placed into a sturdy shipping package. Because the binding and pages have existing moisture-related damage, extra care will be taken to prevent additional bending, rubbing, or corner damage during transit.

Shipping costs are calculated at checkout and are paid by the buyer.