Skip to main content

Charles Dickens, correspondence with related material

Archive Collection: BC MS 19c Dickens

Details

Type of record: Archive

Title: Charles Dickens, correspondence with related material

Level: Collection

Classmark: BC MS 19c Dickens

Creator(s): Dickens, Charles (1812-1870)()

Date(s): c.1834-1955

Language: English

Size and medium: 2 bound volumes, 1 further bound volume, 5 loose-leaf binders and 1 box; manuscript, typescript, and printed material.

Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/8625

Collection group(s): English Literature

Description

Comprises: (1) 170 autograph letters from Charles Dickens to various correspondents, held in two volumes covering the years 1834-1852 and 1853-1870 respectively and bound in chronological order, together with a letter from S.L. Blanchard; (2) A further autograph letter from Dickens to George Dolby, dated 12 December 1866, bound separately; (3) 5 volumes compiled by E.G. Millar containing a variety of manuscript material related to the collection, including 2 volumes of manuscript transcripts of the letters, indexes to the letters, a descriptive catalogue of the letters, correspondence relating to the inclusion of the letters in the edition planned by Humphry House, and receipts for binding; and (4) An archive box holding Sotheby's 'Comte de Suzannet Sale Catalogue of Charles Dickens', receipts, and correspondence relating to Millar's purchase of the letters.


The 2 volumes containing the letters are finely bound in scarlet morocco with gilt lettering on the fronts and spines, and are both held in custom-made light brown cases with gilt lettering on the spines. Item (2) is also finely bound in dark red morocco with gold-tooled lines on the covers and gilt lettering on both the front cover and spine.


Additional items added to collection September 2017:

- Manuscript letter from Charles Dickens to Elizabeth Gaskell regarding her contribution to 'All the Year Round', with annotation on the reverse by Elizabeth's daughter Meta Gaskell [letter dated 20 April 1860, with transcription].

Biography or history

Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the Victorian novelist. For fuller details of his life and achievements see the Dictionary of National Biography.

Provenance

Almost all the original letters came from the collection of the Comte de Suzannet. They were sold at Sotheby's in 1938 and purchased by Millar in 1943 from London booksellers Maggs Bros Ltd and Myers Ltd. A further letter was given to Millar by his godmother, Miss M.F. Frith.

Letter to Mrs Gaskell [20 Apr 1860] purchased from Maggs Bros Ltd, April 1978. Accession Record no. B17033

Access and usage

Access

Access to this material is unrestricted.

Collection hierarchy

Only an overall description is available.

Visitor Basket

Ref No. Item Ref Title