Great Expectations First Edition Deep Dive
The Three-Decker Dickens
Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations (1861) represents the intersection of Dickens’s most critically acclaimed narrative art with the Victorian publishing conventions that make his first editions both fascinating and complex to collect. Originally serialized in Dickens’s own magazine All the Year Round (December 1860–August 1861), the novel was first published in book form as a three-volume set — the standard “three-decker” format of Victorian fiction — by Chapman and Hall in July 1861.
For collectors, Great Expectations occupies a sweet spot in the Dickens bibliography: it is one of his most beloved and critically praised novels, yet it is more affordable than the earlier works (Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol) that carry the highest premiums. It represents “late Dickens” at his most controlled and emotionally subtle — the mature artist rather than the young phenomenon.
First Edition Identification
Publisher: Chapman and Hall, London
Publication date: July 1861 (first book edition; serialization ran December 1860–August 1861)
Format: Three volumes (the standard Victorian lending library format)
Physical description: Purple cloth binding, blind-stamped borders on covers, gilt lettering on spines.
First Printing Points
- Three volumes bound in purple cloth
- Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly on title pages
- “The right of Translation is reserved” on verso of title page
- No half-title in volume 1 (some copies; the presence/absence of the half-title is debated)
- Advertisements at rear (contents vary between copies)
- Date 1861 on title pages
The Three-Volume Format
The three-decker was the standard format for Victorian novels:
- Volume I: Chapters 1–19 (Pip’s childhood, the convict, Miss Havisham)
- Volume II: Chapters 20–39 (London, great expectations)
- Volume III: Chapters 40–59 (revelation, resolution)
Each volume was priced at 10s. 6d. (total: 31s. 6d. — £1 11s. 6d.), making the complete set expensive for individual purchasers. Most copies went to circulating libraries (Mudie’s, W.H. Smith) who lent them to subscribers.
Print Run
Chapman and Hall’s first printing was approximately 1,000–1,500 sets (3,000–4,500 volumes total). This was a standard run for Dickens’s later novels in three-volume format.
Pricing
| Condition | Price Range (Three-Volume Set) |
|---|---|
| Fine (purple cloth bright, tight) | $30,000–$80,000 |
| Near Fine | $15,000–$40,000 |
| Very Good | $8,000–$20,000 |
| Good (wear, foxing, hinges starting) | $3,000–$10,000 |
| Individual volumes (incomplete) | $1,000–$5,000 |
Note: Complete three-volume sets in original cloth are the collecting standard. Rebound copies (Victorian leather, later cloth) are less desirable. Incomplete sets (one or two volumes only) sell at significant discount.
The Serialization
Great Expectations was serialized in All the Year Round (Dickens’s weekly magazine) in 36 weekly parts from December 1, 1860 to August 3, 1861. This is the “true” first appearance of the text — preceding the Chapman and Hall book edition by approximately one month for the final chapters.
Collecting the serial: Complete runs of All the Year Round containing Great Expectations are collected alongside the book edition. A bound volume of the relevant issues (Vol. IV, December 1860–June 1861, and Vol. V, June–November 1861) is a legitimate alternative to the three-volume first edition, at typically $2,000–$8,000.
The Dickens Collecting Landscape
The Major Novels (Approximate Pricing, Fine Condition)
| Title | Year | Format | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pickwick Papers | 1836–37 | 20 monthly parts (in wrappers) | $30,000–$150,000 |
| Oliver Twist | 1838 | 3 volumes | $15,000–$60,000 |
| A Christmas Carol | 1843 | Single volume (red/green cloth) | $20,000–$100,000+ |
| David Copperfield | 1850 | 20 monthly parts | $5,000–$25,000 |
| Bleak House | 1853 | 20 monthly parts | $3,000–$15,000 |
| A Tale of Two Cities | 1859 | 8 monthly parts / 1 vol. | $5,000–$20,000 |
| Great Expectations | 1861 | 3 volumes | $3,000–$80,000 |
| Our Mutual Friend | 1865 | 20 monthly parts | $2,000–$10,000 |
Serial vs Book Edition
Most Dickens novels appeared first in serial form (monthly parts in green wrappers for the major novels; weekly in magazines for Hard Times, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations). The hierarchy is:
- Serial parts in original wrappers (monthly novels): The “truest” first edition
- First book edition (bound volumes): More convenient for display and handling
- Serial in magazine (weekly novels): Original appearance but less visually dramatic
Condition Considerations for Victorian Three-Deckers
The Circulating Library Problem
Most first-edition three-volume novels went to circulating libraries (Mudie’s Select Library was the dominant buyer). Library copies:
- Were read by hundreds of subscribers
- Were rebound when worn (destroying original cloth)
- Were eventually sold off as “remainders” when demand faded
- Often survive only in rebind or with heavy wear
Implication: A three-volume Great Expectations in original purple cloth, unrebounded, with bright gilt and tight hinges, represents a copy that either went to a private buyer or survived library use in remarkable condition. Both scenarios are uncommon.
Specific Defects to Assess
- Cloth color: Purple cloth fades to brown/gray. Bright purple indicates minimal light exposure.
- Spine gilt: Gold lettering wears from shelving. Bright, legible gilt is premium.
- Hinges: The weight of thick volumes stresses the joint between spine and boards. “Starting” (beginning to crack) is common.
- Foxing: Victorian paper foxes readily. Light scattered foxing is expected; heavy foxing reduces grade.
- Ownership marks: Victorian bookplates, stamps, and inscriptions are common and generally not penalized as heavily as in modern firsts.
Signed Copies
Dickens (1809–1870) inscribed presentation copies to friends, family, and fellow authors. These are museum-level items:
- Presentation Great Expectations: perhaps 5–10 known
- Any inscribed Dickens: $50,000–$500,000+ depending on title and recipient
Dickens did not conduct “book signings” in any modern sense, but he was a prolific correspondent and social figure who gave away numerous copies of his works.
Building a Dickens Collection
Entry Level ($500–$2,000)
Later Victorian editions, Chapman and Hall reprints, illustrated editions. The Household Edition (1870s) with original illustrations is attractive and affordable.
Intermediate ($5,000–$20,000)
First book editions of later novels (Our Mutual Friend, Great Expectations in Good-VG condition). Serial parts of the less popular novels.
Advanced ($20,000–$100,000+)
Fine three-volume sets. A Christmas Carol (1843). Pickwick Papers in parts. Presentation copies.
The Christmas Books
Dickens’s five “Christmas Books” (1843–1848) — headed by A Christmas Carol — form a discrete, achievable sub-collection at $30,000–$200,000 for the complete set in first editions.