Vanity Fair

[waltekar]

My father has a book, Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thakeray, measuring approx 6" x 5".  A semi-secured note in the front of the book (which is volume 1) advises that there will be 2 volumes but that the second is unfinished.   It was printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co., Edinburgh and London and on one page is "London: Smith, Elder & Co., 15 Waterloo Place 1886".  Could it be worth anything ?

[Lillabet]

Vanity Fair was 1st published in 1847 so whilst this is unlikely to be a first edition on the basis of the date in it. It is a very early version.

Books can be worth a lot of money dependant largely on the quality of the copy so it is hard to second guess any value. It would in my opinion definitely be worth taking it to be valued if only for insurance purposes. I'd suggest approachind an auction house or rare book shop to find an expert who lives near you.

[jno]

Is the Smith Elder reference a bookseller's stamp, or are they listed as publishers? Vanity Fair was first published 40 years earlier - Thackeray died in 1863 -  so this is presumably not any sort of 1st edition and therefore not worth a whole lot (especially since the purchaser presumably got bored and didn't buy volumes 2 and 3).

[jno]

crossed with Lillabet there. Not sure I agree with 'very early version', though, 40 years is a long time - that's if the 1886 is a printing date.

[Lillabet]

I meant very early in terms of the number of editions of this book that exist. 40 years is of course a considerable time. Bradbury and Evans were Thackeray's publishers and as such you would expect to find their names on a 1st edition.

[waltekar]

Thanks Lilabet, you have been most helpful.  Will pass to my father.

[waltekar]

Hi Juno,

It doesn't actually say who or what Smith, Elder & Co. are and I don't recall any mention of Bradbury and Evans either as Lillabet suggests but will have another look (next Sunday) to see if there is anything else of interest.

[Lillabet]

Smith Elder & Co were a publishing company. George Smith in particular became well known after he published Jane Eyre and represented Charlotte Bronte. Her first novel had been published elsewhere and gone largely unnoticed but Jane Eyre was a huge hit.

 I believe that he became a publisher around 1850 so just after Vanity Fair was published for the first time.

They had close ties to Bradbury & Evans (SE&C didn't have their own priniting press for some time and so used B&E's among other publishers) and later Thackeray moved over to Smith and Elder as his main publisher though I don't remember if this is because B&E closed down or he just wanted to move.

I would guess that Smith Elder & Co are the publishers of this version but a visit to an expert will give waltekar the answers s/he is after.

[Lillabet]

Correction of my last post. Smith elder & Co were in existence before Vanity Fair was published. The original Smith was George Smith's father.

In 1847 George Smith Senior (who had never been that successful) hired his son who discovered Charlotte Bronte. George Smith junior becomes a partner in about 1850 when his father retires. He was already in publishing - and knew Thackeray who was Charlotte's hero. There are accounts in her documents about George Smith introducing her to Thackeray.

[jno]

sounds like an actual 1886 edition, then. Lillabet may well know more about this, and I don't know the actual publishing history, but my recollection was that the book was extremely popular when it first appeared (it came out as a serial and was published as a book later) and would probably have gone through quite a lot of editions in 40 years. Some, if I remember correctly, had Thackeray's own illustrations. Publishing novels in three volumes was common (not sure why, but the thickness of paper they used then may have made it necessary); my guess, as I said before, is that one volume on its own won't be enough to set you up for life. But do as Lillabet suggested and good luck.

[Lillabet]

I don't think you'll be set up for life in any case. I think a first edition in good condition went for about �11,000 at auction not so long ago. But even though this is likely to be worth (a lot) less than this it might still be worth getting it valued and insured

[Peter Pedant]

Vanity Fair for eleven thou? Are you sure?

I found a first edition in a friend's book case - he knew it was a first by the way - Blue covers, it looked a bit like a Dickens first - copper plate engravings poss by H K Browne.

1848 was a good year for first editions - Bronte's, Dickens - ?old Curioisty shop and Vanity Fair as well as political upheavals - I would put a tacheray first at 250-500

11,000 - you could get pride and prej for that!

[waltekar]

Waltekar here again - further to my previous comments, the semi-secured note to be more precise says:

NOTICE.

'VANITY FAIR', Vol. II. will be published on 26th May;

                                   AND

'PENDENNIS', Vol. 1. on the 26th June.

Inside the book it says:

To

B.W. PROCTER

THIS STORY IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

And at the bottom of the Red spine is Smith Elder & Co. - whom  I presume are the Publishers, although it doesn't say that anywhere..

Any further comments welcomed.

Thanks in anticipation.