Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (RARE Limited Edition), 1979 📜✨📖

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This listing presents a rare, limited-edition of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, a timeless masterpiece of the coming-of-age story.

Published in 1979 by The Franklin Library as part of its esteemed "100 Greatest Books of All Time" series, this volume is a unique and collectible artifact of fine American bookmaking.

This is a unique and verifiable acquisition for a discerning collector of rare books and fine press publications.

2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

The novel follows the life of the orphan Pip and explores timeless themes of social class, ambition, moral redemption, and the bittersweet nature of human relationships.

This particular edition is a beautiful testament to the enduring power of classic literature and features illustrations by Charles Keeping and etchings by F.W. Pailthorpe, making it a truly exquisite volume.

The book's luxurious features, which are characteristic of The Franklin Library, include a full genuine leather binding, a hubbed spine with 22-karat gold accents, gilded page edges, silk endpapers, and a satin bookmark.

3. About the Publisher/Maker ✍️🏛️

This book is a tangible link to The Franklin Library's legacy of producing high-quality, deluxe, limited editions for a discerning American readership.

The Franklin Library was known for its commitment to exquisite craftsmanship and its practice of commissioning special illustrations and bindings for its publications. This book embodies a late 20th-century cultural value that celebrated classic literature through fine bookmaking, offering a luxurious, heirloom-quality version of a beloved classic.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

This book's publication in 1979 places it in a historical context that is a direct response to a cultural trend in America.

It is a unique window into the history of late 20th-century American publishing and the practice of producing high-end, limited-edition sets. It embodies a late 20th-century cultural value that celebrated classic literature through fine bookmaking, offering a luxurious, heirloom-quality version of a beloved classic.

The book's aesthetic appeal as a well-bound and handsomely printed volume makes it a prime example of American bookmaking from the period.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

For the discerning collector, this book is a significant acquisition that will appeal to several collecting interests:

• A Collector of Rare Books: This is a valuable and authentic example of a limited-edition publication.

• A Connoisseur of Literary History: The book is a tangible link to Dickens's enduring legacy.

• An Admirer of Fine Press Publications: The quality of the binding and the unique illustrations make this a prime example of fine bookmaking.

• A Bibliophile: The book's beauty and unique provenance as a numbered copy (number 1250) add to its collectibility.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This book is a unique and significant acquisition for several reasons. As part of a limited edition for subscribers, this book is scarce.

Its publication in 1979 places it in a historical context as a direct response to a cultural trend in America. This book is a unique window into the history of late 20th-century American publishing and the practice of producing high-end, limited-edition sets.

The book is approximately 46 years old. 

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

• This copy is a genuine and handsome survivor, showing authentic wear consistent with a cherished book from the late 20th century.

• The binding is full genuine leather, and it shows authentic wear consistent with its age, including rubbing and scuffing.

• The pages have some expected discoloration, but the text remains clear and readable.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• This volume is a fascinating example of a "crossover" collectible that appeals to collectors of rare books, literary history, and fine press publications.

• The book's luxurious features, which are characteristic of The Franklin Library, include a full genuine leather binding, a hubbed spine with 22-karat gold accents, gilded page edges, silk endpapers, and a satin bookmark.

• The edition features illustrations by Charles Keeping, and also mentions illustrations by F.W. Pailthorpe from a rare 1885 portfolio of etchings.

• This book is a unique window into the history of late 20th-century American publishing and the practice of producing high-end, limited-edition sets.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Title: Great Expectations

• Author: Charles Dickens

• Publisher: The Franklin Library

• Place: Franklin Center, PA

• Year: 1979

• Format: Hardcover, Full Leather

• Transcription: The book is numbered as copy 1250 of its limited edition.