Charles Dickens's Dombey and Son, first published in twenty monthly numbers between October 1846 and April 1848, is one of the major novels of his mature period, examining pride, family relationships, commerce and social status through the fortunes of the wealthy shipping merchant Paul Dombey and his neglected daughter Florence. This is the first edition in book form, published by Bradbury and Evans in 1848 and illustrated throughout by Dickens's long-standing collaborator Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). The illustrations are particularly important in the development of Victorian book illustration: the celebrated plate On the Dark Road, facing page 547, was Browne's first published use of the innovative "dark plate" technique, producing unusually rich areas of shadow and atmosphere. Dombey and Son, by Charles Dickens. With Illustrations by H.K. Browne. Published by Bradbury and Evans, London, 1848. Printed by Bradbury and Evans, Whitefriars, London. First edition, first issue, incorporating the principal first-issue points, including Captain Cuttle's hook on his left arm on the illustrated title; "aint" on p.14; "fidgetty" on p.26; "shewed" and "shew" on p.40; "Delight" rather than "Joy" on p.284; the misprint "Capatin" on p.324; the omission of "if" on p.426; and the absence of a full stop at the end of the final line on p.582. With the 12-line errata slip bound following the Contents and the 8-line errata leaf at the rear. A good (plus) hardback with dark green leather spine and corners, with gilt tooled decoration and raised bands, with gilt red morocco title label to spine. Boards covered with marbled paper. Covers with scuffing and wear. Endpapers cracked to gutter, but all soundly bound. With the letterpress half-title 'Dombey and Son', followed by the engraved frontispiece and illustrated vignette title, 'Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and for Exportation, by Charles Dickens'. With some light spotting to endpapers. Text is bright and clean throughout, with just the occasional spot or slight darkening to edge of plates. With bound-in Errata slip after Contents. With engraved frontispiece and illustrated vignette title, together with 38 further plates by H.K. Browne ("Phiz"), 40 illustrations in all, complete as called for. The plate On the Dark Road, facing p.547, is particularly notable as the first published example of Browne's innovative "dark plate" technique, in which fine ruled lines were used to create unusually rich areas of tone, shadow and atmosphere. With marbled edges to text block. Some creasing to the first blank endpaper. Language: English. xvi + 624pp + (1) Errata; engraved frontispiece, vignette title and 38 plates. With additional 12-line errata slip bound following the Contents. Dimensions: approximately 225mm high x 155mm wide x 48mm deep. Unpacked weight approximately 1070g.