Onlangs kocht ik deze versie van David Copperfield uit 1911.
Een groot boek waarvan de kaft niet zo mooi meer is,
maar waarin 21 platen zijn opgenomen,
in kleur, gemaakt door Frank Reynolds RI.

Die platen tonen een paar van de meest iconische figuren
uit de wereldliteratuur: Mr. Micawber, Mr. Dick, Steerforth,
Uriah Heep en Mr. Peggotty.

De uitgevers zijn Hodder & Stoughton (London, New York, Toronto).
De platen zijn gegraveerd en gedrukt door Henry Stone & Son Ltd, Banbury.
De drukker is T. and A Constable, printers to His Majesty.

Het is altijd leuk om te zien waar het boek vandaan komt.
In het boek zit een exlibris van JC Ebbinge Wubben.
Er is een persoon die JC Ebbinge Wubben heet en deze meneer
was directeur van Boijmans van Beuningen.

Dit is de kaft van The personal history of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Illustrated in colour by Frank Reynolds RI. Je ziet dat de kaft niet echt mooi meer is door verkleuring.

De schutbladen voor en achter bestaan uit een tekening van Frank Reynolds.

Dit is de exlibris die gemaakt is door de Nederlandse kunstenaar Joan Collette. Je ziet een aantal zuilen met daaronder een stuk muziek van JS Bach. Met pen is er op geschreven: Voor Fons 11-11-’79.

De eyeopener, frontispiece van het boek. We zien Mr. Micawber een van de meest geslaagde karakters van Dickens (naar mijn mening).

Iedere kleurplaat is voorzien van een afdekkende en beschermende pagina van een soort vloeipapier met daarop de tekst die aanleiding gaf tot het onderwerp van de plaat. In dit geval Mr Micawber. De tekst luidt: ‘Mr. Micawber
A stoutish, middle-aged person, in a brown surtout and black tights and shoes, with no more hair upon his head (which was a large one, and very shining) than there is upon an egg. His clothes were shabby, but he had an imposing shirt-collar on. He carries a jaunty sort of stick, with a large pair of rusty tassels to it; and a quizzing-glass hung outside his coat, – for ornament, I afterwards found, as he very seldom looked through it, and couldn’t see anything when he did. Page 101.’

De titelpagina van David Copperfield.

Miss Betsey Trotwood. Pagina 8.

Miss Betsey Trotwood

My mother had a sure foreboding at the second glance, that it was Miss Betsey.
The setting sun was glowing on the strange lady, over the garden fence, and she came walking up to the door with a fell rigidity of figure and composure of countenance that could have belonged to nobody else.

I observe (de vrouw in de deur is Peggotty). Pagina 24.

Mr. Murdstone. Pagina32.

Little Em’ly and I. Pagina 64.

The friendly waiter. Pagina 96.

Mrs. Micawber and family. De teskst is ‘Mrs Micawber and family: A thin and faded lady, not all young, who was sitting in the parlour.’. Pagina 128.

I reach Canterbury. Pagina 160.

I reach Canterbury

I seemed to be sustained and led on by my fanciful picture of my mother in het youth, before I came into the world.
It always kept me company.
It was there, among the hops, when I lay down to sleep; it was with me on my waking in the morning; it went before me all day.
I have associated it, ever since, with the sunny street of Canterbury, dozing as it were in the hot light; and with the sight of its old houses and gateways, and the stately grey cathedral, with the rooks sailing round the towers.

Mr. Dick answers a question. Pagina 192.

Mr. Dick and his kite. Pagina 224.

The eldest miss Larkins. Pagina 256.

Steerforth. De tekst is: ‘A handsome well-formed young man, dressed with a tastefull easy negligence.’. Pagina 288.

Miss Mowcher. Pagina 320.

I fall into captivity. Pagina 352.

Mr. Micawber in his element. Pagina 384.

I never saw a man so thoroughly enjoy himself amid the fragrance of lemon-peel and sugar, the odour of burning rum, and the steam of boiling water, as Mr. Micawber did that afternoon.
It was wonderful to see his face shining at us out of a thin cloud of these delicate fumes, as he stirred, and mixed, and tasted, and looked as if he were making, instead of punch, a fortune for his family, down to the latest posterity.

Mr. Peggotty and Ham. Pagina 416.

Agnes. Pagina 448.

Uriah Heep. Pagina 480.

The wanderer. Pagina 512.

Traddles and I visit Mr. Micawber.

Mr. Peggotty. Pagina 560.