Ghost Stories; Jerome K. Jerome - Told After Supper - 1891

Jerome K. Jerome, Told After Supper
Leadenhall Press, London, 1891 – First UK edition
Illustrated with 96 drawings by Kenneth M. Skeaping
Format: 15 × 13 cm
Condition: Fair. Original publisher’s binding with light wear and rubbing along the edges. All plates present and complete.

A charming and evocative first edition of Told After Supper, the delightful collection of humorous ghost stories by the celebrated British author Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927), best known for Three Men in a Boat. This small-format Victorian volume is enriched by a remarkable series of 96 illustrations by Kenneth Skeaping, which perfectly capture the playful, theatrical tone of the stories.

The book opens with Jerome’s famous tongue-in-cheek declaration that ghost stories in English society can only properly be told on Christmas Eve. The narrative unfolds through a convivial framing device: an unnamed narrator attends a festive Christmas dinner at his uncle’s house where, after an evening of generous food and drink, guests begin the traditional exchange of ghost stories. As the night progresses, the tales move between parody and the supernatural, blending gentle satire with comic misadventure. Not all the stories told that night appear in the book—the narrator admits he cannot recount two of them because he never understood them—and the volume culminates with his own embarrassing and ghostly experience, bringing the evening to an amusing and memorable close.

An attractive and highly collectible Victorian first edition, appealing to collectors of illustrated books, humour, and classic ghost stories alike.