Hardy thomas

1896 · 51404 — Osgood McIlvaine & Co. 1896. 8vo. First Edition thus on laid paper with etched frontispiece original tissue guard presentand full-page map of Wessex in the text tiny contemporary signature on blank preliminary; original decorative green ribbed cloth gilt 'TH' monogram blocked in gilt on upper cover gilt back gilt top uncut case with slight lean else a very good bright clean crisp copy. With the small contemporary trade ticket of Mullan of Belfast on front paste-down. 'Wessex Novels' 1895-6 published by Osgood McIlvaine is the the first uniform and complete edition of Hardy's works. Each of the sixteen volumes has an etched frontispiece by Macbeth-Raeburn depicting a scene from the novel drawn on the spot in this case 'The Country of the Woodlanders' and a map of Wessex drawn by Hardy himself. In terms of book production these are undoubtedly the finest trade editions of Hardy's works. Sheets of the Osgood edition with an altered title-page were published in the USA by Harpers Osgood's successors. See Purdy pp.279-282. ALL VOLUMES OF THIS SERIES ARE SCARCE ESPECIALLY IN THIS CONDITION. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co., hardcover