THOMAS HARDY AT
ASH RARE BOOKS
43 HURON ROAD
LONDON SW17 8RE
UNITED KINGDOM

London : Tinsley Brothers, 1872. First edition. Hardy's scarce second novel, published by Tinsley "in an edition presumably of 500 copies" in June 1872, having been rejected by Macmillan as "very slight and rather unexciting" the previous year. Tinsley recollected it as one of the "best press-noticed" books he ever published, but it sold poorly and many of the first edition sheets were subsequently remaindered in one volume form.
Two volumes. Crown 8vo. [vi],(216); [vi],216pp. Bound, complete with half-titles, in a smart recent half crimson morocco, banded and gilt; marbled sides; text somewhat spotted in places, with a few marks, faint creases and small flaws, but overall a very good copy of an elusive title. Purdy pp. 6-8. Sadleir 1117. Wolff - not listed.

SOLD

London : Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1882. First edition : [one of 1,000 copies of the the first issue text, before the corrections made for the virtually identical second impression]. One of Hardy's most original, interesting and controversial novels - a Wessex tale of star-crossed lovers in which he aimed "to make science, not the mere padding of a romance, but the actual vehicle of romance".
Three volumes. Crown 8vo (185 x 122mm). [iv],246,[ii]; [iv],240; [iv],(224)pp. Bound, complete with half-titles, in a very attractive later (early twentieth-century) full tan morocco, banded and extra gilt, by Birdsall; original cloth preserved at rear; top edges gilt; marbled endpapers; a couple of faint scuffs; a few internal faint creases and small flaws; endpapers lightly tanned, but a very handsome set. Purdy pp.41-47. Sadleir 1116. Wolff 2996.

£2,000

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London : Macmillan & Co., 1887. First edition : [one of just 1,000 copies]. Sometimes singled out by Hardy as his personal favourite and the best of his novels.
Three volumes. Crown 8vo (185 x 123mm). [iv],302; [iv],328; [iv],316pp. Bound, with the half-titles, but without the advertisement leaf in vol. i, in an early twentieth-century half polished tan calf, now neatly rebacked and gilt, refurbished and restored, retaining the old red and green labels; marbled sides and endpapers; top edges gilt; a few minor marks, nicks and small flaws, but still an attractive set. Purdy pp.54-57.

SOLD

London : Spencer Blackett, 1890. First edition. Three novellas making their first appearance in book form - the first from John Campbell, Marquis of Lorne, later Duke of Argyll (1845-1914); the second from Annie Hector Alexander (1825-1902), and the third - "The Melancholy Hussar" - from Thomas Hardy. The Hardy story originally appeared in "The Bristol Times and Mirror" earlier in 1890.
Crown 8vo. [viii],(212),[iv]pp. Original pale blue cloth, ruled and lettered across upper cover and spine in black; covers lightly rubbed and very slightly marked; mild bubbling of cloth on upper cover; endpapers a little cracked; a little shaken and slack, but overall still a very good copy of a highly uncommon Hardy item. Contemporary (1896) ownership inscription of F. W. Wilkinson, and small late twentieth-century bookseller's label of the Hardy specialist, H. V. Day of Dorchester.

£250

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London : Osgood, McIlvaine & Co., (1897). First edition. The last of Hardy's novels to be published - text and plot differing significantly from the work serialised as "The Pursuit of the Well-Beloved" in 1892. Portland Bill, sculptor of increasing fame, and the ideal woman pursued through three generations.
Post 8vo (21cm). [2],(x),(338),[ii]pp. Tissue-guarded etched frontispiece by Henry Macbeth-Raeburn (1860-1947). Map of Wessex. Original decorative cloth gilt; top edge gilt; some very minor wear and a hint of bruising; a few slight marks; some spotting, mainly of endpapers; a touch shaken, but a good copy. Contemporary armorial book-plate of Isaac Morris of Liverpool, and later bookplate of Alastair Forbes. Purdy pp.92-96.

£150

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London : Macmillan & Co., 1914. First edition : one of just 2,000 copies printed of this highly influential collection of poems - "Maupassant-like vignettes passed through his great contemplative soul ... they strike a new note" (Cyril Connolly, citing this as one of the key books of the Modern Movement).
Crown 8vo. [ii],(x),230,[ii]pp. Bound in a handsome recent half red morocco, banded and gilt; top edge gilt; original backstrip and front panel of cloth preserved at rear; a few very minor spots, but a very attractive copy of this difficult title. Pencilled inscription dated 1914. Purdy pp.160-172. Connolly 25.

£250

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London : Macmillan & Co., 1922. First edition : [one of 3,250 copies]. A collection of 151 poems, the vast majority previously unpublished, but including work from every phase of Hardy's career. The introductory "Apology" is regarded as Hardy's "most significant and extended utterance on on poetry and criticism" (Purdy).
Crown 8vo (20cm). xxiv,288pp. Original olive-green cloth, blocked on upper cover and lettered across spine in gilt; endpapers a little tanned; some occasional spotting, but a very good copy in the original dust-jacket - a typographic design in dark blue on buff - lightly chipped and with a little creasing, but also very good. Purdy pp.214-227.

SOLD

London : Macmillan & Co., 1925. First edition. The last collection published in Hardy's lifetime - 152 poems, most previously unpublished and mainly recently composed, although with a handful from earlier in his career.
Crown 8vo (20cm). [2],x,(280),(4)pp. Original green cloth gilt; some spotting to edges and prelims, but a very good copy in the dust-jacket - just lightly creased and very slightly chipped, but also very good. Bookplate with the name Harley on front paste-down. Purdy pp.234-248.

SOLD

London : Macmillan & Co., 1928. First edition : [one of 5,000 copies]. Hardy's final collection of poetry - 105 poems - the majority previously unpublished. Although prepared for the press before his death in January 1928, Hardy did not live to see its publication.
Crown 8vo (20cm). (xii),202,[ii]pp. Original green cloth, blocked in gilt on upper cover, lettered across spine in gilt; a few slight marks and spots; endpapers very slightly tanned, but a very good copy. Purdy pp.252-262.

SOLD

London : Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers), (1976). First British trade edition. All that survives of Hardy's partly autobiographical first novel, never published in its original form or under its original title, "The Poor Man and the Lady", but later cannibalised for other novels and eventually published in its present shortened form in the "New Quarterly Magazine" in 1878. A tale of a Dorset village schoolmaster and the squire's daughter. A limited edition of 100 copies was published by his widow in 1934. Edited and introduced by Terry Coleman.
Demy 8vo (23cm). (126),[ii]pp. Original blue boards, lettered in silver; mild tanning of edges, but a very good copy in the pictorial Bill Dare dust-jacket - also very good.

£25

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