Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Thomas Hardy. Tess D'Ubervilles (in fine binding). London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co, 1891.
Price: US$2800.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: "Tess of the d'Urbervilles, A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented" by Thomas Hardy.London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co, 1891 first UK edition. 3 vol., first edition in book form, vol. 1 & 3 first issue, vol. 2 second issue, half-titles, lacking final blanks, green crushed half morocco by Bayntun, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, very light fading to spines, t.e.g., [Purdy pp. 67-74], 8vo. Beautiful set.
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co, London, 1891.
Price: US$3500.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: 3 Volumes. First edition, first printing, first issue. Bound in contemporary half-leather binding over marbled paper covered boards, with all edges marbled and marbled endsheets; binder's stamp of Mudie to verso of front free endpaper. Near Fine with light rubbing to bindings, spines slightly sunned, foxing to pages and former owner name to front blank of each volume. A Victorian tripple-Decker in lovely contemporary binding. Although this novel initially received mixed reviews upon publication, it is now considered a major work of 19th-century literature.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$4250.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: FINE BINDING. Three volumes. First Edition / First Impression. Contemporary full red levant morocco, raised bands, decorative gilt panels, front and rear boards, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt with original honeysuckle blossom design covers bound-in at rear of all volumes. SIGNED BINDING by Blackwell Bennett, New York. With ALL first impression points present in all volumes, including "1891" copyrights and "Chapter XXV" for "Chapter XXXV" on page 199 of volume 2. An exceptionally fine and beautifully bound copy in the earliest state of Hardy's famed tragic novel. Size: Octavo
Seller: Books & Bidders Antiquarian Booksellers, Cleveland, OH, U.S.A.
Price: US$4298.94 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: An attractive set of three volumes of Tess of the d'Urbervilles all in very good condition. The copies have gilt decorations and lettering designed by Charles Ricketts. The books have new half titles and end papers and original cloths. Original publisher's sand-colored cloth with vertical linear linear designs of honeysuckle blossom on the upper covers. Recased and resewn with new end papers. The corners are bumped and spine ends are worn with light tears. Contents are overall in very good condition with a few markings, dog ear pages and minor foxing. 8vo
Seller: Rare And Antique Books PBFA, Exeter, DEVON, United Kingdom
Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co, 1891.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition, first impression. 264 pp.; 278 pp.; 277 pp. 3 vols. 8vo. Hardy's novel was first issued serially from July 4 to December 26 in 1891 in a bowdlerized version; here is its first appearance in book form, for which Hardy was able to restore the original plot. The first impression was issued in an edition of 1000 copies; a second impression was issued (with date 1892) of 500 copies, with minor spelling corrections incorporated. Purdy, pp. 67-74 Bound in forest green half morocco backed marble boards with gilt ruling, gilt titles on five-banded spine, and t.e.g. Marble endpapers with handsome bookplate of heiress Gustavia Senff on upper pastedowns. Light bump to edge of volume one, and some toning on upper corners two and three, else a near fine set 264 pp.; 278 pp.; 277 pp. 3 vols. 8vo
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$5500.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition. 3 volumes. Full contemporary polished tan cloth with double fillet gilt borders on both covers, ending in the corners with floral medallion, side edges with a gilt stamped design, two for panels on spine with morocco labels, gilt design work on the others. FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION OF Thomas Hardy's most acclaimed work. Half titles present, volumes 2 & 3 with final blanks, and volume 2 with initial blank. Original covers bound in at the end. TEG. With first impression issue points: Volume I: p.[iv] "1891" present; p.[v] "have it said"; p.45 "her skin is/as sumple"; p.[264] final full-stop present; Volume II: p.[iv] "1891" present; p.58 "Valasquez"; p.155 "seampstress"; p.199 "XXV"; and p.234 "it's husband's"; Volume III: p.[vi] "1891" present; p.14 line endings comprise "towards", "but", "On", "al-", "hitherto" and "a", and p.112 "are ye doing"; p.160 line endings comprise "than", "deviations", "domesticity,", "vale", "curve.", "light" and "was"; p.198 "summit of the road"; p.252 line endings comprise "and", "foul", "bear" and "And", p.270 "sisters-in-law"; p.275 "piteously"; p.277 no page number present, and p.[278] no final full-stop. A lovely copy, near fine with slight wear along the outer joints, labels slightly scuffed.
Seller: Nudelman Rare Books, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$5774.69 + shipping
Description: First edition in book form, first issue with the requisite points. The elegant design of the title-page layout, one of the first examples of the 1890s art nouveau book, was the work of Charles Ricketts. Tess of the d'Urbervilles was originally published as a serial in the Graphic from July to December 1891, with two episodes - the seduction of Tess by Alec d'Urberville and the baptism and death of Tess's baby - removed by the editor. "This temporary dismemberment of the novel necessitated changes in plot, such as the introduction of a mock marriage and the omission of the encounter with the painter of texts, and there were numerous scattered bowdlerizations and omissions. When the novel was published in book form the original text was, of course, restored, and Hardy was able to piece the trunk and limbs of the novel together, as originally written'" (Purdy). Printed in the week of 29 November 1891 in an edition of 1,000 copies, Tess proved an immediate success and a second issue of 500 copies was published in February the following year; in addition to the dates (1891) on the verso of the title pages, the first issue can be distinguished by a number of textual points, including: vol. I, p. [v], line 12, "have it said"; vol. II, p. 58, line 4, "Valasquez"; p. 155, line 21, "seampstress"; p.199, "Chapter XXV" for "XXXV"; and vol. III, p. 112, line 24, "are ye doing". Provenance: with the attractively designed bookplate of William Henry Radcliffe Saunders (1857-1905), a major in the East Surrey Regiment and member of the Bookplate Society; his bookplate, dated 1904, was engraved by Graham Johnston (fl. 1890), the preeminent Scottish designer and bookplate engraver. The book was later in the library of Edward Hubert Litchfield (1879-1949), a noted American collector. Purdy, pp. 67-78; Sadleir 1114; Webb, pp. 24-6; Wolff 2993. 3 volumes, octavo (187 x 125 mm). Near-contemporary blue half-morocco by Hatchards, spines with raised bands, compartments lettered and ruled in gilt, blue cloth sides ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, blue silk bookmarkers. Bound with half-titles. A touch of wear to corners, small faint marks to lower margin of a few leaves in vol. II, contents generally clean. A very good set, presenting attractively.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Thomas Hardy. Tess of the D'Urbervilles 1st edition. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co, London,, 1891.
Price: US$6416.33 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first issue, 8vo (189 x 120mm.) Tess of the D'Urbervilles - a Pure Woman, Faithfully Presented. London: James R. Osgood, 1891. 3 vols., Half-titles. Original tan cloth with the double vertical honeysuckle design by Charles Ricketts on the upper covers, spines lettered in gilt. Boards and spines to all three volumes with small patches of damp-staining or light soiling, slight cockling to spines, corners and spine ends a little bumped but the bindings are square and solid, and the giltwork is still bright and clear. Internally excellent with bookplates, light toning and off-setting to pastedowns and free endpapers, textblock clean and bright. As called for with the first issue, there are no initial blanks in vols. 1 and 2 and no rear blank in vol. 1 Additionally volume 2 has chapter XXXV mis-numbered as XXV on p.199 as called for. A very good set - all original and unmolested. [Purdy, p.67]Provenance: Robert Milnes-Crewe (bookplates to the front pastedowns). More photographs or a Whatsapp video available on request
Seller: Finecopy, Westbury, WILTS, United Kingdom
HARDY, Thomas.. Tess of the d'Urbervilles.. London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co, 1891, 1891.
Price: US$7378.78 + shipping
Description: First edition in book form, first issue with the requisite points. Tess of the d'Urbervilles was originally published as a serial in the Graphic from July to December 1891, with two episodes - the seduction of Tess by Alec d'Urberville and the baptism and death of Tess's baby - removed by the editor. "This temporary dismemberment of the novel necessitated changes in plot, such as the introduction of a mock marriage and the omission of the encounter with the painter of texts, and there were numerous scattered bowdlerizations and omissions. When the novel was published in book form the original text was, of course, restored, and Hardy was able to 'piece the trunk and limbs of the novel together, as originally written'" (Purdy). Printed in the week of 29 November 1891 in an edition of 1,000 copies, Tess proved an immediate success and a second issue of 500 copies was published in February the following year. In addition to the dates (1891) on the verso of the title pages, the first issue can be distinguished by a number of textual points, including: vol. I, p. [v], line 12, "have it said"; vol. II, p. 58, line 4, "Valasquez"; p. 155, line 21, "seampstress"; p. 199, "Chapter XXV" for XXXV; Vol. III, p. 112, line 24, "are ye doing". As the triple-decker format was chiefly adopted for sale to lending libraries, copies retaining the original cloth in collectable condition are scarce. Purdy, pp. 67-78; Sadleir 1114; Webb, pp. 24-26; Wolff 2993. 3 volumes, octavo. Original brown cloth, spines lettered in gilt, two-stem honeysuckle design by Charles Ricketts to front covers blocked in gilt, bottom edges untrimmed. Spines cocked and dulled, extremities rubbed, a few marks to cloth, inner hinges of vol. II cracked but holding. A very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom