Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$352.55 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Volume ONE ONLY. FIRST EDITION. Dark green half leather, gilt titling/decs to spine, marbled paper covered boards, all very rubbed/scraped. Corners and head/tail of spine bumped. All Edges Marbled. Plain Dark Khaki end-papers. Inner paper hinge springing but both hinges sound and tight. 322pp. Black and white frontispiece and illustrations (6 full page black/white plates incl. Frontis). Slight foxing/thumbing. No Inscriptions. Overall CLEAN TIGHT AND BRIGHT. Obviously this volume is in desparate need of a Volume 2 ! - and a bargain to anyone who has one! ; 105070; 8vo
Seller: Sue Lloyd-Davies Books, CARMARTHEN, United Kingdom
Hardy, Thomas. THE HAND OF ETHELBERTA. Smith, Elder and Co, London, 1876.
Price: US$995.31 + shipping
Description: A Comedy in Chapters. With eleven illustrations. In two volumes. Pp. viii+322+[2](advertisements)+viii+318+[2](advertisements), 11 plates (frontispiece with tissue guard both volumes); bound by Riviere & Son in red half morocco, the spines lettered and ruled in gilt compartments between raised bands, red cloth boards, slightly faded, edges lightly rubbed, spines lightly and uniformly faded; t.e.g., others uncut; the original red cloth of upper boards (lettered and decorated in gilt & black, soiled and lightly worn) laid in at end of both volumes, along with the original spine in Volume II; top fore-corner torn pp. 17/8 Volume II, a few leaves faintly creased, a little light foxing and soiling; Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1876. First edition. Purdy p. 20; Sadleir 1107. *Originally published in monthly instalments in the Cornhill Magazine from July 1875 to May 1876. The plates were designed by George Du Maurier.
Seller: Kay Craddock - Antiquarian Bookseller, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
HARDY, THOMAS. The hand of Ethelberta, a comedy in chapters. Smith, Elder, & Co, London, 1876.
Price: US$1562.50 + shipping
Description: First edition, 2 vols., 8vo, pp. vi, [2], 322, [2] ads; 9 plates; half brown calf over marbled boards, spines decorated in gilt in six compartments with maroon and green leather labels, t.e.g.; light general wear to binding, otherwise a very good set.
Seller: Rulon-Miller Books (ABAA / ILAB), St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
HARDY, Thomas. The Hand of Ethelberta a Comedy in Chapters. Smith, Elder & Co, London, 1876.
Price: US$1922.98 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Two Volumes. vi; (ii); 322 + (ii)publisher's adverts; vi; ii; 318 + (ii)publishers advert pages. Eleven full-page plates. Rebound and signed by Bayntun, in full polished Lincoln green calf, extra gilt on the spine with two contrasting morocco title-labels on the spine. All page edges in gilt. The original pictorial gilt cloth covers in the publisher's original and primary binding of brick-red cloth, the upper covers with lettering blocked in gilt within elaborate black Victorian borders, the spines decorated and lettered similarly in black and gilt, covers have been skilfully bound at the rear of each volume, front back and spine of each volume, essentially the original cloth covers are preserved entire and intact. An exceptional pretty binding, retaining the original half-titles and adverts. The cloth covers are fresh and in very good order as are the contents, I doubt the book even needed rebinding ? Generally recognised as one of Hardy's rarest works. Wolff 1000 copies.
Seller: Roger Collicott Books, Widecombe in the Moor, DEVON, United Kingdom
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. 1st edition. Two volume set, complete. A Good set. 8vo. Original publisher's primary binding of red-brown cloth, blocked in gilt to spine and upper cover with elaborate borders in black. The front cover gilt is well rubbed on the first volume, less so on the second. The gilt on both spines is mostly rubbed away. The leaves and illustrations are very clean with only a few very minor fox spots here and there. The hinges of Volume One are starting to weaken but still on, Volume Two is better as usual. Overall a Good set of one of hardy's rarest works. *** Originally written in serial form for the Cornhill Magazine. First appearance here in book form. ***.
Seller: Frey Fine Books, Rougemont, NC, U.S.A.
Thomas Hardy. The Hand of Elthelberta. Smith Elder, 1876.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The Hand Of Ethelberta (2 Volumes) 1876 Very Good Plus Scare copy in original boards 1 of 1000 copies Additional Photos Available Upon Request
Seller: D & L Fine Books, Richboro, PA, U.S.A.
Price: US$2115.28 + shipping
Description: Two volumes, hardback, 8.5 x 5.5 inches. Brown cloth covers with decorative black paneled decorations to boards, title in decorative gilt to fronts and spines. Brown endpapers. Plain page edges. With extra nicely built half calf leather book cases, with white felt inside. In good conditions. Professionally rebacked, with original spines. Some wear and handling marks to covers; corners and ends of spines rubbed and nicked, corners a little bumped. Some light rubbing to boards. Private bookplate on each front endpaper ( Oliver Brett) Endpapers a little rubbed on edges. Some handling marks and a couple of minor light spots to pages. Else good clean and tight 1st editions. Leather Book case spines a little spine, with some rubbing on edges. 322 & 318pp + 2pp adverts in each vol. Illustrated with 11 full-page B&W plates by G. DU MAURIER. First issue with illustration facing p.148 vol.1 wrongly captioned "two or three individuals" instead of "five or six individuals". The novel was published in an edition of 1,000 copies on April 3, 1876. [Purdy p.20; Sadleir 1107; Wolff 2977].
Seller: PROCTOR / THE ANTIQUE MAP & BOOKSHOP, DORCHESTER, United Kingdom
Thomas Hardy. The Hand of Ethelberta, A Comedy in, Chapters. Smith & Elder, London, 1876.
Price: US$6474.03 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: One of Thomas Hardy's scarcest titles which was first issued in monthly installments in the Cornhill Magazine from July 1875 to May 1876. Eleven wood engraved front pieces and plates by George Du Maurier. One of 1000 copies in the first edition and a bright set. Original publisher's primary binding of red-brown cloth. Upper covers and spines blocked in gilt with elaborate borders in black. Lightly rubbed spine edges, shelfwear and slight worn corners. Ink signature of "George Wood" on the front paste down and top of half title in both volumes. Advertisement leaf at the end of each volume. Scattering of foxing throughout the volumes mostly on the page ends. Volume 1: Front hinge is split. Small embossed W.H. Smith stamp to the half title. Missing the tissue guard to frontpiece illustration. Water staining to the outer edges of some pages. Page 241 stained brown. Volume 2: Hinges a little frail. Loose tissue guard to frontpiece. Marked staining to inner margin of page 220/221. 8vo
Seller: Rare And Antique Books PBFA, Exeter, DEVON, United Kingdom
Hardy Thomas. THE HAND OF ETHELBERTA a Comedy in Chapters. London Smith, Elder, & Co. 1876, 1876.
Price: US$8965.00 + shipping
Description: 2 volumes. First edition. With eleven attractive wood-engraved plates after George Du Maurier. Tall 8vos, in the publisher's original and primary binding of brick-red cloth, the upper covers with lettering blocked in gilt within elaborate black Victorian borders, the spines decorated and lettered similarly in black and gilt, cafe-au-lait endpapers. Now housed in a fine cloth-covered clamshell box with attractive printed label. vi, [1], 322, [2 ad]; vi, [1], 318, [2 ad] pp. An uncommonly handsome set of one of Hardy's rarest works, all the more so in original cloth and desirable condition. The cloth is still quite fresh, with no fading and bright gilt, just a bit of expected mellowing and rubbing at the tips or extremities, the text brighter and cleaner then is typically seen, any foxing being only occasional and quite light, the plates especially clean. A VERY ATTRACTIVE SET OF ONE OF HARDY'S RAREST WORKS, LISTED AS NUMBER FOUR IN COMPARATIVE SCARCITY BY SADLEIR. It is even more rare in the original cloth and in this state of condition, most copies being either overly repaired or overtly shabby. The events of the story concern Ethelberta's career as a famous poet and storyteller as she struggles to support her family and conceal her secretthat her father is a butler. Beautiful, clever, and rational, she easily attracts four very persistent suitors (Mr. Julian, Mr. Neigh, Mr. Ladywell, and Lord Mountclere), but is reluctant to give her much-coveted hand.
Seller: Buddenbrooks, Inc., Newburyport, MA, U.S.A.