Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Hardy, Thomas. TWO ON A TOWER: A romance. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, London, 1882.
Price: US$1171.11 + shipping
Description: In three volumes. Pp. [iv]+246+[iv]+240+[iv]+224(last colophon); rebound in brown half calf, spines lettered and ruled in gilt around raised bands, lighter brown cloth boards, a trifle marked; all edges sprinkled red; later endpapers; ex library copy, with several scattered stamps, a couple of tiny edge splits, small piece torn from bottom fore-corner pp. 15/16 Volume I, a few leaves faintly creased, a little light foxing and occasional slight soiling; Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, London, 1882. First edition. Purdy 41; Sadleir 1116. *Originally published serially in the Atlantic Monthly, Boston, from May to December 1882. For the publication in book form, Hardy devised his own advertisement, in which he described the novel as 'the story of the unforeseen relations into which a lady and a youth many years her junior were drawn by studying the stars together; of her desperate situation through generosity to him; and of the reckless coup d'audace by which she affected her deliverance' (Purdy, p. 44).
Seller: Kay Craddock - Antiquarian Bookseller, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Price: US$2750.00 + shipping
Description: 3 volumes. Scarce First Edition. 8vo, in handsome near contemporary three-quarter tan morocco over wove cloth boards, the spines with gilt stippled raised bands between gilt framed compartments, four compartments with central gilt tools, two gilt lettered, additional gilt rules at the tips and lettering at the tail, softly marbled end-leaves, t.e.g. 246; 240; 223 pp. A very appealing and handsome set, quite fine internally with far less then typically mellowing to the paper and that only at the edges, the original half-titles retained, the antique bindings with only trivial evidence of age, sturdy and sound with fine and firm hinges. first Edition, one of Hardy's Wessex novels, set in a parallel version of late Victorian Dorset. It is a tale of star-crossed love in which the unhappily married Lady Constantine breaks all the rules of social decorum when she falls in love with Swithin St. Cleeve, an astronomer who is ten years her junior. Her husband's death leaves the lovers free to marry, but the discovery of a legacy forces them apart. This is Hardy's most complete treatment of the theme of love across the class and age divide and the fullest expression of his fascination with science and astronomy. Because the book defied the social norms of the day, upon release it was called shocking, and even repulsive by some critics. Hardy wrote in a letter to Edmund Gosse on 10 Dec 1882, "I get most extraordinary criticisms of T. on a T. Eminent critics write & tell me in private that it is the most original thing I have done.while other eminent critics (I wonder if they are the same) print the most cutting rebukes you can conceiveshow me (to my amazement) that I am quite an immoral person."
Seller: Buddenbrooks, Inc., Newburyport, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$3208.16 + shipping
Description: First edition in book form of this work "glancing towards contemporary science in juxtaposing a young astronomer's rapt contemplation of the stars with his inattentiveness towards the older woman who loves and assists him" (ODNB). In his preface to the 1895 edition, Hardy explains his goal was to "set the emotional history of two infinitesimal lives against the stupendous background of the stellar universe". It was initially serialized in both America and the UK in the Boston-based Atlantic Monthly between May and December 1882. Some readers of the magazine "objected to the spurned heroine's marrying an unsuspecting bishop in order to provide a father for her unborn child, and the magazine's editor complained that he had been promised a family story but supplied instead with a story in the family way" (ODNB). Purdy, pp. 41-4; Sadleir 1116; Wolff 2996. 3 volumes, octavo (180 x 120 mm). Contemporary red half morocco, spines lettered and ruled in gilt, floral gilt device in compartments, sides and corners ruled with twin gilt fillets, marbled sides and endpapers, top edges gilt. Bound with half-titles. A little rubbing and wear to extremities, neatly retouched, foxing to outer leaves, margins mildly toned, short closed tear to fore margin of vol. II, p. 18, small splash mark and neat paper restoration to upper margin of vol. III, p. 19, not affecting text. A very good copy indeed.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Thomas Hardy. Two On A Tower. Sampson Low - UK, 1882.
Price: US$4000.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Two On A Tower (3 Volumes) 1882 Near Fine Minus Scare copy in original boards 1 of 1000 copies Additional Photos Available Upon Request Sampson Low - UK
Seller: D & L Fine Books, Richboro, PA, U.S.A.
Thomas Hardy. Two on a Tower. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, London, 1882.
Price: US$5197.22 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Two on a Tower first edition in 3 book format. First serialized in serial form in the Atlantic Monthly simultaneously in Boston and London. Rare - one of only 1000 copies with original dark green cloth and professionally relayed spine. Rubbed gilt and marginal soiling of the covers. Yellow endpapers. Vol 1 has tear to the final page and small loss to page 1, unaffecting text. All volumes with minimal light marks within the books. Purdy p41.
Seller: Rare And Antique Books PBFA, Exeter, DEVON, United Kingdom
Price: US$6600.00 + shipping
Description: 3 volumes. Scarce first edition. 8vo, bound by Zaehnsdorf in near contemporary three-quarter blue morocco over blue marbled boards, the spines are gilt lettered in two compartments and have wide gilt decorated raised bands, t.e.g., the original blue cloth to the upper cover and spine of Volume I has been retained and bound in. Now housed in a fine morocco backed foldover protective case. 246; 240; 223 pp. A very pleasing and handsome set, quite fine internally with just a bit of normal age mellowing to the text, the original half-titles retained, the antique bindings with some light evidence of age or use at the joints and extremities. first Edition, one of Hardy's Wessex novels, set in a parallel version of late Victorian Dorset. It is a tale of star-crossed love in which the unhappily married Lady Constantine breaks all the rules of social decorum when she falls in love with Swithin St. Cleeve, an astronomer who is ten years her junior. Her husband's death leaves the lovers free to marry, but the discovery of a legacy forces them apart. This is Hardy's most complete treatment of the theme of love across the class and age divide and the fullest expression of his fascination with science and astronomy. Because the book defied the social norms of the day, upon release it was called shocking, and even repulsive by some critics. Hardy wrote in a letter to Edmund Gosse on 10 Dec 1882, "I get most extraordinary criticisms of T. on a T. Eminent critics write & tell me in private that it is the most original thing I have done.while other eminent critics (I wonder if they are the same) print the most cutting rebukes you can conceiveshow me (to my amazement) that I am quite an immoral person."
Seller: Buddenbrooks, Inc., Newburyport, MA, U.S.A.
HARDY, Thomas. TWO ON A TOWER. A ROMANCE. Sampson, Low, Marston et. al, London, 1882.
Price: US$7500.00 + shipping
Description: Three volumes bound in early blue 3/4 morocco by Riviere with gilt lettering and design on the spines and five raised bands. All half-titles present, and the original green cloth spines are bound in at the rear of each corresponding volume. The first volume has been SIGNED by Hardy above the title. A novel relating the love affair between Lady Viviette Constantine and Swithin St. Cleeve who meet at the astronomical observatory that St. Cleeve has set up atop an abandoned monument tower on Lady Constantine's estate. Hardy made considerable revisions in the text of all three volumes, beginning with the second edition of 1883, and added new prefaces, as the various later collected editions of Hardy's works appeared. In his Preface to the 1895 Wessex Edition, Hardy wrote that his novel was "the outcome of a wish to set the emotional history of two infinitesimal lives against the stupendous background of the stellar universe, and to impart to readers the sentiment that of these contrasting magnitudes the smaller might be the greater to them as men." These original texts, as they were published in book form, are now generally considered the most sought after and the current Penguin series of Hardy's novels uses this text, even reproducing the title page of volume I. Sadleir ranks this as Hardy's "seventh scarcest book" and all original editions of Hardy's novels that have been SIGNED by him are exceptionally uncommon. Front joint of first volume cracking with a small nick at the head of the spine. Text clean, bindings bright and firm with minor rubbing
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.