Hardy, Thomas
Rare books by Thomas Hardy, including first editions, signed and finely bound copies, and handsome sets of the collected works.
Thomas Hardy belongs to a very select group of writers regarded equally highly as both novelist and poet. His work divides neatly into two periods, so that he can almost be regarded as a novelist of the nineteenth century and a poet of the twentieth century. The first editions of his earliest novels were almost exclusively taken up by the circulating libraries, so that copies in fine original condition are notably rare and valuable.
HARDY, Thomas.
The Trumpet Major. A tale. 1880
£30,000
First edition in book form of Hardy's great novel of the Napoleonic war, written to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Trafalgar. Purdy notes that the novel was published "in an...
3 volumes, octavo. Original red diagonal-fine-ribbed cloth, front covers with pictorial design in black (encampment and mill, from a drawing by the author) and... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Jude the Obscure. 1896
£15,000
First edition, first impression, of Hardy's final novel, published on 1 November 1895. Copies of this edition in dust jacket are scarce: we know of less than ten extant. The page...
Octavo. Original green cloth, titles to spine and roundel to upper board gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. With the dust jacket. Etched frontispiece on... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Works. 1919
£10,500
The Mellstock edition. This edition consists of 500 copies signed by the author on the limitation page of volume 1. This collected edition is named after the mythical "Mellstock" of...
37 volumes, octavo. Recent dark blue morocco, spines gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers, decorative roll to boards and top edges gilt, others untrimmed. With... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Tess of the D'Urbervilles. A Pure Woman. 1891
£7,500
First edition. With the bookplates of mathematician John Fletcher Moulton and the ink stamps of Dartington Hall, located in Totnes, Devon, part of Hardy's fictionalised Wessex.
3 volumes, octavo. Original tan cloth, titles to spine and floral design to boards gilt. Bindings a little rubbed and dulled, corners bumped and slightly worn. A very... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Desperate Remedies. A Novel. 1871
£7,500
First edition.
3 volumes, octavo (180 × 115 mm). Near contemporary blue half morocco for Hatchards, spines gilt in compartments, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, ruling to... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Writings. [1915]
£6,750
The Autograph Edition. One of a limited edition of 153 sets, this set printed ad personam for Katherine Fay and signed by Hardy and the publisher in volume I. This edition, the...
20 volumes, octavo. Recent tan morocco, spines gilt in compartments, brown and green morocco labels, marbled endpapers, decorative roll to boards and top edges gilt,... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Works in Prose and Verse. 1919–31
£6,750
The Wessex Edition, the definitive edition of Hardy's works, and a finely bound set. Macmillan became Hardy's publishers in 1902 and "in 1912 they undertook a new and definitive...
24 volumes, octavo. Recent full burgundy morocco, blue and black morocco spine labels, marbled endpapers, decorative roll to boards and top edges gilt, others... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Two on a Tower. A Romance. 1882
£4,750
First edition. With the ink stamps of Dartington Hall, located in Totnes, Devon, part of Hardy's fictionalized Wessex.
3 volumes, octavo. Original green cloth blocked in blind, titles to spines gilt, yellow coated endpapers. Bindings rubbed and a little bumped, markings to contents. Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Mayor of Casterbridge. The Life and Death of a Man of Character. 1886
£4,750
First edition.
2 volumes, octavo. Original blue cloth, titles to spine gilt, titles and floral decoration to boards continued to spine in black, floral patterned endpapers.... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Writings. 1920
£4,500
The Anniversary Edition, issued to celebrate Hardy's eightieth birthday. One of a limited edition of 1250 numbered sets. An excellent collected edition that is particularly well...
21 volumes, octavo. Recent burgundy morocco, spines gilt in compartments, light brown morocco labels, marbled endpapers, floral roll to boards and top edges gilt,... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Far From the Madding Crowd. 1874
£3,750
First edition.
2 volumes, octavo (200 × 125 mm). Near contemporary blue half morocco for Hatchards, spines gilt in compartments, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, ruling to... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Trumpet-Major. A Tale. 1887
£3,750
New and cheaper edition. Signed by author on the title page "yours faithfully Thomas Hardy."
Octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in crimson morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt with onlaid black morocco flowers in compartments, single rule to... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Works. In prose and verse. 1985
£3,000
Facsimile of the definitive Wessex Edition. Limited edition of 270 numbered copies of which 250 were for sale.
24 volumes, octavo (222 × 139 mm). Original dark green chieftain goatskin, titles and decoration to spine, raised bands, single rule to boards, marbled endpapers,... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 1926
£3,000
Large paper edition. One of just 325 copies printed on fine paper and signed by the author. The text is taken from that of the Wessex Edition and incorporates the author's revisions....
Large octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in dark green morocco, titles and decoration to spine, raised bands, single rule to boards, inner dentelles, marbled... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Two on a Tower. A Romance. Third edition. 1883
£2,750
First one-volume edition, presentation copy to Gabriel Sarrazin, with Hardy's autograph inscription on the half-title: "To Gabriel Sarrazin, with the best wishes of the author,...
Small octavo. Original red cloth, spine and front cover lettered and decorated in gilt and black, back cover blocked in blind, chocolate brown endpapers, binder's... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Trumpet-Major. A tale. 1880
£2,500
First edition in book form of Hardy's great novel of the Napoleonic war. First serialized in slightly bowdlerized form in Good Words, Jan–Dec 1880, the book was published on 26...
3 volumes, octavo. With half-titles. Early 20th-century red half morocco by Bayntun of Bath, spines gilt, red cloth boards, top edges gilt, others rough-trimmed. Red... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 1926
£2,500
Large paper edition. One of 325 copies printed on fine paper and signed by the author. The text is taken from that of the Wessex Edition and incorporates the author's revisions. A...
Large octavo. Original quarter vellum, spine lettered gilt, marbled boards, edges uncut and partly unopened. In the grey paper dust jacket printed in dark blue. 41... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Mayor of Casterbridge: 1886
£2,250
First edition.
2 volumes, octavo (185 × 120 mm). Near contemporary blue half morocco by Zaehnsdorf, spines gilt in compartments, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, ruling to... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Signed photographic portrait. [c. 1890s]
£2,250
Photographic portrait of Thomas Hardy signed by Hardy on the mount below the photo.
Photograph (145 × 115 mm). Mounted, glazed, and framed. Some discoloration to mount from photo, signature a little faded. Very good condition. Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Two On a Tower. A Romance. 1882
£1,875
First edition.
3 volumes, octavo (175 × 115 mm). Near contemporary blue half morocco for Hatchards, spines gilt in compartments, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, ruling to... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
The Mayor of Casterbridge. 1886
£1,875
First edition, one of only 758 copies printed.
2 volumes, octavo (184 × 120 mm). Early twentieth-century green quarter calf, titles and decorative ruling to spines gilt, green cloth sides, marbled endpapers,... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Wessex Poems and Other Verses. 1898
£1,750
First edition, first impression, presentation binding produced by the publishers for gift sales as the book was published at Christmas.
Octavo. Original white cloth, titles to spine, design to upper board, and all edges gilt. Frontispiece and 12 plates, illustrations throughout. Spine browned, boards... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Wessex Tales. 1888
£1,600
First edition. Scarce: there were 750 copies of this edition published, at 12 shillings, although only 634 copies were actually bound up to be sold at the time.
2 volumes, octavo. Original publisher's green cloth, gilt lettered spines and ale green ruled band design to top and bottom of front board and spine. Volume 1 has a... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
A Laodicean; or, The Castle of the De Stacys. A Story of To-Day. 1881
£1,500
First edition.
3 volumes, octavo (185 × 115 mm). Near contemporary blue half morocco by Zaehnsdorf, spines gilt in compartments, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, ruling to... Read more
HARDY, Thomas.
Jude the Obscure. 1896
£1,375
First edition, first impression.
Octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in dark green morocco, titles and decoration to spine, raised bands, single rule to boards, twin rule to turn-ins, burgundy... Read more
