A Pair of Blue Eyes
( H. MACBETH-RAEBURN, illus. ) HARDY, Thomas
With an Etching by H. Macbeth-Raeburn and a Map of Wessex. [Vol. IV of 'The Wessex Novels'].
BRIGHT, CLEAN COPY OF THE WESSEX NOVELS EDITION
Published: Osgood McIlvaine, [1896]
Stock code: 51483
Price: £132.00
8vo., First Edition thus, on laid paper, with etched frontispiece and full-page map of Wessex in the text, small neat contemporary inscription on half-title; original decorative green ribbed cloth gilt, 'TH' monogram blocked in gilt on upper cover, gilt back, gilt top, uncut, slight forward lean else a very good, bright, clean, crisp copy.
Osgood's 'Wessex Novels' is the the first uniform and complete edition of Hardy's works. Each of the sixteen volumes has an etched frontispiece by Macbeth-Raeburn (depicting a scene from the novel drawn on the spot; in this case 'The Castle Boterel of the Story') and a map of Wessex drawn by Hardy himself. In terms of book production, these are undoubtedly the finest trade editions of Hardy's works; in the case of 'The Group of Noble Dames' plates of the original edition were used. See Purdy, pp.279-282. ALL VOLUMES OF THIS SERIES ARE SCARCE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CONDITION.