The Scouring of the White Horse... Thomas Hughes — First Edition

£160.00

The Scouring of the White Horse... Thomas Hughes — First Edition

Name: The Scouring of the White Horse... Thomas Hughes — First Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4381
Price: 160.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Write Review

In stock

£160.00

Shipping is calculated at checkout.

Publication: Cambridge & London, Macmillan and Co., 1859

Formatting: Square 8vo, pp. xi, 228.

Condition Report: Very Good. The publisher's original blue cloth binding remains square and sturdy. The elaborate gilt tooling designed by Richard Doyle on the front board is exceptionally bright and unoxidised, retaining a highly attractive mid-Victorian luster, while the blind-stamped motif on the rear board remains sharp and clearly defined. There is some expected shelf-wear, primarily presenting as minor rubbing and gentle fraying to the cloth at the extreme head and tail of the spine. The text block is solid, and the fully gilt edges remain remarkably bright and unmarred. Internally, the preliminary leaves exhibit only very faint, scattered foxing, leaving the title page and imprint page clean. Overall, this is a highly attractive copy.

Catalogue Note: First edition of Thomas Hughes’s celebrated novel, dated 1859. The text is beautifully complemented by the work of renowned Victorian artist Richard Doyle, featuring a beautifully detailed double-page illustrated title alongside numerous in-text wood-engraved vignettes. Printed by R. Clay in London, this edition was distributed widely through specific regional agents in Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Oxford, and Reading.

The volume is presented in its original blue cloth binding, famously decorated with Doyle's intricate gilt design of the Uffington White Horse surrounded by figures from English folklore. The front endpaper remains entirely free of historical ownership signatures or bookplates. While first editions of this work occasionally surface on the open market, finding a copy with such remarkably untarnished gilt-work is increasingly uncommon.

A charming mid-Victorian novel detailing a London clerk's summer holiday participating in the traditional "scouring" (cleaning) of the Bronze Age Uffington White Horse in Berkshire. Part travelogue, part history, and part social commentary, Hughes's text is wonderfully brought to life by Richard Doyle's whimsical illustrations, capturing the enduring spirit of rural English festivities and folklore.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Thomas Hughes

Book Publisher: Macmillan and Co

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Historical Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 228

Book Publication Year: 1859

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Cloth)

Illustrator: Richard Doyle

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.