The Well-Beloved, Thomas Hardy — 1st Edition (Osgood)

£100.00

The Well-Beloved, Thomas Hardy — 1st Edition (Osgood)

Name: The Well-Beloved, Thomas Hardy — 1st Edition (Osgood)
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6038
Price: 100.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., 1897.

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [x], 338.

Condition Report: Good. The book maintains its structural integrity without major flaws to the binding, but exhibits noticeable blanching and a damp stain to the upper right corner of the front board, which corresponds to a tide mark on the fore-edge of the text block. The original dark green ribbed cloth boards show light surface rubbing and minor softening to the spine ends, yet the gilt tooling of the front roundel and spine lettering remains impressively bright and unoxidised. Internally, the hinges are secure, and while the endpapers display light spotting, the majority of the pages are clean and tidy.

Catalogue Note: This is the first edition in book form, issued as Volume XVII of Hardy's "Wessex Novels" series. The volume is presented in the publisher's original dark green ribbed cloth, featuring the distinctive "TH" monogram roundel.

The text is illustrated with a frontispiece etching by H. Macbeth-Raeburn and includes a fold-out map of "The Wessex of the Novels" at the rear.

First editions of The Well-Beloved remain readily available on the open market, though finding copies without rubbing or condition issues to the original cloth is becoming increasingly uncommon.

Set primarily on the Isle of Slingers (based on Hardy’s native Isle of Portland), The Well-Beloved follows the life of sculptor Jocelyn Pierston and his lifelong pursuit of an idealised vision of feminine perfection. Spanning forty years, the narrative traces Pierston's infatuation with three generations of women from the same family, the Caros, exploring themes of transient love, artistic obsession, and the inescapable cycle of generations against a rugged, timeless landscape.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Thomas Hardy

Book Publisher: Osgood, McIlvaine and Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Classic Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 338

Book Publication Year: 1897

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: H. Macbeth-Raeburn

Book Series: The Wessex Novels

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.