Far From The Madding Crowd - Osgood Edition (First)

Thomas Hardy

Published by Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., 1895

About this Item

Book Condition, Fine: Light bumps to corners and edges or publisher's original cloth binding, small splits to back strip tail, faint marks across boards, otherwise excellent externally, with crisp and clean gilt decoration/lettering. Binding protected by a plastic slipcover. Text block in excellent shape with deckle edges. Foxing spots to pastedown, but pages are clean and tidy. Book tightly bound. Frontispiece and internal map immaculate.

Scarce first Osgood edition (Osgood, McIlvaine and Co). An extremely desirable later nineteenth-century issue of Hardy?s breakthrough novel. Notably, Hardy supplied a new preface for this edition, adding textual and bibliographical interest for collectors. The inclusion of an etched frontispiece by Macbeth-Raeburn and a map of Wessex at the rear further enhances its appeal. As one of Hardy?s most beloved and influential Wessex novels, early and variant editions such as this are keenly sought by collectors of Victorian literature.

Far from the Madding Crowd tells the story of the independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene and the three very different men who court her ? the steadfast shepherd Gabriel Oak, the prosperous farmer Boldwood, and the dashing Sergeant Troy. Set against the rural landscape of Hardy?s fictional Wessex, the novel blends romance, tragedy, and social observation. Rich in atmosphere and psychological insight, it remains one of Hardy?s most enduring and celebrated works.

Seller Inventory # 3145 SD SE

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Far From The Madding Crowd - Osgood Edition (First)
• Publisher: Osgood, McIlvaine and Co.
• Publication Date: 1895
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Macbeth-Raeburn
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • 1st Edition