The Writings. In Prose and Verse. With Prefaces and Notes. [Including Far from the Madding Crowd; The Mayor of Casterbridge; Jude the Obscure; Tess of the D'Urbervilles; The Trumpet-Major; Two on a Tower; The Well-Beloved].

The Autograph Edition, number 34 of 153 sets signed by the author, here a particularly fine set in the publisher's binding. The edition, alongside the contemporaneous Wessex Edition in Britain, offered the final and definitive version of Hardy's writings, including unprinted material in Tess of the D'Urbervilles and expanded prefaces. "Hardy took an active interest in the edition, read the proofs of some of the volumes, and may have participated in choosing the four Hermann Lea photographs reproduced in each volume" (Millgate, p. 365). Michael Millgate, Thomas Hardy's Public Voice, 2001; Purdy, p. 286. 20 vols, octavo (237 x 163 mm). Frontispiece and 3 photogravure plates on japon with captioned tissue-guards in each vol., totalling 80 plates; illustrated title page with Alfred Jewel vignette printed in red, blue, black, and gilt on japon; title pages printed in red and black. Original blue half morocco, lettering and Hardy monograph to spines in gilt, blue marbled paper sides and endpapers, top edges gilt, others untrimmed. A fine set.…