£350
HARDY, THOMAS THE WORKS
The "Mellstock Edition", one of 500 sets printed, MacMillan & Co., London, 1919-1920, thirty-seven volumes (one with cover badly water damaged), the first (Tess of the D'Urbervilles) being signed by Hardy, with an engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by William Strang, bound in gilt dark blue cloth, with monogrammed upper covers, 8vo, armorial bookplate of Sir Alexander Kay Muir Bart. (37)
Sir Alexander Kay Muir, 2nd Baronet (1868-1951), son of Sir John Muir, Scottish industrialist, founder of Finlay Muir & Co. and Lord Provost of Glasgow 1889-1892. Succeeding as second Baronet in 1903, Alexander Kay Muir held the offices of Justice of the Peace for Glasgow and Perthshire, and High Sherriff of County Waterford.
Most volumes worn to spine at extremities, with some fraying to cloth. Many corners bumper and curled. General shelf-wear and variable fading to spines. Covers generally lightly marked in places. Water damage to covers of volumes IV and XXVIII, with resultant staining to pages. Minor damp-staining to pages elsewhere. Volume XIV with some deep scoring to cover and a tear fully through the board to bottom edge (approx. 1cm in length). Volume XXXIII badly water damaged to lower cover. Pages internally are generally crisp and fairly bright. Some edges are uncut. Occasional light marks and foxing. Largely, endpapers, titles etc. are discoloured/browned/foxed.
Please be advised that owing to the extent of the set, we are unable to provide exhaustive condition notes. The above is indicative of the condition of the set overall.
Fees apply to the hammer price:
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24% inc VAT*
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27% inc VAT*
