A SEARCH FOR A SECRET.

London, Tinsley Brothers, 1867.. FIRST EDITION 1867, 3 volumes, complete set in original publisher's cloth. 8vo, approximately 188 x 122 mm, 7¼ x 4¾ inches, pages: (i)-iv, 1-298, (2 - imprint leaf); (i)-iv, 1-269, (2 - blank); (i)-iv, 1-263, (1). Bound in the original publisher's green cloth, ornate blind design on covers, gilt lettering and gilt decoration to spines, original yellow endpapers, all uncracked. Books leaning slightly, spine gilt very slightly worn on all 3, gilt at top of spine on Volume I mostly worn off, not affecting title, head and tail of spines slightly worn with minute nicks to cloth, spine cloth on Volume I slightly vertically concave, hinges lightly rubbed, corners slightly bumped and slightly worn, some tips just showing board, small blind stamp of original bookseller on front endpaper of Volume I, neat early signature (Kempthorne) on front endpaper in each volume, a few pages protruding very slightly from text block, some of these lightly browned at edges, Volume I: title page lightly browned, a few small pale stains to margins, an occasional faint fingermark, a few top corners creased, 5 mm (¼") closed tear to 1 lower margin (p.219), pages 292/293 carelessly opened resulting in 2 tiny chips to top edge of 293; Volumes II and III: a few small light corner creases, 2 or 3 very small pale margin stains, otherwise clean, in Volume II a minute closed tear to fore-edge of 2 pages and a 10 mm (½") closed tear to 1 lower margin (p.247). A good set of the first edition of Henty's first published fiction. Newbolt had only seen the blue cloth binding but he notes that Farmer (Kennedy & Farmer, Henty Bibliography) mentions the green cloth binding. The size of the first edition was probably only 300 to 400 copies and was sold at £1. 11s.6d., the standard price for 3 volume novels. See Newbolt, G.A. Henty, page 2, No.1. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.