London: Sampson, Low, Marston et. al, 1882. First Edition. hardcover. Front joint of first volume cracking with a small nick at the head of the spine. Text clean, bindings bright and firm with minor rubbing. Three volumes bound in early blue 3/4 morocco by Riviere with gilt lettering and design on the spines and five raised bands. All half-titles present, and the original green cloth spines are bound in at the rear of each corresponding volume. The first volume has been SIGNED by Hardy above the title. A novel relating the love affair between Lady Viviette Constantine and Swithin St. Cleeve who meet at the astronomical observatory that St. Cleeve has set up atop an abandoned monument tower on Lady Constantine's estate. Hardy made considerable revisions in the text of all three volumes, beginning with the second edition of 1883, and added new prefaces, as the various later collected editions of Hardy's works appeared. In his Preface to the 1895 Wessex Edition, Hardy wrote that his novel was "the outcome of a wish to set the emotional history of two infinitesimal lives against the stupendous background of the stellar universe, and to impart to readers the sentiment that of these contrasting magnitudes the smaller might be the greater to them as men." These original texts, as they were published in book form, are now generally considered the most sought after and the current Penguin series of Hardy's novels uses this text, even reproducing the title page of volume I. Sadleir ranks this as Hardy's "seventh scarcest book" and all original editions of Hardy's novels that have been SIGNED by him are exceptionally uncommon.

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Details

Bookseller: Charles Agvent (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 011115
Title: TWO ON A TOWER. A ROMANCE
Author: HARDY, Thomas
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used - Front joint of first volume cracking with a small nick at the head of the spine. Text clean, bindings bright and firm with minor
Quantity Available: 1
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Sampson, Low, Marston et. al
Place of Publication: London
Date Published: 1882
Keywords: Thomas Hardy, Signed, 19th Century British Literature, 19th Century Literature
Bookseller catalogs: 19th Century Literature; 19th Century British Literature;
Note: May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.

Terms of Sale

Charles Agvent

All books subject to prior sale. Payment with order; institutions may be billed. Postage additional: $11.00 for the first book, $6.00 each thereafter. Overseas postage billed at approximate cost. Pennsylvania residents must add 6% sales tax. Mastercard, Visa, and American Express accepted. We are also open to reasonable payment terms. A book may be returned within 7 days of receipt for any reason provided it is in the same condition as sent and prior notice is given. Please insure returns for their full value.

About the Seller

Charles Agvent

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Biblio member since 2003

Fleetwood, Pennsylvania

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About Charles Agvent

We carry a diverse and select stock with major specialties including Modern and 19th Century Literary First Editions, Signed Books & Autographs (especially Presidential and Literary), and Limited Editions Club books. We have been in business since 1987 and are proud to be members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB).

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Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Gilt: The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
Title Page: A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
First Edition: In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Morocco: Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
New: A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
Rubbing: Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Cloth: "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
Raised Band(s): Raised bands refer to the ridges that protrude slightly from the spine on leather bound books. The bands are created in the...