Description

“SHE WAS DOOMED TO BE SEEN AND MARKED AND COVETED BY THE WRONG MAN”: TESS OF THE D’URBERVILLES, 1891 FINE FIRST EDITION—THE SUPERB DOHENY COPY

HARDY, Thomas. Tess of the D’Urbervilles. A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented. (London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., 1891). Three volumes. Octavo, original gilt-stamped tan cloth, uncut. 

First edition of Hardy’s greatest novel, scarce first issues of all three volumes, bound in original cloth, one of only 1000 copies. “Unquestionably one of the greatest novels written in the last century… among the immortal works of English literature” (Rosenbach 29:188). The superb Estelle Doheny copy, with her morocco-gilt bookplate in each volume.

With his novel Tess, Hardy first came into conflict with the dictates of conventional Victorian morality. After two editors had asked Hardy for changes, he decided instead “not to offer the novel intact to the third editor [Arthur Locker of the Graphic] on his list… but to send it up with some chapters or parts of chapters cut out, and instead of destroying those to publish them, or much of them, elsewhere… till they could be put back in their places at the printing of the whole in volume form” (Seymour-Smith, 411). Some of the excised chapters appeared in the Fortnightly Review and the National Observer. “The subtitle [‘A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented’] was important to Hardy’s purpose… The publication of the novel created a violent sensation. Some reviewers were deeply impressed, but most considered the work immoral, pessimistic, extremely disagreeable, and as Henry James wrote, ‘chockful of faults and falsity” (Drabble, 972). Tess was serialized in the newspaper Graphic from July 4 through December 26, 1891 (see Webb, 62), “deliberately modified to suit the delicacy of editors” (DNB). This first edition in book form, published at the end of November 1891, restored the scenes that were altered or omitted for serial publication.

A dramatic version of the novel by H.A. Kennedy was first produced in 1897; Hardy would write his own play version, produced in 1924 (CBEL III:516). Director Roman Polanski’s 1979 film adaptation won three Academy Awards, three Césars, and two Golden Globe Awards. Scarce first issues of all volumes: Volume I, with page 45, lines 14-15 reading “her skin is/as sumple” (later, “her skin is as/”); Volume II, with XXV for XXXV on page 199; Volume III, with blank flyleaf before the half title and with “road” instead of “load,” third line up, page 198. Sadleir 1114. Webb, 24-27. Wolff 2993. With the bookplate of renowned collector Estelle Doheny. Starting in 1926, Doheny, wife of pioneering California oil developer Edward Doheny, “turned her casual attraction for books into a serious collecting passion… This collection grew to be one of the most important in the world.” Doheny eventually expanded her collecting foci: “With innate good taste, Doheny formed one of the most impressive rare book and manuscript libraries in the United States” (Dickinson, 95). (This copy was sold at one of several auctions of her extensive collection, in 1988.) Originally the property of the British Club of Malaga, Spain, with its bookplate on the front pastedown of each volume.

Very slight foxing, less than typically seen, inner paper hinges of Volume I only skillfully repaired. A remarkable, about-fine set, clean and tight, gilt bright, virtually unworn. The nicest copy we have seen, with exceptional provenance.