Description
For sale: a Rare and Exceptional illustrated edition hardcover copy of The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling With Illustrations by G. Spencer Pryse by Henry Fielding.
The exterior of the book is in Very Good+ condition with strong, bright boards with mild rubbing, strong title gilt on the front board, and the lightly sunned spine. The spine ends are rolled with heavy wear and no fraying. There is surprisingly clean top page block, the side deckle edges are unmarked and the bottom block shows moderate compression. Also featured is a strong binding, no spine tilt, moderate to heavy edge wear, and rubbed and rounded corners with no bare spots. Looks great on the shelf, but strong enough to read.
The interior of the book is also in Very Good condition with the ghost of an erased price on the half title page. No other marks, inscriptions or other signs of ownership inside. The illustrated end papers and paste downs are clean with strong gutters. The interior pages are clean and moderately toned, making it an excellent addition to any collection.
No dust jacket.
One of the great novels of the 18th century, this work, along with Joseph Andrews, “established the tradition of the comic novel in English. It was first published in 1749. An experimental writer who thoroughly ruffled the feathers of his contemporary literary establishment, Fielding is now generally agreed to be an innovating master of the highest originality. He devised what he described as ‘comic epics in prose’, which may be characterized as the first modern novels in English, leading straight to the works of Dickens and Thackeray.
Large, heavy book (10 x 7 x 2″) ships promptly in a corrugated mailer with book wrapped in both craft paper and multiple layers of bubble wrap.
