Lorna Doone
Sampson Low, 1869.
First edition. Three volumes. Publisher's original blue-moiré fine-ribbed cloth, blind ruled borders to covers, gilt titles to spine (Carter's variant A). Earliest state of advertisement, 16pp. dated March 1869, to rear of third volume. A very good set indeed. Light wear to the spine ends and corners, front hinges and one rear hinge with minor, superficial splitting, but sound. Repaired marginal tears to B1 and B2 of the first volume. An unusually very well preserved set.
Lorna Doone, the work on which Blackmore's popularity and significant literary standing in the latter half of the nineteenth century entirely rests, had a somewhat inauspicious start. Having struggled to find a publisher, it was eventually issued in an edition of 500 copies of which, in spite of good reviews, only some 300 were sold. A year later, a one volume cheap edition was published, which was a great success, and the work has scarcely been out of print since.
It has long since been regarded as one of the rarest of the major nineteenth century novels in original cloth, especially so in good, unrepaired condition.
Saldeir 227. Carter's More Binding Variants, 1938, p.1.
Stock ID: 44725
£12,500.00
