The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling
Fielding, Henry
London. Printed for A. Miller. 1749
A very good copy of the first edition, first issue of Henry Fielding's famous, enormously popular and influential comic novel.
From the first edition limited to 2,000 copies.
Although Fielding's early novel 'The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling' was not the first, or even his first, it is certainly his masterpiece and one of the finest, if not the finest novel in the English language. All copies of this first edition were subscribed for by booksellers - and were sold so quickly that there were not enough binders to be found - and a second exact reprint was ordered almost immediately. At the end of the year of publication four editions had been issued and 10,000 copies sold.
This is a fine example of the first edition with errata leaf and all cancels called for by Rothschild (and with the overlooked cancel in Vol. II, N12). Some occasional toning, one or two small tears with no loss, occasional pencil markings and discrete repairs to the spine do not detract from what is a very fine example of Fielding's work.
[Rothschild
From the first edition limited to 2,000 copies.
Although Fielding's early novel 'The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling' was not the first, or even his first, it is certainly his masterpiece and one of the finest, if not the finest novel in the English language. All copies of this first edition were subscribed for by booksellers - and were sold so quickly that there were not enough binders to be found - and a second exact reprint was ordered almost immediately. At the end of the year of publication four editions had been issued and 10,000 copies sold.
This is a fine example of the first edition with errata leaf and all cancels called for by Rothschild (and with the overlooked cancel in Vol. II, N12). Some occasional toning, one or two small tears with no loss, occasional pencil markings and discrete repairs to the spine do not detract from what is a very fine example of Fielding's work.
[Rothschild
pp. lxii, (i, errata), 214; (i), 324; (i), 370; (i), 312; (i), 294; (i), 304. 6 vols. 12mo. (169 x 109 mm). Printed titles to each vol., Fielding's dedication to 'the Honourable George Lyttleton, Esq.', contents of the vols. and leaf with errata in vol. I and 'Book I, Chap. I' to 'Book XVIII, Chapter The Last' (i.e. XIII) books of Fielding's text, terminal blank K12 in vol. I and R12 in vol. III retained, occasional passages marked in pencil. Full contemporary calf, boards with double gilt rules, banded spines with red morocco labels with gilt title, gilt rules and gilt volume numbers direct in six compartments, edges sprinkled red.
#48694
