HARDY, THOMAS. Tess of the D'Urbervilles 3 volumes. Half-titles, volumes 2 & 3 with final blanks, and vol. 2 with initial blank. 8vo, full polished tan calf by Bayntun Riviere, covers with double gilt fillet borders, spines tooled in gilt in compartments, morocco lettering pieces in two, top edges gilt, joints slightly rubbed; gilt turn ins, original cloth covers bound in at end. First edition, first impression of Hardy's best known work. With first impression issue points: Volume I: p.[iv] "1891" present; p.[v] "have it said"; p.45 "her skin is/as sumple"; p.[264] final full-stop present; Volume II: p.[iv] "1891" present; p.58 "Valasquez"; p.155 "seampstress"; p.199 "XXV"; and p.234 "it's husband's"; Volume III: p.[vi] "1891" present; p.14 line endings comprise "towards", "but", "On", "al-", "hitherto" and "a", and p.112 "are ye doing"; p.160 line endings comprise "than", "deviations", "domesticity,", "vale", "curve.", "light" and "was"; p.198 "summit of the road"; p.252 line endings comprise "and", "foul", "bear" and "And", p.270 "sisters-in-law"; p.275 "piteously"; p.277 no page number present, and p.[278] no final full-stop. Purdy, pp.67-78; Sadleir 1114. (London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., 1891)