THE HAND OF ETHELBERTA. A Comedy in Chapters by Hardy, Thomas - 1876

1876. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1876. Endpaper ads dated May 9, 1876. Original cream cloth decorated in black.

First American Edition, issued as a volume in Henry Holt's "Leisure Hour Series." This was Hardy's fifth novel -- following FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD and preceding THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE -- and his fifth to be published in America (all by Holt). This copy has endpaper ads dated May 9, 1876, which was the month of publication -- a month after the two-volume London edition. It is in the primary binding (cream rather than mustard-yellow cloth). It is in very good condition (spine slightly darkened as usual, minor wear at the foot of the spine). These earlier Leisure Hour books (the un-numbered ones in cream cloth) are quite scarce in nice condition, as the binding is considerably more fragile than the later mustard-yellow one. Purdy p. 23.