Our Mutual Friend Publisher's cloth - 1865

FIRST EDITION with all points per Smith. Two Octavo volumes. [i-vii] viii-ix [x] Xi [xii], [1] 2-320, [1] - 36 (catalogue dated January 1865); [i-v] vi-vii [viii] , [1] 2-309 [ -312] (colophon and ads), [4] (catalogue dated November 1865). Forty inserted plates after Marcus Stone.
Publisher's original purple sand grain cloth, Boards conventionally blocked in blind, Spines decorated and lettered in gilt. Original pale yellow in papers. Previous owners signature to front pay down of same volume; Hugh Mitchell Pitlochry. On the half title Mr. Mitchell has added his notary embossed stamp (reading High Mitchell, Notary Public, 1874). The second volume with the binders ticket (Virtue & Co.) On the lower front pace down and with our armorial plate of Beatrice Lady Ellenborough. With a small embossed stamp on front free in paper of book seller WH Smith and son. The first volume has been carefully and almost imperceptibly rebacked by the Heritage Bindery. Volume two is a bit darker than volume one extremities and tips with some light west and the rear hinge starting to slightly crack. contents are especially fresh and clean and virtually free of foxing and browning overall still a very good set with the purple holding well on the boards and gilt steel bright. Becoming increasingly hard to find in the original cloth with all the issue points. Now housed in a red quarter Morocco clamshell box by the Heritage Bindery.