HARDY (THOMAS) The Mayor of Casterbridge. The Life and Death of a Man of Character, 2 vol., FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, ONE OF 750 COPIES, Smith, Elder, & Co., 1886HARDY (THOMAS)The Mayor of Casterbridge. The Life and Death of a Man of Character, 2 vol., FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, [ONE OF 750 COPIES], half-title in volume 1 (as called for), single advertisement leaf at end of each volume, occasional light spotting, publisher's smooth dark blue cloth blocked in black with a floral design, spines lettered in gilt, grey floral endpapers, slightly rubbed at spine extremities but otherwise a fresh copy, preserved in morocco-backed solander box [Purdy, pp.50-54], 8vo, Smith, Elder, & Co., 1886The Mayor of Casterbridge was published in weekly instalments in the Graphic from 2 January to 15 May 1886, before being published in book form on 10 May 1886 in a print run of 750 copies, only 650 of which were bound. Purdy records two leaves of advertisements at the end of volume 2, but also notes other copies with no advertisements at all.Provenance: Harris, neat early ownership inscription in each volume.