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Orley Farm.: With Illustrations by J. E. Millais.
by TROLLOPE, Anthony
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Chapman and Hall,, 1862. A very good set in a variant binding First edition in book form, Sadleir's fourth issue, of the book that Trollope himself described as his best plotted, and his personal favourite. "Millais was a 'sixties'-style illustrator, representational and realistic, a style which accorded nicely with that of Trollope, whose writing was often characterized as 'photographic', 'uncompromisingly realistic', and even 'pre-Raphaelite'" (ODNB). With 40 plates, this is Millais's most substantial contribution to Trollope's work, the author "wrote that he had never known a set of illustrations 'as carefully true... to the conception of the writer of the book illustrated'" (ibid.). Orley Farm was initially published in 20 shilling parts, with the subsequent two volumes of the book issue appearing over an interval of nearly 10 months. Sadleir identifies four issues of the first edition, distinguished by small variations in printer's imprint, illustration captions, and binding grain. The present copy conforms to the fourth issue in all points save that the cloth grain runs vertically, as opposed to horizontally, in vol. 2. With contemporary printed and accomplished lending slip for the Banburyshire Book Club tipped on to vol. 1 endpapers. Two volumes, octavo. Original brownish purple wavy-grain embossed cloth, the grain running perpendicularly for both volumes, titles and decorations in gilt to spines, pale yellow endpapers, untrimmed. Without publisher's catalogue sometimes found at end of vol. I ("cannot... be regarded as essential" - Sadleir); 40 wood-engraved illustrations. Spines a little sunned, slight wear to extremities with small repairs to spine ends, small dent to top edge of vol. 2 rear board, occasional small marginal spots or tears, else a very good set. Sadleir, Trollope 13.
Synopsis
When Joseph Mason of Groby Park, Yorkshire, died, he left his estate to his family. A codicil to his will, however, left Orley Farm (near London) to his much younger second wife and infant son. The will and the codicil were in her handwriting, and there were three witnesses, one of whom was no longer alive. A bitterly fought court case confirmed the codicil. Twenty years pass. Lady Mason lives at Orley farm with her adult son, Lucius. Samuel Dockwrath, a tenant, is asked to leave by Lucius, who wants to try new intensive farming methods. Aggrieved, and knowing of the original case (John Kenneby, one of the codicil witnesses, had been an unsuccessful suitor of his wife Miriam Usbech), Dockwrath investigates and finds a second deed signed by the same witnesses on the same date, though they can remember signing only one. He travels to Groby Park in Yorkshire, where Joseph Mason the younger lives with his comically parsimonious wife, and persuades Mason to have Lady Mason prosecuted for forgery. The prosecution fails, but Lady Mason later confesses privately that she committed the forgery, and is prompted by conscience to give up the estate. There are various subplots. The main one deals with a slowly unfolding romance between Felix Graham (a young and relatively poor barrister without family) and Madeline Staveley, daughter of Judge Stavely of Noningsby. Graham has a long-standing engagement to the penniless Mary Snow, whom he supports and educates while she is being “moulded” to be his wife. Between the Staveleys at Alston and Orley Farm at Hamworth lies the Cleve, where Sir Peregrine Orme lives with his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Orme, and grandson, Peregrine. Sir Peregrine falls in love with Lady Mason and is briefly engaged to her, but she calls off the match when she realises the seriousness of the court case. Meanwhile, Mr. Furnival, another barrister, befriends Lady Mason, arousing the jealousy of his wife. His daughter, Sophia, has a brief relationship with Augustus Stavely and a brief engagement to Lucius Mason. Eventually Furnival and his wife are reconciled, and Sophia's engagement is dropped. Sophia is portrayed as an intelligent woman who writes comically skillful letters.
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Details
- Seller
- Peter Harrington
(GB)
- Seller's Inventory #
- 128273
- Title
- Orley Farm.
- Author
- TROLLOPE, Anthony
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- London: Chapman and Hall,
- Date Published
- 1862
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
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