The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling

New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1952. First Thus 1st Printing. Hardcover. Fine/Publishers Slipcase. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. T. M. Cleland. First published in 1749, this edition of Tom Jones has been Designed & Illustrated by T. M. Cleland for the Members of the Limited Editions Club. The text has been printed at the club's printing-office in new York, on an especially made Curtis paper, and the illustrations have been reproduced in Paris : the color-plates by Deberny and Peignot, the color printing by Lucien Delaporte. This is copy #253 of 1500 copies signed by the illustrator on the colophon page. Tom jones ( not the singer), belongs with those beneficent great novels that can be enjoyed quite as much as they are esteemed. The book is , indeed, so masculine, so solid, so engaging that, delighted as one is to talk it over with a friend, one shies off a little from assessing it as a critic. In a certain sense, one would as soon " assess" a good dinner. Books are both in very fine condition and in their somewhat wrinkled and quite tattered original tissue wrappers. The books are bound in gray cloth and have fine black and white paper labels. There is a price in pencil on the front paste down by a previous book seller, very easily removed. The original publisher's slipcase is near fine with two small tape repairs, and very mild shelf wear. A fine collectible, beautifully printed with very appropriate color illustrations.