Blackmore, R.D.

Cradock Nowell. A Tale of the New Forest. London: Chapman and Hall, 1866, 3 volumes, original beach-leaf brown wavy-grain cloth (Sadleir's secondary binding), pale yellow endpapers [Sadleir 222; Wolff 529], some offsetting to early and late leaves, minor edge-wear to binding; Christowell. A Dartmoor Tale. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1882, 3 volumes, original  maroon cloth, [Sadleir 220; Wolff 527], pencil ownership signatures, neat repair to upper hinge of volume 1;  Perlycross. A Tale of the Western Hills. London: Sampson Low, Marston, & Company, 1894, 3 volumes, original blue diaper cloth lettered in gilt, decorated monogram endpapers, [Sadleir 230; Wolff 539], some slight wear to edges of binding; The Maid of Sker. Edinburgh and London: 1872, 3 volumes, half-titles, leaf of advertisements at the beginning of volume 3, original bright blue morocco cloth, spines gilt, dark chocolate endpapers, [Sadleir 228; Wolff 537], some slight foxing and browning, short tears to rear endpapers of volume 1, neat repairs to spines; first editions; 8vo (12)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Fine or near fine copies in cloth of four further works by one of the most read novelists of his generation, celebrated for his ability to create unforgettable images (the church struck by lightning in Christowell, for instance), for his vivid descriptions of the countryside (often North Devon of course), and his innate sympathy for nature. Like Hardy Blackmore had a very strong sense of regional setting in his works and, arguably, acted as a pioneer of the new romantic movement in fiction that continued with Robert Louis Stevenson and others.