THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, GENTLEMAN; (true first editions, beautifully bound, complete in 9 volumes, & signed in 3 volumes, as called for)

[York]/ London: [Anne Ward]/ R. and J. Dodsley/ T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, [1759] 1760-1767. First edition of each of the nine volumes, with the first two volumes the correct ones -- as printed in York by Anne Ward in 1759 -- i.e., with 1760 date but without place or publisher's imprint. With STERNE'S SIGNATURE in ink at head of first text pages Vols. V, VII, and IX, as called for [Rothschild 1970; Allibone p. 2243; Monkman, "Tristram in Dublin," Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, Vol. 7, No. 3 (1979), p.343-68].

The complete set is finely and uniformly bound in full red leather by Reviere and Son (stamped so at base of each front turn-in) and housed in (3) matching red leather-rimmed slipcases. Each volume with rug-inspired bookplate on front pastedown of George Hewitt Myers (1875-1957), founder of The Textile Museum in Washington D.C. (now at George Washington University).

VOLUME I (without frontispiece that was added to the second, London edition) with black rectangles pp.73-4 and with leaf I6 presumed a cancel, as called for, as p.140:12 reads "a le pere." VOLUME III with engraved frontispiece meant for Vol. IV, as usually seen, and inserted marbled leaf where called for. HALF-TITLES present where called for, i.e., in Vols. IV, V, VI and IX. FIRST STATE of Vol. VII with "Gentleman" on title page in small capitals with large initial capital, errata on verso of title page, and incorrect chapter headings following p.123. VOLUME IX pp.[v-vi] in dedication variant "b" (no known priority) with division at "posteri" and correct catchword "ori" p.[v] but p.[vi] beginning incorrectly "riori."

Nine 16mo full red-leather volumes with raised spine bands, gilt-lettered spines, gilt-decorated board edges, elaborate gilt-decorated leather turn-ins; all edges gilt. Housed in three matching slipcases covered in heavy, textured cloth with inner and outer openings rimmed in red leather and insides lined with floral-motif paper.

Spines and board edges slightly darkened, covers showing few tiny rubs and nicks to leather, offset from turn-ins to endpapers and, less so, from bookplates; few volumes with front endpapers showing a shallow chip or two to edges; minor light stain to upper inner corners of few leaves in Vol. V, repair to edges front endpaper in Vol. I.

Altogether a lovely, near fine set of the true first editions of all nine volumes and elusive as such.