# Is "A Group of Noble Dames" by Thomas Hardy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Group of Noble Dames by Thomas Hardy (James R. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co., 1891) is identified by: First published in one volume by Osgood, McIlvaine & Co. An authorized Harper & Brothers New York edition appeared the same year; the Osgood, McIlvaine London edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First published in one volume by Osgood, McIlvaine & Co. in 1891, gathering ten stories framed as tales told by members of the Wessex Field and Antiquarian Club
- Hardy revised the stories for book publication and, in places, restored franker material than the text bowdlerized for the serialization of six of the ten stories in the Graphic's 1890 Christmas number
- The first-edition binding is cream cloth, the front cover blocked in gilt with a ruled and floral border, spine blocked in gilt and lettered in brown, with yellow endpapers
- Publisher imprint reads James R. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co.
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Thomas Hardy |
| Publisher | James R. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co. |
| Year | 1891 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First published in one volume by Osgood, McIlvaine & Co. in 1891, gathering ten stories framed as tales told by members of the Wessex Field… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First published in one volume by Osgood, McIlvaine & Co. in 1891, gathering ten stories framed as tales told by members of the Wessex Field and Antiquarian Club. Hardy revised the stories for book publication and, in places, restored franker material than the text bowdlerized for the serialization of six of the ten stories in the Graphic's 1890 Christmas number. The first-edition binding is cream cloth, the front cover blocked in gilt with a ruled and floral border, spine blocked in gilt and lettered in brown, with yellow endpapers.

## Is this the true first?
An authorized Harper & Brothers New York edition appeared the same year; the Osgood, McIlvaine London edition is the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Group of Noble Dames* by Thomas Hardy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-group-of-noble-dames
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.