Query on FS Thomas Hardy volumes

I bought the boxed set of Wessex novels back in '97. The volumes I have are bound in Regency Rayon cloth and the spine is stamped with the title and author in gilt on a colour background. There is no loss on the gilt nor on the background colour and I have read the volumes several times.

I have been looking at 2nd hand copies of 'Wessex Tales' and 'Under the Greenwood Tree' online and 2nd hand dealers, though I haven't come across a copy of either, so far, that doesn't have significant scratches or flaking on the spine motif.

Would this be a factor of different materials used for these bindings, or is it age, or just a case of wait?

Any insight gratefully received!

You've done well. I've found that the author/title scratches away all too easily on mine - I first found that happening on my 1993 copy of Return of the Native whilst I was reading it (and I do take care!), and I've even got scratching on one or two unread editions. I think earlier ones had a leather label, but the later ones look vulnerable.

>2 Willoyd: I think earlier ones had a leather label, but the later ones look vulnerable.

If my memory is correct, just the first two titles - Mayor of Casterbridge and Return of the Native. As you say, the later issues, sans label, were prone to scratching.

If you do manage to find unscratched examples of this set, snap them up. They are extremely prone to scratching and indeed for the colour on the labels to rub off. My FS copy of Jude the Obscure, unread in this edition, and which I bought new (1993 printing), shows a couple of faint scratches. I'm lucky in that all the others are unmarked, but I often see secondhand copies which are almost invariably in poor condition visually.

I, too, have been looking at various Hardy volumes lately and wondered what it is with all these scratched spines. A lot of listings even suspiciously leave out photographs of the spine.

I am inclined to believe that there must be some variation in materials between the different impressions though. I seems to me that “Return of the Native” exists in more than one shade of green (and then there is the earlier version with the leather titling of course).

Speaking of those earlier versions, those are also frequently in terrible condition, with tremendous sunning and scratched up leather label. Also the grey of “The Mayor of Castorbridge” looks really dreary and boring, but perhaps it is better in person.

For silly people like me, who mix older Hardys with some that are currently for sale, be aware that, for reasons only comprehensible to the FS, their spine titling is not aligned. The newer Hardy titling is slightly lower on the spine.

>5 foldout_chair:
for silly people like me, who mix older Hardys with some that are currently for sale, be aware that, for reasons only comprehensible to the FS, their spine titling is not aligned. The newer Hardy titling is slightly lower on the spine.

I think I'd still buy a modern replacement for my Return of the Native, having not found an older copy yet in good enough condition. Unfortunately that's one of the few of his 'big' novels that they haven't done, and I suspect won't now. Probably not 'big' enough in the new highly selective 'only the most popular classics' era, but I can still hope.

Thank you all for your observations.

>5 foldout_chair: My '90 copy of The Trumpet Major, (individual slipcased volume), is bound in Berkeley cloth and shows slight motif wear at the edge - though the colour match of the motif background is so similar to the cloth colour it hardly shows. The motif sits slightly higher than those in the '97 Wessex Tales boxed set. The latter seems to have been issued in at least 2 combinations which seems odd.

My search will continue; it may finally encourage me to get to grips with constructing a slipcase as I may find an unscratched volume of the Wessex Tales and/or Under the Greenwood Tree adrift from a 6 volume set.

Does anyone have experience protecting these books with Mylar? I am trying to figure out whether it's worth joining the hunt for pristine copies in the hope of protecting them. Or whether it is inevitable that they will get scratched, in which case I might as well buy some pre-scratched ones at a discount.

>8 ubiquitousuk:

Use Grafix Dura Lar. Get .003 (or .004 if necessary) inch thickness and the largest sheet obtainable at 24 x 40 inches.

>8 ubiquitousuk:

And if you find a convenient source of the Duralar in the UK it would be a kindness to let others know.

>10 affle: Not sure about the sheets, but the rolls are available off Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grafix-Clear-Dura-Lar-20-Inch-25-Feet/dp/B0092MJHDS

>10 affle: This may or may not be what you are looking for.

https://www.care4books.com/products/OnlineShop/BookCovers

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360999066629?hash=item540d389c05:g:gNwAAOSwNRdX4WTY

The eBay price is slightly cheaper from the same seller. It was actually from >8 ubiquitousuk: very helpful YouTube video on book covering which alerted me to it. I have been using it to cover some of the Fine Press editions which I obtained without any covers.

>12 assemblyman: Beware of garden variety polyester films. They are not the same as archival or museum quality products. Grafix Dura-Lar is of the latter kind. Here is another post on this topic: https://www.librarything.com/topic/219023#6404423

>13 mr.philistine: Sorry I updated my post as I used the wrong eBay link. It should be now for the archival type. I cant seem to find a good and cost effective supplier for Dura-Lar. Suppliers on Amazon don't seem to ship to Ireland which is why I posted an alternative which I found.

>11 mr.philistine:
Thank you - not available when I last looked: this seems to be some (new?) arrangement for international supply, conveniently with an offer for free international shipping.

>12 assemblyman: Thank you, I've gone with the Amazon offer.

>12 assemblyman: yes, I think we are using the same stuff. I buy it from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/EASYFOLD-BOOK-COVERING-micron-330mm/dp/B00R4UZID8

The suppliers describe it as archival and acid free, and claim to be a major supplier of archive-safe materials to libraries and book dealers as well as the fine book market. They're also members of the PBFA and are the official UK distributor for Brodart. That sounded legitimate enough for me to prefer their product over imported Dura-Lar that's about four times as expensive, when it's even available.