THE WAR OF THE WORLDS. Complete in Nine Individual Monthly Parts as Published in Pearson's Magazine.

First edition, first printing in the nine individual original parts, of H. G. Wells' landmark work of science-fiction. Publisher's pictorial paper covers. Twelve volumes, loosely laid into the publisher's original cloth cases. Illustrated by Warwick Goble throughout the text. A remarkable survival, each volume in very good or better condition, the bindings firm with a little rubbing, a few short closed tears and some chipping resulting in only minor loss to the extremities. The contents are clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. The publisher's green cloth cases, decorated in green, brown and gilt, are in near fine condition with a little rubbing and bumping at the edges. All volumes are in entirely original condition, without repair or restoration. Rare in this form.

The first printing of The War of the Worlds was issued in serialized form by Cyril Arthur Pearson who paid Wells £200 for the publishing rights. The novel ran over nine issues of Pearson's Magazine between April and December 1897. Every six months the publisher would take the unsold stock of the individual monthly parts and bind them into decorated cloth boards supplying a new title page and discarding the original wrappers in the process. Evidently the present set, which includes issues January, February and March was destined for this fate but thankfully never made the publisher's guillotine. The first edition in bookform was published without illustrations by William Heinemann in early 1898.