60 Great Books Bauman Rare Books - 4 - First Collected And First Illustrated Edition Of The Novels Of Jane Austen, 1833 2. AUSTEN, Jane. Novels. London, 1833. Five volumes. Small octavo, modern full brown calf gilt. $28,000. Important first collected and first illustrated edition of the novels of Jane Austen, printed from the plates of Bentley’s “Standard Novel” editions of 1833, each volume with engraved frontispiece illustration and vignette title page, finely bound. “Very rare in any state” (Gilson). “The fact that [Austen] wrote comparatively little and that that little is almost always of the highest quality has resulted in the unique distinction which her reputation now enjoys, that she is the only author of her period whose works can be read, and are read, today with delight in their entirety” (Baugh, et al., 1206). Bentley’s first collected edition of Austen’s novels includes Sense and Sensibility (originally published 1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Emma (1815), Mansfield Park (1814) and Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (both published posthumously in 1818). When this edition first appeared, with its memoir of the author by Henry Austen, it triggered an interest in Jane Austen’s works which has never flagged since. Bound without half titles. Gilson D6. Owner ink signatures to engraved title page of Emma and letterpress title page of Pride and Prejudice. A clean, handsomely bound set in fine condition. First Edition Of Austen’s Emma, In Lovely Contemporary Bindings 1. AUSTEN, Jane. Emma: A Novel. London, 1816. Three volumes. Tall 12mo, contemporary three-quarter brown calf gilt, custom slipcase. $40,000. First edition of the last novel Austen published in her lifetime, her exquisitely comedic and unerringly insightful social satire, with all half titles, in a lovely contemporary binding. “Emma was the fourth and last novel which Jane Austen published in her lifetime. When it was written the author was at the height of her powers” (Rosenbach 29:24). “Jane Austen’s fourth novel has a profundity similar to that of Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility… Austen’s self-knowledge, her love of detail… [helped her] to create a proud, self-willed, self-guided, vexing and outrageous Emma and her greatest novel” (Honan, Jane Austen, 356-364). Printed in an edition of only 2000 copies at the author’s expense. With rare half titles in all three volumes. Gilson A8. A few early pencil notations. Scattered foxing to interior, restored binding with light edgewear, renewed corners. An extremely good copy of this scarce and important Austen classic.
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