1816 copy of Mansfield Park for sale on eBay
An early copy of Mansfield Park–the second edition, published by John Murray at Jane Austen’s request–is for sale on eBay.
In the original contemporary half leather binding. Three volumes, complete (360pp;294pp;354pp).
Title pages bound in to each volume. In very good condition, high quality, thick paper. Pages are bright and clean. There are no pen inscriptions. A small pencil inscription (from 1830) to volume 1 only has been left for provenance. There is very slight darkening/waterstaining to the lower edge of volume 2, although very minor and difficult to pick up on a photograph. The bindings were clearly very expensive for the time, bearing in mind the contemporary economic crisis facing the country due to the Napoleonic wars.
Ornate giltwork to the spines, black leather title lables (with gilt text), still very clear. Brown leather over marble boards. All volumes are tight and square, although, after nearly two centuries, the books are relatively fragile.Whilst being the 1st Murray edition, this 1816 edition was officially the “second Edition”. The first edition had sold out quickly, but it is important to note that Jane Austen was not in agreement with the previous publishers, Egerton, and following the publication of ‘Emma’, she turned to John Muarray. The Murray edition is universally held to be much improved from the first, although the spelling is not uniform amongst the volumes as different proof readers were used for each.
We especially like the comment about Jane Austen being “Perhaps the most popular novelist of all time and certainly one of the greatest.” We concur. (We also think the book should sell for more than £360.)
(Via the Janeites mailing list.)
