Description

BEAUTIFUL FIRST EDITION OF MANSFIELD PARK, AUSTEN’S THIRD NOVEL

AUSTEN, Jane. Mansfield Park: A Novel. In Three Volumes. London: T. Egerton, 1814. Three volumes. 12mo, late 19th-century full tan speckled calf, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, red and green morocco spine labels, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt.

First edition of Austen’s third novel, one of only 1250 copies printed, beautifully bound by Bumpus.

“The subject of Mansfield Park is education, or the discipline and training of the feelings? [It is] an intensely moving and intelligent comedy about modern England” (Honan, 338-48). Austen’s novels “were published anonymously, though the authorship was an open secret to her friends. It was first made public in a short biographical notice prefixed to the two posthumous novels in 1818. Miss Austen’s genius received little recognition during her life” (DNB). Bound with half titles in Volumes I and II; without half title in Volume III and without advertisement leaf at end of Volume III, as often. Gilson A6. Keynes 6.

Only occasional faint foxing; interior generally clean. Beautiful calf-gilt bindings fine. A lovely, most desirable copy.