The Michael Sadleir Collection of 19th Century Fiction

Collecting Jane Austen

“I had been brought up in a household devoted to Jane Austen and Dickens …”

Sadleir grew up reading Jane Austen, and he added some editions of her novels to his 19^th century fiction collection. Notably, he did not collect Sir Walter Scott or other turn-of-the-century novelists. The bulk of the 19^th century collection picks up a little later with those authors writing about twenty-five years into the century.

Sadleir obtained a complete set of Austen first editions, custom bound in morocco leather for Lord Rosebery.

Jane Austen, Emma, Murray, 1816 [62d] with marbled end papers and gilt edges from Lord Rosebery’s set. Note the polished morocco leather which used to be green. The gold tooling on the spine and gilt edged pages. The gold on the edges of the paper actually serve a practical purpose even if it was a bit expensive. It created a smooth surface so that dust could be more easily brushed off.

Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, Egerton, 1814 [62c], illustrating Lord Rosebery’s book plate, which is present in all 16 volumes of this set. Part of Lord Rosebery’s bindery order included the addition of marbled end papers and a silk ribbon bookmark. Every part of a custom binding -- the choice of leather for the covers, how much gold ornament was used in labeling and decoration, whether there was a silk ribbon bookmark, etc. – was individually priced and added to the total cost.

Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, Egerton, 1814 [62c], showing the full title page for Lord Rosebury’s first edition copy of Mansfield Park.

Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, Egerton, 1814 [62c]. It is rare to find half-titles intact in a custom binding. Lord Rosebery’s set is no exception. Mansfield Park is the only one of his Austen triple-deckers that still has its half title pages. The half-title page precedes the full title page and simply says “Mansfield Park” with a double rule above and below the typed to set it off.

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Bentley, 1870 [63b]. Rather than colorful examples of binding, which were prominent at the period, Bentley chose a sedate binding style that looks earlier than its time: the green cloth on the front cover has been decorated, not in gold, but by stamping or blocking a pattern in blind. Gold is judiciously limited to the lettering on the spine.

J.E. Austen Leigh, A Memoir of Jane Austen [63f] Richard Bentley came out with a new edition of Austen’s works in 1879 as part of his series “Bentley’s Favourite Novels.” He commissioned Jane Austen’s nephew to write a memoir of his aunt, which was added to Lady Susan, which appeared in print for the first time in 1871.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse