F I N E B O O K S & M A N U S C R I P T S
“Reader, I married him.”
8. Jane Eyre An Autobiography [BRONTË, Charlotte] BELL, Currer
Smith, Elder & Co., 1847. First edition. Three volumes. Early twentieth century straight grain green morocco by Lloyd, Wallis and Lloyd with raised bands to the spine and gilt titles and floral ornamentation to the compartments. Triple ruled border to cov - ers with ornamental gilt turn-ins and marbled endpapers. Early bookseller’s ticket to the rear pastedown. All half-titles present. Top edge gilt, others uncut. A very good, tall set with a trace of wear to the corners at the heads of the spine. Internally fresh, unwashed and unpressed. A number of discrete, old marginal repairs to closed tears and small chips throughout with only one tear (P2 of vol I) venturing into the text. A handsome set. [42304] £50,000 Charlotte Brontë’s first novel and keystone of nineteenth century literature. Having collaborated with her sisters in an unsuccessful self published volume of poetry, Charlotte embarked on writ- ing a novel, The Professor. This was declined by all the publishers it was sent to and, stung by the fact that both her sisters had found publishers for their novels, she set about writing a new novel on an entirely different emotional scale. The work was swiftly completed and immediately found a willing publisher in Smith, Elder. The book was published in an edition of just 500 copies, whilst both her sisters’ works languished in production. The novel was greeted with almost instant acclaim. Critics seized upon its imaginative power and the reality and freshness of its style. William Thackeray, to whom Charlotte dedicated the second edition, “lost a whole day in reading it.” To this day it remains one of the most popular and widely read English novels.
Gaskell On Brontë
9. The Life Of Charlotte Brontë Author of “Jane Eyre,” “Shirley,” “Villette,” &c. GASKELL, E. C.
Smith, Elder & Co., 1857. First edition. Two volumes. Original publisher’s brown chocolate cloth, decorated in blind to the covers and with gilt titles to the spine. Engraved frontispiece to each volume. A very good set indeed, in unrestored original cloth. Each volume slightly cocked, with some rubbing to the spine ends. Contemporary ownership inscription to front pastedowns in each volume. [42888] £1,750 A significant work of nineteenth century literary biography, in which one great female novelist of the period is profiled by another.
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