UBC Rare Books and Special Collections has a set of the three-volume First Edition of Pride and Prejudice. (Call number: PR4034.P7 1813)
Volumes I-III of Pride and Prejudice From UBC Rare Books and Special Collections
Description from the UBC Library website:
UBC Library has a copy with facsimile title-page and half title-page in vol. 1, and facsimile half title-pages in vols. 2-3. Bound in leather with gold tooling by “Birdsall, Northampton & London”. Gilt edges.
It is one of 1500 copies printed during the first run in January 1813.
The books measures 180mm in height. It is printed in octavo, which means that each sheet of paper yields 8 pages, folded together and cut.
Facsimile pages
Facsimile Half-Title Page from Volume I
According to the UBC Library description of the book, Volume I has facsimile title-page and half-title page, Volume II has a facsimile half-title page and original title pages, and Volume III has facsimile half-title page, and original title pages.
What is a facsimile page?
“A copy or reproduction of a manuscript, printed book, map, etc. that attempts to replicate the original as closely as possible”
(Broadview Reader in Book History pp.583)
It is predicted that the original pages were removed at some point in the past. The facsimile pages look like the original pages at first glance. At closer inspection, the replacement facsimile pages can be seen to have been glued onto the pages after very close to the spine.
Printing
Volume I shows two different printers, one a “G. Sidney … Northumberland Street, Strand” (overleaf half-title, opposite title-page), the other with “C. Roworth, Bell-yard, Temple-bar” (last page).
Volume I, Title-page opposite (facsimile) , showing “G. Sidney, Printer, 3. Northumberland street, Strand”
This caused confusion when I first encountered it. How can one work be printed by two separate printers? This source states that:
Vol. I was printed by C. Roworth, Bell-yard, Temple-bar; Vols. II and III by G. Sidney, Northumberland Street, Strand.
That means that the second image, showing that it was printed in London by C. Roworth, is the accurate printer. This discrepancy is due to the half-titles of Volume I are in facsimile (the printer’s name is on the overleaf), and are reproductions of the same pages from Volumes II and III.
Signature marks
Signature marks are marks that help book printers and binders put the sheets in the correct order. Books were (and still are) printed in “sheets”, large pieces of paper, then folded and cut.
They are used to keep track of the sheets They are usually seen at the bottom of a page. Here is an example from the copy at RBSC:
Bottom of page 35 of Vol I., bottom showing “C6” and “pleasure”
“C6” shown at the bottom of the image is the “key”, and indicates the order that it should be folded in. The word “pleasure” indicates the first word that is on the next page. This feature helps the typesetter (the person who arranges the letters) and also the person who folds and cuts the pages.
Binding
The copy at RBSC is bound in letter, with gilt edging and gold tooling. It was done by Birdsall, Northampton & London.
Detail of leather binding and gold tooling.
Detail of gilt edging. Decorative detail can also be seen.
Spine detail, showing the date “1813”, the year of publication.
Volume I spine detail: Decorative detail, author name, and volume number.
This image shows that Austen’s name appears on the spine. It should be noted that Austen’s name does not appear in the title-page of the book:
Detail: Facsimile title-page Volume I
This can be used to reinforce the fact that binding and printing are independent activities at the time. It also suggests that the book was re-bound at a later time, which the excellent condition of the binding also suggests.
Notable features of the RBSC copy
Page 1 of Volume I, showing the inscription “M.L. Stone” very faintly on the top right hand corner.
The name “M.L. Stone” is written in the first volume, hinting at a previous owner of the books. The ink is very faded, which leads me to believe that this could possibly be the original owner of the books. I could not find out who this person was with further research, but am nonetheless interested in who it might be, as it might give insight into who Austen’s readers were.
Other First Edition Copies of Pride & Prejudice
This video by Peter Harington, a UK rare books seller, shows the original format of first editions of Austen’s novels (the one shown is of Sense and Sensibility, but the format is the same). They look very different from the copy at RBSC.
Video still, showing the paper-covered board and paper spine of the original binding (From peterharington.co.uk)
Video still showing uncut paper edges. (From peterharington.co.uk)
This is because collectors sometimes have their books re-bound to match the other volumes they may have in their collection. The paper board binding is regarded as temporary binding, until the owner decides to have the book re-bound. This is a practice that is not as widespread today.
From christies.com
The above copy was bound in half calf, which means that the spines and corners are bound in leather, while the cover is board. The board is covered in marbled paper, which is the preferred style of paper decorating at the time. This specific copy sold at Christie’s auction house for almost $70,000 USD in 2012.
Images of binding from a collection of Jane Austen first edition books. (From BBC, found on austenonly.com)
These copies appeared on the show BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. It was suspected of being previously owned by an earl because of the coronet on the binding. The whole collection of Jane Austen books were bound to the same design.
Read about the literary market in the 18th century.
References
- “Glossary”. The Broadview Reader in Book History. Toronto: Broadview, 2015. Print.
- UBC Library Website Holding for Pride & Prejudice
- “Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters A Family Record”. Mollands.net
- “Deciphering Signature Marks” by Sara Werner. The Collation, Folger Shakespeare Library
- “Jane Austen’s First Editions – How Bindings Affect Value”. Peter Harrington. Video.
- “Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice” Christie’s Lotfinder. Christies.com
- “Jane Austen First Editions on BBC Antiques Roadshow” Austenonly. Austenonly.com