Austen, Jane - Her Complete Works, All First Editions - 1811, 1813, 1814, 1816, 1818

Jane Austen’s Complete Works
A complete set of the works of Jane Austen, All First Editions, All First Printings
Incredibly rare, stunning conditions, and deluxe bound in matching red morocco for Charles J Sawyer Booksellers in the 1920s

Sense and Sensibility, 1811
Pride & Prejudice, 1813
Mansfield Park, 1814
Emma, 1816
Northanger Abbey & Persuasion, 1818

Sense and Sensibility
FIRST EDITION OF JANE AUSTEN'S FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEL

AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Sense and Sensibility: A Novel in Three Volumes, By a Lady. London: Printed for the Author, By C. Roworth, Bell-yard, Temple-bar, and Published by T. Egerton, Whitehall. 1811. (Gilson A1; Keynes 1; Sadleir 62b.)

3 volumes. Half-titles in each volume, final blank in vol. II only; paper watermarked "IS 1810" and "1808". (Some light spotting to a few leaves, M11 in Vol. II with paper flaw touching letters, a few minor marginal tears from rough opening or paper flaws.)  20th-century red straight-grained morocco gilt, turn-ins with gilt thistle roll-tooling, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, stamp-signed by C. J. Sawyer (a few tiny surface scuffs).

FIRST EDITION OF JANE AUSTEN'S FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEL, one of only 1,000 or fewer copies printed. Austen originally structured her work as an epistolary novel entitled Elinor and Marianne, but revised the work in 1797 and 1798 at Steventon, and again in 1809 and 1810 during her first year of residence at Chawton.

Thomas Egerton agreed to publish the novel on a commission basis, and Jane Austen "actually made a reserve from her very moderate income to meet the expected loss." The price of the new novel was 15 shillings in boards, with advertisements first appearing on 30 October 1811. Keynes suggests that the edition was "only 1000 copies or even less." When it sold out in less than two years, Jane wrote to her brother Francis: "You will be glad to hear that every copy of Sense and Sensibility is sold and that it has brought me £140 beside the copyright, if that should ever be of any value."

Pride and Prejudice
FIRST EDITION OF JANE AUSTEN'S “OWN DARLING CHILD” 

AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Pride and Prejudice: A Novel in Three Volumes. By the Author of “Sense And Sensibility” London: Printed for T. Egerton, Military Library, Whitehall. 1813. (Gilson A3; Grolier English 69; Keynes 3; Sadleir 62b.)

3 volumes, 12mo (169 x 102 mm). Paper watermarked 1808 and 1812. (Lacking half-titles, a few minor marginal tears or losses occasionally repaired,  a few leaves with paper flaws just affecting letters). 20th-century red straight-grained morocco gilt, turn-ins with gilt thistle roll-tooling, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, stamp-signed by C. J. Sawyer (a few tiny scuffs).

FIRST EDITION. Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice (originally titled First Impressions) between October 1796 and August 1797 when she was not yet twenty-one -- the same age, in fact, as her fictional heroine Elizabeth Bennet.

After an early rejection by the publisher Cadell who had not even read it, Austen's novel was finally bought by Egerton in 1812 for £110. It was published in late January 1813 in a small edition of approximately 1500 copies and sold for 18 shillings in boards.

On 29 January 1813, Austen wrote to her sister Cassandra about receiving her copy of the newly published novel (her "own darling child"), and while acknowledging its few errors, she expresses her feelings toward her heroine: "I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, & how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know."

Mansfield Park: A Novel in Three Volumes
FIRST EDITION OF JANE AUSTEN'S THIRD WORK

AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Mansfield Park: A Novel in Three Volumes. By the Author of "Sense and Sensibility," and "Pride and Prejudice." London: Printed for T. Egerton, Military Library, Whitehall. 1814. (Gilson A6; Keynes p. 11; Sadleir I, 62c.)

3 volumes, 12mo (165 x 104 mm). Half-titles in each volume; advertisement leaf in Vol. III; paper watermarked 1812. (Lacking final blank O4 in Vol. II, the first few leaves of Vol. I repaired in gutter margin, a few minor repairs or paper flaws touching letters, two leaves in Vol. I torn with neat repairs). 20th-century red straight-grained morocco gilt, turn-ins with gilt thistle roll-tooling, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, stamp-signed by C. J. Sawyer.

FIRST EDITION, written by Austen between February 1811 and June 1813, and published in May 1814 in a relatively small edition of perhaps 1250 copies, priced at 18 shillings in boards. Austen published the work on a commission basis, retaining the copyright to the work which was sold out by November.

Despite selling out relatively quickly, no second edition was printed until 1816.  Vols. I and III were printed by Sidney, and Vol. II was printed by Roworth.  The final leaf in Vol. III advertises the publication of the second editions of Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

Emma
FIRST EDITION OF JANE AUSTEN'S FOURTH NOVEL

AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. By the Author of “Pride and Prejudice,” London: Printed for John Murray. 1816. (Gilson A8; Keynes p. 14; Sadleir I, 62d.)

3 volumes, 12mo (171 x 103 mm). Paper watermarked "1815" or "BUDGEN 1815". (Lacking half-titles; a few small spots, light browning to a few quires.) 20th-century red straight-grained morocco gilt, turn-ins with gilt thistle roll-tooling, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, stamp-signed by C. J. Sawyer. (A few tiny scuffs)

FIRST EDITION, written by Austen from 21 January 1814 to 29 March 1815 at Chawton. Henry Austen conducted negotiations with John Murray concerning the publication.  Following her visit to Carlton House, Austen dedicated the novel to the Prince Regent at the suggestion of the Prince's librarian, who thought it an appropriate acknowledgement for the kindness shown her by the Prince. 

After a number of printing delays, the novel was finally published in late December 1815 at her own expense, with profits going to Austen after payment of a 10 percent commission to John Murray.

In his review of Emma, Sir Walter Scott noted: "We therefore bestow no mean compliment upon the author of Emma, when we say that...she has produced sketches of such spirit and originality that we never miss the excitation which depends upon the narrative of uncommon events."

Northanger Abbey: and Persuasion
FIRST EDITION OF JANE AUSTEN'S FINAL TWO WORKS

AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Northanger Abbey: and Persuasion. By the Author of "Pride and Prejudice", "Mansfield-Park" &c. With a Biographical Notice of the Author. London: John Murray, Albemarle-Street. 1818. (Gilson A9; Keynes 9; Sadleir I, 62e.)

4 volumes, 12mo (172 x104 mm). Half-titles in vol. I; paper watermarked "AP 1816." (Lacking half-titles in vols. II-IV, a few leaves with tiny paper flaws just touching letters, a few spots, some leaves slightly toned.) 20th-century red straight-grained morocco gilt, turn-ins with gilt thistle roll-tooling, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, stamp-signed by C. J. Sawyer (a few tiny scuffs).

 FIRST EDITION. Northanger Abbey, with its lighthearted imitation of the Gothic novel, was written 1798 and 1799. In 1803, she sold the novel, then entitled Susan, to Crosby and Company, a London publisher, for £10.

When it failed to appear after six years, she asked Mr. Crosby for information and was told he was under no obligation to publish it but would return the manuscript to her in exchange for the amount he had originally paid her. Austen waited until 1816 to accept the offer, but despite preparing the manuscript for publication, she still held it back. As a result, it only appeared posthumously with Persuasion in December 1817, prefaced by Henry Austen's “Biographical Notice'' of his sister. The final version of Persuasion, her last novel, was completed on 6 August 1816.