The 13th October saw the latest Library Sale at Cheffins, and as often, it was a collection of early editions of Jane Austen works which far exceeded expectations.
Jane Austen is one of those writers whose novels always draws the crowd’s interest at auction. Many authors are a flash in the pan, fashionable one moment and forgotten about the next, however Jane Austen’s works are consistently sought after. Perhaps it’s our country’s obsession with the Regency period. Just looking at the number of period dramatisations currently on television is sufficient evidence of this, with series such as Sanditon, Bridgerton and the new reworking of Persuasion to name but a few - life as it was immortalised by Austen is constantly morphing and being reimagined by TV producers the world over. However, for many of us, the greatest pleasure is to return to the dramas in their original form, captured within the pages of Austen’s books.
The short years of the Regency period probably displayed the greatest tastes, fashions, and whims of society that Great Britain ever saw. Whether architecture, furniture design or fashion, all now appear to many of us terrifically more stylish than at any time since. And whilst this observation has been pretty much universally accepted, the popularity of the period appears to be having another resurgence, and with that, prices for first or early editions of Austen’s works indeed appear to be on the rise. After all, in times of austerity why not let the imagination return to the realm of ballrooms, dances, carriages and the ‘Mr Darcys’ of the world?
Lot 278 - Yellowbacks, Austen Works, sold for £3,600
This latest sale saw a number of early Jane Austen works, with, interestingly, a set of ‘Yellowback’ popular editions produced to appeal to the masses and featuring eight volumes of Austen’s classic titles, selling for £3,600, well above the modest presale estimate of £100 - £200. Whilst these are not particularly early editions, dating from 1872, these Victorian versions came with beautifully colourful covers, making them aesthetically pleasing in themselves; they were also rare survivals of an edition which was probably not intended to last into the current century. At the sale these were followed by copies of Emma, Mansfield Park and Pride & Prejudice, dating back to 1833. This was also an attractive group, albeit in later plain cloth bindings but complete with engraved titles and frontispieces, and which sold for £3,200, also well over and above their lower estimate of £800.
Another set on offer were six volumes printed between 1872 and 1877 which had been donated to The National Trust property of Wimpole Hall near Cambridge, to their second hand bookshop. With the proceeds going directly to the Trust, these sold above estimate for £1,100 to a buyer also based in East Anglia.
.jpg)
Lot 315 - Jane Austen works in six volumes, from Wimpole Hall, sold for £1,100
The attraction of Austen’s works is that they have a very broad appeal to readers young and not so young, with steady demand both from private collectors and the book trade. With novels always in the best-sellers lists for period works, there will always be a place for Austen’s stories on every discerning book collector’s shelf. Whilst some examples have sold for astronomic sums, for example the inscribed first edition of Emma which made £375,000 not so long ago, there are some early versions which can be picked up at relatively affordable prices. Of course, for serious collectors, condition is essential, particularly originality, with a focus on those copies which have changed little in appearance since leaving the publisher. Later editions carried decorative illustrations, and often came in cloth gilt covers. However, for Austen fans owning an early version of her books is so much more charming than a modern version. Would-be buyers would do well to look at regional auction houses’ regular book sales or their local antiquarian and second-hand bookshops. The crème de la crème will always be first editions, but for those without such deep pockets, examples from the later 19th and early 20th centuries often present as lovely alternatives.
To view the results for the Library Sale, please click here