Books

5 volumes, uniformly bound with darkest blue leather spine and corners, blue marbled paper over boards. Gold lettering on the spines, raised cords, and decoration and edition (Steventon) in gold as well. Red silk bookmarks bound in. Marbled endpapers to match the boards. Bindings tight, however. The top 3-4 inches of the spines of two volumes (first vols of Emma and PP) are cracked at the hinges. Nothing is detached, but in fact, everything is still quite firm. but the leather at the hinges shows where the damage occurred. There is a small chip of missing leather from the top panel of the spine of PP vol 2. All five volumes from a limited edition of only 100 sets published by Taylor in 1901. This is numbered 96 of that extremely limited edition. All 5 volumes have hand-colored plates by Lee Woodward Zeigler. Emma is 355 + 357 pages. Pride and Prejudice is 291 and 296 pages. Northanger is 347. There is no mention of volume numbers in this set, but it's reasonable to assume that Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion would have been included originally, though we do not have them. There was a 6 volume Steventon Edition published in London in 1882, but considering that it was 20 years, an ocean, and a new format separated from this edition, it's not clear whether there's any connection between them. Perhaps both publishers felt it was appropriate to name an edition after Austen's home village. Text blocks all tight, clean throughout, no marks, stains or even previous owner's names. Please email with questions or to request photos. If you see a photo beside this listing, please be aware that it s an ABE Stock Photo (whatever that is) and not a photo of this book.

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen is a classic novel that explores themes of love, social standing, and personal growth. Published in 1813, it is set in rural England and revolves around the character Elizabeth Bennet, the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, Mr. Bennet. Elizabeth is intelligent, witty, and possesses a keen sense of moral integrity. The narrative begins with the arrival of a wealthy and eligible bachelor, Mr. Bingley, to the neighborhood, which causes a stir among the local families with marriageable daughters. Mr. Bingley brings along his friend Mr. Darcy, who is even wealthier but also more aloof and prideful. Initial impressions lead to mutual dislike between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. While Mr. Bingley quickly grows fond of Elizabeth's older sister, Jane, Mr. Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's prejudice against him set the stage for a series of misunderstandings and emotional conflicts. As the story progresses, various romantic entanglements unfold, involving Elizabeth's younger sisters, Lydia and Kitty, and other characters such as Mr. Collins, a pompous clergyman, and Mr. Wickham, a charming but unscrupulous officer. Through these interactions, Austen critiques the social mores and marriage market of her time, highlighting the limited opportunities for women to secure their future and the importance of marrying for love rather than convenience or economic security. Despite their initial misjudgments, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy gradually come to understand and respect each other. Elizabeth learns of Darcy's true character and his role in resolving a scandal involving her youngest sister, Lydia. Mr. Darcy's actions and Elizabeth's realization of her own prejudices lead to a transformation in their relationship. The novel culminates in the overcoming of pride and prejudice, mutual respect, and the eventual marriages of Elizabeth to Mr. Darcy and Jane to Mr. Bingley, underscoring Austen's belief in the importance of personal growth and moral integrity in marriage. "Pride and Prejudice" remains one of Austen's most beloved works, celebrated for its wit, its insightful commentary on the social fabric of the time, and its exploration of the complexities of human relationships and personal growth.