Books

First Gabain edition, limited issue, number 89 of 495 copies. This beautiful, scarce edition of Jane Eyre was commissioned by the French collector Edmond Paix, who chose Gabain as the illustrator after he saw her lithograph The Striped Petticoat. The original commission was for 22 lithographs, although only 17 were produced. Gabain (1883-1950) was a painter and lithographer who was elected President of the Society of Women Artists in 1940. She was a strong proponent of lithography and co-founded the Senefelder Club in 1910, which sought to promote this type of art. An advance notice of Jane Eyre in The Sphere states that lithography "as a medium of art expression is enjoying increasing popularity with artists of repute. This re-employment of original lithographs as book illustrations is the latest expression of this revival". Unusually for a female artist and lithographer, Gabain was able to make a living from her art in the interwar period. Quarto. Original cream wrappers, lettered in black and red, fore and bottom edges untrimmed, some leaves unopened. With the glassine jacket and housed in a custom chemise and slipcase. With 17 lithographs by Ethel Gabain, loosely inserted, as issued. A little faint spotting to wrappers; a near-fine copy, largely unopened. .

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte is a bildungsroman that chronicles the life of its eponymous protagonist. Orphaned and mistreated as a child, Jane Eyre grows up at Gateshead Hall under the care of her cruel aunt and cousins. She then attends Lowood School, where she faces hardship but receives an education that shapes her character. As a young woman, Jane becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, employed by the enigmatic and brooding Mr. Rochester. Jane's time at Thornfield Hall is marked by her growing affection for Rochester, despite their differing social statuses. Their relationship blossoms until a shocking revelation about Rochester's past disrupts their plans for marriage. Forced to leave Thornfield Hall, Jane finds refuge at Moor House, where she discovers her distant relatives, the Rivers family. She forms strong bonds with them but remains haunted by her love for Rochester. The narrative reveals Jane's fierce independence, unwavering principles, and quest for autonomy and love despite societal constraints. Eventually, she inherits a fortune and learns that Rochester, now blind and maimed from a tragic fire, seeks reconciliation. Returning to Rochester, Jane finds him humbled and rehabilitated. They reunite and marry, embracing a life together built on mutual respect and equality. "Jane Eyre" is not only a tale of romance but also a nuanced exploration of societal expectations, feminism, morality, and the struggle for personal identity and integrity. Bronte's novel broke boundaries by portraying a strong-willed, independent female protagonist who defies convention in her pursuit of love and self-realization. The novel's enduring appeal lies in its compelling characters, richly detailed settings, and themes that resonate across generations, making "Jane Eyre" a timeless classic in English literature.