Novels of Jane Austen in Ten Volumes
London: George G. Harrap & Co., Ltd., 1925. 18.8x12cm. Complete set of Jane Austen’s seven novels in ten volumes. Reissue of Chatto & Windus Edition, 1908. Illustrated by A. Wallis Mills with ten color plates per volume including a frontispiece. Each novel is accompanied by an introduction from R. Brimley Johnson. Finely bound by the Morrell Bindery, London, stamped on preliminaries, in three-quarter navy crushed morocco with blue cloth boards with gilt borders. Each spine has five raised bands with gilt titling, date, and decorative elements along with the series title panel in green and volume title panel in maroon. Top edge gilt of each volume. Marbled endpapers. Original color illustrated endpapers bound in. Some leaves uncut. Light wear to board edges and faint offsetting to marbled endpapers, else Fine.
This set appears to have been specially bound for the Charles E. Lauriat Company of Boston, most likely commissioned by Charles E. Lauriat, Jr. Charles E. Lauriat and his son Charles E. Lauriat, Jr. were Boston-based booksellers, publishers, and rare book collectors known for their annual book scouting trips to London. According to a New York Times article (Dec. 29, 1937) published at the time of Jr.’s death, “Mr. Lauriat was well known in the book markets of London and was aboard the Lusitania bound for England when it was torpedoed. He took command of a life raft after the disaster and rescued many of his fellow-passengers.” Lauriat’s memoir of his voyage on the Lusitania, The Lusitania‘s Last Voyage published in 1915, became one of the best-known accounts of the tragedy.
An extremely attractive set for the Jane Austen lover, with an interesting connection to the book trade!
Gilson E117.
Price: $7,750.00
Item #10483