Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, & Persuasion, Illustrated 1940s 4 Volume Set Austen, Jane; Austen, John (Illust.); Austin, Robert (Illust.); Hughes-Stanton, Blair; Smith, B. Gordon (Illust.) Illustrated Books,Literature

Hardcover. A very well-appointed set, with original dust jackets, of these 1940s editions of the novels of Jane Austen, each fully illustrated in 8 pastel color lithographed plates, 20-30 pictorial headpieces, and fabulous pictorial endpapers featuring "a gallery of miniature portraits" of Austen s iconic characters from each novel. It appears neither Emma nor Mansfield Park were produced in this form, and this set is believed to be complete. 8 3/4" X 5 3/4". 302pp; 319pp; 246pp; ix, 229pp. Set presents nicely in protective archival sleeved, unclipped dust jackets. Moderate wear to dust jackets, with scattered foxing, rubbining, and light dust soiling, sunning to spines, and shallow chipping to corners and to heads and tails of spines. Small tears to dust jacket of Sense and Sensibility. Bound in cloth over boards, lettered in gilt to upper boards and spines. Sense and Sensibility (Avalon Press, 1949) in green, Pride and Prejudice (Avalon Press, 1949) in red buckram, Northanger Abbey (Avalon Press, 1948) in blue, and Persuasion (The Book Society, 1944) in red-orange buckram. Red topstain to Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey, with red inkstain to top margin of some pages of Sense and Sensibility. Foxing to edges of text block of Sense and Sensibility. Slight lean to spines, with front hinges a touch tender. Bindings remain firm and sound; pages are clean and unmarked. Gift inscription "Vera, & all good wishes" to front free endpaper of Northanger Abbey. A presentable set in original dust jackets of these beautifully illustrated 1940s editions of four of Jane Austen's masterpieces of romantic literature.