Pride and Prejudice. AUSTEN, Jane; THOMSON, Hugh (illustrator).

First edition, first printing of the Peacock edition; 8vo (186 x 132 mm); frontispiece, title vignette and illustrations by Hugh Thomson; foxing to frontispiece tissue-guard with light offsetting to pages either side,general age-toning (as usual), ink ownership inscription to blank verso of front free endpaper, light spotting to half-title, otherwise internally near-fine; publisher's dark green cloth with the stunning gilt depiction of a peacock on an urn to upper cover and related gilt decoration to spine, all edges gilt, dark blue endpapers, mild dulling, a little more so to spine, spine ends bumped but a very good, tight copy. A first edition of the 'Peacock Edition' of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, with stunning gilt cover design by Hugh Thomson. Hugh Thomson (1860-1920) the renowned illustrator, in pen and ink, of classic titles was born in Ireland where his skills as an illustrator were recognised while still a teenager. Consequently Thomson was trained by John Vinycomb, the head designer at Marcus Ward & Co., a prominent Belfast publishing house. He subsequently moved to England, working from 1883 for MacMillan & Co., illustrating all six of Jane Austen's novels and other literary classics. By 1900 he had become one of the most popular illustrators of his time. However, during the First World War there was less demand for his style of work and he took a job with the Board of Trade until his untimely death from heart disease.