First edition. Three volumes. Uncut in original publisher's blue boards over paper covered spine, with pink title labels to spines. Original ownership signatures of Francis, Lady Shelley to each front board. Spines rebacked preserving much of the original paper spines, some slight wear to boards. Front hinge of vol. I starting. Internally showing occasional spotting and foxing, some slight marginal stains on D10-D11 in vol. 1, minor discolouration and staining of a few gatherings in vols 2 and 3, short tears on B11 and H5 in vol. 2, tiny paper flaw on I2 in vol. 2. A very good copy.

Austen's first published book, Sense and Sensibility was at least fifteen years in the making: first conceived and written as Elinor and Marianne in 1795 (a date from family tradition), converted into Sense and Sensibility beginning in November 1797 from its previous epistolary form (also family memory), revised twelve years later in 1809 and 1810 with a view to publication, accepted by the publisher Thomas Egerton in the winter of 1810, and published, finally, on 30 October 1811.
It is not known for certain how many copies were printed, though an earlier estimate of 1,000 copies has been revised downwards by recent research suggesting that from 500 to 750 copies of a first novel on commission would have been normal publishing practice. Certainly it is scarce in the original boards. "Copies of the first edition of SS in original boards appear very rarely"- David Gilson (A Bibliography of Jane Austen).
Gilson also notes that this copy made $3600 in 1929 when sold by Jerome Kern sale.

Gilson A1
PROVENANCE: Sir John Shelley (1772-1852) of Maresfield Park, Sussex (Armorial bookplates and ownership signature to front boards); Jerome Kern (leather bookplate to chemise); Mrs R. Hartz (as recorded by Gilson); British private collection from 2001.

Stock ID: 28178