Beschreibung:

A complete set of first editions by Jane Austen uniformly bound by Riviere & Son, 1811-1818, comprising Sense and Sensibility: A Novel. In Three Volumes. By a Lady, 3 volumes, 1st edition, printed for the Author, 1811, half-title present in each volume, terminal blank present in volumes 2 and 3 (absent in volume 1), volume 3 with some light toning and spotting, Pride & Prejudice: A Novel. In Three Volumes. By the Author of "Sense and Sensibility", 3 volumes, 1st edition, printed for T. Egerton, 1813, half-title present in each volume (that to first volume with small repair to foot of gutter and two short closed tears in lower margin neatly repaired), occasional minor toning and spotting, Mansfield Park: A Novel. In Three Volumes. By the Author of "Sense and Sensibility," and "Pride and Prejudice.", 3 volumes, 1st edition, printed for T. Egerton, 1814, half-title present in each volume (that to first volume with small nick in upper margin), volume two with terminal blank, advertisement leaf at rear of third volume, gatherings E and F and G3-G6 in volume 1 with shorter leaf dimensions (apparently different paper stock), F11 and F12 repaired at gutter and with faint adhesive residue (F12 with horizontal repaired closed tear), small hole in upper blank margin of L3, final gathering with some short tears in fore-edge expertly repaired, volume 3 with several leaves lightly toned, and nick in upper edge of B5 and B6, Emma: A Novel. In Three Volumes. By the Author of "Pride and Prejudice," &c. &c., 3 volumes, 1st edition, printed for John Murray 1816, half-title present in each volume, occasional light spotting and toning, volume 1 with half-title and title-page re-guarded, volume 2 with nick in top edge of I6, and Northanger Abbey: and Persuasion: by the Author of "Pride and Prejudice;" "Mansfield-Park," &c., with a Biographical Notice of the Author. In Four Volumes, 4 volumes, 1st edition, John Murray 1818, half-title present in each volume, terminal blank P7 present in volume 4 (without P8), title-pages with faint early ownership signature at head, some water-staining to lower margins (D11-F6 and L8-O1 in volume 2; A1-C6 and M12-N8 in volume 3), dark blue endpapers, each set with bookplate of Richard Adams in volume one, hinges mostly split (some repaired), top edges gilt, remainder untrimmed, uniformly bound in late 19th century tan calf by Riviere & Son, with ink stamp on verso of front free endpaper, extremities rubbed, with some loss at spine ends, joints generally split, fourteen covers detached or near-detached, four volumes rebacked, second volume of Northanger Abbey with two scratches on upper cover, gilt rope roll decorated raised bands between hound's tooth rolls and double lines, gilt lettered contrasting labels in second and third compartments (first volume of Mansfield Park with part of volume label missing), remainder with central gilt flower tool surrounded by dots and crosses, and flower cornerpieces, date lettered direct at foot, covers with gilt double fillet border, double fillet on edges, pelmet and hound's tooth roll on turn-ins, 8vo in 12s Sense and Sensibility: Gilson A1, Keynes 1; Pride and Prejudice: Gilson A3, Keynes 3; Mansfield Park: Gilson A6, Keynes 6; Emma: Gilson A8, Keynes 8; Northanger Abbey and Persuasion: Gilson A9, Keynes 9. A unique opportunity to purchase Richard Adams's complete set of six of the greatest works of English literature; an unusually tall set, uncut to fore and lower edges, with all half-titles, advertisements, and blanks (bar two) present, and bound in an early uniform binding by Riviere. Richard Adams had a great admiration for Jane Austen. He first read 'Emma', his favourite of Austen's novels, when he was twenty-two and in the army. It was his first introduction to Austen, and he writes in his autobiography "It was like a revelation", saying "I was glued to it a few hours later, when my posting came through [to Jerusalem]... It didn't much matter to me where I was posted, a