This rare and pretty edition of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion by Jane Austen was published by George Routledge and Sons.
The George Routledge & Sons "Steventon Edition" of Jane Austen’s novels refers to a series of popular Victorian reprints of Austen's works, likely published in the late 1880's or 1890's. They are characterized as scarce editions from the end of the Victorian era, featuring distinctive art nouveau style bindings in cloth.
The book is bound in teal cloth with blind stamped decoration and gilt to the front board and spine. It's a binding that deserves to be viewed up close. It's in good condition but there is wear and crushing to the corners and the book shows a slight forward lean. There is rubbing to the board edges. The boards show light discolouration and marking, whereas the spine is more noticeably sunned. Crushing to the spine ends has caused splitting and minor loss in the cloth.
Inside there is a name written on the front free endpaper and the endpapers are tanned, with creasing to the top corner of the FFEP. The pages show age toning and scattered foxing throughout. Some of the top corners have creasing where a previous reader has dog eared the pages. There is slight cracking to the hinges and occasionally to the gutter but the pages remain tightly bound.
Dimensions approximately 19.8cm x 13.5cm x 2.7cm.
The book will arrive gift wrapped in patterned wallpaper and ribbon.
I use a range of eco friendly, 100% recyclable jiffy bags and boxes, and whenever possible I use brown paper tape. The green bubble wrap is oxo-degradable and the clear bubble wrap is 100% recyclable. I also reuse boxes when I feel it's appropriate (if the boxes are sturdy enough).