NORTHANGER ABBEY

Philadelphia: Carey & Lea, 1833. Near fine.. First US edition of the most bookish of Austen's novels - in a stunning fine art binding by the acclaimed Argentinian design bookbinder Sol Rébora. Often misread as critical of the gothic novels that were popular at the period of its first composition, NORTHANGER ABBEY is a more complex exploration of the genre that is especially notable for its passages in defense of the novel form - written, uncharacteristically, in first person directly from the narrator. First published in late 1817 in three volumes, this is the first edition to appear in the United States, published in two volumes by Carey & Lea in an edition of only 1250 copies; it includes the famous "Biographical Notice of the Author" that first revealed Austen's name to the public as the author (as her books were all published anonymously in her lifetime).

Sol Rébora is an internationally recognized design bookbinder based in Buenos Aires. Her works embody a minimalistic elegance that is nevertheless subtly complex, as in the carefully structured multiple layers used here. They are not only visually stunning, but supremely tactile. From Rèbora's artist statement: "The cloth texture is achieved using silk with a patterned design that evokes the aesthetic of the time period in which the original edition was produced, creating a visual connection with antique paper. This design also appeals to the collective memory of how custom bindings from the early 19th century might have appeared, complete with deep-relief hot-stamping impressions." A magnificent, unique copy of an Austen first. Two 12mo volumes, 6.75'' x 4.25'' each. Modern full grey-lavender design binding by Sol Rébora in Can Can structure with one layer of cotton cloth and two layers of Japanese paper, each element hand-painted with acrylics and textured with a patterned design impressed with deep-relief hot-stamping from silk; spines and boards stamped in dark grey. Cotton and abaca handmade paper grey-pink endpapers. 195, [1]; 196 pages. Light pencil notation to title of Vol. 2. Some offsetting marks to endpapers from earlier binding; light browning to leaves, a few small stains. Bright.