An “exceedingly rare” copy of Isaac D’Israeli’s Curiosities of Literature which was owned by Jane Austen and features her annotations is going under the hammer next month.
The popular book by the British writer, who was the father of the prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, contains anecdotes and observations on history and literature. Several of the sections, believed to be underlined by Austen, relate to themes of her novels.
The volume is a “remarkable piece of history that sheds light on the author’s preoccupations as a reader as well as her process as a writer,” said Dr Kalika Sands, international specialist at Sotheby’s, the house hosting the auction. The copy “represents a major rediscovery and its appearance at auction is an incredibly special occasion”.
There are thought to be about 20 books known to have been in Austen’s possession. The D’Israeli volume has been privately owned since the 1940s, so this marks the first time that the copy and the annotations have been seen publicly.
The copy features Austen’s signature as well as pencil underlinings in sections including On the Fair-Sex Having No Souls, The Absent Man, Grotius, On the Adjective “Pretty”, Astrology, English Ladies and Spanish Monks.
In English Ladies, D’Israeli quotes Gilles Ménage: “Mr D tells me that, in England, the public places are crouded [sic] with the daughters and the wives of the Clergy. The reason is, that the livings there, being very fat ones, all the English Ladies who are fond of their ease and good living, and who are more partial to the present hour than to the future, are in raptures to marry a Parson; who, on his side, never fails, according to the character of a good Ecclesiastic, of selecting the most beautiful.”
The annotated section links to Austen’s life and work: her father was a clergyman, and each of her novels features a clergyman. Often they offer the heroine economic and domestic stability.
The book is expected to attract between $100,000 and $150,000 (£79,682 and £119,522) when it goes up for sale on 8 December. It will be auctioned alongside a full suite of first editions of all of Austen’s published works.
