The List Lover's Guide to Jane Austen by Joan Strasbaugh Review for Sourcebooks

It's Jane like you've never seen! Through fun and breezy lists, discover everything there is to know about Jane Austen, the sassy literary genius we know and love. Learn her likes and dislikes, her haves and have-nots, where she traveled, how she lived, and who she knew.

With a wealth of little-known and fascinating information, find out:

-Her friends and her beaux
-Every place she lived or visited
-Books in her library
-Her quirks
-The last lines of everything she wrote
-and much more!

This book is unique in that it’s a series of quotes and quips from Jane’s life and as I was reading through the book, I was amazed at the wealth of information and research that went into this delightful little book. We know what Jane Austen wrote but how often do we really learn about an author, especially those from long ago...I think that this book will appeal to anyone interested in Jane Austen, her life and her legacy. I highly recommend it!!

Below is just a sampling of what is in this book!!

Possessions

Books She Owned

·         From A Bibliography of Jane Austen by David Gilson

·         The Spectator, Vol. 6, 1744

·         Orlando furioso: Translated from the Italian; with Notes, John Hoole, Lodovico Ariosto, 1783

·         Hermsprong; or, Man as He Is Not, Robert Bage, 1796

·         Travels from Saint Petersburg in Russia, to Diverse Parts of Asia, John Bell, 1764

·         L’ami des enfans, Arnaud Berquin, 1782–-83

·         L’ami de l’adolescence (suite de L’ami des enfans), Arnaud Berquin, 1784–-85

·         Camilla; or, A Picture of  Youth, Fanny Burney, 1796

·         Curiosities of Literature, Isaac D’Israeli, 1791

·         Fables choisies, Anon., before 1783

·         An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature, Oliver Goldsmith, 1774

·         The History of England, from Earliest Times to the Death of George II, Oliver Goldsmith, 1771

·         Poems and Plays, William Hayley, 1785

·         The History of Goody Two--Shoes, Anon., ca. 1780

·         The History of England, David Hume, 1759–-62

·         The Prince of Abissinia. A Tale, Samuel Johnson, 1759

·         The Works of the Marchioness de Lambert. Carefully Translated from the French, Anne Thérèse Lambert, 1749

·         The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Samuel Richardson, 1754

·         The Works of James Thomson, with His Last Corrections and Improvements, James Thomson, 1773

·         A Companion to the Altar: Shewing the Nature & Necessity of a Sacramental Preparation in Order to Our  Worthy Receiving the Holy Communion, to  Which Are Added Prayers and Meditations, William Vickers, 1793?

·         Excursions from Bath, Richard Warner, 1801

Remaining artifacts

Items belonging to her on display at
Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton Cottage

·         Eight music books, some copied out in Jane’s hand, some printed music

·         Framed lock of her father’s hair

·         Topaz cross, given to her by brother Charles

·         Pinchbeck bracelet of small blue and ivory beads; pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc invented by Christopher Pinchbeck in the 1700s; also known as false gold

·         Pink glass muff chain

·         Ivory cup and ball

·         Mourning brooch with Jane’s hair, inscribed “JA December 16th 1775–-July 1817”

·         Lock of Jane’s hair

·         Tripod writing table

“After we had been here a quarter of an hour it was discovered that my writing and dressing boxes had been by accident put into a chaise which was just packing off as we came in, and were driven away towards Gravesend in their way to the  West Indies. No part of my property could have been such a prize before, for in my writing--box was all my worldly wealth, 7l., and my dear Harry’s deputation.”

—-Jane to Cassandra, October 24, 1798,
from the Bull and George in Dartford

·         Her Writing Desk

o   Portable writing desk owned by Jane AustenCurrently housed at the British Library

·         Jane’s Pelisse

o   Pelisse, a coat worn over a dress or gown, owned by Jane Austen c. 1814

o   Currently housed at the Hampshire Museum

o   Silk

o   Twill weave

o   Small repeat pattern of oak leaves in gold on warm brown background

o   Oak--leaf motif was popular at the time and symbolized the strength of the navy and the nation as a whole

o   Long sleeves gathered at the top but close fitting at the elbow

o   Bright yellow cord along the front edge and around the wrists

o   High standing collar

o   Open front with no fastenings

o   Lined in white silk

o    

“In around 1875 Jane’s niece Marianne Knight was visited by a family friend, Miss Eleanor Glubbe, later Mrs Steele. Marianne gave the pelisse to Miss Glubbe during the visit. In later years Mrs Steele wished to return the pelisse to the Austen family and sent it to Mrs  Winifred Jenkyns, a great granddaughter of James Austen, Jane’s eldest brother, with a note that reads, ‘I missed the little coat for a long time but lately it turned up. I cannot remember if it was  “Jane’s”   but it seems probable.’

“This particular pelisse was presumably given to Edward by Cassandra then handed down to his daughter, Marianne. That she gave it to her friend, Miss Glubbe, who made sure that it was returned to the Austen/Knight family argues an acknowledged obligation on her part. The pelisse was then handed down through the family until 1993, when it was given to the Hampshire County Council Arts & Museums Service.”

—-Hampshire Museums Service

·         Jane Austen’s Ring

Turquoise ring

Purchased at auction
by American pop singer
Kelly Clarkson on July 10, 2012

Bought for £152,450, about $236,000

Sotheby’s
Catalogue
Notes & Provenance

PRINT LOT 59, AUSTEN, JANE. A GOLD AND GEM SET RING

152,450 GBP (Hammer Price with Buyer’s Premium)

Set with a cabochon blue stone, natural turquoise, size K½ with sizing band, once belonging to Jane Austen, in a contemporary jeweller’s box (“T.  West | Goldsmith | Ludgate Street | near St Paul’s”)

With an autographed note signed by Eleanor Austen, to her niece Caroline Austen, ‘My dear Caroline. The enclosed Ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was engaged to your Uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you!’, November 1863, with address panel on verso and remains of black wax seal impression, fold tears; also with three further notes by Mary Dorothy Austen--Leigh detailing the ring’s later provenance, 5 pages, 1935–-1962.

PROVENANCE: Jane Austen (1775–-1817); her sister Cassandra (1773–-1845); given in 1820 to her sister--in--law Eleanor Austen (née Jackson), second wife of Rev. Henry Thomas Austen (d. 1864); given in 1863 to her niece Caroline Mary Craven Austen (1805–-1880, the daughter of Rev. James Austen); her niece Mary A. Austen--Leigh (perhaps first to her mother Emma Austen--Leigh, née Smith); her niece Mary Dorothy Austen--Leigh; given to her sister  Winifred Jenkyns on 27 March 1962; thence by descent.

CATALOGUE NOTE: An intimate personal possession of Jane Austen’s, hitherto unknown to scholars, that has remained with the author’s descendants until the present day. The stone has been identified as natural turquoise but was initially thought to be odontalite, a form of fossilised dentine that has been heated to give it a distinctive blue colour, which came into fashion in the early 19th century as a substitute for turquoise. It is an attractive but simply designed piece, befitting not only its owner’s modest income but also what is known of her taste in jewellery.

On Jane’s death her jewellery, along with other personal possessions, passed to Cassandra, and she appears to have given a number of pieces as mementos.”

Things She Made

Framed lock of her father’s hair

·         Needle case inscribed “With Aunt Jane’s love”

·         Embroidered lace collar

·         Handkerchief embroidered with floral sprig and initials C.A.

·         Indian muslin scarf embroidery

·         Patchwork quilt made by Jane, Cassandra, and Mrs. Austen

“Have you remembered to collect pieces for the Patchwork?”

—-Jane to Cassandra, May 31, 1811

Known Remaining Manuscripts and Letters

·         Juvenilia, 1787–1793

·         Volume the First housed at the Bodleian Library, Oxford

·         Volume the Second, British Library

·         Volume the Third, British Library

·         The History of England, 1791, British Library

·         Sir Charles Grandison or The Happy Man, a Comedy, Chawton House Library

·         Lady Susan, complete draft, paper watermark of 1805, Morgan Library

·         Susan title page, Susan is the precursor to Northanger Abbey, 1803?, Morgan Library

·         The  Watsons, about 1804, Morgan Library, Bodleian Library

·         Plan of a Novel, about 1815, Morgan Library

·         Poem on Captain Foote’s marriage to Miss Patten, in Jane’s hand, but composed by her uncle, Morgan Library

·         Two chapters of Persuasion, 1816, British Library

·         Sanditon, 1817, Cambridge University

·         Opinions of Mansfield Park, British Library

·         Opinions of Emma, British Library

·         Profits of My Novels, a tally of her earnings, 1817,
Morgan Library

·         161 letters