How to Identify First Edition Pride and Prejudice Books

Do you have an old copy of Pride and Prejudice on your shelf? Have you ever considered that it could be worth something? In this article, we will be discussing how to identify first edition Pride and Prejudice books and how to best look after them. By the end of this article, you will have all the knowledge you need to spot a first-edition Jane Austen from a mile away and how you can sell it.

About Jane Austen

Jane Austen was born on the 16th of December 1775, into a large intellectual family in the south of England. From an early age, Jane was encouraged to read and write, by her father, George Austen, an established clergyman. As a result, she spent her early years writing stories, poems, and plays developing her literary style.

Austen completed her first three novels in her early twenties: Sense and Sensibility (originally titled Elinor and Marianne), Pride and Prejudice (originally titled First Impressions), and Northanger Abbey. Initially, these works were unpublished, but just a few years later in 1811, after the passing of her father, Sense and Sensibility was published. Austen's first publication was well-received and just two years later, Pride and Prejudice was also published.

Before she died in 1817, Jane Austen had published 4 books. Two more of her books, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were posthumously published in 1818. Today, Jane Austen’s works are well-known all over the world and she is regarded as one of the most influential novelists in English Literature.

Pride and Prejudice

First published in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has since become one of the most popular period romance novels. It tells the story of the Bennet family and the multiple love stories that each of the Bennet daughters find themselves caught up in.

Austen first completed the manuscript for Pride and Prejudice around the year 1797. Jane’s father, George Austen, was the first to try and get the book published, but it was rudely rejected by Thomas Cadell of the Cadell & Davies publishing firm, on the grounds that a novel written by the unknown daughter of an unknown gentleman didn’t deserve to be published by such an esteemed publication company. It took another sixteen years for the book to eventually get published, after which point it was met with immediate success.

The Importance of First Editions

So, what's so special about first-edition copies of Pride and Prejudice? Well, as with many novels, true first editions hold a certain appeal beyond that of any normal copy. You could say this appeal comes from their rarity, after all, first editions tend to be a great deal rarer than other editions; it could also be the price tag attached to first editions, being valued much higher than other editions; or there is that fact that true first editions are the originals, the first exposure, the risky first step that every writer and publisher must take before finding success. In reality, it’s a combination of all these things that make first editions so special.

If you want to find out more about first edition books check out our blog ‘How to Find the Edition of a Book’.

What Does ‘First Edition’ mean?

First-Edition The first edition of a book is a copy of a book that was part of the very first version at its release before it has been updated, amended, or changed for any reason.

First Printing A first printing is a book that was printed as part of the first print run of any edition.

True First Printing for a book to be a true first edition it has to be a part of the first print run of the first edition, which means it was one of the very first copies of that title to ever exist.

First Edition Pride and Prejudice

To say that true first edition copies of Pride and Prejudice are rare would be an understatement, it's believed that the first edition consisted of just 1,500 copies, which compared to the over 20 million copies sold to date, is a mere drop in the ocean. So, considering the first edition makes up around 0.0075% of all the Pride and Prejudice books in existence, it's fair to say they are pretty hard to find.

Prices for first edition copies of Pride and Prejudice vary greatly, but an auction held back in March of 2022 saw a true first edition Pride and Prejudice sell for £70,000, far exceeding its estimated price range of £20,000 - £30,000 which was observed just six years prior. This isn’t the first time a first edition of Pride and Prejudice has sold for more than expected, back in 2002, a copy found in an old Scottish castle sold for a whopping £40,000, far surpassing its estimated value of £12,000.

How to Identify a First Edition Pride and Prejudice

There are a few crucial details to look for to ensure the authenticity and legitimacy of a true first edition Pride and Prejudice book. So, if you have an old copy of the Jane Austen classic, take a look at the following details and see if you have a true first edition.

Volumes

Pride and Prejudice was originally published in three volumes, so for a first true edition to be genuine it must be spread across three separate books. If you are missing one, you either have an incomplete set or it’s not a first edition.

Publisher and Printing Details

The first edition of Pride and Prejudice was published by Thomas Egerton in London in 1813, and this should be reflected in all three volumes on the title page with PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: A Novel. In Three Volumes. By the Author of "Sense and Sensibility.". Below the title, it should also state Printed for T. Egerton, Military Library, Whitehall. 1813.

Bindings

When the book was first published, copies were printed and released with contemporary paper-covered board covers with printed paper spine labels, however, many books were later rebound using more durable materials like leather and cloth.

Typography and Errors

Regardless of how thorough the proofing process a book goes through, minor errors can still be missed. One such mistake is present in the first print of Pride and Prejudice - on page 181 of the first volume the word “their” is misprinted as “this” in the sentence: "the favour of their company when they were within reach."

Lack of Illustrations

Even though later editions of Pride and Prejudice contained illustrations, the first edition did not, so there should be no artwork present within the pages of a true first-edition Pride and Prejudice.

Market and Provenance

As we mentioned above, it’s worth noting that some copies were re-bound after their release, often in 19th-century bookplates, so there will be first-edition copies out there with different covers.

Factors That Can Affect the Value of First Edition Pride Prejudice Books

If you were to consider selling a first-edition copy of Pride and Prejudice, there are some factors that you should consider before getting it valued. Several factors can affect the value of a book, from its condition to a book’s provenance, these are the details that you need to look out for:

Condition

As with most books, the condition of a first edition is going to have a big impact on its value. Damage to the book can severely detract from its value, so it's always important to take good care of your books regardless of how rare they are. Here at WeBuyBooks, we see a lot of damaged books and some of the most common blemishes include: sun damage, rips and tears, annotations, and missing dust jackets. Any of these damages can reap a heavy toll on the value of your books, so it’s crucial you store them safely in a dry place away from direct sunlight.

Provenance

Provenance (history of ownership) can also have a huge impact on the value of a book, for example, Jane Austen’s personal copy of Pride and Prejudice may be worth significantly more than a standard copy.

Market

The current state of the market will also factor in when it comes to selling books. Multiple third-party factors could affect the value of first-edition books including the discovery of more copies, controversy surrounding the book or author, or even the release of new adaptations and remakes.

Where to find First Edition Books

So, where can you get your hands on a first-edition Pride and Prejudice book? Given the rarity of this particular book, finding one is going to be difficult, but to maximize your chances of finding one in good condition, you should try these places:

Charity Shops: Charity shops can be a great place to find some hidden treasures, especially books, we’ve all heard the stories of people finding ultra-rare books in their local charity shops. Unfortunately, the likelihood of finding a first edition Pride and Prejudice in your local Cats Protection is very low, so don’t give up hope if you don’t find anything at first.

Rare Book Shops: Rare book shops are much more likely to have what you are looking for. Often sporting a wide collection of rare books, bookshops can help you find the book that you are looking for, and if they don’t have it in stock they can often point you in the right direction.

Online Marketplaces: You are likely to have the most luck finding a first-edition Pride and Prejudice book with online marketplaces. Simply by typing “first-edition Pride and Prejudice” into Google, you will find a whole host of options for places to buy from.

Auction Houses: Rare and valuable books quite often find their way into the auction room, where like-minded collectors from all over the world have the chance to bid on them. So, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on a few auction rooms to see if any elusive first-edition copies of Pride and Prejudice chance an appearance. It’s also worth reaching out to a few auction houses to build some relationships so you can keep up to date on any upcoming auctions.

In summary, knowing what to look for in a genuine first-edition Pride and Prejudice is crucial to getting your hands on your own copy and understanding its true value. So, to recap, the key details of a First Edition Pride and Prejudice are that it is split into three volumes, the publisher is Thomas Egerton of Whitehall, London, the original copies were bound in paper-covered boards, and there is a spelling error on page 181 of the first volume. Find all of these details and you will have yourself a true first-edition Pride and Prejudice.

Now you have the tools and the knowledge to take the next step in the world of rare books, towards finding that holy grail of romance novels, a true first-edition Pride and Prejudice.

You don't have to own a first edition to earn some extra money from your books, you can use the WeBuyBooks app to scan your shelves and get a value for all your other unwanted reads.