Mansfield Park [bound with], Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - 1846

Belfast and London: Simms and McIntyre; W S Orr and Co, 1846 An unusual pairing of Mansfield Park with Northanger Abbey in contemporary half leather binding. The two books were not issued together and the printings are different, so this volume was bound to order. The binding is half leather with raised bands and title/author labels to spine. The boards are marbled. The binding is sound but with rubbing to the spine, edges and corners. There is the decorative bookplate of the distinguished novelist, songwriter and dramatist, Hamilton Aide (1826-1906)to the front pastedown. The bookplate was designed by Harry Soane. Mansfield Park: title with signatures of Ellen ? and Hamilton Aide to top 1846; text with decorative initial capitals arranged in 3 volume format 332pp. The stitching is showing at pp2/3 with some scuffing at the bottom of the gutter but the book is sound. Northanger Abbey: title shows that this should have been bound with Persuasion, 1850; 142pp. The text block differs from Mansfield Park and the top and bottom margins are very narrow. Mansfield Park has light foxing particularly to margins. Northanger Abbey has occasional small marks.