Pride and Prejudice.

Second printing of the 'Peacock Edition' of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, with stunning gilt cover design by Hugh Thomson.

Hugh Thomson (1860-1920) renowned illustrator, in pen and ink, of classic titles; he was born in Ireland where his skills as an illustrator were recognised while still a teenager. Consequently Thomson was trained by John Vinycomb, the head designer at Marcus Ward & Co., a prominent Belfast publishing house. He subsequently moved to England, working from 1883 for MacMillan & Co., illustrating all six of Jane Austen's novels and other literary classics. By 1900 he had become one of the most popular illustrators of his time. However, during the First World War there was less demand for his style of work and he took a job with the Board of Trade until his untimely death from heart disease.

First edition, second printing of the Peacock edition; 8vo (186 x 132 mm); frontispiece, title vignette and illustrations by Hugh Thomson, slight toning to extremities, contemporary ownership name to blank verso of frontispiece, a later one to half-title, both neat and unobtrusive, otherwise internally very good; publisher's dark green cloth with the stunning gilt depiction of a peacock on an urn to upper cover and related gilt decoration to spine, all edges gilt, dark blue endpapers (upper inner hinge professionally repaired), despite usual age-toning this is a handsome copy with the gilt decoration remarkably intact, very good condition.