Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 1895

London: George Allen, 1895 . Cloth. Very Good. 7.5" by 5.5". Hugh Thompson. The scarce second issue of Hugh Thomson's beautifully illustrated 'Peacock Edition' of Jane Austen's enduring love story. A beautiful copy of the second issue of Hugh Thomson's 'Peacock Edition' of Jane Austen's most loved novel, 'Pride and Prejudice'.Published five months after the first issue, and presented here in the delightful original cloth binding, with gilt peacock to front board.Illustrated with a frontispiece, retaining its original tissue guard, and over one hundred vignette illustrations by Thomson throughout the work. Thomson's was the first edition of Jane Austen's beloved novel to contain illustrations throughout, with previous editions, such as the Bentley 1833 edition, only containing a frontispiece. Irish illustrator Thomson was best known for his pen-and-ink illustrations of works by authors including Austen, Charles Dickens and J. M. Barrie, inaugurating the 'Cranford School' of illustration with the publication of his 1891 Macmillan edition of Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Cranford'.With the illustrated bookplate of Dorothy Napier to the front pastedown, and her inscription to the half title. With the bookseller's stamp of H & C Treacher of Brighton to the tail of the verso of the front free endpaper.A lovely copy of this important edition of Jane Austen's classic Regency era romance. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with gilt detailing to front board and back strip. Light shelf wear to back strip head, with light fading to back strip, and minor marks to rear board. Front and rear joints starting, with boards holding firm. Bookplate to front pastedown. Stamp to tail of verso of front free endpaper, inscription to head of half title. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright, with a mark to fore edge of first page of preface, and significant closed tear to page 321. Very Good