8vo. Half-title, frontispiece, head- and tail-pieces, initials, decorations, and numerous illustrations by Thomson. (Some light toning, a few tiny chips to a few leaves.) Publisher's dark green pictorial cloth, upper cover and spine gilt-decorated in the "peacock design" and gilt-lettered, edges gilt (lacking dust jacket as usual, hinges starting, very minor wear to extremities).

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION of "The Peacock Edition," named for the iconic peacock perched on the sundial, which follows the scheme of Macmillan's "Cranford Series," characterized by the elaborate gilt designs on dark green cloth designed as elegant gift books, released from 1876 to 1907. Irish illustrator Thomson is best known for these illustrations of Austen, as well as for books by Charles Dickens and J.M. Barrie, and also designed the binding of another Cranford Series book in 1891. This edition includes a preface by English critic and literary historian George Saintsbury, in which he coined the term "Janeite" for a fan of Austen and her work. Gilson E78.