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British Library to publish ‘one of a kind’ facsimile edition of Pride and Prejudice
British Library Publishing will publish a “luxurious” facsimile edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, first published in 1813, to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.
Publishing on 16th September 2025, the collector’s edition will be presented in the original three-volume format and housed in a specially crafted, cloth presentation box, complete with personal letters by Jane Austen from the British Library’s holdings.
“The three volumes have been meticulously reproduced and each page is a true reflection of its historic 212-year-old counterpart, printing errors intact. This is exactly as they would have been in Jane’s personal copy,” the publisher says. “The presentation box will feature gorgeous period-inspired foiling, designed specifically for this inimitable anniversary collector’s edition.”
It will also include a pamphlet with coloured knot binding featuring a new introduction by British Library curator Lesley Ruthven, who explores the journey to publication, reception and lasting impact of the novel. Pride and Prejudice: A Novel in Three Parts will be priced at £125.
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John Lee, publisher, said: “We sought here to recreate, in part, the excitement felt when we saw these first-edition volumes and letters held here at the British Library. Austen is a national treasure, as are these rare first editions. The three facsimile volumes and letters are presented in an exquisite, almost theatrical, real-cloth clamshell box. Austen devotees can now read and admire the first edition of Pride and Prejudice that Austen would have held. One can just imagine this remarkable new set resplendent on the shelves of Chawton Cottage, or perhaps even, with a slight squint, in the library shelves at Pemberley.”
The British Library will also present a special anniversary display of Jane Austen items in its Treasures Gallery. A selection of first editions and original letters from the library’s holdings will be available to view from November 2025 to March 2026.
