Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg, Two Volume Set, 1943

Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. [and] Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Two-Volume Collectors Set. Woodcut Illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg. Typographical Design by Richard Ellis.  Presented in original quarter green cloth and illustrated paper boards.

Presented are Charlotte and Emily Brontë’s two masterpieces of gothic fiction Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, presented in a much sought-after, two-volume set as published by Random House in 1943. The two volumes are each quarter bound in green cloth with printed decorative boards. The spines are labeled in gilt with the title and the names of the author, illustrator, and publisher.  

Both books have typographical design by Richard Ellis. The main text is printed in Monotype Bodoni with long descenders and is presented in a two-column layout. The chapters are headed with a decorative number and each page has a running head in a script face. What sets this pairing apart from other collectible editions are the many woodcut illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg. Throughout the books are full and in-text illustrations, printed letterpress from electrotypes of Eichenberg’s original woodcuts. Inked in a rich black, the woodcuts superbly fit the gothic undertones of the novels they illustrate, capturing the windswept landscapes and dramatic emotions of both tales. 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë was first published in London, England in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. with the somewhat misleading title of Jane Eyre, an Autobiography, as it was a work of fiction, not a memoir. As was common among female writers of her time, Charlotte published under the male pseudonym of "Currer Bell." Harper & Brothers published the first US edition the following year in New York, in  1848. 

Wuthering Heights, the only book written by Emily Brontë, was originally published in 1847 by Thomas Cautley Newby. Similar to Charlotte, Emily published under the pseudonym of “Ellis Bell.” The first edition of Wuthering Heights was first published in three volumes, the first two composed of Wuthering Heights, with the third volume containing sister Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey. In the first American edition, published by Harpers & Brothers in 1848, the authorship of Wuthering Heights was mistakenly attributed to Charlotte Brontë on the title page, which stated: “by the author of Jane Eyre.” 

Collectively, the Brontë sisters, Anne, Charlotte, and Emily, produced seven complete novels that were published between 1847 and 1857. Publishers have long combined these novels in various permutations to form “Brontë collections,” including this striking and covetable set of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. 

CONDITION:

Very good condition overall. Both volumes are similarly bound in quarter green cloth and illustrated hardcover boards, gilt titles to spine. Production note in each, as follows: "This edition was planned by Richard Ellis and produced under his direction. The illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg were printed letterpress from electrotypes of the original wood engravings. The text was composed in Monotype Bodoni with long descenders. Composition & Electrotyping were Kingsport Press at Kingsport, Tennessee. The printing and binding were by H. Wolff Book Manufacturing Company, New York, United States of America."

Jane Eyre: Boards are in good condition, with only light surface scuffs and light to moderate bumping. Clean interior. All illustrations accounted for. 

Wuthering Heights: Boards are in good condition, with scuffs and moderate bumping. Clean interior, paper is healthy. All illustrations accounted for.  

Vol 1 Dimensions: 10" H x 7 3/4" W x 1 1/4" D
Vol 2 Dimensions: 10" H x 7 3/4" W x 7/8" D

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.