[A]⁸ B-Z 2A-2D⁸ 2E¹⁰, inserts after B6 C7 D4 F4 & 7 I7 K3 & 7 M7 N6 R3 S8 Y1 2C5 2D6 2E7.

[i-v] vi-xi [xii-xv] xvi [xvii-xx, 1] 2-429 [+3].

Medium 8^o: 8¾" × 5 ½", trimmed, top edge black, artificial head- and tail-bands, white wove, no mark, inserts similar; 10(+1)pt. Baskerville; colour lithographs on inserts; casing, spine and 2½" of each board red cloth, spine gold-blocked down: ‘[within double-rule border with rounded ends, a sprig] JANE EYRE · CHARLOTTE BRONTË [sprig]’, on each board a thick and thin gold fillet near edge of red cloth, remainder of each cover is cream cloth lithographed in black and pink, lower cover bearing portrait of Charlotte Brontë and upper cover a man's head (Mr Rochester's?), clasped hands and a ruin; slip case covered in grey paper.

I believe the relation between the 2 editions is explained thus: Heritage Press, who had published Wuthering Heights in 1940 Wi, decided to produce a Jane Eyre too, choosing the same illustrator as before, Barnett Freedman. See Gilmour (1977) p.73. At the lowest point of the 2nd World War this was not easy, (Did Heritage Pr. secure Freedman's 'special leave'?) and only the autolithograph illustrations were printed by Curwen and shipped to New York, where the text was printed by letterpress (Baskerville again) and the copies ZMga bound and published.

Later in the 1950s Collins had in mind to produce a Jane Eyre, and were aware of Freedman's 1942 illustrations. They approached Curwens with the support of the Heritage Press (ZMg see t.p.) and the British edition resulted, printed entirely at Curwen (whose library listed it as 1955). To secure Freedman's copyright in the illustrations Curwen first (1952) deposited a copy of the American edition with the B.M. whose cataloguers have duly recorded its publication date as [1942]. The 'special contents' of ZMga may refer to that edition's introduction, written by John T. Winterich. Oliver Simon died in March 1956.

The copy described ZMg was in the Curwen Library in 1963; it does not seem to be in the British Library.

5/Apr/1952

• Baskerville
  • 1757, by John Baskerville of Birmingham;
  • 1923, Monotype, under Morison;
  • see Simon 1956, pp.41 42 46, Simon 1973 p.169, Moran 1971 pp. 45 75.
• Baskerville, 10pt.
• Brontë, Charlotte, 1816–1855 IMDb NPG ODNB
• Collins, London
• Freedman, Barnett, 1901–1958 NPG ODNB
  • see Gilmour (1977) pp.66-74 and Simon (1973) p.215
• Heritage Press, New York
  • From 1935–1982 one of George Macy's imprints; associated with the Heritage Club;
  • published many reprints of works from the Limited Editions Club which was more expensive.

As ZMg.

[Publisher's Note lower on page] The special contents of this edition are | copyright 1942 by The Heritage Press | PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

As ZMg then inserts after pages 8, 26, 36, 68, 74, 122, 130, 138, 170, 184, 242, 368, 318, 390, 408, 426 431.

[i-iv] v-xi [xii-xiv] xv-xvi [xvii-xx, 1] 2-426, 431 [+3].

as ZMg but lower-case gold-blocking down spine: ‘[sprig] Jane Eyre · Charlotte Brontë [sprig]’, and black paper covering of slip-case.

See note on ZMg above.

• Brontë, Charlotte, 1816–1855 IMDb NPG ODNB
• Freedman, Barnett, 1901–1958 NPG ODNB
  • see Gilmour (1977) pp.66-74 and Simon (1973) p.215
• Heritage Press, New York
  • From 1935–1982 one of George Macy's imprints; associated with the Heritage Club;
  • published many reprints of works from the Limited Editions Club which was more expensive.