“Extraordinary” Jane Austen Items For Sale

Remarkable pieces of Austen literary history will be offered at Sotheby’s this October, representing the most valuable group of material from the author to ever appear at auction.

Credit: Omnia | University of Pennsylvania

The works will be sold as part of an auction that's titled 'By A Lady' - taking its name from the anonymous credit on the title page of Austen’s first novel. Sotheby's says that “This extraordinary group of works reveals Austen in all her facets, from the wit and sly humor in her private poetry to the intimate glimpses of daily life captured in her letters.” The auction house statement adds: “Together these items constitute the most significant group of Austen material ever to appear at auction.”

Among the highlights is one of Austen’s longest surviving letters, written to her sister Cassandra in 1805, capturing the bustling social life of Bath that would later shape Persuasion (est. $300,000 - 400,000). Cassandra and Jane shared an extraordinarily close bond and were lifelong companions. Their devotion was evident in their constant correspondence, much of which Cassandra later destroyed, leaving only a partial glimpse into Jane’s private world. Even after Jane’s death, Cassandra carefully preserved some letters while deliberately burning others, an act that is today met with confusion, seen both as an expression of love, shielding her sister’s most intimate thoughts from public view, and as a frustrating cause of the incomplete record we now have of their relationship and Jane’s inner life. Today, only about 161 of Austen’s estimated 3,000 letters are known to survive.

Copy of 'Emma' sent to Maria Edgeworth | Sotheby's

Alongside the letter is an exceptional association copy of Emma, Austen’s final lifetime novel, which was sent by the writer to the celebrated Irish novelist Maria Edgeworth - the only known instance of Austen sending her work to a fellow author (est. $250,000 - 350,000).

Elsewhere is also a little-known poem by Austen lampooning the medical practices of the period, likely written in 1811 around the time Sense and Sensibility was first published, and signed by both her and Cassandra ($100,000 - $150,000). These will be accompanied by all six first editions of Austen’s novels each in a contemporary binding.

The online auction will run from 1 - 15 October 2025.

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