The Bodleian Library has published this article on its website which gives some details about the purchasing of The Watsons manuscript.
The article reveals that financial arrangements in place to purchase the manuscript were rather more complex than has previously been realised, with many other organisations, including the Jane Austen Memorial Trust, helping towards the total purchase price ( which is now confusingly reported to be over £1 million):
The acquisition which cost in excess of £1 million was made possible with a substantial grant (£894,700) from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF). Other generous funders are the Friends of the National Libraries, the Friends of the Bodleian, Jane Austen’s House Museum (Jane Austen Memorial Trust) as well as other supporters.
Sotheby’s report on the selling of Lot 51 in its sale last Thursday can be accessed here.
It is good to report that the Bodleian Library has plans to put the manuscript on show:
We will make the manuscript available to the general public who can come and see it as early as this autumn when The Watsons will indeed be a star item in our forthcoming exhibition Treasures of the Bodleian. Our thanks go to all our supporters for their enormous generosity in supporting this purchase and in recognising the importance of keeping this priceless manuscript in a British institution…
And for the moment that ends the news on this rather interesting Janian episode. Its been an interesting few days….
9 comments
July 17, 2011 at 3:35 am
Cathy Allen
I read their article, and it’s exciting, and gratifying, to know that the Bodleian Library will exhibit it. Have you ever seen any of her manuscripts in person? I couldn’t get in to the Sotheby’s report earlier today (the site was down for maintenance) and now the link seems to lead somewhere else on their site. I will try again later, as I think I’d enjoy it. I’d imagine the tension in that room (during the auction) was palpable! Thanks Julie, I’ve enjoyed this.
July 17, 2011 at 3:48 am
jfwakefield
I have- Ive seen and puzzled over the the cancelled chapters of Persuasion at the British Library and at Jane Austen’s House where they were on display `( I could hardly make out any of the words, so fiercely and closely were they overwritten; the tiny Sir Charles Grandison on display at Chawton House Library, and Tom Carpenter ,the recently retired curator of Jane Austen’s House Museum, allowed me once to hold the letter in which she described Pride and Prejudice as her “own darling child”(while it was safely ensconced in a protective plastic wrapper.
The Sotheby’s link is still good and leads you to the result of Lot 51-the sale of The Watsons manuscript, -I’ve just checked.Do try again
July 17, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Cathy Allen
Yes, I did get in to the site; it was very interesting, thank you.
I’m so glad that you got to hold the manuscript, of any Janeites that I know! I do so wish they’d have taken it out of the plastic for you, though *sigh* I know, it’s not a good idea… Oh well.
I read an article a couple of years ago saying that actually reading old writing takes a LOT of practice, and THAT is the only way to really “get the hang of it.” Unfortunately, who has time for that, except a graphologist? But how exciting it must have been to hold THAT letter! I envy you!
Thanks, Julie!
July 24, 2011 at 1:45 pm
jfwakefield
I must admit that I do find Jane Austen’s hand difficult to decipher. I have the Modart book of the facsimiles of her letters and they are sometimes hard enough but the canceled chapters of Persuasion and The Watsons are quite different entities with all the crossings out and emendments.
July 20, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Alison
I’m just happy that the manuscript is not in private hands – that we will be able to go and see it after all!
July 24, 2011 at 1:48 pm
jfwakefield
Absolutley.I’m looking forward to the new Bodlein library exhibit sapce where that and other treasures will be on permanent display Go here to see
July 22, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Nicola
Good to see that you are covering this story in some depth. I thought the BBC news covered it very well, but there hasn’t been a great deal in the broadsheets – they seem more interested in the Beckham’s baby and Rupert Murdoch!
July 24, 2011 at 1:48 pm
jfwakefield
Well, it has been a very interesting week for news! Almost too much news to digest,and this weekend has been most sad.
July 28, 2011 at 2:42 pm
imogen88
Great to read this series of posts on The Watsons purchase Julie for all the right reasons. Thank goodness it is in the right hands, and what a sum. But then what price can you put on things like this???