Winner announced!

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition to win a copy of Mr. Darcy’s Secret – I really enjoyed hearing about your ideas.The name drawn from the hat was:                                                    [...]

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Mr. Darcy’s Secret: Chapter One, and a Giveaway!

Here in England, we are enjoying (I’m not sure that is quite the word I want) a spell of miserable weather, grey skies, and rainy days. It’s actually feeling rather cold today, and so for no other reason other than trying to bring a little cheer on a gloomy day, I thought I’d post an [...]

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Jane Austen’s Watsons manuscript…SOLD!!!!

Jane Austen’s manuscript went on sale yesterday sold for  £993,250 ($1.6m) yesterday in London – three times more than expected. There’s a clip from the BBC which makes fascinating viewing!Oxford University’s Bodleian Library later said it had bought the Austen manuscript and it would go on display this year. Here’s another clip from the BBC with Sotheby’s Gabriel Heaton talking [...]

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Austenesque Extravaganza

Meredith Esparza from the wonderful Austenesque Reviews has popped over to tell us all about the Austenesque Extravaganza she is holding in August! I’m thrilled to bits because I’ve been asked to participate, and there will be copies of Mr. Darcy’s Secret to be won.I’m looking forward to joining in the fun. Over to you, [...]

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The Rice Portrait Provenance by Mrs. Henry Rice – Edward Rice 1899-1973, and Henry Rice 1928-2010

Edward Rice As we come to the close of this fascinating history of the Rice Portrait provenance, I’d like to tell you about a new website, which gives more detail and information about the painting. The Rice Portrait of Jane Austen is to be found at www.janeaustenriceportrait.co.uk, and will cover every aspect of the portrait’s history [...]

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The Rice Portrait Provenance by Mrs. Henry Rice – Lady Northbourne, née Gwenlian Rice 1871-1952, and Henry Edward Harcourt Rice 1864-1943

 Lady Northbourne, née Gwenlian Rice 1871-1952 Jane Austen, the Rice Portrait Lady Northbourne, the eighth owner of the portrait gave the painting back to the main branch of the family, Henry Rice 1864-1943, her first cousin. Her father, Sir Ernest had considered giving it to the National Portrait Gallery, but eventually decided his cousin should have [...]

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The Rice Portrait Provenance by Mrs. Henry Rice – The Rev. John Morland Rice, 1823-1897, and Admiral Sir Ernest Rice, 1840-1927

Mrs. Henry Rice continues the fascinating history of the Rice portrait with the Rev. John Morland Rice, and Admiral Sir Ernest Rice. Thank you for joining us again! Morland Rice, the sixth owner of the portrait was the fourth son of Elizabeth Austen and Edward Royd Rice, who must have been devoted, producing fifteen children [...]

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