Queen Victoria and her rather large “unmentionables”… Royal Undergarments on the Block

In a follow up to the BBC news a few weeks ago that several pieces of Queen Victoria’s undergarments were being offered at auction, there was some speculation that her bloomers might fetch £500.  So it comes as a surprise that they sold for £4500 ($9,000. !)….  Her chemise, with a 66″ bust, sold for $8,000. and her nightgown sold [...]

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Another Round-up…..all things Austen

Another week and all sorts of news… I post here several of interest.  I will do a separate post tomorrow on book reviews and booklists…so make some room on your bedside table… The Chawton House Library has announced its call for papers for its July 2009 conference celebrating the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s return to Chawton. [...]

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The Big Read list…a journey through books

I am a lover of booklists, and here is one from Ms. Place on Jane Austen’s World Blog (taken partially from the Big Read on the BBC,  and several other blogs)…  I repeat this here and send it out to you all…a great list, so follow the instructions and see where you have been and where you might [...]

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The Web Round-up: all things Austen

 Some tidbits for this week: Our own Janeite Mae sent me the following about a downloadable walking tour of Jane Austen’s Bath… if you have an MP3 player, you are all set! (it says it is compatible with iTunes, and hopefully that is the case….usually us ipod users are out of luck with these free downloads…)  The [...]

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Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine

Beginning August 1, “Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine,”  published by the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, will offer a subscription discount of twenty percent to members of the Jane Austen Society of North America. The offer is not yet “live,” but you can read about it on this preview page: http://www.janeausten.co.uk/regencyworld/page.ihtml?id=12 JASNA has a 2-page [...]

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English Country Dance News

ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES IN PLATTSBURGH, NY A series of 6 Tuesday night classes, starting Tuesday July 22, 2008 Teaching by Wendy Gilchrist   TIME: 7 pm to 9 pm DATES: July 22 & 29, August 5, 12, 19, 26 PLACE: Langlois-Racine Dance Studio 34 Riley Avenue, Plattsburgh, NY COST: $30/person for the series (6 [...]

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A Jane Fairfax Conundrum

Over the weekend I read Penny Gay’s thought-provoking Persuasions article: “Jane Fairfax and the ‘She Tragedies’ of the Eighteenth Century.” But I am curious as to where a statement (not footnoted) comes from; can anyone out there help ??? Dr Gay makes a wonderful case for Jane Fairfax to be compared with the type of [...]

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Austen’s Obituaries

July 18, 1817.  Just a short commemoration on this sad day… No one said it better than her sister Cassandra who wrote I have lost a treasure, such a Sister, such a friend as never can have been surpassed,- She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow, [...]

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Austen-Byron Quiz

The JASNA website has posted an Austen-Byron quiz, from the Greater NY Region’s Spring Conference “Austen and Byron:  Together at Last”….  See the JASNA site for submission information (answers will be posted later this summer)…

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Gore Mansion tours

Jane Austen tours of the Gov. Gore mansion Gore Place, the historic estate at 52 Gore Place, Waltham/Watertown line (Massachusetts), will offer Jane Austen Tours of the mansion July 18 and 20. A guide in period costume will use Austen’s words to describe the decor of the mansion and the lifestyle of the Gores. Admission [...]

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