The Scottish Chiefs (1810), Later Decorative Editions
The number of 19th-century editions of The Scottish Chiefs was once estimated at 75, but that seems a significant undercount. By 1840—a decade before Jane died—a publisher in the United States estimated that more than a million copies of her novels had been printed there. By the late nineteenth century, The Scottish Chiefs had become immensely popular as a school book, a gift book, and a school or church prize. Here are some of the gorgeous, decorative editions that flourished in that era. Do you own an interesting antique edition of a Porter novel? If so, please feel free to share it, over at the "Meet Devoney" page.
