Why Is This Extrordinary?

Why This Is Extraordinary

"What dreadful hot weather we have. It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance." From an early letter

We know Jane Austen through her novels. Her letters, written to her sister Cassandra and close family, offer the most intimate portrait of Jane as a person, witty, affectionate, observant, and gloriously human.

Each mailing pairs a faithful letter reproduction with context, so you see not just her words, but the world that shaped them.

Through Cassandra’s Eyes

Jane’s beloved sister Cassandra was more than her closest confidant. She was also a gifted artist whose watercolors captured the world Jane inhabited.

"I have lost a treasure, such a sister, such a friend as never can have been surpassed." Cassandra on Jane's death

• Original artwork: High-quality reproductions of Cassandra’s watercolors from each letter’s period
• Family portraits: See the faces Jane knew and loved, painted by the sister who knew her best

A Father’s Revolutionary Faith

Reverend George Austen did more than encourage Jane’s writing. He actively championed it. In 1797, he wrote to publisher Thomas Cadell:

"Sir, I have in my possession a manuscript novel, comprising 3 vols., about the length of Miss Burney's Evelina..." George Austen to Thomas Cadell, 1797

This was rare for the time, a father promoting his daughter’s literary ambitions when women had few publishing rights. You will receive this groundbreaking letter as part of your collection.

The Economics of Letter Writing

Jane claimed she had “attained the true art of letter writing, which is to say on paper exactly what you would say to a person by word of mouth.”

"I’ve been talking to you as fast as I could the whole of this letter." Jane to Cassandra

Postage was paid by the recipient and charged by sheets and distance. Money was tight, so Jane often fit entire conversations onto a single page in a tight, economical script.

• Economic reality: Single sheet meant lower cost. See how Jane squeezed maximum emotion into minimal space.
• Free postage: When you see two sheets, Jane had found free postage or hand delivery.

What Cassandra Hid (and Why)

After Jane’s death, Cassandra preserved her sister’s letters while also protecting family privacy. You can see where she cut out sentences, likely removing unkind remarks or health details.

"She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow. I had not a thought concealed from her... it is as if I lost a part of myself." From Cassandra’s grief letter

Each subscription reveals these hidden stories, what survived, what was cut away, and why.

Why Physical Letters Matter

There is something a phone screen cannot replicate. The weight of paper. The anticipation as you unfold each crease. The intimacy of holding something meant for one person’s eyes.

• Authentic materials: Period-accurate paper, hand-mixed inks, traditional folding techniques
• Wax seals: Hand crafted using 18th-century methods with Jane’s monogram
• Mail experience: Delivered exactly as Cassandra received them, through your letterbox
• Hidden treasures: Pressed flowers, historical artifacts, and period extras in select deliveries