The Jane Austen Peacock: How a bird became an icon

This stunning Pride and Prejudice Peacock Brooch, available from our Online Gift Shop, celebrates the long-standing association between this most handsome of fowl and Jane Austen's comparably elegant Pride and Prejudice novel.

As a motif, the peacock is indelibly linked with the novel; indeed so entrenched is the association that readers often assume the peafowl must be mentioned somewhere within it, perhaps strutting around the grounds of Mr Darcy's Pemberley estate. Surprisingly, the birds are mentioned nowhere in the book, nor for that matter do they appear in any of Jane's other works. The association only goes back to 1894, to one of the most iconic cover designs with which the novels would ever be graced. Often referred to as 'the most beautiful edition' of any Jane Austen novel, and selling for high prices in the collectors' market, the 1894 George Allen edition of Pride and Prejudice has two notable claims to fame. First, in it's introduction by critic George Saintsbury, it includes the first use of the term 'Janeite' (though Saintsbury spells it 'Janite'). Secondly, it was beautifully illustrated throughout by the prolific artist Hugh Thomson (1860 - 1920), with what would become a truly iconic design.

Why a Jane Austen Peacock? Rather than reproduce a specific scene from the novel, or any of its central characters, Thompson opted instead for a design that would serve as a visual representation of the book's themes and mood, and hit on the perfect symbol for the issues of courtship, vanity, and the calculated display of wealth and beauty around which the drama revolves. The peacock and the novel have been linked ever since... 

With this in mind, our Pride and Prejudice Peacock Brooch forms a stunning addition to our range of beautiful Jane Austen Jewellery. Made of Sterling Silver, with fine freshwater pearls and marcasite, the peacock has a garnet eye for that extra special final touch. The result is an exquisite piece that will complement any outfit, while subtly paying tribute to your favourite novel.