Jane Austen Life

Guide to Bath

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Mailbox Monday: The Elusive Jane Austen Bobble-head « Austenprose ...

For years I seriously thought that the Jane Austen bobble-head was a Janeite myth. I had never seen one in person, only “read” about them in my online travels. I once saw one listed in an eBay auction that went for an exorbitant final bid. Who would pay that much for a toy???

It became my Jane Austen Holy Grail. The ultimate Jane Austen accessory to add to my collection. I had to have it, so I patiently waited and watched and won one last week on eBay. She arrive in my mailbox today! Myth busted – and she is quite fetching indeed.

So who made this charming figure and why are they not available for sale? Further research on the Internet revealed that Greenwood Publishing Group gave them away at the ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) annual conference to publicize their mammoth edition of “All Things Austen” in 2005.

Now they can only be obtained second hand. The problem was, who the heck would want to give one up? Who indeed? Of all literary fans Janeites are quite passionate about their obsession.

So how did this beauty come to my attention? One advantage to having a blog about Jane Austen is that you can gush about her and her incredible mega-star-pop-culture status and people don’t think you’re nuts (well, only a little). I once listed the Jane Austen bobble-head on my Janeite Santa wish-list. It only took three years and six months for Santa to come through. (glad to know he is not entirely deaf to my whims) The seller actually alerted me to the auction and I was the winning bidder. Huzzah!

Jane now occupies a place of honor on my bookshelf right next to my complete set of Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen

Laurel Ann I hope you get great enjoyment from your purchase.I must admit I feel defeated in trying to understand it’s appeal but everyone to their own.

Are ,”bobble heads,” very popular in the States then? Sometimes we have nodding dogs on the back windows of our cars. I must state categorically that I don’t personally have a nodding dog but they appeal to some.

All the very best,

Hi Tony: I’ve enjoyed your comments! As they say in the southern U.S. “y’all ain’t from these part, are yuh??” Actually the JA bobblehead sets new standards for refinement and elegance in in bobbleheads. The United States is an obsessively auto-based culture so you see some of the most hideous and disgusting objects through the back windows of American cars. A pair of sunglasses like Zaphod Beeblebrox wore in THGTTG where they go totally black when the viewer sees something very frightening would be in order.