West Dean College Bookbinding student designs commemorative guest book for Jane Austen’s 250th birthday

Posted on 2nd December 2025

3rd year BA (Hons) Books student Marci Welch has won the commission to design and create Jane Austen’s Birthday Book for Jane Austen’s House, produced to mark the 250th anniversary of the author’s birth. The specially bound volume, titled For A Lady, will be available for visitors to sign at the museum between 1–30 December, before being accessioned into the permanent archive.

Selected through a competitive brief, Marci’s design pays thoughtful tribute to Austen’s life, legacy and literary heroines. For A Lady references the original anonymity of Austen’s early publications, when her novels were released simply “By A Lady”. Marci’s title gently mirrors that modest signature while offering a dedication back to the author herself.

A Regency Palette: Teal, Gold, and Terracotta

Crafted in the West Dean College bookbinding studios, the guest book is bound in a deep teal-blue goatskin leather chosen for its Regency associations. The cover is hand-tooled with 250 impressions, each symbolising a year of Austen’s enduring influence, intertwined with a single gold vine representing a continuous line of authorship.

Among the tooling sit six terracotta onlaid leaves, honouring the central heroines of Austen’s novels:
Elizabeth Bennet, Elinor Dashwood, Marianne Dashwood, Fanny Price, Emma Woodhouse and Anne Elliot.

Hand-sewn silk endbands echo the colour palette in teal and gold, bringing a traditional finishing flourish to the binding.

Pride, peacocks and period craft

Opening the book reveals vintage feathered marbled paper in a blue peacock pattern, a direct nod to the iconic Pride and Prejudice peacock edition. Inside, visitors will write on 160gsm Fabriano Ingres laid paper, chosen for its beautiful texture, visible watermarks and suitability for pen work. An ivory satin bookmark completes the design.

The title page was produced in the West Dean print room using traditional letterpress. Marci combined three Regency-inspired typefaces and incorporated a hand-carved linocut of the Jane Austen’s House logo, blending historic printing techniques with contemporary craft practice.

Jane Austen’s 250th birthday book by Marci

West Dean student, Marci working on Jane Austen’s 250th birthday book

“A creative challenge and a personal joy”

Reflecting on the project, Marci said:

“Designing the Jane Austen Birthday Book has been both a creative challenge and a deep personal joy. I wanted to create something rooted in Regency style but full of symbolism. Knowing that visitors will write their own messages to Jane Austen and that the book will eventually join the archive is incredibly meaningful.”

Marci also highlighted the significance of producing the title page on the College’s traditional letterpress equipment:

“It’s the first time we’ve used the print room and letterpress at West Dean College for a project like this, which made the process even more special.”

Becoming part of literary history

For A Lady will be delivered to Jane Austen’s House ahead of the anniversary celebrations, and visitors will be invited to contribute their own birthday messages to Austen throughout December. After 30 December, the book will be formally accessioned into the museum’s archive, becoming part of the ongoing story of one of Britain’s most influential writers.

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