Dating Austen Books- some help?

Hi There,
This is my first time on the site. I've bought some collins' clear-type press austens ('P&P', 'sense & sensibility' and 'northanger abbey and persuasion'). I am having a hard time trying to find out their publishing date. They are bound in faux maroon/red leather with a ribbon book marker, illustrations by D.C. Eyles. The Northhanger and Persuaion (two vol. in one) has an introduction by R. Brimley Johnson.

Does any one have any tips on how to find publishing dates (I've Googled to no avail)?

Thanks heaps

I think you may have some difficulty in being exact. There was a Collins edition in 1971 of the NA/Persuasion pairing and the Brimley Johnson intro. But I don't know if it corresponds to your description - I just it on abebooks.com . But that pairing and intro has been used many times over, eg in the Everyman library stretching back to 1906

Hi Ponsonby,
Thank you for replying to my post. I did have a look on Abe books, but didn't find the descriptions of products very helpful. I will keep hunting. So you're from the North of England? I was born in the UK (South) but have grown up in New Zealand.

I hope you find it at some point. I live in the North of England but was born in Surrey and lived in Surrey, Hants and Sussex until 8 years ago so have been lucky enough to be able to get to most JA sites easily - not so much now