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ALFRED LORD TENNYSON
The Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate
London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1919
Signed Three-Quarter Leather Binding by Riviere & Son
Raised Bands, Gilt Spine, and Top Edge Gilt
A handsome collected edition of the poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, specially bound in signed three-quarter leather by the celebrated English bindery Riviere & Son.
Published by Macmillan in 1919, this substantial single-volume collection brings together many of Tennyson’s most important and enduring works, including In Memoriam A.H.H., Maud, The Princess, Idylls of the King, and numerous shorter poems.
The value and visual appeal of this copy lie principally in its signed Riviere binding. Ordinary copies of this Macmillan edition are generally found in publisher’s cloth; this example was instead professionally rebound in leather and cloth, making it an attractive representative example of the firm’s more restrained library work.
THE BINDING
Bound by Riviere & Son in three-quarter dark green leather over blue cloth-covered boards.
Features include:
The binding is sober and traditional rather than heavily decorated, well suited to the substantial collected text.
Riviere & Son was one of the best-known English bookbinding firms of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The firm produced work ranging from elegant library bindings such as this example to elaborate full-morocco, inlaid, and exhibition bindings.
CONTENTS
The volume includes a broad selection of Tennyson’s poetry, including works from:
Among Tennyson’s best-known individual poems represented in collected editions of this period are “The Lady of Shalott,” “Ulysses,” “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Crossing the Bar,” “Break, Break, Break,” and “Locksley Hall.”
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Author: Alfred Tennyson, Baron Tennyson
Title: The Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate
Publisher: Macmillan and Co., Limited
Place of publication: London
Date: 1919
Language: English
Binding: Three-quarter leather over cloth
Binder: Riviere & Son
Features: Raised bands, gilt spine, leather corners, top edge gilt
Format: Substantial single-volume collected edition
CONDITION
Good overall.
The binding remains sound and presentable, with rubbing, fading, and surface wear to the leather, particularly along the spine, raised bands, joints, corners, and extremities. The leather has changed in color with age, as is common with green leather bindings.
The blue cloth boards show spotting, discoloration, and general surface wear. The gilt spine lettering and rules remain visible and attractive. The top edge retains its gilding.
The hinges and binding remain stable. The interior is generally clean and complete, with expected age toning and occasional minor signs of use.
This is not a pristine fine-binding copy, but it remains an appealing, usable, and displayable example of a signed Riviere & Son leather binding.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
COLLECTING INTEREST
An attractive copy for collectors of:
A pleasing combination of a major Victorian poet’s collected works and a signed binding by one of England’s best-known commercial binderies.
