1886 Tennyson Locksley Hall 1st Edition Sangorski & Sutcliffe Leather Binding For Sale

ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON
LOCKSLEY HALL SIXTY YEARS AFTER, ETC.

First Edition · Macmillan, 1886
Signed Sangorski & Sutcliffe Binding
Full Polished Calf Leather · All Edges Gilt

A handsome first edition of Tennyson’s Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, later bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe of London in full polished reddish-brown calf leather, with gilt spine decoration, contrasting morocco labels, marbled endpapers and all edges gilt.

The volume also contains the first public edition of Tennyson’s play The Promise of May, previously printed privately for theatrical use.

Publication

TENNYSON, Alfred, Lord. Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, Etc.

London and New York: Macmillan and Co., 1886. First edition. 201 pages, with the printer’s imprint on page 202.

Signed Sangorski & Sutcliffe Binding

Full polished calf leather with five raised spine bands, gilt-decorated compartments and two dark green morocco leather labels lettered in gilt. The publication date appears in gilt at the foot of the spine.

Gilt borders frame the covers, with additional tooling on the inner turn-ins. Blue, cream and gold marbled endpapers complement the warm leather. All page edges are gilt.

The lower turn-in bears the binder’s gilt stamp:

BOUND BY SANGORSKI & SUTCLIFFE
LONDON, ENGLAND

An elegant example of the firm’s traditional English binding, distinguished by its polished leather, balanced proportions and restrained gold tooling. The binding is later than the 1886 publication.

Contents and Literary Interest

The volume contains:

• Locksley Hall Sixty Years After
• The Fleet
• Opening of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition by the Queen
• The Promise of May

Returning to the setting and speaker of his earlier Locksley Hall, Tennyson considers age, bereavement, social change and the uncertain promise of progress. The result is a searching late-Victorian reflection on memory and modern life.

The Promise of May, privately printed for actors in 1882, received its first public book publication in this volume.

Bookseller’s Label

Small Dartmouth Bookstall, Boston, label on the front pastedown.

Condition

Very Good overall, with a noticeable diagonal surface scratch or scuff to the front cover and several smaller surface marks.

The binding remains firm and the text block secure. Light rubbing and handling wear affect the joints, raised bands, spine ends, corners and board edges. The spine is slightly lighter in color than the covers.

Gilt decoration remains bright and well defined. Both morocco spine labels are intact and legible. The marbled endpapers and gilt edges remain attractive.

Internally generally clean, with gentle age toning and occasional minor spotting or handling marks.

Please examine the photographs, especially the front-cover scratch, spine color, binder’s stamp and representative pages.

A finely bound Tennyson first edition combining late Victorian poetry and drama with the craftsmanship of Sangorski & Sutcliffe.