1874 Rare Book bound by Zaehnsdorf - Maud, and Other Poems by Alfred Tennyson

Author: Alfred Tennyson.
Title: Maud, and Other Poems.
Publisher: London, Henry S. King and Co., 65 Cornhill and 12 Paternoster Row, 1874.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6.5 x 5 inches. 170 pages.
Pages: 170 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good binding, finely bound in full blue morocco leather by Zaehnsdorf. Covers with a gilt triple fillet border and ornate gilt cornerpieces; spine with raised bands, gilt tooling, and gilt-lettered title. Inner gilt dentelles (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Binder’s stamp “Bound by Zaehnsdorf” gilt-stamped at the foot of the turn-in.  Overall a very handsome and well-preserved fine binding with strong colour and crisp gilt.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, foxing present throughout, heavier on some pages including occasional more pronounced patches, consistent with the paper of the period - as shown).

Estimate: (USD 200–250).

The book: Maud, and Other Poems brings together Alfred Tennyson’s dramatic monodrama Maud alongside several of his most celebrated shorter poems, including The Brook, The Daisy, Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington, and The Charge of the Light Brigade. First published earlier in the century, Maud stands as one of Tennyson’s most psychologically intense works, exploring themes of obsession, grief, social dislocation, and redemption. This 1874 London edition, elevated by a later Zaehnsdorf binding, transforms a Victorian poetic text into a refined collector’s volume, balancing literary importance with exceptional craftsmanship.

The author: Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892) was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and one of the central figures of Victorian poetry. His work combined musical lyricism with moral seriousness and historical reflection, shaping nineteenth-century poetic taste on both sides of the Atlantic. Poems such as Maud and The Charge of the Light Brigade remain enduring touchstones of English literature, admired for their emotional power and formal mastery.

The binding: Zaehnsdorf was among the most prestigious English binderies of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, renowned for its use of high-quality leathers, precise gilt tooling, and elegant classical designs. Signed Zaehnsdorf bindings are highly sought after by collectors, particularly when paired with major Victorian literary works, as in the present example.