1874 Rare Zaehnsdorf Binding - Legend of King Arthur, The Holy Grail by Tennyson

Author: Alfred Tennyson.
Title: The Holy Grail and Other Poems.
Publisher: London, Henry S. King and Co., 1874.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6.5 x 4 inches.
Pages: 222 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good elegant full blue crushed morocco Zaehnsdorf binding, signed in gilt on the inside turn-in (“Bound by Zaehnsdorf”). Raised bands. Gilt-tooled compartments with floral ornamentation. Gilt fillet and decorative corner-pieces to covers. Gilt dentelles (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed and gentle colour fading on the spine - as shown) under a protective, removable mylar cover. All edges gilt. A beautiful example of late-Victorian fine binding craftsmanship.
Content:  Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing - as shown). Internally complete with half-title and title page. A very handsome and beautifully preserved copy.

Estimate: (USD $250 – $350).

The book: A refined and beautifully bound 1874 edition of Alfred Tennyson’s The Holy Grail and Other Poems, presented here in an exquisite full morocco binding by the celebrated London bindery Zaehnsdorf. The poems form part of Tennyson’s great Idylls of the King cycle — his poetic retelling of Arthurian legend, exploring themes of loyalty, spiritual quest, temptation, and the fragility of human idealism.

This copy is distinguished not only by its literary significance but also by its art-craftsmanship binding. Zaehnsdorf bindings are widely sought after for their elegance, precision, and aesthetic harmony — and this volume exemplifies their finest work, with rich blue morocco, gilt tooling, and tasteful restraint.

A wonderful union of Victorian poetry and fine bookbinding — an excellent addition to any collection of Arthurian literature, Tennyson, Victorian poetry, or decorative bindings. Contents include The Coming of Arthur, The Holy Grail, Pelleas and Ettarre, The Passing of Arthur, and additional poems including Lucretius, The Higher Pantheism, and others.

The author: Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892), Poet Laureate of England and one of the defining poetic voices of the Victorian era, achieved lasting fame with works such as In Memoriam, Idylls of the King, and Ulysses. His writing blends lyrical beauty with moral reflection and mythic grandeur, shaping the English poetic tradition for generations.