The Lover's Tale, Alfred Tennyson — 1st Authorised Edition

£75.00

The Lover's Tale, Alfred Tennyson — 1st Authorised Edition

Name: The Lover's Tale, Alfred Tennyson — 1st Authorised Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4290
Price: 75.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, C. Kegan Paul & Co., 1879

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 95.

Condition Report: Very Good. The binding remains structurally sound and highly attractive, with the full leather boards retaining a rich, deep hue and the intricate gilt tooling on the covers, dentelles, and spine compartments remaining notably bright and unoxidised. There is light rubbing to the extremities, particularly along the hinges, corners, and spine ends (consistent with age and standard shelf wear), but the boards hold firmly and the book's structural integrity is entirely uncompromised. Internally, the text block is securely bound and the marbled endpapers are pristine. The pages exhibit only occasional, faint spotting or minor age-toning, maintaining a crispness that indicates careful, appreciative handling by previous owners.

Catalogue Note: This first complete and authorised edition of The Lover's Tale. Tennyson originally composed the work in his youth and printed a fragment in 1833, but, feeling it imperfect, swiftly withdrew it from the press. After decades of enduring unauthorised, pirated copies of those early proofs, he finally consented to publish the complete poem, accompanied by a reprint of its sequel, The Golden Supper.

This specific copy boasts notable provenance, featuring the illustrated armorial bookplate of C. Oscar Gridley on the front pastedown, and a neat blind stamp from The Poetry Society (Incorporated) of London on the front free endpaper. While standard publisher's cloth bindings of this edition frequently appear on the open market, finely bound leather copies like this one are considerably scarcer and more desirable for collectors.

The Lover's Tale is a compelling psychological narrative poem that offers a rare glimpse into the early mind of the Victorian era's most celebrated poet laureate. The story follows Julian, a brooding young man living in idyllic isolation who is profoundly in love with his foster-sister, Camilla. When she rejects him in favor of his rival Lionel, Julian spirals into a hallucinatory crisis of identity and isolation. Brimming with rich imagery, the poem explores the tension between narcissistic withdrawal and social duty, culminating in a poignant struggle for redemption and self-awareness.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Alfred Tennyson

Book Publisher: C. Kegan Paul & Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 95

Book Publication Year: 1879

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Full Leather)

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.