The Works. TENNYSON (Alfred, Lord).

Engraved frontispiece portrait, and extra-illustrated with eight photographs pasted to stiff paper with printed captions.

8vo. [188 x 120 x 46 mm]. viii, 900, [2] pp. Contemporary binding by Riviere & Son for The Army and Navy (signed with a gilt pallet on the front turn-in) in red goatskin, the covers tooled in gilt with a wide border of three fillets and massed pointillé volutes, fleurons and small tools, surrounded by double fillets and gouges. The spine divided into six panels by gilt tooled bands, lettered in the second and at the foot, the others with gilt compartments with floral centres and scroll corners, the edges of the boards tooled with a gilt double fillet, the turn-ins with gilt rolls, green endleaves, gilt edges. (Small black ink stain on lower edge of one corner).
London: Macmillan and Co. Ltd, 1905.

A very good copy in a fine binding. One of many editions of Tennyson's Works publised by Macmillan, but this copy has an additional title-page printed in gold on stiffer paper: "The Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Illustrated with Photographs. London: Robert Riviere & Son". There are eight black and white photographs, of atmospheric scenes from the various works.

Riviere was entering its "golden period" in 1905, producing luxury bindings for collectors on both sides of the Atlantic. The firm's relationship with J. H. Stonehouse at Sotheran is well documented. It is less well known that they had a pallet cut to sign the bindings supplied to the Army & Navy.

The Army and Navy Co-operative Society Ltd was incorporated in 1871, being formed by a group of officers to share goods at reduced rates. The first store in Victoria Street, London, offered groceries, soon adding stationery, drapery, fancy goods, tailoring, a chemist and a gun department. Banking, furniture and an estate agents followed, and further stores were opened, including Plymouth, Bombay and Karachi. Signature of E. S. Croll on half-title.

Stock no. ebc6666