GUSTAVE DORE ~ 1867 VIVIEN by Alfred Tennyson, 1st / 1st ~ 12.5" x 17" FOLIO

  Vivien by Lord Alfred Tennyson ~ Illustrated by Gustave Dore ~ 1st / 1st 1867, Folio Edition

 Publisher: Edward Moxon and Co., London (1867)

First edition from 1867 of Lord Alfred Tennyson's VIVIEN, illustrated by the iconic Gustave Dore, in a beautiful luxury folio. The full blue fabric-based leatherette binding with an elaborate period design in ebony and gilt boards and binding are solid and tight save for some light shelf-wear and small chip on spine. The gilt pages and Gustave Dore engraving are CRISP AND CLEAN with a few small spots of minor foxing on pages 29 and 41. Small repaired tear on the bottom of page 29. The text block is firmly bound. Vivien with 49 numbered pages of text, and with all nine steel-engraved plates called for. Guinevere with 41 numbered pages of text, and with all nine steel-engraved plates called for. All plates drawn by Gustave Doré [1832-1883] and variously engraved by J.H. Baker, W. Ridgway, A. Willmore, J. Godfrey, C. H. Jeens, G. C. Finden, W. Greatbach, E. P. Brandard, J. Stephenson, W. H. Mote, T. O. Barlow and J. Saddler. Plates published December 2, 1867, by E. Moxon, London. It is believed that Moxon was the only publisher ever to commission steel engravings from Doré. All plates are full-page black-and-white on heavy stock. Each plate is protected with a heavy-duty tissue guard. Due to the presence of the tissue guards virtually no off-setting has occurred.