Longfellow's Hyperion — 24 Original Francis Frith Albumen Photographs — London 1865, First Illustrated Edition
CHF 280.00
Published by Alfred William Bennett, London, 1865. Square quarto, viii + 270pp, with 24 interleaved albumen photograph plates, tissue guards, engraved vignettes, and engraved half-titles. The richly gilt-stamped binding — designed by John Leighton — features elaborate tooling and ruling to both boards and spine, gilt lettering to spine, beveled edges, all edges gilt, and dentelles.
The photographs depict celebrated landscapes and sites from the Rhineland, Switzerland, Austria, and the Tyrol, including Interlaken, the Rhone Glacier, Heidelberg Castle, Stolzenfels, Drachenfels, Innsbruck, and others. Each plate remains in good condition with well-preserved tonal range and fine detail — a testament to the quality of Frith's albumen printing.
A contemporary gift inscription to the title page reads: Minnie Louise / from S.P.J. / Christmas Day 1865 / Rothwell — placing this copy in a private English household in the very year of publication.
Binding with light rubbing to extremities consistent with age. Interior generally clean with occasional light foxing to margins. All 24 photographs present and accounted for.
A handsome and complete example of one of the finest early photographically illustrated literary editions of the Victorian era.
Condition notes
Red pebbled leather boards with lavish gilt-stamped decoration to both covers and spine, after a design by John Leighton; gilt lettering to spine; all edges gilt; dentelles. Binding generally sound and attractive. Some rubbing and lifting to cloth at corners — most notably one corner with cloth starting to separate from board — consistent with 160 years of use. Gilt decoration remains bright and well-defined throughout.
Interior clean and solid. Title page with contemporary ink gift inscription dated Christmas Day 1865. All 24 original albumen photographs by Francis Frith present and in good condition; tonal range well preserved with minimal silvering. Tissue guards intact. Text with occasional light foxing to margins, not affecting readability. Book block tight.
Overall a good, complete, and appealing copy — rare to find with all photographs in this condition after more than a century and a half.