Tennyson Selected Poems And Idylls Of The King Lake English Classics Edition Appraisal

Tennyson Selected Poems and Idylls of the King (Lake English Classics Edition)

This item is an antique or vintage hardcover book, specifically titled "Tennyson Selected Poems and Idylls of the King" by Reynolds, part of the "Lake English Classics" series. The book's covers are made of a light blue-grey cloth, likely linen or buckram, offering a textured surface. The text block, featuring the series name, author, and titles, is printed in a dark, possibly black or very dark blue, ink within a rectangular border on the front cover. The font style used for the main titles, 'Tennyson', 'Selected Poems', and 'Idylls of the King', appears to be a serif typeface, while 'Lake English Classics' and 'Reynolds' use a slightly different, perhaps more decorative, font. In terms of condition, the book shows significant signs of age and wear. The corners of the covers are noticeably bumped and fraying, indicating handling and shelf wear over many years. The edges of the spine are also worn, particularly at the top and bottom. The cloth cover itself exhibits discoloration, staining, and some scuff marks, consistent with an item of considerable age that has not been stored in archival conditions. There are visible white specks or paint-like marks on the lower right portion of the front cover and some darker spots or stains elsewhere on the front. Despite these visible condition issues, the overall construction appears to be intact, with the binding seemingly holding the pages together, though the tightness and integrity of the binding cannot be fully assessed from the image. The book likely dates from the late 19th to early 20th century, given the 'English Classics' series and the general aesthetic of scholarly editions from that era. The visible wear suggests a utilitarian rather than decorative use.