The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley with Photographic Illustrations

Undated, but c 1882 (Printer’s code); Suttaby and Co., London. Part of R. & A. Suttaby’s Poet Series. 12mo, 13 x 18.5cm; xxiv, 616pp. Full red leather with decorative blind stamped boards, front and rear; 6 raised bands to spine with decorative panels and gilt titles; all edges gilt; gilt decorative dentelles with green decorative pastedowns. Decorative bordered text in red throughout. Prefatory Notice by W.M. Rossetti. Frontispiece of Shelley and illustrated title page. Illustrated chapter headings and endings. And five tipped in photographic plates by Payne Jennings (not attributed). 

Of all the photographers engaged in the business of illustrating editions of poetry in the nineteenth century, Payne Jennings (1843-1926) was one of the most prolific. Well known for his panoramic and scenic views of many parts of England, Jennings was a long time resident of Ashstead, Surrey, and his other books included Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads (1891) and Photo Pictures in East Anglia (1890), the latter with descriptions by Annie Berlyn. Jennings’ photographically illustrated edition of Tennyson would seem to be the first book of his working relationship with the publisher R&A Suttaby, themselves an important outlet for photographic illustration. All of Jennings’ volumes for R&A Suttaby are collected or selected works, the other four poets being Wordsworth, Longfellow, Barrett Browning and Shelley. The books themselves function in much the same way as most other photographically illustrated poetry of this period, drawing on the model developed by the Bennett/Provost model for publishing Scott’s epic poems, with important scenes from the verse photographically illustrated with appropriate poetic caption. Suttaby’s other illustrated works, including those of Milton, Byron and Scott, also display the work of Deswall Vaughan and G.W. Wilson. 

Condition: Scuffing to spine edges and wear to corners. Top spine tip with small tears. Pastedowns split at gutters. Inscription to previous owner on fep dated 1885. Intermittent light foxing throughout. Text block sound and tight. Gilt very bright.  A good copy of this rather rare book.