TENNYSON, Alfred. Crossing the Bar. New York, Printed in Bavaria: E. P. Dutton, 1901?

The Gem Series

(145 x 95 mm) pp. 16 + half title, frontispiece. Each page ornamented with chromolithographic medieval style border in red and blue holly and berries. Text in gold. Cover in faux cloth boards with green overlay pastedown decorated with gems and Christ. Some chipping to spine, bumping to spine, small hole to fly leaf, foxing to fly leaves. Overall GOOD condition. 

Alfred Tennyson’s interpretations of medieval British tales of King Arthur situate him as the darling of the 19^th century medievalism— a style of visual and verbal art seeking to adapt the Middle Ages for the modern. This little gift book, though not inherently medieval, is given a beautiful Gothic-style border, which is lauded in the short advertisement of the Gem Series in 1901.

“Dainty, half-white binding, floral covers in colours. Each book has illuminated lettering in colors after the style of old missals, also full page color illustrations. An entirely new and novel style of dainty book production, which is sure to appeal to all lovers of artistic work.”

Originally called The Gem Series,  later versions of this gift series are simply Gem Series and are  a collaboration between E.P. Dutton and London’s Ernest Nister.