EDWARD KING TENISON and/or LOUISA KING TENISON, WILLIAM ALLEN and others

Kilronan family albums, circa 1862-67

Details
EDWARD KING TENISON and/or LOUISA KING TENISON, WILLIAM ALLEN and others
Kilronan family albums, circa 1862-67
Two albums: the first containing approx. 590 albumen prints, various sizes from approx. x in. to approx. 7 x 9 in., variously mounted in intricate patterns within hand-painted borders, some with applied gold leaf, additional plain photographic backgrounds trimmed to provide abstract blocks within the page designs, occasional locations and dates in ink on mounts, brown morocco, ruled blind and gilt (front cover partially detached from spine), g.e., gilt clasp, lge. 4to.; the second containing approx. 220 albumen prints, the majority trimmed from carte-de-visite-size but including five from 7 x 4 in. to 7.5/8 in. x 10 in., variously mounted in intricate patterns within ink borders, several with similar key on facing page giving identities or locations in ink or pencil, burgundy morocco, ruled blind, monogram [?F.T.] in gilt on front cover, g.e., folio. (2)
Provenance
Rilvonan Castle, home of Edward and Louisa King Tenison.
Literature
Chandler & Walsh, Through the Brass-Lidded Eye, plate no. 184 (a cropped version appears in the album)
Sale room notice
The provenance for this lot should read Kilronan Castle, home of Edward and Louisa King Tenison.

Lot Essay

The first album includes views and portraits at Kilronan Castle (home of Edward King Tenison), Shugborough, Rockingham, Carrigglas and Gormanston Castle; views in Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Spain; portraits including Queen Victoria, Emperor Napoleon, Empress Eugnie, the Prince Imperial, King Leopold, several of children and estate workers; six North African portraits; dogs, cats and humorous subjects such as a 'ghost' frightening a man in a wooded landscape and a man holding his own head on a stick.

The second album includes a large study of ladies and gentlemen playing croquet; Lord and Lady Elcho and the Charteris family, Lord Kingston (a cousin of Edward King Tenison), the Ansons and many others. Three of the large portraits are duplicated in the album in the preceding lot. This, the intricate and complex page designs, and the unusual use of cropped photographs to provide abstract elements in the patterns implies that the albums were at least compiled by the same person.

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