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PRINTER'S PHOTOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION PROOFS ON THE RETIREMENT FROM THE NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY OF HENRY TENNANT ESQUIRE, GENERAL MANAGER, 1891. Original retirement presentation design, most likely by Ben Johnson & Company of York, though possibly George McCorquodale of Leeds, as this came to us in a portfolio of original proofs and designs by both. This group comprises four photographs, each of which are printed on the characteristically thin photographic paper of their time, and each measures approx. 8.5" x 6" (circa 21.5cm x 15.5cm), though they vary slightly from one another in size. Two examples are loose and two are fixed down to brown backing paper, as they came to us. An additional folded sheet of of the same backing paper, to which one of the loose photos was presumably once attached, has a printer's note fixed to the rear, which states: "Photos. of Illumination. (Some colors do not reproduce nicely)." Henry Tennant was General Manager of the North Eastern Railway from 1870 until 1891. The text on the designs reads as follows: "Sir, Your retirement from the of General Manager of the North Eastern Railway offers an opportunity to the Officers and Servants of the Company to testify the high respect they entertain towards you personally and also of giving expression to the pride and pleasure they have always felt in acting with you during your tenure of that office. During more than forty years you have been intimately engaged in the direction of the affairs of the Company, and you have seen its extension from a mileage of 700 to the mileage of 1,578, the present length of the Railway. The period which has lapsed since 1850 has been the most important in the history of the company, and its progress and prosperity during that period have been in no small degree attributable to your incessant and unwearied efforts. After such labours, your retirement from office will, it is hoped, bring to you that rest which has been so well earned, whilst as a Member of the Board of Directors you will still be able to promote the interests of the Company. It is with the highest gratification that the Officers and Servants connected with the Railway request your acceptance of a Service of Plates, a Landau, and Objects of Art, as an assurance of their (?????) regard for you; and while doing this they desire to express the hope that you may long be spared to enjoy the leisure which your retirement from active service is intended to give. Signed on behalf of the Subscribers, York 18th November 1891." Condition: First and third sheets have circa 1cm/2cm surface holes and subsequent loss towards right edges, the latter having an adjacent closed tear of a similar size. Otherwise occasional surface scuffing with small loss, and one or two small edge tears and nibbles here and there. Generally yellowed and tanned, according to age and paper type. Backing papers are rubbed, nicked and edge torn. They remain an interesting original group nonetheless. Please see photos for further detail, and check out our other listings for other early Ben Johnson and George McCorquodale proofs, to include hand-painted and hand-coloured works. Seller Inventory # 000627
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