La Maison de la Petite Livia. Note de Rene Boylesve. Images de Armand Rassenfosse. [Inlaid bookbinding by Max Fonseque].

[Colophon]: La Maison de la Petite Livia de Pierre de Querlon a ete editee en 1924 a la memoire de son auteur, par la Maison a l'enseigne "La Connaissance" et sous la devise: "On se lasse de tout, excepte de connaitre", sise a Paris, 9, galerie de la Madeleine. C'est le 10e volume de la collection d'art in-8o raisin. Il a ete compose a Valence-sur-Rhone sur les presses de Champollion par Jules Ceas et Fils, et tire a: 5 exemplaires sur Japon ancien, reimpose; 15 exemplaires sur Japon imperial; 50 exemplaires sur Madagascar, reserves aux Medecins et Avocats Bibliophiles; Ces exemplaires comportent une suite en noir des images. [This copy is one with the extra set of plates in black & white, mentioned above; on Arches paper, numbered 75]. 350 exemplaires sur verge d'Arches a la forme. Les dessins hors-texte et bandeaux, sont de Armand Rassenfosse. Ils ont ete reproduits en phototypie par Paul Vigier et Cie, de Paris, et colories au pochoir par Ferrariello. Le portrait est la reproduction d'un medaillon du sculpteur P. Sicard. Exemplaire justifie: 75 Imprime pour [blank]. Size of binding: 6 ½ in. x 10 in. xii, 101pp, illustrated with 15 pochoir colored plates & an extra set of black & white versions of the above plates, each bound in together; featuring art-deco influenced watercolors of female nudes or semi-nudes, in classical dress, & in attitudes of the dance, by Armand Rassenfosse; 4 black & white plates of classical borders, motifs, etc. (these 4 plates in back show some tan spotting). Frontispiece repro. of a medallion of Pierre de Querlon by F. Sicard. Art-deco influenced, inlaid binding by Max Fonseque, with his gilt-stamped name in the lower margin of front, inner leather turn-in. Bound in full, dark brown crushed morocco with 5 raised bands on the spine; simple gilt author's name & title in 2 spine compartments. Front cover & back cover feature design of broken lines running vertically on the two sections of brown leather, surrounding central design; the central, 1 ¼ in. x 10 in. vertical sections are finely-executed design inlays in 8 different colors of leathers on front: showing the "petite maison"(house) of Livia in light brown with 2 brown/gray rising poplar or cedar trees, against a red setting sun, deep blue-green sky with areas of brown hills, 3 shades of green sections in foreground; back features a design in 6 colors of leathers of 2 rising umbrella-like pine trees, with green foregrounds, brown hills & blue sky in background, turn-ins are dark brown morocco framing a gold foil bordered inlay of black & gold silk. This rich material is repeated on the first flyleaf as an endpaper & with back & front of first & second flyleaves lined with a deep red-brown, gold-shot paper. Small circular former collector's number label at top of flyleaf facing the half-title. Top edge gilt, sewn headbands. Preserved in a sturdy, tan felt-lined slipcase with brown morocco leather facing to the front edges, covered with a dark brown & green & gold marbled paper. Binding in fine (perfect) condition; edges, corners of slipcase show slight, age-related rubbing; some of the "classical" red ink printed head or tail-pieces in text have occasionally transferred lightly to facing page. Biography, notes, & examples of Max Fonseque's bookbindings can be found in : "Art Nouveau and Art Deco Bookbinding French Masterpieces 1880-1940", by Alastair Duncan & Georges De Bartha; Abrams, 1989; p. 90 & 191. Max Fonseque bindings are rare.…