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258 x 185 mm. (10 x 7 1/4"). 67 pp. SPLENDID GARNET RED CRUSHED MOROCCO, EXUBERANTLY GILT AND ONLAID, BY CHAMBOLLE-DURU (stamp-signed in gilt on front doublure), covers framed by onlaid dark brown morocco strapwork with ornate rocaille gilt side ornaments, central panel with onlaid cornerpieces tooled with gilt latticework, raised bands, spine compartments with onlaid black frame tooled in gilt, a mandorla of garnet morocco at center, gilt lettering, DARK BROWN CRUSHED MOROCCO DOUBLURES with intricate dentelle gilt frame, garnet silk free endleaves, all edges gilt. In a suede-lined chemise trimmed with matching garnet morocco and matching slipcase. WITH 37 ORIGINAL WATERCOLORS IN THE TEXT SIGNED BY EDMOND MALASSIS and dated 1913. Verso of front free endleaf with monogrammed engraved bookplate of Henry Blumenfeld-Sciama; front flyleaf with ex-libris of Jean-Charles Lissarrague. A little rubbing near the gutter at front hinge, otherwise A PRISTINE COPY. This is a unique copy of Samain's tale of a lovelorn, blue-eyed faun, illustrated with original watercolors and handsomely bound by a leading Parisian workshop. Symbolist writer Albert Samain (1858-1900) was best known for his poems, but also wrote several short stories contemplating love in its various forms--here we find the passionate but unrequited variety. Malassis' charming watercolors bring the gentle faun Hyalis touchingly to life. The text was printed as a joint venture between the publisher and bookseller Auguste Blaizot and the binder René Kieffer, in an edition of 100 copies with 10 color etchings and 44 woodcuts by Charles Picart le Doux. It seems from the bookplate on the front free endpaper that this special copy--with those illustrations replaced by original watercolors--was likely created for Henry Blumenfeld-Sciama, a wealthy dealer in peacock feathers (then much in demand for ladies' fashions), whose company had celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1912. Our volume was not bound by Kieffer, but by his contemporary René Chambolle, son of the co-founder of Chambolle-Duru. Trained by the elder Chambolle, who had worked under the great Léon Gruel, René took over the workshop after his father's death in 1898. In "Modern Bookbindings," Sarah Prideaux says of her contemporary, "Chambolle most worthily continues the traditions associated with the name of his father. . . . To him are confided the classics of former times, which he clothes in the styles appropriate to them, keeping to a simplicity of ornamentation which reveals great taste and feeling for composition." As Prideaux suggests, our volume does not reflect the radical shifts afoot in French binding decoration, but neither is it marked by simplicity; rather, in keeping with Prideaux's assessment, it has an appropriateness to the subject matter of the text, reflecting in its elaborate and exuberant decoration the passion of the ardent central character. Considering that our volume was probably bound in 1913 (the date on the watercolors) or early 1914, it would have been one of Chambolle's last works, as he was called to serve in the army at the outbreak of the Great War, and died of anthrax in 1915. This copy was later owned by the French bibliophile and pharmacist Jean-Charles Lissarrague (1916-2005) who founded the pioneering skin care line RoC. UNIQUE COPY, WITH ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR ILLUSTRATIONS.
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