Suzanne Ballivet Signed (2 results)

Paper. Condition: Good. First Edition. An Original Letter Handwritten and Signed by French Erotic Illustrator Suzanne Ballivet. Dated March 1950. The letter reads - 30th Oct 1950 Dear Mister Davis, all your letters have arrived, but in March I was overloaded with work, and I couldn't find the time to reply, although I meant to. In July, I went to the Midi region, quite tired from a year of intensive work. I had asked for my mail not to be forwarded. Your last two letters had to wait for my return, I found them yesterday and you can see I am replying to you without delay. You will find enclosed a drawing which was published in Fou Rire, I hope you like it. The originals of Monette du Barri were sold almost right after they were published in C'est Paris, otherwise I would have sent you one of those. Please excuse me for this setback, and for long absence I imposed on you.In the next few days, I will give your little plate, the second one, to my model who will be happy to sign it.Please believe sir in my friendly sentiment Ballivet . Suzanne Ballivet 1930-1955 was a French draughtswoman and illustrator. She is best known today for her erotic illustrations of works by Pierre Lou˙s, Alfred de Musset, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and others.[1] According to the Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Ballivet is considered a 20th century "pioneer" in the genre of erotic book illustration. Size is 270mm x 205mm. Condition is good. Light folding creasing. More images can be taken upon request. Ref18068. Signed by Author(s).

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. First edition thus. Limited to 4000 copies, this being number 694. Hardback, finely rebound in a unique full leather binding, with the frontispiece plate repeated and tipped in on marbled paper to the upper board, gilt titling and contrasting title label to spine. Housed in a marbled card slipcase. Marbled endpapers. Fore-edge untrimmed. 19.5 × 14.5cm, 252pp. French text. From the library of noted collector Gordon R Smith, with his Ex Eroticis bookplate by Lynn Paula Russell, and signed by her in pencil lower right and dated 1995. Russell is an artist specialising in scenes of an erotic nature having been the illustrator for the magazines Janus and Februs, and has produced a number of books, as well as being know for her Ex Eroticis bookplates. First published in 1890, this is Anatole France's story of Paphnutius, a young Alexandrian debauche turned monk. Leading an ascetic life in the desert, he interprets his voluptuous dreams of the famous courtesan Thais as a call to convert her to Christianity. He succeeds in this aim, and she lives a short but saintly life as a hermit. Paphnutius, however, still dreams of her. In his attempt to hide from himself his lust for her, he mortifies his flesh relentlessly, and even spends some times as a stylite atop a high pillar, Finally he realizes his true feelings and tries to persuade her to flee the convent with him. As she dies, the abbess sends him away, horrified at the savagery that is finally revealed in his face. This edition illustrated with ten colour lithographs (frontispiece and 9 within the text) by Suzanne Ballivet. The illustrations are mildly erotic, displaying some nudity but Ballivet has created a set of delicate and restrained lithographs which serve the story well. Condition: This copy is in very good condition indeed. The leather binding is in excellent condition, the contents are clean and well bound. Light shelfwear to the slipcase but this is also good. With signed bookplate.