GOURMONT (Rémy de). Couleurs. Contes avec des gravures de J. - Lot 201

GOURMONT (Rémy de). Couleurs. Contes avec des gravures de J.-E. Laboureur. P., Camille Bloch, 1929. In-8, pastel pink box, oval cut-out in each cover, with transparent Plexiglas set in a floral design of engraved and colored fillets, repeated on the vellum endpaper; the space left between the two decorations allows for optical effects when the covers of the binding are half-open, smooth spine, white satin lining, gilt on witnesses, cons. cover, slipcase and chemise (Mercher, 1970). Limited edition of 335 copies, decorated with 36 etched compositions by J.-E. Laboureur (S.L., t.2: 336), including 13 off-text in color, a title vignette, 13 headpieces and 9 endpieces. UNIQUE EXEMPLAIRE JUSTIFIED C.B. "IMPRIME POUR MONSIEUR CAMILLE BLOCH" ON IMPERIAL JAPON and containing (bound separately in pink half-maroq. with bands): 1) THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL DRAWINGS IN LEAD PEN AND COLOR PENCILS, SIGNED BY THE ARTIST, executed on fine wove paper, used for the hors-texte. 2) THE 22 ORIGINAL LEAD PEN DRAWINGS, executed on tracing paper for the 13 headpieces and 9 lamp-ends; those for the headpieces also include drawings of the historiated letters, which were engraved but removed from the final edition. 3) The quintuple suite of hors-texts on vellum: in the pure etching state; in the finished state in black; in the color state in trial proofs justified by the publisher; in the signed "bon à tirer" color state and in the final state. Four hors-texte include an additional proof of the color state, justified by the publisher; a fifth hors-texte includes three additional proofs of the color state justified by the publisher. 4) The triple suite of 22 headpieces and lamp-ends; i.e., for the headpieces: pure etching and the finished state with engraved historiated letters and the final state, all printed on vellum; for the lamp-ends: pure etching in trial proofs on thin laid paper justified by the publisher and in proofs on vellum in the final state, with one plate refused in the pure etching state for the header of the last "orange" chapter. 5) The title-page vignette in two states: the pure etching with the text, annotated by Laboureur, and a separate proof on vellum; the definitive state with the text marked "bon à tirer" and the artist's signature, the same unannotated, and a separate proof on vellum. 6) AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER from the artist to C. Bloch on the development of the work. THIS COPY, UNIQUE FOR ITS EXQUISITE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY LABOUREUR, HAS BEEN COVERED WITH A FRESH ORIGINAL BINDING BY HENRI MERCHER. From the Raphaël Esmerian library (Part 5, No. 64, drawing reproduced).