LOTI (Pierre). Japoneries d'Automne. P., Calmann Lévy, 1889. - Lot 208

LOTI (Pierre). Japoneries d'Automne. P., Calmann Lévy, 1889. In-12, garnet marocco, long title on spine, on boards, mosaic decoration of a flowering branch with bird and butterfly, decorated silk endpapers, interior marocco band with gold thread, n.r., cons. cover, slipcase (H. Sacré). ORIGINAL EDITION. ONE OF 25 HEADWORKS ON JAPAN, numbered with salmon-red cover. PRECIOUS UNIQUE EXEMPLAIRE HAVING BELONGED TO THE PAINTER HENRY SOMM, one of the finest masters of the 1900 period, a "japonisant" artist who adorned the faux-tittre with a large watercolor covering the entire title, another full-page watercolor serves as frontispiece to the chapter Un Bal à Yeddo, 18 other watercolors are placed at the head and end of the chapter, two others in the margins of the text. A TOTAL OF 21 ORIGINAL WATERCOLORS BY SOMM, ALL SIGNED. Added to the book, a l.a.s. from Loti to Alph. Daudet (4 p. in-12): " Je suis à Rochefort depuis quinze jours, installé dans le beau poste de secrétaire de l'amiral; c'est fait pour moi ce poste là, comme un perchoir et une chaîne à parroquet and a parrot chain for a seagull... I haven't yet been able to get back to working on Japanese stories; I'll start with the one I'd like to dedicate to Madame Daudet...". Joint: Les Désenchantées. P., Calmann-Lévy, 1906. In-12, green morocco binding, gilt on witnesses, cons. cover and spine, slipcase (Alix). One of 25 on japon impérial. Set. 2 vols.