Paris, aux frais et pour les sociétaires des Bibliophiles de l’Académie des Beaux-livres, 1891-1892.
10 works combined in a large 8vo volume.
Blue-gray morocco, framing of gilt fillets and floral designs around the covers, richly decorated ribbed spine, wide gilt inner border, gilt over untrimmed edges, wrappers and spine bound in, case. Ch. de Samblanx.
265 x 175.
Superb complete collection of the 10 tales by Maupassant published by the Society of Bibliophiles of the Academy of Fine Books.
« The complete work consists of ten booklets with pagination and a particular cover for each of them. All these stories were printed on paper made exclusively for the Society with watermark framing each page bearing at the top: Guy de Maupassant; and at the bottom Selected stories.
Some associates have had their copy bound by retaining all the covers, either by leaving them in their place or relegating them to the back of the volume; others have retained the booklets as they are by enclosing them in a case». (Administrative Annals of contemporary Bibliophiles, p. 89).
It consists of a cover, a half-title and a title, accompanied by a colored frontispiece by Paul Avril after Félicien Rops, followed by the following 10 titles, each with its particular cover:
– Le Loup. Histoire de chasse. November 1891. (2 ff.), 12 pp.
Edition entirely engraved, illustrated with 15 aquatint-enhanced etchings by Everet Louis Von Muyden (1853-1922), including one on the title, 12 headers, an initial, and a cul-de-lamp. The text was engraved with a burin by A. Leclère.
– Hautot père & fils. 1892. (2 ff.), 20 pp., 3 plates.
Edition illustrated with 12 compositions by Georges Jeanniot, including 3 off-text, mostly in color, retouched with etching and burin by Henry Manesse and printed in polychrome intaglio by the firm Wittmann. Pages 5 to 8 wrongly bound after the title.
– Allouma. 1892. (2 ff.), 30 pp., (1 ff.).
Edition illustrated with 2 color chapter heads and 2 monochrome tailpieces, engraved by Paul Avril.
– Mouche. Souvenir d’un Canotier. 1892. (2 ff.), 20 pp.
Edition entirely engraved, illustrated on each page with a composition by Ferdinand Gueldry engraved on copper by Fillon. The text was engraved with a burin by A. Leclère.
– La Maison Tellier. 1892. (2 ff.), 44 pp., (2 last white ff.).
Edition illustrated with 25 watercolors by Pierre Vidal in the text, engraved by Hellé et Ruckert, and colored by Grenengaire
– Un Soir. 1892. (2 ff.), 27 pp.
Edition illustrated with 28 compositions by Georges Scott, engraved on wood by D. Quesnel et Duplessis.
– Le Champ d’oliviers. 1892. (2 ff.), 34 pp., (1 ff.), 3 plates.
Edition illustrated with 9 compositions by Paul Gervais, including 3 chapter heads, 3 tailpieces and 3 off-texts, heliogravure and printed in intaglio by Boussod et Valadon.
– Mademoiselle Fifi. 1892. Frontispiece, (2 ff.), 22 pp., (1 ff.), 3 plates.
Edition illustrated with 22 compositions byA. Gérardin et Charles Morel including 18 in the text, engraved on wood by Jules Tinayre and 4 off-text, engraved on copper by Hellé, including one in color. Copy enriched with the color plate that was given to the associates after the publication.
– L’Épave. 1892. (2 ff.), 17 pp., (1 ff.).
Edition not illustrated. Copy enriched with 2 very beautiful original watercolors signed (signature difficult to decipher) and dated 1917, as well as a very beautiful original unsigned pencil sketch.
– Une partie de campagne. 1892. (2 ff.), 18 pp., (1 blank ff.).
Edition not illustrated. Copy enriched with a color etching by Henri Boutet, which was given to the associates after the publication, and with 3 superb original watercolors signed by Alcide Robaudi (1850-1928), on the half-title and on pages 1 and 18.
« Collection des 10 contes de Maupassant publiés par la Société des Bibliophiles contemporains, et tiré pour les seuls membres de la Société. Chaque conte porte une pagination distincte, a une couverture de couleur et d’ornementation différentes, et offre un type particulier d’impression, d’illustration et de gravure. Pour pouvoir donner à l’ouvrage complet une apparence homogène, il a été fait un titre général portant le nom imprimé du sociétaire, une couverture d’ensemble et un beau frontispice gravé par Paul Avril, d’après Félicien Rops, tiré en couleur. Les artistes qui ont contribué à l’illustration de ces contes sont : Evert Van Muyden, G. Jeanniot, P. Avril, F. Guledry, P. Vidal, G. Scott, P. Gervais, A. Gérardin et C. Morel. » (Catalogue de la Bibliothèque d’Alfred Piat, 1446)
The print run was, according to Vicaire, 188 copies on vellum watermark in the name of the author and the collection, not put on the market.
This copy bears number 71; it was specially printed for Mr. Léon Guillon. It has been enriched with the prospectus printed on blue paper sent to the associates.
« Ces 10 fascicules sont illustrés de figures en noir et en couleurs par Pierre Vidal, P. Avril, Lunois, Paul Gervais, F. Gueltry, Van Muyden, etc.
Frontispiece engraved in color by P. Avril, after F. Rops.
This edition was printed in a very small number of copies, for the members of the Society only ». (Bulletin of the Librairie Damascène Morgand, VI, 26287)
Superb copy with all the original wrappers of different colors and ornamentations bound in a very beautiful binding by Charles de Samblanx.
