RIVIÈRE & SON, binders; DULAC, Edmund, illustrator

Contes et Légendes des Nations Alliées

Paris: L'Édition D'Art H. Piazza, 1917. Item #03144

One of 1000 Numbered Copies on Papier Vélin, Signed by the Artist/Author
With Designs Not Found in the First English Edition
In A Spectacular Pictorial Binding ca. 1920 by Rivière & Son

RIVIÈRE & SON, binders. DULAC, Edmund, author and illustrator. Contes et Légendes des Nations Alliées, recueillis et illustrés par Edmond Dulac. Paris: L'Édition D'Art H. Piazza, (1917).

First edition in French, one of 1000 numbered copies, printed on Papier vélin, signed by Dulac, this being copy no. 999.

Quarto (11 9/16 x 8 3/4 inches; 293 x 222 mm.). [iv], 149, [3] pp. Fifteen mounted color plates with captioned tissue guards, and ten decorated initials, ten tailpieces, and decorative bands to text designed by Dulac.

Bound by [Rivière & Son] ca. 1920 [stamp signed "Bumpus. Ltd. Oxford St. W." on lower front turn-in. Full burgundy crushed levant morocco, covers with triple gilt-ruled borders, spine with five gilt-ruled raised bands, triple gilt-ruled in compartments, and lettered in gilt, double-rule gilt board edges, wide, elaborate decorative gilt turn-ins, all edges gilt. With the armorial book-plate of the renowned collector C.F.J. Beausire on the front paste-down. Spine extremities and corners expertly and almost invisibly restored. A magnificent example of Rivière & Son at their very best. Housed in a quarter red morocco clamshell case.

Front cover with a decorative blind-stamped border with corner fleurons, surrounding a triple gilt-rule, in turn enclosing a central panel (7 5/8 x 4 5/8 inches; 195 x 117 mm.) This spectacular cover featuring a highly intricate inlaid and onlaid design in multi-color textured morocco's with gilt highlights, based on the color plate opposite p. 56 Grannmia vit son étrange amoureux; elle fut surprise, mais resta cependant calme et courageuse. from the story Le Prince Servant. [When Grannmia saw her strange lover, she alone remained calm and courageous - from the story The Serpent Prince].

First edition in French of Edmund Dulac's Fairy Book: Fairy Tales of the Allied Nations (1916), with the same number of color plates as the first English edition but with the addition of initials, tailpieces, and decorative bands by Dulac exclusive to this issue.

"Dulac's Fairy Book was the Christmas book for 1916 featured by Hodder and Stoughton in The Bookman...

"The tales of this book, both written and illustrated by Dulac, were drawn from the folklore of Russia, England, Flanders, Belgium, Italy, France, Ireland, Serbia, and Japan. Dulac was able to employ the full scope of his versatility in creating a national mood in each illustration. During this period of his work, Dulac had immersed himself in the artistic traditions of folklore...

"... His new perceptions resulted in a completely fresh, simpler style for the pictures of this book - a style he continued to develop and make his own for the rest of his career...

"... For the French issue of Dulac's Fairy Book, Dulac himself wrote the French text" (Hughey).

Hughey, 47L.

Price: $8,500.00