Books and Manuscripts

Paris: Imp. Vaugirard, June 1912-August 1914. In 79 volumes. 8vo. Illustrated with 181 (of 184) color pochoir plates (lacking plates 139, 181, and 182), loose as issued, as well as one marbled tissue sample, in No. 64, March 1914; lot also includes eight duplicates plates (21, 22, 38, 63, 123, 176, 177, and 178), as well as two unnumbered plates, one of which is a duplicate. Original stiff blue-green and buff printed paper wrappers, some wrappers with "Specimen" ink stamp on front wrapper, scattered light wear and darkening to wrapper edges; contents loose as issued; some issues unopened; includes two (of four) original half-yearly stiff paper wrapper folders, one worn, one unused and laid into No. 39.

A lovely near-complete set of this classic French Belle Époque fashion periodical, featuring Art Nouveau illustrations by George Barbier, Antoine Vallée, Léon Bakst, and Umberto Brunelleschi, and including columns, poems, and other text by Henri Duvernois, Marcel Boulenger, Paul Margueritte, Jean Cocteau, and others. Originally issued three times a month between June 1912 and August 1914, it ceased publication at the outbreak of the First World War. This set on Holland paper was issued in an edition of 1,250 copies (from a total edition of 1,279 copies) of which this collection is made up from many different numbered copies.