LORRAIN (Jean). Voyages. Paris: Édouard-Joseph, Éditeur d’Ar - Lot 171

LORRAIN (Jean). Voyages. Paris: Édouard-Joseph, Éditeur d’Art, 1921. Square 8vo, approx. 20.5 × 15.5 cm. Illustrated first edition, fourth volume of the “L'Édition originale illustrée” collection. The BnF does list this 1921 edition, which features 33 woodcuts and compositions by André Deslignières. Posthumous edition, compiled by Georges Normandy, printing completed on June 25, 1921, by the art printing house “Le Croquis” for Édouard-Joseph. The illustrations include original woodcuts and compositions by Deslignières, some of which are enhanced with color. Another bibliographic description confirms the 33 woodcuts and compositions. The proof sheet for this copy states: 30 copies on Imperial Japan paper; 30 on National Japan paper; 125 on Van Gelder Holland paper; 1,000 on pure-fiber vellum, all numbered. This copy is one of the 1,000 on pure-thread vellum, no. 885. It is therefore indeed a copy from the limited run of the illustrated first edition, but not on a high-grade paper. This copy is of particular interest due to its later binding in half-maroquin leather with corners, a four-ribbed spine, the author’s name and title in gold lettering, gold fillets at the edges of the covers, and covers covered with decorative painted or marbled paper in shades of green, purple, blue, and yellow. The binding is quite decorative but shows signs of wear: pronounced scuffing on the edges and raised bands, scuffs on the leather, and worn caps and hinges. The front edge appears particularly fragile. Nevertheless, the photographs show that the book block appears to be in good condition.