VERLAINE (Paul) — Poetic Works. Volume VII. Illustrations fr - Lot 288

VERLAINE (Paul) — Poetic Works. Volume VII. Illustrations from the author’s era. Volume Seven. Paris, Jean de Bonnot, 1975 [printed on December 10, 1975; legal deposit 1st quarter of 1976]. 1 volume in-8, publisher’s binding in full brown leather, covers framed and embossed with a large stylized floral design embellished with gilded birds; plain spine richly decorated with a large gilded Art Nouveau feminine motif, green title labels, title and volume number gilded. Decorated endpapers, gilt head. A modern bibliophile edition of Paul Verlaine’s Poetic Works, published by Jean de Bonnot in seven volumes. The text is printed on laid paper and abundantly illustrated with reproductions of drawings and documents from the author’s era; in this seventh volume, the illustrations are in blue: a portrait of Verlaine as a frontispiece, full-page compositions, landscapes, views of Paris, headpieces, etc. The complete series consists of seven volumes; complete copies described on the market have page counts of 227, 275, 244, 271, 249, 238, and 258 pages for Volume VII. This is the seventh and final, standalone volume of the first Jean de Bonnot series from 1975. The colophon states that the work was produced by the illustrators, engravers, typesetters, printers, and bookbinders of the Jean de Bonnot publishing house and that printing was completed on December 10, 1975. The binding is particularly decorative: the large female face with roses, rendered in gold on the spine, and the gilded birds on the covers give this series its instantly recognizable appearance. Very good overall condition. The binding is sturdy and fresh; the gilding on the spine is well preserved, with the green accents still very prominent. A few small marks and superficial scuffs on the covers and endpapers, with no significant damage. The interior is very fresh and clean, with only a slight natural patina on the paper.