Louis BARTHOU

First edition illustrated with a photographic portrait of Paul Valéry as frontispiece.

Contemporary forest green half morocco over marbled paper boards with corners, spine faded and with four raised bands, boards slightly faded at the margins, marbled and gilt paper-covered boards, moiré-effect endpapers and pastedowns, wrappers and spine preserved, bookplate mounted on a pastedown, signed binding by Lagadec.

Signed autograph inscription from Paul Valéry to Louis Barthou on the title page: "... ces propos subversifs, son confrère et ami..."

First edition, one of 300 copies, this one of 20 numbered and justified by François-Louis Schmied, the tirage de tête.
With 42 full page plates hors texte.
Spine and covers sunned at edges, scratch to head of lower cover, occasional wormholes, internally good.