Lucien DESCAVES

One of 100 copies of the magazine printed on China paper for issues 1 to 11. The specimen issue and no. 12 are on laid paper. Our copy is complete with the spine and covers of the general binding, and the twelve illustrated covers.
First edition of the complete collection of L'image, published between 1896 and 1897.
All issues of the magazine are bound together under a half sheep binding with corners, spine with five raised bands titled in gilt, marbled paper boards. Some rubbing.
Scattered foxing and marginal tears.
Complete copy of this magazine founded by the young French corporation of wood engravers, and published by the publisher of Toulouse-Lautrec's lithographs (Au pied du Sinaï, Histoires naturelles, Café-Concert).

First edition including all the features of the first issue for Du Côté de chez Swann (Grasset printing error on the title-page, front cover with the date 1913, missing contents table, publisher's catalogue at rear). First edition on ordinary paper, one of the very rare first edition copies without a statement of edition for A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, from an edition of about 500 copies. Following volumes in first numbered editions on pur fil, only deluxe copies after the "réimposés".

Few small tears along the lower edge and a small crease mark to the upper cover of Du côté de chez Swann, with some foxing to the first two leaves; spine very faintly sunned and a marginal dampstain affecting three leaves not affecting the text in Du côté de Guermantes I; foxing to the inscribed leaves and opening leaves of Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I and Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1, the latter with a small mark to the spine; marginal foxing to Sodome et Gomorrhe II-3; small lacks of paper at the foot of the spine and one at the lower right corner of the upper cover of La Prisonnière I; a small mark to the upper cover and a tiny tear at the foot of the spine of the first vol. of Albertine disparue; spine sunned and a discreet crease at the corner of the upper cover of the first vol. of Le Temps retrouvé, and a small mark to the lower cover of the last two volumes.
Complete collection of In Search of Lost Time including two important and precious presentation copies, signed and inscribed by Marcel Proust to Lucien Descaves, founding member of the Académie Goncourt:
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectueux hommage de l'auteur. / Marcel Proust” [to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectful tribute from the author. / Marcel Proust] on Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I.
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiratif hommage. / Marcel Proust ” [to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiring tribute. / Marcel Proust] on Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1.