Mohammed RACIM

An outstanding illustrated edition of the most famous Arabic tales in the world : One Thousand and One Nights [ʾAlf Laylah wa-Laylah]

L'édition d'art H. Piazza, Paris 1926-1932, 23,5x31cm, 12 volumes in original wrappers housed in slipcases.
Ilustrated edition with 144 watercolors by Léon Carré, stencil-colored and gilt by Saudé as well as 85 color plates by Mohammed Racim, one of the few advance and named copies, numbered in roman numerals on wove paper. This copy issued for the famous binder René Aussourd. Only deluxe issue after 300 copies on japon paper.
Spine of volumes slightly faded, a few slipcases with tears on the edges, a slipcase damaged.
Handsome complete set in 12 volumes, with an advertising flyer for this edition added in the first volume's slipcase.

First edition, one of 800 numbered copies on B.F.K velin.
Work illustrated with sixteen colour compositions sometimes enhanced with gold, including 25 full-page by the Orientalist painter Etienne Dinet, ornamentation and decoration by Mohammed Racim.
Binding in full red morocco, spine in four compartments enhanced with gilt stippling and richly decorated with listels in panels with inlaid lilies in the corners and Moorish mosaic motifs in green and tan morocco, date at the foot, boards richly decorated with a large frame of black morocco listel and gilt fillets and stippling, important Moorish-inspired motifs in green morocco stamped with black arabesques, gilt dots, gilt fers-de-lance and fleurs-de-lys in orange morocco inlaid in the corners, important motif in green tan and orange morocco, stamped with black arabesques, gilt dots and fer-de-lance in the centre of the boards, pastedown endpapers lined with a large frame in red morocco decorated with green and tan listels, gilt fillets and stippling, fleurs-de-lys in green, orange and tan morocco in the corners, triple marbled endpapers, cover boards and spine preserved, gilt stippling on the leading edges, gilt roll tooling and stippling on the spine-ends, slipcase lined with paper and edged with red morocco, contemporary binding signed by Hauttecoeur.
Remarkable work, magnificently bound in the Arabic taste.