Lourmarin (Vaucluse)

Autograph letter signed by Henri Bosco addressed to his friend and summer neighbor Georges Raillard (31 lines in green ink on a sheet recto-verso) from Lourmarin.
Fold mark inherent to mailing, envelope included.
The author of L'Âne culotte thanks Georges Raillard for his latest letter: "It arrived safely. But the article from that vile Canard, no. Didn't see it. Neither 6, nor 3 columns. Nothing. No doubt some hidden jealous people (or the illustrious Giono, my neighbor) intercepted it and threw it in the fire. Sad."
Henri Bosco recounts his automobile wanderings through the south of France: "We reached Millau - and the Rouergats - They have cordiality, gloves ... I gave up pursuing into Guéret, through 450km of hairpin turns. Retreated to Lourmarin, amid the clouds, the rains, torrentially."
He will also have to travel across France for the signing of his latest work and allows himself this warning for his friend: "Never go to Béziers! One smells and thinks wine there. and what wine! 6 degrees at most. Except for the very rare ones, the natives there are xenophobic and brutal. Would you believe they chased poor Giulietta Greco herself from the stage manibus pedibusque militarisbusque, after the 1st verse of the famous: Gloomy Sunday! It's true that..."

Autograph letter signed by Henri Bosco addressed to his friend and summer neighbor Georges Raillard (27 lines in blue ink on a recto-verso leaf) from Lourmarin where the writer takes care of the library of the château de Lourmarin.
Fold marks inherent to envelope insertion, envelope included.
The author of Mas Théotime asks advice from his friend Georges Raillard who frequents contemporary authors, notably those of the Nouveau roman like Nathalie Sarraute and Philippe Sollers: "J'ai obtenu un peu d'argent pour les bibliothèques du château. Pouvez-vous m'envoyer d'urgence à Nice une liste d'auteurs modernes - et même contemporains - que vous aimeriez trouver ici. Je verrai ensuite ce que j'en pourrai retenir sur mes fidèles crédits." ["I have obtained some money for the castle libraries. Can you urgently send me to Nice a list of modern - and even contemporary - authors that you would like to find here. I will then see what I can retain from my faithful credits."]
Henri Bosco is surprised by his friend's silence, his wife Alice having mentioned her husband's project to write a biography of the writer: "Alice m'avait dit que vous projetiez d'écrire une étude sur Henri Bosco. Pourquoi ne m'en avez-vous pas parlé ? Cela m'intéresse." ["Alice had told me that you were planning to write a study on Henri Bosco. Why didn't you tell me about it? It interests me."]
After having mentioned some administrative nominations concerning common acquaintances, Henri Bosco inquires about his godson Henri Raillard (to whom he dedicated his work Barboche): "Comment va le filleul ? J'espère qu'il devient de plus en plus terrible" ["How is the godson? I hope he is becoming more and more terrible"]
At the very end of the letter, Henri Bosco's wife having added a few words of thanks about a box of calissons sent by their friends the Raillards and inviting them to Lourmarin and to Nice.

Autograph signed letter from Henri Bosco addressed to his summer friends and neighbors Alice and Georges Raillard (23 lines in blue ink on a recto-verso sheet) discussing the baptism of his godson Henri Raillard which will not be compromised despite the fragile health of the writer returning ill from Italy.
Fold marks inherent to postal handling.
"Lourmarin le 12 Mai 54
Bien cher amis,
Oui, je regrette de nous être manqués à Autun. Nous rentrons d'Italie. Je suis assez fatigué - et souffrant encore. Il me faut du repos (underlined sentence). Je ne puis donc envisager d'aller à Limoust pour la Pentecôte. Cela me navre, mais il est nécessaire que je voyage le moins possible. A Rome même, j'ai eu des ennuis de santé, et suis obligé en ce moment même, de faire une cure sévère. Nous resterons ici jusqu'au 25 Juillet. Organisez donc les choses au mieux. Je vous donne d'avance mon accord. Certes je désire beaucoup assister au baptême de mon filleul, qui, dans ma pensée, devrait avoir lieu à Vaugines. Mais ce qui prime c'est vous-mêmes, la santé du cher enfant, vos obligations. Tenez-nous au courant. Croyez à notre affection fidèle. Henri Bosco."

Autograph letter signed by Henri Bosco addressed, from his Nice home, to his summer friends and neighbors Alice and Georges Raillard (39 lines in green ink on a recto-verso leaf) notably about a couple of friends for whom he requests the services of Georges Raillard. He also speaks of his literary production currently occupying him.
Fold marks inherent to envelope placement.
"Le 6. IV. 64
Mon cher ami,
Je viens vous demander quelques renseignements. Il s'agit d'un jeune ami et de sa femme. Lui, Georges Comet, Agrégé d'histoire, présentement prof. au lycée de Reims - Elle, Sylvette Comet, licenciée CAPES (ienne) Prof. de français moderne, et aussi prof. au même lycée ; elle prépare son diplome. Lui, qui a 25 ans, doit faire son service en Octobre. Il désirerait le faire comme professeur, puisque cela se peut de nos jours. Je lui ai conseillé de demander le Maroc. Ce serait pour un poste double, sa femme le suivant. Si je vous parle de ces jeunes gens, c'est que ce sont, eux et leurs parents, de nos très bons amis. Mais, ce qui vaut en soi, c'est que l'un et l'autre sont très dignes d'intérêt tant par leurs qualités professionnelles que par leurs qualités personnelles. Je pense que vous êtes fort bien placé pour leur indiquer la marche à suivre et, à l'occasion, pour la leur faciliter. Mon cher Georges, si je vous en prie, c'est que vraiment ces deux jeunes gens en valent la peine. Je ne vous en dit pas plus. Vous savez que je ne fais à peu près jamais de telles démarches. Merci d'avance. Nous resterons ici jusqu'au 20 - puis Lourmarin et l'Assemblée (passionnée naturellement) de la Fondation. J'ai achevé un gros pensum sur la Provence. il a un mérite : il fut bien payé. Suis-je cynique ? Un autre pensum m'attend. Un Don Bosco - album de photos réconfortées d'un texte calculé au millimètre carré. C'est le millimètre qui m'angoisse. Même travaillant pour la sainteté, cela est dur. Il pleut et pleut. Nous eûmes un Décembre et un Janvier splendides. Mais quel printemps ! Et vous ? Et Alice ? Et Henri ? Et Edmond ? Et Florence ? J'espère rencontrer Denise et le Père à Vaugines. Je n'arrive pas à obtenir de votre chère soeur, le n° d'un c.te postal. Et je n'expédie pas mon argent à l'aveuglette... A Lourmarin, crise municipale, et élections complémentaires désastreuses pour le professeur-maire. Nous avons ainsi échappé au Néon, qu'il aimait. A vous tous l'affection fidèle de nous deux. Henri Bosco." ["6. IV. 64
My dear friend,
I come to ask you for some information. It concerns a young friend and his wife. He, Georges Comet, Agrégé in history, currently professor at the lycée in Reims - She, Sylvette Comet, graduate CAPES certified professor of modern French, and also professor at the same lycée; she is preparing her diploma. He, who is 25 years old, must do his military service in October. He would like to do it as a teacher, since this is possible nowadays. I advised him to request Morocco. This would be for a double position, his wife following him. If I speak to you of these young people, it is because they are, they and their parents, very good friends of ours. But, what is valuable in itself, is that both are very worthy of interest as much for their professional qualities as for their personal qualities. I think you are very well placed to indicate to them the procedure to follow and, when appropriate, to facilitate it for them. My dear Georges, if I ask you this, it is because truly these two young people are worth the trouble. I will not say more. You know that I almost never make such approaches. Thank you in advance. We will stay here until the 20th - then Lourmarin and the Assembly (passionate naturally) of the Foundation. I have completed a big task on Provence. It has one merit: it was well paid. Am I cynical? Another task awaits me. A Don Bosco - photo album comforted with text calculated to the square millimeter. It is the millimeter that anguishes me. Even working for sainthood, this is hard. It rains and rains. We had a splendid December and January. But what a spring! And you? And Alice? And Henri? And Edmond? And Florence? I hope to meet Denise and the Father at Vaugines. I cannot manage to obtain from your dear sister, the number of a postal account. And I do not send my money blindly... At Lourmarin, municipal crisis, and disastrous by-elections for the professor-mayor. We have thus escaped the Neon, which he loved. To you all the faithful affection of us both. Henri Bosco."]

Envelope addressed by Blaise Cendrars to his friend Jacques-Henri Levesque and posted on February 21, 1945 from Aix-en-Provence.
"Mr. Jacques Levesque.
6 rue Armand Moisant
Paris XV. "

First edition, one of 15 numbered copies on pur fil, from the deluxe issue after 1 unique Japon and 5 Japon copies.
Covers slightly and marginally sunned without consequence, handsome copy.
Work illustrated with 12 full-page compositions, ornaments in head- and tailpieces original wood engravings by Jean Chièze.
Our copy, as stipulated in the justification page, is complete with its suite of woodcuts on Japon.

Letter autograph signed by a page (10 lines) dated May 26, 1954 and written from Lourmarin by Henri Bosco to his friend the art critic Henri Raillard and his wife Alice.
Henri Bosco was chosen by Alice and Georges Raillard to be the godfather of Henri, one of Georges and Alice Raillard's three children: "I agree on the date of the baptism, in Vaugines ..."
Despite his poor state of health: "I am very badly in point.I am treated ... it is unsuccessful durable ...", he thinks tenderly to the family Raillard and Henri, his godson : "... with the greatest affection ... "
Envelope attached.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on vellum, only draw after 30 Montgolfier.
Pleasant copy despite a small discharge of crystal paper at the head of the second board.
Autograph dedication signed by Henri Bosco to Emile Ripert.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on vélin.
A good copy.