Armand Magnier

First separate edition and first illustrated edition of this famous short story which first appeared in Les soirées de Médan in 1880. The illustration contains 58 compositions by François Thévenot engraved on wood by A. Romagnol, a frontispiece portrait, 7 plates and 47 in-text compositions. Limited to 300 numbered copies, one of 40 copies on handmade laid paper additionally containing a separate suite on China paper of the illustrations and a triple suite of the plates (2 of which on China paper). The portrait of Maupassant is also printed in 3 states, 2 of which on China paper.
Contemporary half tawny marbled calf binding with corners signed at the top of the first endpaper Baillot. S

MAUPASSANT Guy de & THEVENOT François. Boule de suif [Ball of Fat]
Armand Magnier, Paris 1897, 16,5 x 26 cm, contemporary morocco with custom slipcase
First separate edition of this short story, illustrated with 58 original compositions by François Thévenot, wood-engraved by Romagnol, one of 50 numbered copies on vélin de cuve paper.
Superb contemporary Art Nouveau dark blue morocco by Bretault, spine in six compartments, with red morocco listels forming compartments decorated with tracery, gilt roulettes to head- and tail-pieces, covers with large central red morocco listel and tracery matching spine, silk endpapers, triple gilt fillet and garl