Du vache au sacré : les Amours

First edition which was not printed on deluxe paper (grand papier).
A beautiful copy, illustrations.
Publisher's binding with full black boards, photographic first board.
Sting's handwritten signature accompanied, underneath, with the printed stamp of the “Fondation Forêt Vierge” led by Sting and Jean-Pierre Dutilleux.

Second illustrated edition.
Spine with some rubbing.
Illustrated with drawings by Horacio Cardo.
 
Rare presentation copy erroneously dated 1949 and signed by Jorge Luis Borges to his muse Ema Risso Platero : « à Emita, con afecto innumerable. »

Edition illustrated with 10 original color lithographs hors-texte by Jean-Gabriel Domergue, one of 40 numbered copies on Rives vellum.
Half red morocco binding with bands, smooth spine, date gilt at tail, boards, endpapers and pastedowns of moiré and gilt effect paper, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, contemporary binding signed Gauché.
The work is also ornamented with 26 illustrations in the text, in one or two tones, as chapter headpieces, tailpieces in red by Jean-Gabriel Domergue.
Handsome copy containing the full suite of 18 in-text illustrations.
Manuscript annotation in blue ballpoint pen on the title page: unique copy.
Indeed, on two hors-texte lithographs (including the frontispiece) and two in-text illustrations representing women clothed or nude, pieces of tulle have been added as dresses.
Furthermore, at the end of the volume, numerous press clippings relating to the life and style of Jean-Gabriel Domergue have been pasted onto the endpapers.
Signed autograph inscription by Pierre Harel-Darc, the dedicatee's name having been properly erased enriched with a signed autograph inscription by Jean-Gabriel Domergue enhanced with an original drawing representing the face of a Parisian woman.

First edition, no deluxe paper copies were issued.
 With a precious signed autograph inscription by Jacques Higelin to Régine Deforges : “To my lady Régine Deforges, the tender greeting of my twenty springs, which I lay today at the doorstep of your heart's secret garden.”
Provenance: the library of Régine Deforges.
 A handsome copy.

First edition printed in 500 numbered copies on Japan paper.
Work illustrated with drawings by Job after pencil sketches.
Handsome copy despite light worming of no consequence to the boards.
Manuscript signatures of Job and Stéphen Liégeard below the justification page.

An album containing 14 gouaches on silk, including 12 erotic paintings. The first painting on each side of the folding shows a bird and on the other side maple leaves, thus masking on each of the first pages the erotic aspect of the collection. Shunga is the generic Japanese term that designates erotic art, it literally means Spring Image, spring being a euphemism and figure of style expressing sexuality. The term Shunga having been reserved for a long time for prints, collections or albums have often been designated by the appellation Pillow Books, or notes for the pillow, etc. (Utamaro: The Song of the Pillow, 1788).
Japanese accordion album covered with damask silk with flowers and birds in pale gold. Silk band on the first cover serving as a label but mute. Each painting 12.8x16cm is mounted on cardboard. The cardboard folding sections are covered with cream paper speckled with gold. Very fine condition, edges rubbed, with small lacks to fabric.
The paintings respect the canons of Japanese erotic representation: oversized genitals, body hair, women with white skin and men of flesh color. No decorative element comes to distract the eye from the sexual act (only one painting contains a mirror), the bodies being most of the time clothed in rich kimonos. These collections were still in the modern era offered to newlyweds, particularly to women. The whole is of fine workmanship, the 2 introductory paintings, the bird and the maple leaves are particularly successful.
This type of representation was forbidden in Japan and therefore contains no signature, it is however evident that there existed painters whose profession and specialty this was and whom one went to see for private commissions; it is also not forbidden to think that the painter made several on his own initiative and that he offered them for sale, as was done with collections of colored photographs at the end of the 19th century.
Precious and rare ensemble in superb condition.

First edition, one of 50 copies printed anonymously on papier japon.
First edition, one of 50 copies printed anonymously on papier japon.
Illustrated with an erotic frontispiece by Félicien Rops on chine.
Custom chemise and slipcase in half morocco and paper boards signed Boichot, some discreet restorations to the spine and covers, some discreet restorations to the top margin of the frontispiece, not affecting the engraving.
“La Présidente”, honorary nickname given to Apollonie Sabatier (alias Aglaëe Savatier, her real name), was one of the most captivating Salon hostesses of the 19th century. She inspired an ethereal love in Baudelaire who composed his most mystical poems in Les Fleurs du Mal in her honor. The other artists who frequented the apartment on Rue Frochot, during her famous Sunday dinners, had more licentious feelings for this woman of surprising wit and beauty. The sculptor Clésinger portrayed her in his lascivious “woman stung by a snake”; Flaubert wrote sensual letters to her ending with “the very sincere affection of one who, alas, only kisses your hand”; she has long since been recognized as the model for Gustave Courbet's scandalous The Origin of the World.
Gautier sent her this letter in 1850. Sabatier made copies which she never published but privately distributed to her guests:
“In October 1850, Gautier sent her [this] very long letter, farcical and obscene, from Rome, commenting with Rabelaisian exaggeration what himself and his friend Cormenin had learned regarding sexuality during their travels. Gautier knew that his freedom of expression would not offend Madame Sabatier. He had long since accustomed her to it and he prided himself on his “smut” to brighten up the friendly social gatherings of the Rue Frochot.” (Dictionnaire des œuvres érotiques)
Honored indeed by this priapic attention, ‘La Présidente' gave copies to all her guests and the reading of Gautier's “indecent prose” became a popular event at Parisian soirées. However, the letter was ultimately published – luxuriously but confidentially – after the recipient's death in 1890.
After this first edition of 50 copies on papier japon, a second edition on papier vélin followed a few months later with a larger print run and without the Rops frontispiece.
A rare, beautiful and very sought after copy.

Comme devant une place / Pleine de gens et de bruit / Je reste figé sur place / Arrêté devant ma vie

New edition, with some parts in first edition as expanded with a preface, one of 30 numbered copies on Holland paper, deluxe copies after 6 on Japan paper.

Full chocolate brown morocco binding, spine with five raised bands, gilt roulettes on headcaps, quadruple black fillets framing the boards, black fleurons at corners, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, triple gilt fillets framing the pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, double gilt fillets on leading edges, top edge gilt on deckled edges, contemporary binding signed by Stroobants.

Bookplate pasted at head of one pastedown.

Very fine copy perfectly executed by Stroobants.