First edition.
Full flexible grey cardboard binding, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.
Contributions by R. de Gourmont "Du Style ou de l'écriture", A.-Ferdinand Hérold "Les Bacchantes", H.-G. Wells "Une Orchidée extraordinaire", J. de Gaultier, F. Caussy, J. de Tinan "Aimienne ou le Détournement de Mineure", J. Brion "Notes sur le Martinésisme ou le Martinisme", H.-H. Hirsch, A. Clouard, A. Fontainas "L'Ornement de la solitude", Rachilde, P. Quillard, S. Merrill, V. Josz, P. Claudel, M. Griveau "Le Jardin d'épreuve".
Copy decorated with drawings by Luciano Zuccoli and Claire Demolder.
Handsome interior condition.
The 'Mercure de France' originated as a French review, founded in the 17th century under the name 'Mercure Galant', which evolved to become, in the 20th century, a publishing house.
Under the impetus of Rémy de Gourmont and Alfred Jarry, a literary review revived the name 'Mercure de France' in 1890 and offered symbolist texts, notably by Jean Moréas, Ernest Raynaud, Jules Renard, Louis Dumur. Gradually gaining recognition, this review published both the greatest Parnassian poets (Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Mallarmé, Heredia, etc.) and witnessed the emergence of Jarry's Pataphysics.
The publishing house was born in its wake. It notably published the first works of Gide and Claudel, Colette, Apollinaire, Georges Duhamel?