L'invendable

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy with printer's device to head of upper cover.
Contemporary half dark red Bradel cloth binging over marbled paper boards, spine with gilt fleuron and double gilt fillet to foot, brown shagreen titlepiece, covers preserved.
Autograph inscription signed by Léon Bloy to Abbé Henri Lebel : " à mon bien cher ami Henri Lebel. / "Sibboleth quod interpretatur spica [To my dear friend Henri Lebel…]".
Ink annotations by the dedicatee to the margins of the page with the bibliography of Léon Bloy.
With two engravings, one a frontispiece.
Provenance : from the library of the noted collector Louis Barthou with his ex libris pasted to verso of upper cover.