Les chansons de Bilitis

Illustrated edition with twelve original etchings by Édouard Chimot, issued in a limited edition of 576 numbered copies. The present copy, no. 111, is one of 100 printed on tinted Van Gelder Holland wove paper, accompanied by the usual double suite of the etchings in colour and in black.

It is further enriched with an original signed drawing by Édouard Chimot and an exceptional quadruple suite, on Japan paper, of eight of the etchings illustrating the work: the unreduced line engraving, the line engraving with remarques, the reduced black proof, and the final coloured state. This suite may well be the one mentioned in the justification for the forty hors-commerce copies, although this cannot be established with certainty. As these proofs are considerably larger than the book itself, the volume has been extended with paper guards to accommodate them. Dimensions: book 20 × 25 cm; original drawing 21.5 × 31.5 cm; Japan proofs matching the size of the drawing.

Magnificent doublure binding in full caramel morocco, entirely covered with a spectacular continuous Art Deco design in gilt and onlaid morocco extending across both boards and spine, signed at the foot of the rear doublure by Marie-Madeleine Lorthiois. Duck-blue morocco doublures with matching gilt and onlaid decoration, black and gold silk endleaves, additional silvered marbled endleaves, gilt fillets to the board edges, gilt gauffered head- and tailcaps, gilt edges preserved on the rough, original wrappers and spine retained. Matching caramel half-morocco folding case and slipcase. Minor rubbing to the slipcase and the head of the chemise.

Lorthiois's own copy, bearing her engraved bookplate. Christian Galantaris described this binding as "one of Marie-Madeleine Lorthiois's finest achievements."