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Paul Valéry.
Le cimetière marin. Orné de sept eaux-fortes originales de l’auteur.
Paris: Chez Ronald Davis, 1926.
SURELY THE BEST COPY OF ONE OF THE GREAT LITERARY-ARTISTIC DOCUMENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY. This edition of “Le Cimetiere Marin”, one of the best-known and best-loved of all modern poems (and Valery’s most emblematic work), is ILLUSTRATED WITH 7 ORIGINAL ETCHINGS (with drypoint) BY PAUL VALERY, THE AUTHOR. As far as I know, this is the only important 20th-century text to be published in an edition illustrated with original prints by the author himself. This is the second edition overall of the poem, the FIRST AND ONLY edition to include the etchings. Edition limited to 95 numbered copies signed by Valéry in the justification / colophon. This is copy number 11, the first copy printed on fine Arches wove paper, printed especially for Madame Ronald Davis, the wife of the publisher. With a warm signed presentation inscription to her from Valéry. Additionally, this copy includes: *** (1) A suite of the seven etchings, printed without text on fine Japanese paper, each etching SIGNED by Valéry (the justification mentions no suites of any kind). *** (2) Four of the etchings printed on Chinese paper, one of which is an unrecorded early state of one of the etchings, an outstanding proof, with rich burr, printed before the plate was cut down, and SIGNED by Valéry. *** (3) A proof of one of the etchings printed on real vellum. No such proofs are recorded. *** (4) All of the original proofs for the book: (A) The first set of proofs, with the text pasted up, annotated in pencil; (B) The second set of proofs, with the printed text (also annotated in pencil) and the etchings; (C) The third set of proofs, with text and etchings; (D) The fourth and final set of proofs, with four of the etchings printed without text; (E) Five additional proof etchings on Chinese paper. Large 4to. Items 1,2, and 3 attractively bound in boards, with one of the etchings on the front cover and the wraps and backstrip preserved. Item 4 (the proofs) in a separate folder. FINE AND BRIGHT, WITH NO DEFECTS. KC 20A. Many of the etchings are signed (as noted). Signed etchings by Valéry are rare, and signed etchings from his masterpiece, printed without text, are entirely unrecorded. UNIQUE AND VERY IMPORTANT.
