Nerval, G. de and Malfredier — Contes et Facéties.

Paris, Éditions Art et Pensée, 1925. Folio (26.7 x 21.4 cm). 103 pp.; Full-colour frontispiece; title page in gilt and black, numerous full-colour pochoir illustrations. (Near) contemporary full green morocco. Spine with gilt title. Boards with a gilt-bordered, raised lattice with inlaid green and red rhombi. Green silk-covered endpapers. Pastedowns with double gilt linings. Original printed wrappers, including the spine cover, bound in. Contained in matching green, pebbled morocco-covered cardboard sleeve (28.0 x 21.5 x 3.4 cm). = One of only 30 copies printed on larger, Japanese paper, this one (numbered 6) in a unique, contemporary master binding with mosaic pattern, and embellished with an original watercolour, signed by Malfredier, and dated by him [19]25. The original watercolour, opposite the title page, acting as frontispiece, depicts a witch, with her monkey and a set of dices. As the title says, this is a series of stories and jokes written and compiled by the influential French novelist, poet, travel writer, and translator "Gérard de Nerval" (1808-1855), actually a pseudonym of Gérard Labrunie. Next to nothing is known about the illustrator, Malfredier. Probably it is a pseudonym too. Professional repair to the outer joints; cardboard sleeve with some light shelf-wear at the edges, otherwise very good, clean. A unique, gorgeous book.