FLERS (Robert de) - MUCHA (Alphonse). - Lot 73

FLERS (Robert de) - MUCHA (Alphonse). Ilsée princesse de Tripoli. Paris: H. Piazza & Cie, 1897. - In-4, 322x247: (5 ff. first blank), 52 pp, (2 ff.), pp. 53-94, (2 ff.), pp. 95-128, (5 ff. last blank), illustrated cover. Dark green half-maroquin with corners, gilt fillets, spine decorated with gilt and mosaic flowers, gilt head, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved (P. Affolter). First edition of this tale by Marquis Robert de Flers. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NEW ART ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, AND ONE OF THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL ART WORKS OF THE LATE 19th CENTURY, ENTIRELY ILLUSTRATED BY ALPHONSE MUCHA. The edition includes an illustrated cover, 132 lithographs, the majority framing the text and some enhanced with gold and silver, 10 initials and various ornaments. ONE OF 35 COPIES ON JAPON PAPER. This one, very well bound by Affolter, is enriched with a black suite of all the illustrations on chine. It is complete with the leaf illustrated with an embossed composition representing the title in a floral setting signed CA. A perfectly preserved copy. Provenance: P. Brunet, with bookplate.