DAVID (Hermine) - VERLAINE (Paul). - Lot 162

DAVID (Hermine) - VERLAINE (Paul). La Bonne Chanson. Paris : Creuzevault, [1936]. - In-8, leaves, filled cover, publisher's folder and slipcase. Fine edition at 425 copies, illustrated by Hermine DAVID (1866-1971). This copy includes 20 of the artist's 22 original drypoints, as two leaves corresponding to pages 29-30 and 35-36, which should contain poems XIII and XVI, are missing. Nevertheless, this is a precious copy, as it is the one Henri Creuzevault gave to his daughter Colette, with the following dedication: "à Colette en souvenir // du premier livre de son // Papa // Juillet 1942". It is enhanced by the following items: - one of the 100 color suites of drypoints, - the original signed drawing for the illustration on page 37, - author's contract assigned by publisher Albert Messein to Henri Creuzevault for printing the book, dated January 20, 1936, - 2 L.A.S. from Hermine David, addressed to Henri Creuzevault, 1 page in-4 and one page in-8. The first is dated February 15, 1936, and concerns the financial conditions for the 22 engraved plates intended for the book. The second is dated March 17, 1941. She apologizes for being mistaken about the price of the illustrations for "La Bonne Chanson". She goes on to refuse to illustrate "Fêtes galantes", preferring instead to work on "Sagesse": "When we met, I suggested that I would have preferred to illustrate 'Sagesse'. And, having re-read 'Fêtes galantes', which I hadn't re-read for 20 years, I really prefer to illustrate 'Sagesse', for which I feel better inspired." Very well preserved copy.