Achim von ARNIM.

Lot 57
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Estimation :
2000 - 3000 EUR
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Result : 4 550EUR
Achim von ARNIM.
Weird tales. Illustrations by Valentine Hugo. Introduction by André Breton. Preface by Théophile Gautier. Paris, Éditions des Cahiers libres, 1933. In-4 : half parma morocco, smooth spine, boards composed of blue, parma and translucent plexiglass strips covering the reproduction of a spiral pattern, cover and spine preserved, case (Mercher). Second French edition: it is illustrated by Valentine Hugo with a colour cover and three out-of-text compositions. Based on the edition given by Théophile Gautier in 1856, it contains an important preface by André Breton which brings the German Romantic poet out of oblivion among the French public. One of 5 author's copies on blue paper, numbered by Valentine Hugo (nº 1). According to an autograph mention by the artist, two of these copies, not listed in the printed justification, belonged to André Breton, the other three to herself. Signed autograph letter: These tales of Achim von Arnim That I have loved so much As I love my friends Chantal and Jean Petithory June 1966 Valentine Hugo Bound with: - an original signed lithograph by Valentine Hugo, a stylized portrait of the author, justified "ex. bleu 1/5"; - an original monotype bearing the autograph mention on the back: "There are only two monotypes of this portrait of the handsome Prussian count. The other one belongs to Picasso since 1933"; - an autograph note signed by Valentine Hugo "About the edition of the Tales of Achim von Arnim": The lithographs having been lost by the publisher, the portrait of Achim von Arnim has become very rare. At the time of the exhibition at Guy Levis-Mano I cut the few large-margin artist's proofs I had to the size of the Japanese copies. One of them is here in this blue copy; - the subscription form; - the card of the opening of the exhibition of Valentine Hugo's illustrations at the GLM poetry bookshop. The copy is also enriched with: - an autograph letter signed by André Breton addressed to Valentine Hugo during the composition of the book: "I cannot say enough [...] how little my "introduction" seems to me equal to these drawings, which have become inseparable for me from one of the two or three most beautiful books in the world" (Paris, May 9, 1933; 1 page ¼ on pink paper, envelope); - an autograph letter from Joë Bousquet thanking the artist for sending the book (Carcassonne, December 19, 1933; 2 pages in-4, envelope); - a signed artist's proof of the stylized portrait of Achim von Arnim; - decorated paper with the handwritten inscription "Chantal 1958, Jean 1968"; - personal effects of Valentine Hugo (membership card of the Artists' Union, Laissez-Passer of August 8, 1944, souvenir card of her first communion of June 17, 1897, photographic portrait on cut-out postcard).
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