SURÉDA. BARRÈS (Maurice). A garden on the Orontes. Paris, Ja - Lot 379

SURÉDA. BARRÈS (Maurice). A garden on the Orontes. Paris, Javal & Bourdeaux, 1927. In-4, navy blue morocco, spine with 4 raised bands, author, title and date gilt, central box decorated with a mosaic of six-pointed stars and crescent, the mosaic-covered boards decorated with a central polychrome round medallion in a frame of gilt fillets outlining a six-pointed star, with a motif of a fountain in a park on the upper board, a palm tree on a balustrade on the lower board, the counter-plated boards decorated with a central polychrome medallion in a frame of gilt fillets outlining a six-pointed star, with a motif of a fountain in a park on the upper board, a palm tree on a balustrade on the lower board, with a palm tree on a balustrade on the lower cover, the counterpanes lined in fawn morocco and edged in blue morocco with gilded fillets, with six-pointed stars as corner finials, silk-covered endpapers embroidered with dragons in clouds, gilt edges on witnesses, covers and spines preserved, matching half-maroquin folder, lined slipcase [G. Levitsky] (partial splits to slipcase, inner hinge of slipcase cracked). Illustrated with 17 compositions by André Suréda, including 16 plates, translated on wood by Robert Dill. The text and numerous ornaments (headbands, lettrines, motifs and culs-de-lampe) are printed in black and gold. Edition of 490 copies: one of 20 on japon impérial (n°18) including a suite of the hors-texte and the first headband on chine, a suite of all the black and gold woodcuts on japon impérial, the decomposition of a hors-texte on chine, and one of the artist's original colored pencil sketches (16 x 10 cm). Beautifully executed binding by Gregory Levitzky (1885-1969), a native of the Ukraine who settled in France, where he distinguished himself as one of the finest bookbinders of his time.