ARÈNE (Paul). COUSSENS (Armand). Jean-des-Figues. - Lot 22

ARÈNE (Paul). COUSSENS (Armand). Jean-des-Figues. Beautiful Art Deco binding by Kieffer, specially printed for poet and graphic artist Georges Auriol. Lyon, Association Lyonnaise des Cinquante, 1929. In-4 (28 × 21 cm), mosaic binding on a Havana morocco base, gilt boards decorated with brown, green, eggplant and black morocco inlays forming a geometric Art Deco composition, smooth spine, gilt headband, endpapers framed in mosaic Havana morocco, giraffe-skin pattern silk double endpapers, covers preserved, slipcase (René Kieffer). Illustrated with numerous etchings by Armand Coussens, all in double state; in color and black. Edition of 90 copies for members of the Association Lyonnaise des Cinquante, i.e. 50 copies for members, 20 copies for correspondents and 20 copies reserved for artists and collaborators. This is one of the first 50. It was printed especially for Georges Auriol. On the back are 2 leaves concerning a "Dîner de Jean-des-Figues", probably organized for the book launch on November 20, 1930; namely, an illustrated title page bearing the name of Auriol, and the dinner menu. "I came into the world at the foot of a fig tree, twenty-five years ago, one day when the cicadas were singing and the fig flowers, distilling their drop of honey, were opening up to the sun and making the pearl. It was a lovely way to be born, but I didn't deserve any credit for it. René Kieffer, a pupil of Marius Michel, is one of the great bookbinders of Art Deco. Provenance: Georges Auriol (name leaf & bookplate)