MAUPASSANT (Guy de). STEINLEIN (Alexandre Théophile). Le Vag - Lot 141

MAUPASSANT (Guy de). STEINLEIN (Alexandre Théophile). Le Vagabond. Exceptional 1900 mosaic binding for this important illustrated edition by Steinlein. S.l., Société des Amis des Livres, 1902. In-4 (28 × 21 cm), full brown morocco, top board mosaic-decorated in an Art Nouveau style evoking the composition of a Japanese print and poppy flowers, pieces of red, pink, turquoise, mauve, green, yellow morocco... spine with 5 ribbed spine, black fillet framed caissons, ditto for the second plate, all edges gilt, eggplant morocco lined endpapers, red silk counter-guards, covers preserved (surprisingly unsigned binding, but whose taste and quality could frankly betray Marius-Michel). Illustrated with 51 color lithographs by Steinlein, including a superb full-page cover. Limited edition of 115 numbered copies, here no. 74 for philanthropist Paul Arbaud. The only book illustrated in color by Steinlein, on a short story by Maupassant published in 1887. Provenance: Paul Arbaud (nominative edition).