ÉRASME - LEPÈRE (Auguste) and HANOTAUX (Gabriel). In Praise - Lot 138

ÉRASME - LEPÈRE (Auguste) and HANOTAUX (Gabriel). In Praise of Madness. Augmented by Erasmus' preface to Thomas Morus, his friend. Notice by Gabriel Hanotaux. Forty-six wood-engraved compositions by Auguste Lepère. Luxurious edition of Erasmus' great humanist classic, fully ruled and decorated with 46 wood-engraved compositions by Auguste Lepère, in a brilliant binding by Marcelin Lortic. Paris, Pour les amis des livres, 1906. In-4 (190x260 mm), ebony morocco, threaded and cold-framed ribbed spine, wide frame of triple gilt and cold fillets with a red morocco listel on the boards, similarly decorated entrenerfs, double gilt fillet on the edges, red morocco linings framed with a gilt fillet, the first signed "M. Lortic" in the leather, red silk endpapers, double endpapers, gilt edges on witnesses, covers and spine preserved, bordered slipcase (M. Lortic). VII and 143 pages ruled at the time of printing, 46 wood-engraved compositions by Auguste Lepère in two or three tones, placed on the title, header, in-text, in lettrines and culs-de-lampe. Minor foxing to first few leaves, very slight scuffing to edge of first endpaper. A splendid, fully ruled edition of Erasmus' famous humanist satire, decorated with 46 two- and three-tone woodcuts by Auguste Lepère. Limited edition of 137 numbered copies, this one of 135 copies on Vergé paper from the Arches mills, bearing the engraver's firm in watermark (N°41). Admirable lined morocco binding, perfectly produced by Marcellin Lortic.