RAMIRO (Erastène) and LEGRAND (Louis). Faune Parisienne. - Lot 251

RAMIRO (Erastène) and LEGRAND (Louis). Faune Parisienne. First edition of this tribute to the feminine Paris of the Belle Époque, the first printing of Louis Legrand's illustrations; our copy includes a black suite of the artist's 20 etchings, in a perfect binding signed by Léon Gruel. Paris, Gustave Pellet, 1901. Small in-4 (195x270 mm), burgundy morocco, 4 ribbed spine underlined by stippling and framed in cold, double and triple gilded fillets framing the spine, boards decorated with a set of gilded and stamped fillets, interspersed with six lozenges drawn with gold fillet and adorned with a semi of cold circles, gilt fillet on the edges, inner border in the same morocco set with multiple gilt frames and the signature "Gruel", pink moiré silk lining and endpapers, covers (the first illustrated) and spine preserved, in lined slipcase (Gruel). 101 pages, 20 original etchings by Louis Legrand, including one in color on the cover, 13 hors-texte (9 in color and 4 in black) under captioned serpents and 6 in color in the text, numerous woodcut vignettes in the text. Slight rubbing to edges, slight wear to slipcase. First edition of Erastène Ramiro's depiction of Parisian women in the Belle Époque, and first printing of the illustration by Louis Legrand (1863-1951), featuring 20 original etchings in black and color. Limited edition of 130 copies on Vélin d'Arches, this one No. 91, with a black suite of the 20 etchings. A fine copy with its color cover preserved, handsomely bound by Léon Gruel (1841-1923).