LOUŸS, Pierre. Psyche. With a conclusion and notes by Claude Farrère. New York: Covici Friede. 1931. 8vo. First American trade edition, preceded by a limited edition in 1928, and oringally published in Paris a year prior. Publisher’s purple cloth lettered in gilt to the spine with gilt motif to front board, in the dust jacket designed by Majeska, the pseudonym of Henriette Stern. A very good example, the cloth clean though the gilt a little dulled. The binding tight and square, slight separation at gutters of pps. 56, 73, though holding very well. The contents clean and fine throughout. The dust jacket unclipped ($2.50 net), dirt residue to the front panel lower, several small closed tears and tiny chips towards corners and spine tips, but still a bright and pleasing copy overall.
‘A poem in prose to the eternal beauty and ecstasy of the flesh’, his mind-achingly unfinishable novel of Paris life and its decadent erotica. Originally written in the 1890s, Louÿs set it aside, revisited, and revised it again and again, the work eternally without an ending until his death in 1925. His close friend, Claude Farrère, whom he had discussed the work for many years, sought to pick the work up and bring it to publication. Majeska, one of many, many erotic artists to collaborate with Louÿs, adorned the 1928 limited edition with moving colour plates. This edition lacks those, but the jacket illustration certainly speaks to the the salacious self-indulgence of the work, era, and poet.
LOUŸS, Pierre. Psyche. With a conclusion and notes by Claude Farrère. New York: Covici Friede. 1931. 8vo. First American trade edition, preceded by a limited edition in 1928, and oringally published in Paris a year prior. Publisher’s purple cloth lettered in gilt to the spine with gilt motif to front board, in the dust jacket designed by Majeska, the pseudonym of Henriette Stern. A very good example, the cloth clean though the gilt a little dulled. The binding tight and square, slight separation at gutters of pps. 56, 73, though holding very well. The contents clean and fine throughout. The dust jacket unclipped ($2.50 net), dirt residue to the front panel lower, several small closed tears and tiny chips towards corners and spine tips, but still a bright and pleasing copy overall.
‘A poem in prose to the eternal beauty and ecstasy of the flesh’, his mind-achingly unfinishable novel of Paris life and its decadent erotica. Originally written in the 1890s, Louÿs set it aside, revisited, and revised it again and again, the work eternally without an ending until his death in 1925. His close friend, Claude Farrère, whom he had discussed the work for many years, sought to pick the work up and bring it to publication. Majeska, one of many, many erotic artists to collaborate with Louÿs, adorned the 1928 limited edition with moving colour plates. This edition lacks those, but the jacket illustration certainly speaks to the the salacious self-indulgence of the work, era, and poet.
