ELSKAMP, Max. ~ Les Commentaires et l’idéographie du jeu de Loto dans les Flandres suivis d’un glossaire. Antwerp: [J.E. Buschmann] A. De Tavernier, 1914 [but 1918].
16mo (160 × 125 mm), pp. 5-217, [1], illustrations and decorative borders throughout. Original linen-backed boards, marbled paper covered sides, printed label. Slightly rubbed, but an excellent copy.
First edition, falsely dated 1914 to evade the censorship of the German occupying forces in Belgium and actually issued in 1918. A beautiful illustrated study of the iconography of the ancient Flemish versions of the game of lotto, including the symbolism of the playing cards. Max Elskamp (1862-1931) was one of the outstanding Belgian poets, notable for applying himself to every stage of book production, from the artistic direction to the finished product: writing, designing the layout, choosing the paper and typeface, page layout, illustration (often from his own woodcuts, as here) and printing. His books appeared in small print runs, as here. This is one of 300 regular copies (after 50 on Arches paper).