DUVERNOIS, Henri. Achille OUVRÉ, illustrator. ~ Crapotte Paris: Fayard, Le Livre de Demain, [1926].
4to (232 × 178 mm), pp. 126, [2], numerous illustrations reproduced from woodcuts by Ouvré, plus a suite of 23 original wood engravings on chine, numbered in pencil (2 of 15). Some foxing to extreme margins in text. Original yellow decorative wrappers and wrappers to the suite preserved, in contemporary marbled boards with orange morocco geometric onlays.
First illustrated edition of this urbane novel of the Parisian life of a boulevardier (it first appeared in 1918).Number 2 of 15 copies only with the woodcuts on chine, numbered. Fayard’s Livres de demain brought examples of the current revival in woodcut and wood engraving to a wide audience at a reasonable price. Accordingly, the illustrations of the regular volumes were printed in large numbers from phototype metal blocks made from the prints, with just 15 copies of each (as here) presented with an additional suite of the original woodcuts specially printed on fine paper.