COPPÉE (François). Le Passant. Comedy in one act. Paris : Armand Magnier, 1897. - In-4, 278 x 187 : (7 ff.), XXXIX pp., (2 ff.), illustrated cover. - Havana morocco, first cover decorated with the author's name and title in red morocco letters bordered by a large inverted L-shaped decoration composed of mosaic thistles in khaki, dark green, brown and mauve morocco, second cover decorated with the same decoration but without the title and the author's name, spine decorated with a long mosaic thistle decoration as on the covers; beige morocco lining decorated with a lace pattern and a red morocco listel, bordered with gilt fillets, burgundy moiré silk endpapers, double endpapers, gilt edges on witnesses, cover and spine preserved, havana morocco spine folder decorated with mosaic thistle patterns, slipcase (A. Cuzin). Deluxe edition published by Armand Magnier in the "Collection des dix". It features a facsimile of the manuscript by François Coppée and a page of music by Jules Massenet (1842-1912) who was the author of the Sérénade du Passant, as well as forty-seven compositions, one per page and one on the cover, by the painter Louis-Édouard Fournier (1857-1917). The whole was engraved with etching by Léon Boisson. There is also a reproduction of a large portrait in profile shadow and a title, drawn by Fournier, at the beginning. Among the compositions are portraits of François Coppée, Sarah Bernhardt, Mlle Agar, and Jules Massenet. The pagination is contained within a square frame, each comprising a different motif. This one-act comedy is the first and certainly the best-known play by François Coppée, first performed on January 14, 1869 at the Odéon imperial theater. It had the merit of revealing one of the greatest French actresses, none other than Sarah Bernhardt, who shared the stage with Mademoiselle Agar, to whom the play is dedicated. The original edition was published by Lemerre in 1869. The edition was limited to 300 copies. This one is one of 247 on vellum, and more precisely one of forty-seven on this paper including three states of the etchings including those on the cover. The printing sheet includes here exceptionally four states. A SUPERB COPY IN A MOSAIC BINDING AND LINED BY ADOLPHE CUZIN. It has been enriched with two woodcut portraits of the author and Louis Édouard Fournier, printed on japan and justified by the artist in pencil : " tirage à 22 épreuves à Monsieur Bordes. épreuve N 17. The artist's name is difficult to decipher. There is also a countertype in silver print by the Roger Viollet studio, 238 x 168 mm, made in the 1950s and representing a photograph of Sarah Bernhardt in the role of Zanetto. A very well preserved copy.