MAETERLINCK (Maurice) - GIRALDON (Adolphe). - Lot 764

MAETERLINCK (Maurice) - GIRALDON (Adolphe). La Vie des abeilles. Paris : A. Ferroud, F. Ferroud Sccr, [1914-1918]. - In-8, 249 x 157: frontispiece, 255 pp, (2 ff. last blank), 7 plates, illustrated cover. Eggplant morocco, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, ornate ribbed spine, eggplant morocco framing the interior, decorated with four gilt fillets, burgundy silk lining and endpapers, double endpapers, gilt head, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved, lined case (H. Blanchetière). Busser-Tenschert, Adolphe Giraldon, un artiste du livre, n° 16. Very fine deluxe edition begun in 1914 and completed in 1918, illustrated with a vignette on the cover, 7 faux-titles, 7 vignettes, 7 culs-de-lampe and 8 hors-text compositions, wood-engraved in color by Ernest Florian after watercolors by Adolphe GIRALDON (1855-1933). The text is framed in an attractive stylized frame. At the end is a short bibliography of the main ancient and modern works on bees. Edition of 1212 copies. One of 156 on Japon Impérial paper, numbered and signed by the publisher, this being one of 100 containing two woodcuts, the second in black on China paper with remarks (no. 127). Spine slightly faded, rubbing to nerves. Cracked hinge on second cover.