CHEFFER (Henry) - GÉNIAUX (Charles). - Lot 111

CHEFFER (Henry) - GÉNIAUX (Charles). L'Océan. Paris: Aux dépens d'un amateur (Juan Hernandez), 1928. - In-4, 281 x 226: (3 blank ff.), IX, 253 pp. (5 ff. last 2 blank), printed cover. Green morocco, first cover decorated with an ocean motif, composed of wavy black fillets edged with silver paint symbolizing foam, surmounted in the lower right-hand corner by a black calf form representing a seagull, smooth spine, two wide horizontal bands in dark green morocco inside, gilt head, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved, lined slipcase (Creuzevault). Illustrated first edition, with an unpublished preface, of one of Charles Géniaux's best novels, first published in 1913. The story is set entirely in the town of Penmarc'h in Brittany, and more specifically in Saint-Guénolé, forming the northwestern district of this commune, offering a precious testimony to the daily life of sailors in this part of the country on the eve of the First World War. The edition is illustrated with 107 original woodcuts by painter and engraver Henry CHEFFER (1880-1957), including a title vignette, 14 lettrines, 15 chapter headings, 15 culs-de-lampe and 62 compositions in the text. Limited edition of 194 copies; this is one of 140 on Arches vellum (no. 116). A very fine copy in Creuzevault's decorated binding. It is enhanced by two original drawings by the bookbinder, one on book-size paper, the other on a 210 x 150 mm sheet, used as studies for the binding decoration. Both drawings bear the Creuzevault dry stamp. Spine faded. Provenance: Illustrated bookplate, captioned "Voire disait Panurge voyons ça mon amy". - Colette Creuzevault.