VALÉRY, Paul
Poésies
Paris: Éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française, 1929

First edition thus, “Édition dite monumentale,” collecting Album de vers anciens (1920, but mostly pre-1900), La Jeune Parque (1917) and Charmes (1922). Large quarto (38.2 x 28.2 cm). Exemplaire 13 of 200 copies in commerce, of the entire edition of 235 copies, all on cream-toned wove papier du Marais “fabriqué spécialement et filigrané aux initiales de l'auteur.” Natural parchment wrapper, gilt title stamped on spine and gilt decoration of author’s initials within oval stamped on front cover. Collates [1 l. (self-cover)], [1 l.], 1 l. (half-title recto, colophon verso), 1 l. (title), pp. [9]-[200], pp. [201]-[205] (table des matières), [1 p.], 1 l. (achevé d’imprimer recto, le X janvier M.CM.XXIX), [1 l.], [1 l. (self-cover)]. Spine very slightly toned, overall fine, in a good original cardboard slipcase. A unique 12mo volume assembled in 1922 and bound by Bonet with an inserted autograph note by Valéry explaining the (temporary) abandonment of the project (no. 21 in the Pierre Berès sale, 1939) demonstrates that Valéry had intended, as early as the publication of Charmes, to reunite the three collections in this volume. Karaïskakis-Chapon 129 (noting several variant readings in comparison with the earlier editions).

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Price: $500
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