Lot n° 270
Estimation :
1200 - 1500
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 1 250EUR
Fine modern binding - Lot 270
Fine modern binding
BRULLE (Henri)
Souvenirs. Supplément de Textes Pyrénéistes du Bulletin Mensuel de la Section des Pyrénées Centrales du C.A.F. Toulouse, 1930 (January 1930-April 1935).
In-8: 424pp; frontispiece portrait, one full-page illustration.
Superb modern binding by MERCHER, smooth midnight-blue morocco spine, gilt title, transparent polycarbonate boards framed by a blue border with white fillets, a photo of Le Poset inserted between the preserved publisher's cover and the polycarbonate, back cover covered with midnight-blue paper, in a sheathed case covered with wood-style paper. A very fine, sober and elegant copy.
First edition.
The publication of this jewel of Pyrenean literature provoked a lively controversy. On May 29, 1936, Brulle wrote to Le Bondidier: "Do you know? I never authorized the publication of my 'Souvenirs', which I only learned about from a green advertisement in the Bulletin de la Section de Toulouse, on which I was about to wipe my razor! I immediately and energetically protested, speaking to a solicitor and a bailiff. I requested and obtained that the entire edition be sent to me for destruction. I'm furious It was Arlaud who did it, no doubt with very kind intentions towards me". Another letter addressed to ???, dated May 25, 1936, bound in Jean Senmartin's copy, is even more precise: "Arlaud had asked me to publish my articles from the S.O. bulletin and the yearbook in the organ of the P.O. section (error for P.C.), to which I had agreed. He took it upon himself to make a separate print run, which I didn't say anything about, seeing as it was limited to Pyrenean comrades. It wasn't too bad. Then one fine day I learn that the edition of my "Souvenirs" is left and at 25 francs! (underlined) I jumped, because nothing in my poor articles justified such publicity. For a book at 25 frcs. You need something else. And I got the edition (guaranteed whole (underlined) by the printer) sent to me, and its total destruction (underlined twice) is a fait accompli. To avoid any trouble, I paid the printer his printing costs, and the matter is over. I was exposing myself to unflattering reviews by letting this book run, whose merits were of the slimmest". Le Bondidier had announced the publication of "Souvenirs" in the "Bulletin Pyrénéen" of Q1 1936. Withdrawal in the second quarter: "It was due to an error that, in our previous bibliography, we announced the sale of M. Brulle's Souvenirs. In reality, no action has been taken on the publication in question". Let's assume that Brulle nevertheless kept "a certain number" of copies (or perhaps better still, that Arlaud took a case of the precious works out of circulation), as a few are known to be in circulation.
There are 3 versions of the "Souvenirs": - 1/ With the mention "BRULLE. - Souvenirs (n° du cahier) Supplément au Bulletin Sect. Pyr. Centr. Du C.A.F. (date of publication)". - 2/ Without this mention (a dozen copies known)". - 3/ A "luxury edition on large paper of the previous one (Note: these two editions were destroyed at Henri Brulle's request to Arlaud)". D'Espouy recast a luxurious edition published in 38 copies plus a few copies of essays under the title "Ascensions" (Labarère 297)(Perret 743).
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