147 - Henri MICHAUX. *Apparitions*. Paris, Le Calligraphe, 1946.

Henri MICHAUX. *Apparitions*. Paris, Le Calligraphe, 1946. In-8, paperback, padded cover, Renaud Vernier-style slipcase in ivory morocco leather that opens like a reliquary. First edition: illustrated with 7 full-page compositions by Henri Michaux. On May 4, 1946, Marie-Louise Michaux wrote to the publisher René Bertelé expressing how much she appreciated the colors of the typography and the quality of the reproduction of the drawings. She added: “Henri is delighted.” One of the nine advance copies printed in Madagascar, this one for the publisher and friend René Bertelé. The first two advance copies were reserved for the author; the other seven were accompanied by an original drawing used for the illustrations; this one, printed especially for his publisher, René Bertelé, features the original charcoal drawing of an anthropomorphic tree executed around 1944–1945 and appearing opposite page 28: a sheet taken from a spiral-bound notebook (20.5 x 13.5 cm). I A significant autographed inscription on the half-title page, illustrated with an original drawing in charcoal and oil pastel: “To René Bertelé, the most patient of friends and publishers, whose name—if there is any justice among bibliophiles—will be remembered more than that of the author associated with these APPARITIONS. Tribute and gratitude from his friend, H. Michaux.” The beautiful original drawing depicting three figures in the lower half of the page is initialed. *Apparitions* is the first book by Michaux published by René Bertelé: that same year, 1946, he published *Peintures et Dessins* (see no. 150) and the monograph dedicated to Michaux in Seghers’ *Poètes d’aujourd’hui* collection (Raymond Bellour and Ysé Tran, *Œuvres complètes de Michaux*, *Pléiade* III, pp. 1113–1114: with a reproduction of the dedication page). Enclosed is the complete, heavily corrected, and signed typescript, comprising a title page and 38 folios in quarto format. The entire set is housed in a spectacular custom-made box by Renaud Vernier in ivory morocco leather, crafted in 2002. It opens like a reliquary, with each half protected by a Plexiglas window revealing, on the left, the book open to the illustrated dedication page, and on the right, the drawing and proofs, each contained in a separate compartment. The box closes like a suitcase and fits into a case lined with the same ivory morocco leather. (René Bertelé Collection auction, 1997, lot 183, for the book.)