273 - BOISSIÈRE, Jules. LE RICHE, Henri.

BOISSIÈRE, Jules. LE RICHE, Henri. Opium Smokers. Paris, T. Terquem, 1926. Small quarto (28 x 22 cm). Contemporary burgundy morocco leather, spine with 4 raised bands, author’s name and title in gold lettering, date at the bottom, fawn morocco endpapers, gilt edges, cover and spine preserved, in a burgundy morocco slipcase with fawn bands; with two imitation burgundy morocco-bound slipcases for the copperplate engravings, each plate set into burgundy morocco lined with undyed leather, three marbled cases [Jean-Étienne] (some scuffing on the leather of the cases, damaged leather corner on one of the brass plates, small marginal stain on one of the etchings). Description: A very fine copy. Illustrated with 26 black etchings after Henri Le Riche, including a frontispiece, a vignette on the title page, and 8 plates. Small woodcut ornaments within the text. Limited edition of 152 copies, printed on Marais vellum paper, specially handmade and watermarked with a design (Dragon of Annam) by H. Le Riche, all initialed in pen by the publisher. Copy No. 1, the only one containing the original drawings and sketches used for the illustrations, accompanied by 18 copperplate engravings marked with the publisher’s initials. Enriched with a black-and-white suite and another printed in red chalk, both with annotations, some signed in pencil. The drawings and sketches—some in color, including the large drawing for the title vignette—are sometimes mounted on a sheet of heavy vellum. Included with the frontispiece are a black-and-white print and a red chalk print, both with annotations, accompanied by two color test prints and the original drawing.