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a red book with gold lettering on it sitting on a white surfacean old book with a red cover and gold writing on itjean des figues, the story of a woman ' s life in francethe book is red and has gold lettering on itan old red book with gold writing on it sitting on a white surfacean open book sitting on top of a white table next to a white wallthe inside of a red purse with a gold line on ita brown book with gold writing on it sitting on a tablea watercolor painting of a woman and a donkey in front of a housethe cover of a book with a picture of a bird on ita picture of a book with a picture of a cat on ita picture of an old book with a picture of a man and a donkeya picture of a painting of a mountain villageillustration of an open book with a picture of a window with a view of a villagean open book with a picture of a woman in a beda black and white photo of a poem on a piece of papera drawing of a man and a woman sleeping on a coucha drawing of a woman standing in front of a treea black and white drawing of a train going down the tracksa picture of a drawing of a horse and a treean open book with a picture of a man sitting on a bench
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12 - ARÈNE (Paul) and SIMÉON (Fernand). Jean-des-Figues. Preface …
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Estimate €600 - €800
Sale commission
Description
ARÈNE (Paul) and SIMÉON (Fernand). Jean-des-Figues. Preface by J.-J. Brousson. Coloured woodcuts by Siméon. A superb copy in a custom binding by Georges Cretté, one of the first 20 on antique Japanese paper, containing a double set of woodcuts and a beautiful original watercolour signed by Fernand Siméon. Paris, published by the artist, 1927. Large 8vo (190x250 mm), full burgundy morocco, with a pattern of circles and medallions embossed in relief and gilded vine tendrils on the covers, the title letters formed of triple gilded fillets on the front cover, spine plain and similarly decorated, wide inner border of the same morocco set with thin and thick gilt lines as a frame and the bookbinder’s signature, pink moiré silk endpapers and linings, edges gilt on endpapers, cover and spine preserved, box edged (G. Cretté, successor to Marius Michel) 199 pages, 66 woodcuts designed and engraved in colour by Siméon, including 1 title vignette, 32 headpieces, 4 full-page colour plates and 29 monochrome tailpieces. Spine very slightly faded, hinges slightly rubbed. A charming edition of Paul Arène’s masterpiece, with a preface by Jean-Jacques Brousson and illustrated with 66 woodcuts designed and engraved in colour by Fernand Siméon (1884–1928). “One of the artist’s finest illustrations” [Carteret 20th Cent., IV, 46]. Limited edition of 150 numbered copies; this is one of the 20 special copies on antique Japanese paper (No. 19), containing a double set of woodcuts in black and colour and a superb original drawing enhanced with watercolour, signed by Siméon, mounted and placed at the front of the volume. It is further enhanced by the publisher’s subscription form, illustrated with a colour engraving (2 ff. in-fine). A very fine copy, meticulously prepared by Georges Cretté (1893–1969), one of the most important French bookbinders of the 20th century.
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About the sale Fine antique and collectible books, manuscripts and modern illustrated works
Auction location
Auction time 06/29/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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