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Description
DEMAISON (André).
La Comédie animale.
Paris: Bernard Grasset, 1930. — In-4, 220 x 170: 299 pp., (2 blank leaves at the end), printed cover. Lemon-coloured morocco leather, with a mosaic design on the covers; the front cover depicts the silhouette of a figure in black morocco leather gazing at another figure, of which only the head is shown within a large silver triangle, whilst the back cover features two theatre masks in black and silver, plain spine decorated with broad gilt fillets and black morocco, as well as black morocco lozenges; an inner frame of lemon morocco, interspersed with pieces of black morocco at the corners, adorned with a gilt triangle and broad gilt bands along the edges, linings and endpapers in dark brown moiré silk, double endpapers, gilt headband, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved, slipcase and case (J. Van West).
First edition of the second volume of the series *La Comédie animale*.
This novel tells the story of a young French settler, lost in the bush, who develops a deep affection for Julot, a chimpanzee of remarkable intelligence. Through this tale, Demaison explores the relationship between humans and animals, as well as the consequences – whether happy or tragic – of their growing closeness.
One of 102 copies on Lafuma pure-fibre vellum, reprinted in the in-4 tellière format (no. 77).
A unique copy, enriched with 25 superb original watercolour drawings by the wildlife painter and sculptor Georges Lucien GUYOT (1885–1973), including four full-page illustrations. The drawings are unsigned, but the artist has written by hand in the colophon: ‘adorned with 25 watercolour drawings by Guyot.’
A fine copy in a mosaic binding by the Belgian bookbinder Jules-Karl Van West.
Provenance:
JEP bookplate, woodcut.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale
Claude Mozis Library – Black Africa and the African diaspora
Auction location
Auction time
10/21/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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