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an open book with a black and white drawing of a man in a tuxedo
Jeschke Jádi Auctions Berlin

Estimate €200 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Louys, Pierre Cyprian Masques. Translated by Ruby Melvill. Drawings by Beresford Egan. London, The Fortune Press, (1929). XXI, 137 pp. Contemporary half-leather binding with gold-stamped title on the spine and Spanish edges. One of 75 copies of the special edition (GA 1275) on heavy, handmade paper. – Decadent, erotic sketches disguised as a translation of the works of Lucian. The Art Deco artist Beresford Egan was a prolific illustrator of erotic works, and Louys’ ‘highly contradictory and ambivalent sexual politics clearly served as an extremely useful framework for understanding Egan’s style of post-Victorian, decadent eroticism’ (Mahoney, p. 182). The publisher Fortune Press specialised in gay erotica and was founded in 1924 by Reginald Caton. A decade later, Caton was prosecuted for publishing obscene works and found guilty. - Bookplate on the inside cover; a fine copy overall, partly untrimmed. Vellum with Spanish edges and a gold-embossed title on the spine. One of 75 copies of the special edition (GA 1275) on heavy, handmade paper. - Decadent, erotic sketches disguised as a translation of the works of Lukian. The Art Deco artist Beresford Egan was a prolific illustrator of erotic works, and Louys’ “highly contradictory and ambivalent sexual politics clearly served as an extremely useful framework for understanding Egan’s style of post-Victorian, decadent eroticism” (Mahoney, p. 182). Fortune Press, which specialised in gay erotica, was founded in 1924 by Reginald Caton. A decade later, Caton was prosecuted and found guilty of publishing obscene works. – Ex libris on the inside cover; overall a beautiful copy, partly untrimmed. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This lot is subject to the standard margin scheme. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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