VERLAINE PAUL (1844-1896)

Lot 494
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Estimation :
25000 - 30000 EUR
VERLAINE PAUL (1844-1896)
Liturgies intimes, autograph manuscript composed of seventeen poems and several drawings. Semi-flexible binding signed by Jean de Gonet (1997). Calfskin boards stamped with a fluted motif stenciled in grey on a background of alternating yellow and pink speckled. Cold-striped ochre calf with seams punctuated by two ebony rivets; ebony clasps incised with ivory at the corners. Back and return of the seams in fuchsia stamped calf. Caramel nubuck linings, black box binder's label to first board, silver lettering; black paper endpapers. Beige box spine lined with brown box and glossy brown nubuck. Autograph first draft manuscript of 17 poems from Liturgies intimes. (Set composed circa December 1891 and January 1892 - the first edition of Liturgies intimes: Paris, Bibliothèque du Saint-Graal, March 1892; the second edition augmented by 7 poems: Paris, Léon Vanier, 1893.) 17 autographed poems out of the 18 published in the first edition on 15 sheets of variable size (some on subscription sheets of Sagesse du Réveil catholique; some on the back of letters or envelopes addressed to the poet; some sheets with several poems written head to foot). The poems in this first draft of the collection are: Asperges me (I), Advent (II), Christmas (III), Holy Innocents (IV), Circumcision (V), Kings (VI), Kyrie Eleison (VII), Gloria in Excelsis (VIII), Credo (IX), Ascension (X), Veni Sancte... (XI), June (XII), Sanctus (XIII), Immaculate Conception (XIV), Agnus Dei (XVI), All Saints (XVII), In Initio... (XVIII). Missing is the manuscript of poem XV, Dévotions, which had been published in a review in March 1891. The poems are hardly titled at all, but then have a pencil number added to them, which generally corresponds to that of the poem in the published collection. The poems are also accompanied by the number of verses they bear, written by Verlaine next to them, as well as a summary table. Nearly 300 autograph erasures and corrections, including more than 30 whole verses crossed out. Several drawings, including two small heads, a bell tower and an amusing shadow drawing of a profiled couple who appear to be Verlaine himself accompanied by a rather corpulent woman. The whole is in good condition despite the inevitable yellowing of some papers, some soiling and small freckles, a few tears in the edges; a few folds and creases that are not serious. Each leaf has been mitre-mounted on an in-4 wove paper leaf (240 x 205 mm) and bound into a volume. Precious first draft manuscript of Liturgies intimes nicely bound by Jean de Gonet.
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