La Princesse De Bagdad: Piece en Trois Actes. [The Princess of Baghdad].

DUMAS FILS, Alexandre.

$2,500.00

Item Number: 142628

Paris: Calmann-Lévy, 1881.

First edition of Dumas Fils’ famed play, one of only 10 numbered copies printed on China paper. Royal octavo, bound in full ebony morocco stamp-signed by Pagnant with gilt titles and raised bands to the spine, central gilt coat of arms with red and blue morocco onlays and motto “Hun Contre Tous” to the front panel, red and gold monogram “L C” to the rear panel, wide gilt-decorated inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. One of the 10 deluxe numbered copies printed on China paper, this is number 5. Dumas instructed that the imaginary coats of arms of the characters of the play be struck and mosaiced onto the binding of this limited deluxe print run. Octave Uzanne mentions this copy in an article he published about these fanciful coats of arms and emblems: “an interesting note for bibliophiles of the future and those who do not know how far a writer’s conscience can go. For many, the names that authors give to their heroes are names taken somewhat at random and chosen solely for their appearance or their sound. The scruples of Alexandre Dumas fils go further; when he attributes titles of nobility to them, these titles take the desired forms and the shield of each character can be reasoned. This is how, tells us Mr. Ph. Gille, from Le Figaro, that I was able to see the different coats of arms that he composed for the binding of certain pieces given to friends or to his interpreters… For The Princess of Bagdad, the heroine was called the Countess of Hun. She had had a lot to fight for on the day of the first performance. The weapons were: ‘Gules fretted with lances Or, with hatchets of the same in the intervals. On the whole azure on the armed arm argent, with this motto: Hun against all.'” Uzanne also mentions that “this copy had been given to Mr. Perrin”, probably Émile Perrin (1814-1885), director, director of the Paris Opera then general administrator of the Comédie Française. In near fine condition.