Van Maele, Martin Lot n° 805

VAN MAELE, Martin La grande danse macabre des vifs. 1er [- 4eme et dernier] dixain. [Paris Ch. Carrington ? c. 1905] In-4° : 44 pl. sous serpentes (pet. piqure à 1 pl., qqs. min. décollements aux serpentes). Old red half-maroquin with corners, flamed paper boards set with cold fillet, ribbed spine, olive green title page, gilt t. (min. traces of wear, small dent in one corner). In post-production burgundy balacron slipcase. A rare complete collection of 44 free etchings, masterpieces by Martin Van Maele, pseud. Maurice Martin (1863-1926), a French draftsman and engraver who produced numerous illustrations for Charles Carrington, Jules Chevrel and Jean Fort, among others, who specialized in sulphurous books. Each "dixain" consists of a frontispiece and 10 plates, most of which include a caption and/or dedication. Only the plates of the 4th dixain are numbered. Edition of 100 copies on vergé à la forme, numbered 75 (on each front). According to L. Sokolow, quoted by Pia, the print run did not reach 100 "because this work is almost impossible to find anywhere in the world". Enriched with 2 loose pcs: 1. another state, printed in bistre, of the etching "Presto agitato, Mr Georges" (1st dixain). - 2. ex-eroticis "Bosc en rit" by Henri Bosc, s. of M. Van Maele's monogram. Bookseller's notice pasted on a butterfly after the 1st colored endpaper. Pia ref. 589-590.