ROSTAND (Edmond).

Lot 107
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Estimation :
2000 - 2500 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 2 022EUR
ROSTAND (Edmond).
Chantecler. Play in four acts, in verse. Paris, Librairie Charpentier et Fasquelle, 1910. In-8, supple aubergine basane, first plate decorated with a composition in relief stamped in cold representing a bust of the rooster Chantecler crowing, the title in capitals coming out of his beak, smooth mute spine, untrimmed, with all margins, half-basin slipcase (Publisher's binding). First edition of this animal play first performed at the Porte-Saint-Martin theatre on February 7, 1910, with Lucien Guitry in the title role. The writing of this play was painful for Edmond Rostand, who took eight years to complete it. Printed on japon impérial, under an attractive embossed cover by René Lalique, the edition is decorated on the false title with a coloured headband by Edmond Rostand. One of the very rare copies printed on coloured paper, the one on pink paper bears a signed letter from the publisher Eugène Fasquelle: [name of the dedicatee scratched out] in memory of the dress rehearsal, respectful homage, E. Fasquelle. It is enriched by an autograph letter signed by Pierre Louys to his dear Antoinette, an interesting and lively contemporary testimony on the failure of Chanteclerc: It is impossible for me to repeat to a young girl the epithets that Chantecler has been receiving for five days in the salons where there are only ladies. Bêtise, ânerie, ineptie, stupidité, calembredaine, are words that are much too weak to describe the judgment of the spectators; and I see that within three days slang itself will no longer suffice; new words will be invented because people are so out of sorts [...]. Briand left in the third act saying that he had something else to do than to waste an evening listening to this. [...] Calmette said that the play was charming, Arthur Meyer said he was delighted. [...] Summary: it will have at least 250 performances like a La Scala revue, and maybe more. But the outcry has been so strong among the literate spectators, that it is no longer permitted to speak well of Rostand in the salons. The ladies would cry out like peacocks [...]. I swear to you in my soul and conscience, I swear to you without hatred and without fear that here is a play about a rooster which is written by a serin. A good copy, in spite of slight rubbing to the cover. In this copy the false title is in double state: on japanese and pink paper, both with the coloured headband.
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