The Private Journals of Stendhal, 1811-1817
Kentfield, California: The L-D Allen Press, 1954. Dean, Mallette. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 175 copies, quarto size, 146 pp. Fine / very good. Item #20011203
Marie-Henri Beyle (1783-1842) is likely best remembered today for his novels "Le Rouge et le Noir" and "La Chartreuse de Parme", and is considered one of the earliest authors of realism. Stendhal saw much of the Europe of his day; as part of the Napoleonic army he participated in the 1812 invasion of Russia (and the retreat therefrom); served as the French consul in parts of Italy, and eventually moved to Paris, being buried in Montmarte.
Stendhal's "Journals" provide a fascinating glimpse not only into some of the places to which he travelled, but more importantly into his inner thoughts; he was one of the Allens' "esteemed authors" and they were excited at the chance to publish an excerpt of his "Journals" when approached with the idea by Professor Francis Carmody.
As stated in the Allen Press bibliography, "[t]his was our fourth edition to be produced entirely by hand, with hand-crafted materials throughout. We were now convinced that this method was our proper métier - that the handpress is the most satisfactory instrument in a chimerical attempt at the craftsmanship standards set by Kelmscott, Doves, and Ashendene presses" (p. 39). This book was selected as one of the AIGA fifty books of the year.
___DESCRIPTION: Bound in full Fortuny printed cloth from Venice of antique red on a dull gold background, headbands of black and gilt, title page in red and black in opposing vertical columns, each section with headpieces of one of the two wood engravings by Mallette Dean, one of an elaborate quill pen forming the shape of a fleur-de-lis, the other of a cluster of grapes and leaves; handset Romanée type, Crown & Sceptre paper hand-made in England (with the watermark "British Hand Made"), quarto size (10.25" by 7.25"), pagination: [1-6] 7-146. Dust wrapper of plain black Italian laid paper with gilt lettering on the spine.
___CONDITION: Fine, with clean boards, perfectly straight corners totally without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, as new. The paper dust jacket we are grading as very good due to minor overall edgewear and a rectangular chip at the top of the rear joint (approx. one inch by one-third inch); as the Allens stated in their bibliography, "[t]his paper proved to be too perishable; a clear acetate jacket would have been more durable and would have revealed the handsome Italian cloth."
___CITATION: Allen Press bibliography, no. 15; Hawk no. 319.
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Price: $300.00