1920 ❧ ROSTAND, Edmond (1868-1918). La Princesse Lointaine: Pièce en quatre actes, en vers. Compositions de Georges Desvallières et de Valentine Reyre. Gravures sur bois en couleurs par Jacques Germain. Paris: Imprimé pour La Société du Livre d'Art, 1920. Large 4to (290 x 237 mm). 17 wood engravings (9 full page) by J. Germain after G. Desvallieres and Val. Reyre; text printed on premium heavy wove paper within color-printed Art Nouveau botanical woodcut frames, woodcut vignette on title-page, 18 vibrant in-text color-printed wood-engraved illustrations. Contemporary dark blue crushed levant morocco, covers decorated with an intricate geometric architectural grid composed of dual-gilt dotted rolls and parallel frame-lines, inlaid ochre morocco circles in corners, multi color onlays, green morocco doublures, edges gilt, stamp-signed 'Noulhac Rel.' on upper doublure and 'Madeleine Noulhac Del.' on the lower. Provenance: Aimé Joseph de Fleuriau (1870-1938), distinguished French diplomat and Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1924-1932), (with his name 'Monsieur A. de Fleuriau' printed on the justification page). A MASTERPIECE OF ART DECO CRAFTSMANSHIP: AN AMBASSADOR'S COPY IN A SPECTACULAR SIGNED MOULHAC INLAID BINDING. This fine edition of Rostand's Troubadour-inspired verse play represents the pinnacle of French early 20th-century bibliophile luxury. Issued in a strictly limited edition of only 150 total copies printed exclusively for the elite members of La Société du Livre d'Art, the present lot is Number 67, custom-produced directly for the prominent French Ambassador Aimé de Fleuriau. This exemplar was bound to the celebrated Parisian master finisher Moulhac for a bespoke presentation based on a design by his daughter Madeleine. Moulhac successfully balances the lush, organic, symbolist Art Nouveau visual language of Desvallières' interior woodcuts with a brilliant, disciplined Art Deco exterior. See Duncan & De Bartha p. 195. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing