PAINTED SHORES.
Paris: Editions Narcisse, 1927. . Folio. Thick paper wrappers, printed in black and red, fold over flaps, leaves sewn. 29.8 x 21.9 cm. [xx],[36] pp. Printed on watermarked paper. Illustrated with three limited edition watercolors by François Quelvée, two with original glassine sheets placed in front of illustration, one more recently inserted. Gift inscription on first free endpaper in ink, bookseller notes in pencil, further inscription on second half-title. Two hundred and twenty-two on Verlin d'Arches paper numbered 23 to 244 from this original edition, this being № 43 written in purple ink. Wrappers with some soiling along edges, small smudge from glassine dust jacket (not present), occasional finger smudge, small slit at base of spine, internally very good.
First edition. Dedicated by Caresse Crosby to her poet husband: "this poem is for Harry Crosby 'yours is the music for no instrument / yours the preposterous colour unbeheld.'" Caresse and Harry were an interesting couple, to put it mildly. On Dec. 10, 1929, Josephine Rotch Bigelow was shot to death by her lover, Harry Crosby, a poet and nephew of the financier J. P. Morgan, who, hours after killing Josephine, shot himself. They were found, clothed and side by side on a bed in the Hotel des Artistes in New York. It was deemed a murder-suicide, and it was reported that Crosby’s feet were bare and painted red. Caresse carried on. Item #669
MINKOFF A-5.
Price: $325.00