Gesigneerd; Louis Couperus - De Ode [met opdracht van Henri van Booven] - 1918

Louis Couperus - De Ode
Rotterdam, Nijgh & Van Ditmar's Uitgeversmaatschappij, 1918
Sewn, 26 × 15 cm. (3), 70, (3) pp.
First edition.
Signed and numbered no. 122.

Couperus wrote the story ‘De ode’ in October 1917. The following month it was typeset for Groot Nederland magazine, in which it was published in January 1918. After this first publication, Couperus' nephew, Frans Vlielander Hein, suggested making a special edition of ‘De ode’, printed on handmade paper and in a limited edition.

The 1919 edition was the first and only edition of ‘De ode’ that appeared during Couperus' lifetime. It was published in an edition of 280 copies on handmade paper. Of these, 250 copies were numbered and signed by Couperus and sold. The remaining 30 copies without signature were intended as review copies. (DBNL)

Please note:
According to the dedication on the title page, this special copy belonged to Henri van Booven, Couperus' first biographer.
The words ‘Een Zoon der Zon’ refer to the second story in Couperus' book ‘God en Goden’ (1903), published by Veen.

The book is in good condition and is protected by a Melinex cover.
Because the thin cardboard binding is about 3 mm larger than the bookblock on all sides, the edges and tail are sometimes a bit frayed (see pictures).

To verify Van Booven's signature, the last picture shows his signature in the back of his biography ‘Leven en werken van Louis Couperus’.
This book, however, is not included in this lot.