J.C. Mardrus - Le Livre des mille nuits et une nuit - 1910

A lovely copy of this monumental edition in small folio format, published in separate issues, complete in 8 volumes, here bound in lovely blue half leather publisher's bindings, ribbed spines adorned with red morocco labels with Arabic style motifs in the compartments, with mosaicked red leather flowers, silver crescents and stars, gilded fleurons in the corners, gilded top edges.

One will particularly enjoy the abundant illustration composed of 156 out of text plates in colour (chromotypes engraved by Mulot, Kriéger et Cie.) of Persian and Hindu miniatures, some of which are licentious.

Text with coloured frames with animal or flower motifs which adorn the original Persian and Hindu manuscripts.

Here the famous text is in its best and most complete version, that provided by Dr Joseph-Charles Mardrus. Reputed to be the closest to the Arabic texts, it is distinguished by a flowery style, a taste for orientalism and an abundance of eroticism. T.E. Lawrence [describes] Mardrus' translation as "By far the best version of the Nights in any language" ...

Traduction Littérale et Complète du Texte Arabe par le Dr. J.C. Mardrus.
Le livre des mille nuits et une nuit
Paris, Eugène Fasquelle,undated, circa 1910.

Volume 1: 395 pp. and 27 out of text plates in colour. Volume 2: 347 pp. and 21 out of text plates in colour. Volume 3: 338 pp. and 20 out of text plates in colour. Volume 4: 315 pp. and 21 out of text plates in colour. Volume 5: 355 pp. and 17 out of text plates in colour. Volume 6: 371 pp. and 17 out of text plates in colour. Volume 7: 371 pp. and 16 out of text plates in colour. Volume 8: 347 pp. + 8 unnumbered ff. (table of contents of the 8 volumes and table of the placement of the engravings) and 17 out of text plates in colour.

Small folio (25 x 33 cm).

Chromotypes engraved by Mulot and Kriéger et Cie. Text and frames printed by Motterroz and Martinet. Plates in colour printed by G. de Malherbe. Facsimiles of the miniatures, frames and illuminations that adorn the original Persian and Hindu manuscripts.

A lovely copy, sound and decorative bindings, rubbed caps, pierced corners. Clean inside, virtually without foxing, no water stains, the paper, like all copies, is a bit browned.

Art, Erotica, Orientalism, Bookbinding.