The English version of the legendary Issue no 8 of nec plus ultra French art magazine Verve, printed like the French version by Draeger and Mourlot. It was finished just days before the nazis invaded Paris, half of the copies were destroyed en route to New York. Poignantly devoted by editor Tériade to The nature of France. The cover is an original Matisse lithograph. A spread on pg 62/63, a gorgeous drawing by Pierre Bonnard, is also an original lithograph. Like all Tériade productions this is an intuitively assembled ode to the arts and history. It's also an amazing read. Unusually fresh condition, very vibrant and just glorious. A very light dent to the cover, minimal wear, no inscriptions, no spotting of any kind. The glassine cover looks almost too good to be original. The Matisse litho however is so fresh that it must have been covered-up or protected or in a drawer since 1940. Without a doubt one of the freshest examples of this issue, or any Verve issue for that matter, in existence. Highly recommened. A treasure.