A REMARKABLE RILKE PRESENTATION/ASSOCIATION COPY: VERGERS, 1926, INSCRIBED TO MADAME JEANNE DUBOST WITH AN ORIGINAL POEM, WITH A PERSONAL LETTER FROM THE POET TIPPED IN, IN DRAMATIC ART DECO BINDING BY DESOUCHES

RILKE, Rainer Maria. Vergers suivi des Quatrains Valaisains. Paris: Éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française, 1926. 12mo, contemporary full tan morocco gilt with rose and turquoise polished calf inlays, raised bands, rose, turquoise, brown and black polished calf gilt doublures, rose silk linings, floral-patterned endpapers, all edges gilt, original paper wrappers bound in, original matching morocco and calf gilt slipcase.

Limited first edition, number 747 of 750 Arabic-numbered copies on Navarre paper (of a total 868 copies on Navarre and 884 copies total), with frontispiece portrait of the poet by master wood engraver Georges Aubert after a drawing by Rilke’s lover Baladine, inscribed by Rilke to Parisian arts patroness Jeanne Dubost with an original poem and with a fine autograph letter signed from Rilke to Dubost tipped in, elaborately bound in Art Deco morocco and calf gilt by Desouches. An extraordinary copy.

Unlike his more widely known German poetry, Rilke’s French lyrics “do not directly undertake great subjects and themes. Rather, they are small poems of careful attentiveness to the common things of this world and to the elusive states of being in which the world is poetically transformed” (A. Poulin, Jr.). The engraved frontispiece portrait of Rilke, executed by the “superb artisan” Georges Aubert (Castleman, 63), reproduces a drawing by Elisabeth Dorothea Spiro, also known as Baladine Klossowska (mother of the artist Balthus), whom Rilke met in August 1920. Rilke immediately and passionately fell in love with “Merline,” as he called her. The beautiful binding features gilt geometric designs on both doublures, with Rilke’s name on the rear doublure; and it presents the title in a gilt form suggestive of a wilting flower on the front cover. Text in French. This copy inscribed by Rilke to Jeanne Dubost, celebrated sponsor of the arts who operated a ballet school for children and frequently hosted musical soirees in Paris. The tipped in autograph letter from Rilke offers apologies for missing one such event; it reads, in translation from the French: “Dear Madame, it seemed destined that I not hear that beautiful music anticipated, hoped for and in the end yet one more time promised. An obstacle arose at the last minute, like the sudden changes in the heavens that are habitual in the spring. I was held back and I was once more the victim of circumstances! My regrets had to wait until my rising this morning. It would be little, nevertheless, in the meantime to communicate to you at least these futile and negative sentiments; please allow me to insist on the positive and lasting nature of my very profound deference.” On the title page Rilke has written out an original eight-line poem “Á Madame Jeanne René Dubost,” captioned “Muzot, a 9 Juillet 1926.” This original poem, composed for the book’s recipient, would not see publication until after Rilke’s death. Dubost’s bookplate.

Interior generally quite fresh and clean. Slight wear to lovely binding. Modest wear to inlaid slipcase. An exceptional presentation association copy of a scarce Rilke title, in a striking Art Deco binding. A highlight of any poetry collection.