Louis. Le Livre de la fumée.

by LALOY

£1,600 · Offered by Henry Sotheran Ltd

‘The Only Good Modern Book on Opium’ (Cocteau) LALOY, Louis. Le Livre de la fumée. Paris: Dorbon-Ainé . [1913.] 4to. Original printed wrappers with gold borders, upper cover illustrated in blue, pink, orange, and purple; pp. 181, [4], [1 (blank)], fore-edge uncut; with numerous in-text woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, and in-text illustrations by Dalny in black, navy, and ochre; extremities lightly rubbed with tiny nicks, a few small stains to the rear wrapper, light creasing to spine with a short tear at foot; pages slightly toned, first three quires coming loose, otherwise a very good, clean copy. Scarce first edition of this influential work on opium by Debussy’s friend and first biographer, no. 166 of a total edition of 220 and one of 100 copies printed in black and with coloured illustrations. The French musicologist, writer, and sinologist Louis Laloy (1874–1944) taught history of music at the Sorbonne and aesthetics at the Institut des hautes études chinoises before serving as Secretary General of the Paris Opéra between 1913 and 1940. A close friend of Claude Debussy – who dedicated to him ‘Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut’ ( Images 2e série , 1907) – Laloy was also the author of the composer’s first biography. In 1931, he travelled to China on a diplomatic mission for the French Ministry of Culture. Le Livre de la fumée , based on Laloy’s own experience with opium, is divided into three parts. In the first, ‘Le Livre exterieur’, he provides a comprehen

• Binding: Hardcover

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.