CLARETIE (Jules). M. Michelet's walking stick. Promenades et souvenirs. Paris, L. Conquet, 1886. In-8, violet morocco, gilt quintuple fillet, large blue and yellow mosaic morocco AS numeral in centre, spine decorated with mosaic tricoloured flags, interior lace, gilt head, untrimmed, cover (Champs). First edition of this collection of short stories about the 1870 war, with a preface by Alfred Mézières. This attractive illustrated edition, typical of Léon Conquet's work, features a portrait of the author engraved by François-Eugène Burney after Benjamin Ulmann and 12 out-of-text compositions by Paul Jazet etched by Henri Toussaint. An edition of 1000 copies was printed. One of 150 first copies on large japon or vélin paper, japon in this case, with two states of the etchings, including the fore-letter - according to the justification printed in the work. (According to Vicaire, the print run was 175 copies on large paper, including 30 with three states of the engravings and 145 with two, and 825 copies on small wove paper). A unique copy decorated with 37 delightful original watercolours signed by the painter Albert Bligny (1849-1908), who specialised in the military subjects depicted in the book. Another copy of this book with watercolours by the same artist was in the Jacques Crépineau collection (2021, III, no. 484). The volume has been finely bound by Victor Champs with the mosaic cipher of a contemporary bibliophile. Discreet scuffing on the first cover. Vicaire, II, 416.