CONSTANT (Benjamin) - JEANNIOT (Pierre-Georges). Adolphe. An anecdote found in the papers of an unknown person. Preface by Paul Hervieu, of the Académie française. Paris: [Pierre-Georges Jeanniot], 1901. - One volume in-4 and 3 volumes in-folio, 397 x 335, for the suites and drawings, 260 x 205 : (8 ff.), IX, 167 pp., (2 ff. last blank), 11 plates, printed cover. Black morocco, first cover with a large piece of chased and stained leather inset, including the reproduction of a drawing by Jeanniot, ribbed spine, gilt floral framing inside, brocaded silk lining and endpapers, double endpapers, gilt edges, cover preserved, slipcase; same binding for the volumes of plates and drawings, with a different representation on the first covers, without slipcase (Marius Michel). Edition published by the painter and illustrator Pierre-Georges JEANNIOT (1848-1934), who produced 54 original etchings, including one on the title, 15 at the head of each chapter, 15 in the text, 12 at the foot of the page and 11 outside the text. This is one of the best books illustrated by this artist. Edition of 131 copies. This one is the most precious as it is the ONLY EXEMPLAIRE PRINTED ON SATIN, containing separately, in three folio volumes, the suite of original drawings as well as the various states of all the plates, even those that have been redone. There are a total of 173 original drawings, of which 85 are in the first volume and 88 in the second, pasted by a border on bluish card mounted on a mitre. These drawings, most of them signed, done in graphite, Indian ink and charcoal, and sometimes enhanced in colour, are studies and finished compositions for each illustration in the book. The suite volume includes a complete suite of engravings on satin, followed by 9 other satin prints of different states of some of the engravings. A total of 63 proofs in mounts. A superb copy in bindings by Marius Michel featuring a chased and tinted composition on each of the boards, based on a composition by Jeanniot. Those on the three folio volumes are signed by Jeanniot and dated 1911, 1912 and 1913 respectively. The original drawings used to bind the text, the first volume of drawings and the suites have been bound at the head of the corresponding volumes. There are two drawings for the composition of the text volume. A very well preserved copy. Provenance : MR gilt bookplate on morocco, including a decoration composed of a rosebush whose roots wrap around a book.