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Le Sel noir

SKU LESE-001

A rare and striking bibliophile edition by Martinican writer Édouard Glissant, published in Paris in 1960. *Le sel noir* presents a series of poetic texts rooted in Caribbean consciousness. The original edition is accompanied by a signed and numbered color etching by Chilean artist Matta, echoing the intensity and tectonic rhythm of Glissant’s verse.

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Le Sel noir
1960 | Paris | Éditions du Seuil
A powerful encounter between Caribbean poetry and Latin-American visual language, in a rare bibliophile edition.

A rare and striking bibliophile edition by Martinican writer Édouard Glissant, published in Paris in 1960. *Le sel noir* presents a series of poetic texts rooted in Caribbean consciousness. The original edition is accompanied by a signed and numbered color etching by Chilean artist Matta, echoing the intensity and tectonic rhythm of Glissant’s verse.

€1,320
Condition Report:
In-Depth Study
References & Bibliography
Format
In-12 (Duodecimo) approx. 17 × 22 cm
Edition Particulars
1 of 35 on vélin neige, with signed original etching by Matta
Print Run
35
Copy Number
29
Paper
vélin neige
Inscription
Signed by the Illustrator

Product DETAIL

This collection contains visionary poetry that captures the Caribbean spirit through language that is rhythmic, violent and lyrical. Glissant questions identity, colonialism and memory through mythical and bodily images.

Amis & Amille. Mystère du XIVe siècle.
Derain, André
Amis & Amille. Mystère du XIVe siècle.

This sumptuously bound book brings a medieval mystery to life through a rare collaboration between ancient literature and modern illustration. The geometric box design on garnet morocco provides striking contrast. André Derain’s 22 color lithographs – including one double and three full-page – enhance the narrative with expressive visual force. Printed on Rives vellum in an edition of 180 numbered copies, this copy (No. 72) was made for Baroness Vaxelaire and includes a suite on fine Japanese paper. The binding by Lucie Weill exemplifies artisanal excellence. A harmonious blend of narrative tradition and graphic daring.

Illustrated Book
€1,460
Arriver à se réveiller
Michaux, Henri · Bettencourt, Pierre
Arriver à se réveiller

A rare first edition of Arriver à se réveiller, written by Henri Michaux in the tremulous post-war years. The text unfolds as an inward journey toward lucidity, where sleep and waking mirror each other. Printed and published by Pierre Bettencourt in his own workshop, the edition’s small run preserves the work’s intimacy. The title-page vignette, a linocut by Bettencourt, sets a spare, rhythmic visual key that amplifies Michaux’s vigilant, vulnerable tone. This copy is handsomely bound in brown morocco with balsa boards by Miguet, a tactile nod to lightness under tension. For bibliophiles, it is an exemplary union of poetry, craft, and experiment. The volume embodies the independence of the post-war small press and Michaux’s radical sensitivity.

Illustrated Book
€680
Arrière-histoire du poème pulvérisé
Char, Rene · Stael, Nicolas de
Arrière-histoire du poème pulvérisé

*Arrière-histoire du poème pulvérisé* is a later illustrated edition of a key text in which René Char looks back on the genesis and inner background of *Le Poème pulvérisé*. Published in 1972 by Imprimerie Union, it opens with a colour frontispiece by Nicolas de Staël. The pairing of Char and de Staël is especially charged: two post-war voices, each seeking concentration, clarity, and rupture in his own medium. This copy is one of only six hors commerce copies on Arches and is signed. The autograph presentation inscription to Doctor Marcel Zara, with poetic quotation and October 1972 dating, makes it a deeply personal copy.

Illustrated Book
€920
Au dépens des mots
Hugnet, Georges · Valentine, Hugo
Au dépens des mots

An exceptional oblong in-16 volume bound in a single tome, comprising three editions of Au dépens des mots, including the exceedingly rare tête-de-tête edition on nacré japon.

Illustrated Book
€3,200
Studies & Dossiers
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When a Signature Becomes Provenance

A signature confirms; a dedication connects; an association copy tells a story.

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The Fragile Meaning of ‘Complet’

In auction descriptions, “complete” often sounds reassuring — but it is only meaningful when verified against the colophon, the justification, and the bibliography. For The Hidden Page, clarity begins where vague market language ends.

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The Avant-Garde and the Illustrated Word

How the Twentieth Century Recast the Book as an Artistic and Ideological Medium

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