Little Poems in Prose.
Paris: Edward W. Titus, ND (1928). First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xii + 148 + [x]pp. Top edge gilt, original cloth covered boards with felt spine and felt title label to front board. Edition limited to 800 numbered copies. Crowley's translation of these wonderfully pithy pieces by Baudelaire. Crowley apparently had the sheets for the book printed by the Chiswick Press in 1913 with the intention of issuing it under the Wieland imprint, however for reasons unknown that edition was never published, and a couple copies that almost certainly represent a proof-issue survive. The unbound sheets remained in storage until the 1920s, when Crowley had them transferred to Edward Titus of Paris. Titus added new preliminaries and advertisements, along with ten erotic black and white copperplate engravings by renowned decadent artist Jean de Bosschère, and published the work in the current format. Several different issues and binding variants exist, although no order of precedence has been established. This variant has a plain spine - no lettering. Errata bound in at rear. A printed slip tipped onto the half-title page reads "The quota of this edition apportioned to the United States of America sold by Random House, New York." presumably indicating that this was one of the copies offered for sale in America. Previous owner's name and acquisition date (Dec. 6th, 1930) on front free endpaper. Cloth rubbed and somewhat discolored, more so on rear board, fraying at head and tail of spine, and there is a half-inch tear in the cloth of the joint where the spine meets the front board. Moderate foxing and discoloration to endpapers and first and last few leaves. Lettering on title label almost illegible (as common with this volume - the felt simply did not hold the type well). The text and plates unmarked. A solid G+ copy (No dustjacket, none issued). Item #59848
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