About the cover:

Full French binding Ochre brown calfskin, with large leather inlays in various shades of brown, also on the spine; four angled legs as black leather overlays on the front cover, 4 large leather dots on the front and back, some with gold circles around them. Hand-gilded spine title. Hand-carved headband, three-sided gold edging. Mirror side with wide leather flap, light brown suede leather in the centre with black 6 mm wide leather edge, fly leaf in light brown suede leather. Chemise with spine and rails in brown goatskin leather, cover in.

About the content:

Pierre Louys: Les Chansons de Bilitis Translated from Greek, with 36 colour illustrations by Sylvain Sauvage, woodcuts by Pierre Bouchet. Copy no. 273 of 297 copies, printed on vergé Montval ivoire. Editions Chez Sylvain Sauvage, Paris, 1927

Les Chansons de Bilitis is a collection of fictional poems supposedly written by the ancient poet Bilitis. The poems describe Bilitis' erotic experiences and her relationships with women and men, focusing on themes such as love, seduction, passion and loss. The work is known for its sensual, often explicit depiction of sexuality and is an important example of the exploration of eroticism.

About the artist: Henri Creuzevault, born in 1905, was the elder son of Louis Creuzevault. After a short apprenticeship, he joined his father’s workshop in the 1920s and soon began producing marvellous bindings. His younger brother Louis-Claude, born in 1912, joined in 1933.

Father Louis retired in 1936, and the company was then called “Creuzevault frères”. However, brother Louis-Claude died in 1937, and Henri ran the bindery alone. From 1940 to 1960, he created the most beautiful and exclusive bindings of the time, with designs realized by the best craftsmen.

In addition, he ran a gallery, to which he devoted himself exclusively from 1959 on.