The Garden Party And Other Stories : Illustrated And Signed By Marie Laurencin by Mansfield, Katherine - 1939: One of only 30 copies issued

The First printing of this special illustrated edition published by London, Verona Press in 1939. A limited edition of 1200 numbered copies of which numbers 1-30 were signed by the illustrator - this one being number '5' and signed on the limitation page by Marie Laurencin. She has also signed again at the bottom of the Colophon Page. Original full green morocco, one red morocco label with gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, black stamped rule to boards, top edge gilt. 'Publisher's Note' leaf tipped in following the title page as issued. Housed in a custom solander box. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition with a little light rubbing to the boards, very minor spotting to the fore edge and some margins, otherwise in lovely condition. One page (of text) has a very slight loss to the fore-edge where it has been roughly cut in production. Spine labelling colour is mildly faded with one small dark mark to the spine label. The gilt titling remains bright. Raised bands are a little age darkened and the spine has a hint of fading but this is negligible. This edition was designed by Hans Mardersteig and printed at the Officina Bodini on handmade paper with 16 exquisite colour lithographs by Marie Laurencin. Though printed in 1939, the Second World War delayed publication until 1947. The illustrations are in Marie Laurencin's typical pastel style. Laurencin was born in Paris, and at the age of 18, she studied porcelain painting in Sèvres. She then returned to Paris and continued her art education at the Académie Humbert, where she changed her focus to oil painting. During the early years of the 20th century, Laurencin was an important figure in the Parisian avant-garde. A member of both the circle of Pablo Picasso, and Cubists associated with the Section d'Or, such as Jean Metzinger, Albert Gleizes, Robert Delaunay, Henri le Fauconnier and Francis Picabia, exhibiting with them at the Salon des Indépendants (1910-1911) and the Salon d'Automne (1911-1912). She became romantically involved with the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, and has often been identified as his muse. On the one hundredth anniversary of Laurencin's birth, the Musée Marie Laurencin opened in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The museum is home to more than 500 of her works and an archive. A very scarce title with such attributes. Collectible. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.