Title: Calendrier Magique, 1895. First Edition of 777 Numbered Copies
Author: Manuel Orazi, Austin de Croze
Publisher: Paris, l`Art Nouveau
Condition: Fair
A first and only edition of Croze’s rare and relatively scarce Calendrier Magique, being one of 777 numbered copies. First commissioned in 1895 for Siegfried Bing and produced by Manuel Orazi and Austin de Croze, for his gallery L'Art Nouveau, the Calendrier is a veritable work and mixture of art nouveau and the occult, with various images of demons, ceremonies, tarot, and symbols throughout. There are 16 leaves in total, with 13 full-page lithographs accentuated in gilt. The illustrations are by Italian graphic artist and painter Manuel Orazi, whilst de Croze wrote and compiled the text. Each month is dedicated and attributed to an individual such as Paul Verlaine for the poem "Witch", Maurice Rollinat, Georges Rodenbach for the poem “Horoscope” in “April”, Frédéric Mistral, and more.
The calendar is enclosed in a custom archival eflute enclosure.
One volume in tall folio, 16 leaves
This volume is in fair shape, with the book in a mostly detached state, 10 of the 16 leaves and the covers all detached. The covers are heavily worn and chipped, with portions lacking more to the front cover, though the most recent owner has taken restoration attempts by mending many of the tears to the front and back covers, and toned the mends with high quality, archival, lightfast pigment. The first and last leaves have chipped corners and have a bit of toning to them.