LÉVY, Lucette H., bookbinder. DUHAMEL, Georges. ~ Confession de Minuit.
First edition. 31 lithographic illustrations by Berthold Mahn. No. 41 of an edition of 540, this being one of 460 on velin de Montgolfier. 4to., original full brown morocco Art Deco mosaic binding by Lucette H. Lévy signed on the upper turn-in, with onlaid gemetric patterns in black, purple, olive green and whit morocco, with parallel geometric lines tooled in gilt and black to form patterns across the spine and both sides, inlaid lettering in purple morocco outlined in black on upper cover in a typical art deco font, spine lettered in gilt, turn-ins taking the geometric design in the corners with the same colours of onlaid morocco and gilt ruling, dramatic metallic endpapers, edges and headcaps with gilt and black tooling and dots, top edge gilt, others uncut, original wrappers bound in. Housed in the original half morocco chemise with the same metallic paper sides. Very good.
A splendid art deco binding by Lucette Levy, very much in the same style as the bindings of Genevieve de Leotard (see the work in this catalogue) who may well have been her teacher. Inscribed by the author to the bookbinder as Mme Henri Levy “ami de mes livres, et donc mon amie” on November 18th, presumably in the year of publication.
This inscription does give us a few clues as to the identity of this mysterious binder. Her connection to Georges Duhamel implies that Lucette Lévy moved in literary circles and through her husband Henri was probably connected to the family of Gaston Lévy, the great collector, patron of binders and director of the Calmann-Levy publishing house which published Duhamel.