Le Violon de faïence
Limited to 500 copies. One of the first 150 copies on Japanese paper, unnumbered, and inscribed: “à Monsieur Octave Uzanne, hommage de l'éditeur, L. Conquet.”
Once upon a time there was a collector named Gardilanne, who had converted one of his friends, Dalègre, to a passion for faience. One day Gardilanne learned of the existence of a faience violin. He dreamed of hearing Paganini draw from it sounds as clear as the enamel itself. It is from these real events and characters drawn straight from life that Champfleury composed his Violon de faïence, the account of a strange story of collecting and collectors.
Bound in at front: a portrait of the author by Paillet, dated 1886, together with press cuttings from “Un continuateur de Bernard Palissy” (in L’Hôtel Drouot et la curiosité, 1884-1885, p. 15), a chronicle kept by Champfleury’s friend Paul Eudel, recounting here the “true” story of the violin made of faience.
Faience violins of this period are extremely rare; only seven examples are said to survive. The one preserved at the Musée de Rouen is made of Delft faience.
A fine copy of fine provenance.