Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) Jarry (Alfred). Almanach... Lot 40

Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) Jarry (Alfred). Almanach illustré du Père Ubu. [Paris, A. Vollard], January 1, 1901. Exceptional copy on japon [200 x 285] of the original edition, from the large paper edition, 56 pp. in 3 uncut quires, illustrated with in-text subjects in sanguine, blue and black by Bonnard. Johnson 167. Joint: continuation of the only subjects in black, on simili-japan, in 3 uncut quires. N.B.: WITHOUT COVER. The print run of this almanac for 1901, a collaboration between Jarry, Bonnard and the art dealer Ambroise Vollard, was only 1000 copies. It was a commercial failure. Three years later, Jarry wrote to Terrasse: "The palotin Sylvain Lévi, professor at the Collège de France, came to me to obtain the almanac: I sent him one as a pure gift, and thus have only seven hundred and ninety-nine copies left... and then some." (Letter, February 12, 1902). The edition on large paper, which is extremely rare, includes only 25 copies on japon and 25 on hollande. Our uncut copy is probably unique. "First issued by Vollard as a jest and intended for private circulation only. One of a series of small pamphlets privately printed for Vollard between 1900 and 1930 but not under Vollard's imprint." (U. E. Johnson, Ambroise Vollard éditeur, Prints, Books, Bronzes. New York, The Museum of Modern Art, 1977, p. 156).