MICKIEWICZ Adam - POEZYE Paris 1828-1829
Volumes 1-3
The first two Paris volumes were published thanks to the financial support of Klementyna of Sanguszko Ostrowska. Semkowicz wrote about this edition: "it is the most beautiful edition of Mickiewicz's `Poezyj' and truly a veritable typographical delight. It is on exquisite white paper, the printing is exquisite (the fonts are newly cast): The titles of the individual poems are in an ornate handwriting, as if calligraphic, while at the end, here and there, beautiful and ingenious print vignettes. The title page is a real marvel" (Semkowicz 51). The two volumes include "a repetition of the Vilnius edition, a poem `To Lelewel', `Sonets' and twoq minor works printed in `Dziennik Warszawski' in 1826. The [...] treatise by Mickiewicz on Romantic poetry [...] has been omitted. The preface by Leonard Chodko informs the reader about the history of the creation of this edition" (Semkowicz 51-55). In vol. 1 the plate features a portrait of the author engraved by Croutelle according to a drawing by Lelewel. The circulation of each volume was 1,000 copies. Volume three was published by the Parisian printer J. Barbezat. It contained "Konrad Wallenrod," "Ode to Youth" and other "miscellaneous poems." "Volume three [...] is completely similar to its preceding, older sibling. The same exquisite paper and beautiful printing in it, the same decorative titles in the headings of the poems" (Semkowicz 67). Theophilus Syga wrote of this edition: "A careful, beautiful edition, very rare today" (Syga 102).
Dimensions 15.4x10.5cm; pages 236, 216, 178.Contemporary half leather binding, page edges stained. Several pages in good copy: in vol .1: portrait of the author, in vol.3: pp.75/76, 147/148, 169-178.Handwritten signature of the author on the title page in vol.1; restoration of the loss of the corners of the title page in vol.1; taped seams in places; traces of dampstains, foxing- discoloration of the paper, stamps, dampstains.
