Maurice Maeterlinck - La Vie des Abeilles | 1927 | Luxury Half-Leather Binding

La Vie des Abeilles by Maurice Maeterlinck, published in Paris in 1927 by Eugène Fasquelle within the Bibliothèque-Charpentier series. A particularly beautifully bound copy of Maeterlinck's famous work on the life and organization of the bee colony.

Maeterlinck describes, among other things, swarming, the founding of a new colony, young queens, the nuptial flight, and life within the beehive. The book is not a practical manual for the beekeeper. The author also uses his observations of bees for broader reflections on instinct, society, nature, and the development of the species. An extensive bibliography of historical and scientific works on bees and beekeeping is included at the back.

This copy is distinguished above all by its neat half-leather binding. The brown leather spine has five raised bands and a gilt title. The boards are covered in deep dark marbled paper in shades of burgundy, purple, brown, ochre yellow, and black. The same marbling is used for the endpapers. The top edge is gilt.

The combination of the almost pristine leather spine, the dark marbling, and the gilt edges gives the book a particularly neat appearance. Structurally, the binding is also in very good condition.

Details:

• Author: Maurice Maeterlinck
• Title: La Vie des Abeilles
• Publisher: Eugène Fasquelle
• Series: Bibliothèque-Charpentier
• Place of publication: Paris
• Year: 1927
• Edition statement: Cent trente et unième mille, 131st thousand
• Language: French
• Extent: 319 numbered pages, followed by table of contents
• Subject: bees, bee colony, nature, entomology, and natural philosophy
• Binding: half-leather with marbled boards
• Spine: five raised bands with gilt title
• Endpapers: marbled paper
• Top edge: gilt
• Dimensions: approx. 18.6 × 12.7 cm
• Thickness: approx. 2.8 cm

Condition:
Very good condition for a book from 1927. The half-leather binding is firm and the book stands nicely straight. The spine, raised bands, and gilt lettering are particularly well preserved and show only minor signs of wear. The marbled boards and endpapers are also beautifully preserved. The text block and binding are firm. The paper shows normal age discoloration and occasional light foxing and small spots. The gilt top edge is still well preserved.