[BINDING SIGNED JOTAU] - COLETTE. Twelve Dialogues of Beasts - Lot 124

[BINDING SIGNED JOTAU] - COLETTE. Twelve Dialogues of Beasts. And a Preface by Francis Jammes. Chartres, Lainé et Tantet for the Mercure de France, 1930. In-8 spiral bound, black bakelite boards and spine, author and title stamped on polished steel plates inlaid on the upper board and spine, cold filets, floral paper flyleaves and endpapers (binding signed Jotau). Edition of 594 copies on Arches and Lafuma. Very beautiful specimen of a particularly innovative type of binding, invented and produced between 1933 and 1955 by Joseph Taupin, under the pseudonym of Jotau. The boards and spines are entirely molded in pollopas (a variety of bakelite), and are articulated around two mechanical piano hinges. Next to the signature "Reliure Jotau", one finds the mention "breveté S.G.D.G.", which is false. The manufacture of these bindings was quickly abandoned as they were both expensive and breakable. Ours is in a good state of preservation. Expert Jean-Louis Beauvais