Les Maudits De La Litterature Mondiale en douze volumes. Kalmthout, Anvers: Walter Beckers, 1970. Hardcover, 22,5 x 24,8 cm.
An exclusive edition of twelve volumes by a diversity of male more or less modern authors and philosophers classified by the publisher as 'cursed', an epithet inspired by a vague orientalist citation printed at the front of each volume.
Purple-dyed cloth case wrap with a silk-screened and gold foil-stamped motif, based a, printed on Alpha mousse de France, a paper specially set aside by the Papeteries.
Binding and vignettes designed by Yves Allinsky, inspired by a Kashan carpet, originating from the nomadic tribes of Central Asia. Lay-out and artistic direction by Walter Beckers. The typography is in Médiaeval classico, 10 points. The orientalist citation and motto that inspired the series title on pages 6 and 7 is composed in "Marcus Aurelius", an exclusive creation of Editions Beckers.
All volumes wrapped in PVC/mica. Volume # has a part of its mica wrapper missing on the backside. For the rest, a really clean, nicely aged, firm set of books. The series is a modest extravaganza for lovers of 'calme, luxe et volupté' who love to read Nietzsche, Strindberg, Hoffmann & the likes in French. Will look good in any bohemian chic loft space, stacked near your chaise-longue.
- Tome 1: August Strindberg: Le cabinet rouge, 382 pp.
- Tome 2: E.T.A Hoffmann: Les contes fantastiques I, 257 pp.
- Tome 3: E.T.A. Hoffmann: Les contes fantastiques II, 247 pp.
- Tome 4: Conrad-Ferdinand Meyer: Un certain Thomas Becket, 204 pp.
- Tome 5: Tchekhov: Les ennemis et autres contes, 286 pp.
- Tome 6: Kierkegaard: Le journal d'un séducteur, 231 pp.
- Tome7: Thomas De Quincey: Les confessions d'un opiomane anglais, 219 pp.
- Tome 8: Friedrich Nietzsche: Ainsi parla Zarathoustra I, 242 pp.
- Tome 9: Friedrich Nietzsche: Ainsi parla Zarathoustra II, 266 pp.
- Tome 10: Multatuli : Max Havelaar, 308 pp.
- Tome 11: William Thackeray : Le livre des snobs, 328 pp.
- Tome 12: Ambrose Bierce: Les expériences de ma vie, 243 pp.