Beschreibung:

BARTHOU, Louis (1862-1934) -- Jules EXBRAYAT. Louis Barthou de l'Académie Française 1862-1934 . Paris: Fequet et Baudier for the Bibliophiles Franco-Suisses, November 1934. 4 o (267 x 205 mm). NO. 36 OF 160 COPIES. 2 leaves, engraved portrait by Raoul Serres, 14 pages. Jansenist blue morocco, gilt lettering on spine, scarlet morocco doublures, border of multiple fillets, blue watered-silk free endleaves. Provenance : the author (bookplate), with 67 letters and cards of thanks dated 1934-1935 bound in and two later ones dated 1943 loosely inserted, from Barthou family members, political friends of Barthou's and members of the Franco-Swiss bibliophiles, who had received a copy from Exbrayat of his memoir -- Claude Guérin (Drouot sale 1990, lot 67). Louis Barthou was prime minister of France in 1913, and foreign minister in 1934 when he was assassinated in Marseilles together with King Alexander of Yugoslavia during a state visit. He was also a passionate book collector, whose sale was handled by Blaizot in 1935-36 (see Breslauer sale, Second Portion, lot 652). Exbrayat, the author of this memoir of Barthou, was president of the Franco-Swiss bibliophiles. The correspondents, whose letters are bound in at the end, read like a Who is Who in French bibliophily of the 1930s, but also include Montherland, Pétain and Weygand. Also loosely inserted is an autograph note by Barthou of 1929 when he was minister of Justice.