[Fine Binding | Painted Vellum] La Ronde des Saisons

Kālidāsa (translated by Émile Steinilber-Oberlin). La Ronde des Saisons. Paris: L’Édition d’Art H. Piazza, 1925. Frontispiece in gilt and colors by Paul Zenker, with ornamental title, borders, head and tail-pieces printed in colors. Issued in the publisher’s "Ex Oriente Lux" series. Original wrappers bound in at front and rear.

Bound in full vellum with the front cover featuring a hand-painted miniature in Mughal style of a jeweled noblewoman in profile, her turban, necklace, and garments heightened with gilt, red, and green. Rear cover decorated with an inlaid and hand-painted paisley motif in red and green, accented in gilt. Flat spine with central painted ornament in matching style. Marbled endpapers in red, blue, and green. Measures approx. 4.5" x 6.25". Some light natural mellowing to vellum, small darkened area to top of spine, covers slightly bowed.

A beautiful example. The only clues to whom the binder may have been are found in one of the other volumes from this grouping.