MAUGHAM, W[illiam]. Somerset (1874-1965); Sotheby & Co [Sotheby's]

Catalogue of the collection of Impressionist and Modern Pictures formed by W. Somerset Maugham over the last fifty years ; [offered with:] Purely for My Pleasure

London: Sotheby & Co / William Heinemann, 1962. First Edition. Hardcover. Catalogue for the sale of Maugham's art collection at Sotheby's on April 10, 1962, offered with Maugham's final book, Purely My Pleasure, describing his lifelong interest in collecting art. Catalogue: Royal 8vo (280 x 275mm): 63,[1]pp, with frontispiece portrait of Maugham by Marie Laurencin, 16 color plates (including rarely reproduced images of paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, Leger, Monet, Matisse, Picasso, Pissarro, Renoir, Rouault, Sisley, and Utrillo), and 15 halftone plates. Original sea-green paper-covered boards superimposed with Maugham's Mauresque seal. Purely for Pleasure: Royal 8vo (286 x 220): viii,28pp, with frontispiece and 37 numbered color plates. Publisher's black buckram, front cover stamped in gold with Maugham's Mauresque seal, spine lettered in gold; sage-green pictorial dust jacket printed in black, front cover with color reproduction of Renoir's nude "Gabrielle" (price-clipped). Excellent examples, tightly bound and clean throughout. Stott A78a and C63. Rothschild Collection V.299 and VII.32. Fine. Item #BB2338

Sotheby's printed this catalogue in a then-unusual oversized format to include the large color plates prepared by William Heinemann for Purely for my Pleasure, which was published after the sale. The paintings hung on the walls of Maugham's Villa Mauresque until 1962, when they were auctioned. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $176.00