CHINOISERIE - " Conte d'Emile Une Nuit chez Ernest Villain l - Lot 104

CHINOISERIE - " Conte d'Emile Une Nuit chez Ernest Villain le 23 février 1866 ", " Pekin, Imprimé en caractères français d'après le manuscrit authentique par GU-TIN-BER ", 1866, Facétie littéraire tirée à 15 exemplaires, nominatif (nom inscrit à l'or sur le premier plat), justificatif du tirage in-fine mentionnant l'ensemble des 15 dédicataires, ii and 70 p (12.5 x 19 cm, foxing), illustrated title page with original frontispiece photograph of the author dressed as a Mandarin, letter-preface from "Lich-Tong-Pif, Chinese ambassador to his master Gob-Tou-Skong-Veu, Emperor of the Celestial Middle", (clarification at the end of the text: "Lich-Tong-Pif Mandarin de 1ère classe envoyé par l'Empereur du Céleste Empire pour étudier les mœurs françaises en 2866"), bound in full olive bradel, spine neutrally decorated and gilt, edges gilt (used condition), numerous small humorous illustrations in vignettes in the text - This is a tale mixed with scenettes and couplets, at the end the author stages himself : the enthusiastic audience calls for the author, and the stage manager replies: "The play we had the honor of performing before you is by Emile Bourdelin" (he is listed on the BNF website as an illustrator) - The work was printed in Paris by Vallée rue Breda.