LAFORGUE (Jules) : Les Complaintes. Paris, Léon Vanier, 1885. One volume. 11 by 18,3 cm. 147 pages. Full black morocco, 5 ribbed spine, all edges gilt, covers and spine preserved, bordered slipcase, interior framing, with a gilt fillet, fillet on the edges. Binding signed PL MARTIN. A copy in exceptional condition. If one must look for defects at all costs, to avoid perfection, we indicate a small rubbing on the bottom of the preserved cover, and a slight discoloration of the edges of the slipcase. First edition, printed in an edition of only 511 copies on strong vellum. Les Complaintes is Laforgue's first published collection of poetry. Poorly received by contemporary critics, it was nevertheless to "take its revenge abroad first of all, where he was the undisputed master of the Italian 'crepuscular' poetic movement around 1900, and the inspiration behind two of the greatest Anglo-Saxon poets of the twentieth century, T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pound". An exceptional copy, in the binding of one of the greatest bookbinders of the 20th century, Pierre Lucien MARTIN. A simple binding, whose perfection is nevertheless apparent at first glance... For collectors.