Un Coup de des jamais n'abolira le hasard

1914. MALLARMÉ, Stephane. Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard. Folio, original wrappers, in a new morocco-backed sleeve and slipcase by Devauchelle. folding box. Paris: Éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française, 1914. An immaculate copy of this legendary precursor of twentieth century avant-garde book design. Mallarme's poem first appeared in the May 1897 issue of the magazine Cosmopolis, and was not published in book form until 1914, long after Mallarme's death. The poem appeared in the magazine with the following preface: "Wishing to be as eclectic in literature as in politics and to justify itself against the reproach that it has been made of ignoring the new French poetic school, the editorial staff of Cosmopolis offers its readers a previously unpublished poem by Stéphane Mallarmé, the undisputed master of symbolist poetry in France. In this work of an entirely new character, the poet has tried to make music out of words. A kind of general leit-motif which unfolds constitutes the unity of the poem: accessory motives come to group themselves around him. The nature of the characters used and the position of the blanks make up for the musical notes and intervals. This essay may find contradictors: no one will fail to recognize the author's singular effort of art and will not fail to be interested in it." They surely could not have imagined the profound influence the poem would have on so many aspects of twentieth century art and literature from Cubism, Futurism, Dada and Constructivism to Surrealism. Extremely rare in such immaculate condition. One of the large paper copies issued in an edition of 90 copies.