DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945). Poems, Paris, 1896, 8vo, portrait of the author, early 20th-century tan half morocco gilt by Zaehnsdorf. FIRST EDITION. With the same author's Autobiography (London, 1929). (2)

DOUGLAS, Lord Alfred (1870-1945).  Poems [Poèmes]. Paris: Published by the Mercure de France, 1896. 8vo (182 x 118mm). Heliographed portrait of the author by Dujardin after Walter Spindler inserted as a frontispiece before the French title, titles in English and French, the original poems in English, the parallel prose versions in French (lightly browned at margins). Early 20th-century half tan morocco gilt by Zaehnsdorf, top edges gilt, others uncut, marbled endpapers, original wrappers in English and French bound in. Provenance: Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon (modern armorial bookplate loosely-inserted); T. H. Baker (pencil signature on front free endpaper). FIRST EDITION, published during the author's self-imposed exile in France after the trial and conviction of Oscar Wilde in 1895. Wilde is known to have owned a copy during his imprisonment in Reading Gaol. In his Autobiography (1929, p.130) - a copy of which is included in the lot (see below) - the author writes of his Poems (1896): "I do not myself possess a single copy of the book. Of those I had I gave away many, and the rest have disappeared. [Footnote: Since I wrote this my friend, Mr. A. J. A. Symons, has kindly presented me with a copy.] The book has been out of print for at least twenty years. One thousand copies were printed." With the same author's Autobiography (London, Martin Secker, 1929, large square 8vo, portrait frontispiece, original dark blue cloth lettered in gilt, without a dust-jacket [?as issued], FIRST EDITION). (2)