Nobre, António | Presentation copy of Só, his poetry collection

Nobre, António

Só. [Colophon:] Paris: Léon Vanier, 1892

8vo (235 x 150 mm). Uncut. Inscription to front endpaper, half title; browning most significant to title and half title, light foxing to the margins. Twentieth century sheepskin, upper board with title, author, and date within ruled border all in blind, spine in six compartments, second and fourth with red morocco lettering piece in double-ruled gilt-borders and lettering, remaining repeat decoration in blind, edges of pastedown decorated in blind, marbled endpapers, original wrappers; soiling most significant to front endpapers and wrappers.

First edition, presentation copy inscribed by António Nobre: "Á Senhora / D. Carolinha Michaelis de Vasconcellos / com os meus mais altos respeitos. / Pariz, 12 Abril / 1892. Antonio Nobre." 

Unsuccessful in his studies at the University of Coimbra, Nobre moved to Paris to study political science. He became deeply influenced by French Symbolist poets and wrote Só as a result. This collection of poems of saudades and childhood remembrances met critical acclaim only after its republication in 1898, and would garner a following of Portuguese poets known as the Sosino generation (Geração dos Sós). 

The book's former owner, literary critic, lexicographer, and philologist, Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcelos, was the first female professor to teach at a Portuguese university. 

REFERENCES

Almeida Marques 1449; José Carlos Seabra Pereira in Biblos, III, 1136-42; Dicionário cronológico de autores portugueses, III, 52-4; Saraiva & Lopes, História da literatura portuguesa (16th ed.) pp. 1008-9; Bell, Portuguese Literature, 334

PROVENANCE

Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcelos