Paris: Frazier-Soye, 1927 December. First edition of the regulations and membership of the Parisian women’s bibliophilic club at its inception in 1927.

The Cent Femmes Amies Des Livres was a long-lived subscription society producing a series of limited edition books. Two of their earliest titles were by Colette and Camille Mayran. The first article of the club states “A Society is formed in Paris for an indefinite period which takes the name of “One Hundred Women Friends of Books”. The financial year begins on January 1 of each year.”

The club membership numbered 100 women at any one time and the statutes are followed by a list of the members and their addresses. The President, Madame [Docteur Antoinette] le Conte Boudville was a practising medical doctor and author, and members included the Comtesse de Noailles, Madame Funck-Brentano and the Princesse Ghika (née Hazel-Marie Paliner- Singer). Forty years of the club’s archives are housed at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Interestingly, married women are still listed by their husband’s name in the member list.

Paris: Frazier-Soye, 1927. 23.5 x 18cm. (ii), 27, (iii) pages. Softcover in original drab paper cover with faint marks, red and black title and decoration to cover. Uncut and mostly unopened pages. Slight loss to cover at spine and minor chipping to edges. In very good condition. Only one copy found in WorldCat. A rare and wonderful documentation of women bibliophiles and their book collecting pursuits.