1937 Rare French First Edition - Lettres à un Jeune Poète by Rainer Maria Rilke

Author: Rainer Maria Rilke.
Title: Lettres à un Jeune Poète. Suivies de Réflexions sur la Vie Créatrice par Bernard Grasset.
Publisher: Paris, Bernard Grasset, 1937. First French Edition limited to 2552 copies. Here is #408/500 printed on Alpha-Navarre paper for the Press Service.
Language: Text in French.
Size: 7 x 4.5 inches.
Pages: 149 pages.
Binding: Very good original publisher's pale green printed wrappers; very well preserved, with only slight edgewear, light creasing, and minimal browning to the spine and edges. The paper remains supple, and the cover holds tightly (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover..
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, some light foxing and staining - as shown). This is a first French edition limited to 2,552 copies, here exemplaire S.P. (Service de Presse) No. 408 of 500 copies printed on Alfa Navarre paper for press distribution. Notable for its dedication by the publisher Bernard Grasset to the prominent French writer Léon Daudet, adding an important historical association. 

Estimate: (USD 350 - 500).

The book: First published in German in 1929, Briefe an einen jungen Dichter is a collection of ten letters written by Rainer Maria Rilke to the young poet Franz Xaver Kappus between 1903 and 1908. These deeply personal and philosophical letters offer timeless reflections on art, solitude, creativity, and the poet's inner life. The French translation, first appearing in this 1937 edition, was enriched by Bernard Grasset's own reflections on creative life, enhancing its literary importance. This copy, with a dedication to Léon Daudet, links two major figures of European literary culture.

The author: Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist, widely regarded as one of the most lyrically intense German-language poets. His work bridges the Romantic tradition and modernist anxieties, combining mystical insight with penetrating observations on existence. Letters to a Young Poet remains one of his most beloved works, offering enduring guidance to generations of readers.

The publisher: Bernard Grasset (1881-1955) was a key figure in 20th-century French publishing, founding the influential Éditions Grasset. Known for publishing important literary works, Grasset was instrumental in bringing international authors like Rilke to French readers. His personal dedication in this copy to Léon Daudet adds historical and literary value.

Provenance note: This copy's inscription to Léon Daudet (1867-1942), a notable French journalist, writer, and political figure, further enhances its desirability for collectors, connecting it to one of the most prominent literary personalities of early 20th-century France.