At-ten-tion Bar-riè-re Che-min de fer

Paris: René Touret, 1937. Evocative French ABC coloring book, printed in interwar Paris. The striking cover image depicts a steam train hurtling toward a closed gate, syllabically spelling out the warning “At-ten-tion Bar-riè-re Che-min de fer” as the final cars tunnel through the “C” of “Chemin.” Each letterform in the book appears in a serif capital, a lower case, and a cursive example, accompanied by a corresponding word printed in smaller caps or cursive. Most letters are illustrated with one image, but five feature two: A (Abat-jour and Aéroplane), N (Nid and Narcisse), T (Tente and Tortue), U (Urbu and Urne), and Z (Zèbre and Zig-Zag, illustrated (truncated) by a girl pivoting her bicycle to avoid running over her doll.) O is represented by three examples: Oie, Oeuf, and Ours. No copies located in OCLC. A near-fine copy of an uncommon and delightful French abecedarium, never colored. Side-stapled volume, measuring 12.25 x 9.5 inches: [16]. Original color pictorial wrappers. Color and grey-printed letters and illustrations throughout text. Soft creasing and light wear to wrappers, first page and rear wrapper toned. (Inventory #: 1003712)