Silberner Polsterabend Scherz

1921. Hardcover. Very Good. Exquisite and delightful manuscript account of a happy and prosperous marriage made as a commemoration on its Silver Anniversary, which occurred in 1921. Folio. 38 by 27.5 cm. 10 leaves on card stock, with original watercolored artwork on each page. Blue felt bevelled binding with stalks of tall grass painted in silver on the cover. The grass design repeats on the title page, with the addition of cherubs and a highly ornamental painted placard bearing the title -- this placard is suspended from a stalk and held by one of the cherubs. The account begins with a young man Vienna leaving his love behind as he travels to Lyon. We are told how he misses his beloved, and so follows their wedding in 1896. A stock market crash then leaves the desperate groom concerned about their future. The young family return to Vienna, where he becomes a workaholic as his wife tends to the home, filling it with bric-a-brac that speaks to their material well being. Finally there comes the anniversary celebration and the happiness from seeing their children grown and settled. This brief account doesn't do justice to the verse or paintings. The account is really just a few snapshots of their lives, using words and pictures which work together to bring a dream-like glow to the reminiscences. Each page is framed by a decorative band of primarily blue, set off by a floral festoon within it. Most pages have two illustrations, with the verse written by a calligraphic hand. The illustrations are filled with a vigor and energy -- they almost seem to float above or hover over the page. We would guess that the anniversary couple's surname was Labin, based on a door sign in the office scene, and the company the husband worked for was named Abadie, which may have been based in Paris. Beyond that, we can not speak more specifically about the parties. Condition: the felt is rubbed and slightly sunned on front. The silver design is somewhat faded. Soiling along the bevelled edge. The contents are clean and bright.