Description

ORIGINAL FRENCH EDITION 7 short stories translated by Jeanne Chalençon, Jean de Bail, Mme P. B [Mimi Bourget] and Alfred Saint-André.
The first news, The directors, which gives the title to this collection, is in The first edition was written in French by the author. 

RARE AUTOGRAPH SIGNED LETTER in French :

"Offered to
Mrs Langweil
by the author
Edith Wharton
November 1909"

Florine Langweil (1861-1958), philanthropist and collector, was one of the leading experts in Asian art at the beginning of the 20th century. Her clients and admirers included many artists, writers and politicians. In 1897, Edith Wharton published The Decoration of Houses, a manual of interior with the architect Ogden Codman, a renowned collector of Chinese art, it was perhaps at the origin of the meeting of the two women. Like Edith Wharton, Florine Langweil was involved in the First World War, founding and setting up a charity in her home to help refugees, The Renaissance of fireplaces in Alsace and organised exhibitions in aid of the French army. For her actions during the war, she was awarded the Légion d'Honneur in 1921, as Wharton had been in 1916.