Charles BAUDELAIRE

Rare first edition of the first series of Le Parnasse contemporain featuring works by thirty-seven poets, most of them previously unpublished, issued in 18 parts.

The fifth part, devoted entirely to Charles Baudelaire, contains the first appearance in print of several poems from his Nouvelles fleurs du mal: Epigraphe pour un livre condamné - Madrigal triste - L'avertisseur - Le rebelle - Bien loin d'ici - Recueillement - Le gouffre - Les plaintes d'un Icare, together with some of the poems also published in the Epaves.
The collection also includes the earliest works...

First edition of Le Parnasse contemporain, a rare complete set of all three series, published in 1866, 1869-1871 and 1876, featuring works by some one hundred poets, most of them previously unpublished.

The first series includes the first printing of several poems from Charles Baudelaire's Nouvelles fleurs du mal, in the fifth instalment, which is devoted entirely to him: Epigraphe pour un livre condamné - Madrigal triste - L'avertisseur - Le rebelle - Bien loin d'ici - Recueillement - Le gouffre - Les plaintes d'un Icare, together with some of the poems published in the...

First edition, printed on vélin d’Angoulême, with the usual typographical errors, and containing the six banned poems; one of the few author’s copies “intended for friends who render no literary services”.

Full bordeaux red morocco binding, spine with five raised bands richly decorated with multiple gilt- and blind-tooled fillets; third-state covers; boards framed with multiple blind-tooled fillets; marbled endpapers; gilt turn-ins; all edges gilt; marbled paper slipcase with morocco border; signed binding by Semet & Plumelle.

First appearance of the 18 poems by Charles Baudelaire published on pages 1079–1093 of the Revue des Deux Mondes, showing numerous variations from the text of the first edition issued in 1857 by Poulet-Malassis & De Broise.

Full black shagreen binding, smooth spine, double blind-ruled borders on covers, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, slightly later binding.

A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, review copy.

Nice copy.
Signed autograph Andre Suares Georges Le Cardonnel: "... that should all read & do not think less ..."

Third edition, partly original, expanded with 25 poems, along with a lengthy introduction by the poet Théophile Gautier and several articles and letters by Barbey d'Aurevilly, Dulamon, Sainte-Beuve, Charles Asselineau, Custine, Edouard Thierry et Émile Deschamps selected by Baudelaire.
With a steel-engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by Nargeot.
One of the rare first issue copies with the correct date of 1868 on the title and without statement of edition.
This comprehensive edition contains 25 unpublished poems, totaling 151 poems (100 poems in the 1857 edition). Among the new poems, eleven are from Les Épaves.
Although...

First edition printed on vélin d'Angoulême. Complete copy with the six banned poems and the usual misprints.

Half shagreen binding, spine with four raised bands twice ruled in gilt with gilt fleurons, marbled paper boards, marbled pastedowns and flyleaves, contemporary binding. Some foxing scattered foxing.  

Autograph letter signed by Charles Baudelaire, addressed to Antoine Arondel, written in black ink on a single sheet of blue paper.
Folds typical of mailing; minor losses expertly restored without affecting the text; a small tear on the signature discreetly repaired. This letter is transcribed in Correspondance I of Baudelaire (Pléiade, p. 277) and dated by Claude Pichois to May 1854.
In it, Baudelaire sends theatre tickets to his art dealer Antoine Arondel — a notorious and unscrupulous character who exploited the poet’s boundless taste for fine arts...

First edition, one of 1,040 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe issue apart from 30 copies on pur fil paper.
Publisher's binding after an original design by Mario Prassinos.
Notes by Michel Leiris.

Headcaps slightly rubbed and split, with no serious damage.

First edition, one of 210 numbered copies on Lafuma Madagascar paper, this copy unnumbered.

A fine copy.

Fine presentation copy, warmly inscribed and signed by Paul Valéry to his friend Ronald Davis, bookseller, publisher and bibliophile: "A Ronald Davis, échange, selon le Magicien d'Aladin, d'une vieille lampe contre une neuve ! Paul Valéry."

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on imperial Japan paper, this copy no. 1, from the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First edition of the Petits poëmes en prose, later entitled Le Spleen de Paris – Petits poëmes en prose. Second edition of Les Paradis artificiels.

Some foxing, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume.
Contemporary half black shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with gilt tools, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, corners slightly rubbed.
The half-title bears the designation: "Oeuvres complètes". The work was issued separately, either on its own or as the fourth volume of the complete works, the publication of which extended over several...

The second édition originale on ordinary paper. Fifteen hundred copies had been printed, plus 4 on chine paper, a few copies on hollande and on vélin.
Complete with the portrait of the author by Félix Bracquemond (often missing), here in first state on papier chine pasted on the page (before letters, i.e. “L'Artiste” on top of the portrait).
Orange half cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine double ruled in gilt, gilt date at foot, slightly scratched brown shagreen title-label, marbled paper boards, slightly later 19th-century binding.

Mistakenly considered as “partly original”, this edition was entirely...

The second édition originale on ordinary paper. Fifteen hundred copies had been printed, plus 4 copies on chine paper, and a few other copies on hollande and on vélin.
Half brown morocco, slightly sunned spine with five raised bands, marbled paper boards double ruled in gilt, mould made paper pastedowns and endpapers, gilt top edge. Foxing. Complete with the portrait of the author by Félix Bracquemond (often missing), here in second state on papier chine pasted on the page.

Mistakenly considered as “partly original”, this edition was entirely revised by the author, with 35 newly composed poems and 55 “deeply rewritten” poems [profondément...

Autograph letter signed by Charles Baudelaire to Narcisse Ancelle, written in black ink on a sheet of blue paper.

Folds from mailing, three minute pinholes not affecting the text.

This letter was transcribed in the Complete Works volume 11 published in 1949 by L. Conard.

A moving letter from Brussels addressed to the celebrated family notary who became in 1844 Charles's legal guardian, charged with managing his annuity and his exponential debts. A...

First edition, one of 50 copies printed anonymously on papier japon.
First edition, one of 50 copies printed anonymously on papier japon.
Illustrated with an erotic frontispiece by Félicien Rops on chine.
Custom chemise and slipcase in half morocco and paper boards signed Boichot, some discreet restorations to the spine and covers, some discreet restorations to the top margin of the frontispiece, not affecting the engraving.
“La Présidente”, honorary nickname given to Apollonie Sabatier (alias Aglaëe Savatier, her real name), was one of the most captivating Salon hostesses of the 19th century. She inspired an ethereal love in Baudelaire who...

First edition, of which only 500 copies were issued. With an etched frontispiece portrait of Théophile Gautier by Émile Thérond.

With a substantial prefatory letter by Victor Hugo.

Full red morocco binding, gilt date at the foot of spine, marbled endpapers, Baudelairian ex-libris from Renée Cortot’s collection on the first endpaper, wrappers preserved, top edge gilt. Pale foxing affecting the first and last leaves, beautiful copy perfectly set.

First edition, printed on vélin d'Angoulême paper, with the usual misprints and including the six condemned poems, one of the few copies given to the author and “intended for friends who do not deliver literary services”.
Full emerald morocco binding, signed by Marius Michel, original wrappers preserved.

Autograph letter signed by Charles Baudelaire, written in pencil and addressed to his mother. Dry-stamped stationery of the Grand Hôtel Voltaire, Faubourg Saint-Germain. Address to Madame Aupick in Honfleur (Calvados) in the author's hand, together with several postal markings dated 13 and 14 July 1858. Several underlinings, deletions and corrections by Baudelaire. Trace of a wax seal bearing Charles Baudelaire's initials in pencil, probably in the author's hand. A small portion of the second leaf has been excised, with no loss of text.
This letter was first published in the Revue de Paris on 15 September 1917.
From the former collection of...

Autograph letter signed in black ink, addressed to his mother and dated “Sunday morning the 14th.” A few underlinings, deletions and corrections by the author.
Formerly in the collection of Armand Godoy, n°188.
A fading Baudelaire: “The state of disgust in which I find myself makes everything seem even worse.”
Drawn by the promise of epic fame, Baudelaire went to Belgium in April 1864 for a few conferences and in the hope of a fruitful meeting with the publishers of Les Misérables, Lacroix and Verboeckhoven. The meeting didn't...

First edition printed on vélin d'Angoulême, complete with the six banned poems. Wrapper in third state according to Carteret’s classification.

3/4 red half morocco bindings, boards framed with a gilt fillet, spine in five raised bands with title and author gilt-stamped, compartments tooled with a small gilt thistle device, original wrappers and spine preserved, combed endpapers and flyleaves, top edge gilt, binding signed Victor Champs.

Wrappers backed, two minute marginal tears to the upper wrapper expertly restored, and a small paper loss to the spine, copy virtually free from foxing.

Exceptionally rare first-issue copy bearing, in addition to the...

First edition, one of 75 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

Critical edition established by Jacques Crépet and Georges Blin.

Two sunning marks at the head and foot of the spine.

A scarce and pleasing copy.

First edition on vélin d'Angoulême (laid paper), complete with all six banned poems, with the usual typographical errors.
Contemporary red half sheepskin binding, spine with four raised bands framed in gilt adorned with gilt fleurons, red glazed calico boards, marbled endpapers, speckled edges.

First edition printed on vélin d'Angoulême. Complete copy with the six banned poems and every misprint on page 29, 31, 43, 45, 108, 110 and 217 specific to first edition copies, except for the error to "s'enhardissant" on page 12, corrected at the beginning of printing. Very rare cover in "first state" (Jean de Schelandre 1385-1636 on the second cover and the price of 3 frs on the spine). Small marginal tears to the covers, discreet restorations to the spine, rare and light scattered foxing attesting to the original condition of the copy, unwashed and unglued unlike most copies.
Our copy is housed in a custom clamshell box with the design of the original cover and spine, signed...

Third edition and the last revised by the author, partly original as 25 poems appear here for the first time, bringing the total to 151 poems (as against 100 in the 1857 edition). Copy of the second issue, with a title page dated 1869 and bearing the statement of third edition.
Illustrated with a steel-engraved portrait of Charles Baudelaire by Nargeot as frontispiece.
A few minor spots of foxing, as often encountered.
The upper cover and the half-title page bear the wording: "Oeuvres complètes". According to Clouzot, the volume was sold either separately on its own or as the first volume of the collected works, whose publication extended over several years.
It should...

The Flowers of Evil. Interpretations by Odilon Redon
Edmond Deman, Brussels 1891, 16.4x22.1cm, loose leaves.

First edition in this size, reduced from the 1890 issue in large format. One of 10 copies on japon paper of this suite of 9 etchings, most limited deluxe copy (tirage de tête) with 10 on chine. With a table of contents, under a half green cloth publisher's slipcase with flaps, vignette printed on the lower board, missing ribbons. Spine and headpieces rubbed, inner margin of first cover shaded.

Exceptional set of prints on japon by Odilon Redon, superb symbolist "interpretations" of Baudelaire's masterpiece. The drawings from...

Third edition, expanded with 25 new poems. One of the very few deluxe copies on hollande paper, only deluxe issue. In its original wrappers, as issued, skilfull restorations to spine and first cover, some letters of the spine title restored. Some foxing to the first few leaves. 
With a steel-engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by Nargeot and a lengthy introduction by the poet Théophile Gautier along with an addenda selected by Baudelaire containing articles and letters from 1857 by Barbey d'Aurevilly, Dulamon, Sainte-Beuve, Charles Asselineau, Custine, Edouard Thierry and Émile Deschamps.

Like all first issue copies, the cover is dated 1869...

First edition of Baudelaire's Petits poëmes en prose later published by the better-known title Le Spleen de Paris - Petits poëmes en prose. One of the very rare copies printed on hollande, only deluxe issue (‘grands papiers').
With a preface to the collection by the author, derived from a letter to Arsène Houssaye, in which he articulates his ambitions for the prose poems. The poems are followed in this volume by the second edition of Paradis Artificiels.
This edition was used as the fourth volume of Baudelaire's complete works, as stated “œuvres complètes” on the cover. It was also sold...

The second édition originale on ordinary paper. Fifteen hundred copies had been printed, plus 4 on chine paper, a few copies on hollande and on vélin. Complete with the portrait of the author by Félix Bracquemond (often missing), here in first state on papier chine pasted on the page (before letters, i.e. “L'Artiste” on top of the portrait).
A very rare copy with untrimmed margins and no foxing, preserved in its original soft cover; housed in a custom clamshell box with the design of the original cover and spine, signed by Julie Nadot.

Mistakenly considered as “partly original”, this edition was entirely...