Henri BERNARDIN DE SAINT-PIERRE

First collected edition, partly first edition, illustrated with a frontispiece portrait by Girodet and 26 plates by Girodet, Desenne, Lafitte, Moreau le Jeune, Prudhon; Vernet and Isabey were even commissioned for the figures of Paul et Virginie. As in almost all copies, the plates have been bound in some disorder, as several sets of engravings bear the same numbering, but the whole is complete.
Half red Russia leather Bradel binding. Smooth spine decorated with fillets. Covers of paper imitating Russia leather. Scattered foxing. Some soiling to some covers but superb set with well-preserved binding.
Contents: Volumes 1 and 2: Voyage à l'isle de France (Mauritius), Voyage en...

New edition, illustrated with a frontispiece portrait after Girodet-Trioson, a map of the Atlantic hemisphere, and 6 steel engravings on strong paper by Corbuld in the second volume. Notes by the author and Aimé-Martin (Léfèvre Edition).
Contemporary full glazed calf binding in marine blue. Smooth spine decorated with a large romantic rocaille tool in vertical format, gilt title and volume number. Large decorative blind-stamped plate with Restoration motifs on the covers, with framing fillet. Interior frieze. Gilt edges. Fresh overall, with crisp white paper but some pale scattered foxing.
Very handsome copy, in superb condition.
Studies of Nature, with the fourteenth study...

First edition by Curmer and first printing.
Publisher's so-called "Oriental" binding, commissioned from Simier. Full red shagreen. Smooth spine decorated with a plate featuring orientalist motifs. Boards richly stamped with a large plate with a 6-pointed star at its center. Edges gilt. One missing stitch at the internal joint after the first board, without consequence. One missing stitch at the internal joint of the upper board causing slight play at the bottom of the first board, without consequence. Scattered foxing, unevenly distributed. Paper remained white. Tissue guards present. The endpaper covered with white moiré paper is detached at the end of the volume.
Old restoration...

Famous illustrated edition with nearly 450 wood-engraved vignettes, 29 plates printed on China paper, and 7 steel-engraved portraits after T. Johannot, Meissonnier, Iasbey, P. Huet.
Full bottle-green shagreen binding, smooth spine decorated with blind-ruled frame, gilt rocaille arabesque motifs and gilt bird and butterfly ornaments; gilt roulettes on headcaps; boards decorated with quadruple frame of gilt and blind fillets, gilt rocaille arabesque motifs and small gilt rose-branch ornaments applied in the corners; gilt roulette frame on pastedowns, central gilt bilobed cartouche enriched at angles with gilt romantic ornaments, gilt dentelle frame on pastedowns, white watered silk...

New edition.
Half green morocco binding, spine slightly faded with five raised bands set with black dots, decorated with double black compartments adorned with central gilt stars, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, near-contemporary binding signed by Allô.
Some minor foxing without consequence.

Famous illustrated edition with nearly 450 wood-engraved vignettes, 29 plates printed on China paper and 7 steel-engraved portraits after T. Johannot, Meissonnier, Iasbey, P. Huet.
Full cherry red morocco binding, smooth spine slightly faded decorated with a gilt cartouche embellished with gilt romantic arabesques, gilt roulettes on headcaps, one joint slightly cracked at head, frame of quadruple gilt and blind fillets on boards enriched at corners with gilt typographical motifs, central gilt bilobed cartouche enriched at angles with gilt romantic tools, gilt dentelle frame on pastedowns, white watered silk endpapers and pastedowns, double gilt fillets on edges, all edges gilt, some...

Charming illustrated edition with 7 plates, including a frontispiece.
Full red glazed calf bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt arabesques, two tiny holes at foot of joints, gilt roulettes on headcaps, boards framed with gilt fillet and arabesque, discoloration stains on boards of first volume, quadruple gilt fillets framing endpapers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets on leading edges, all edges gilt, elegant contemporary romantic bindings.
Some foxing.
Handsome copy elegantly bound in romantic binding.

First edition published in a small number of copies of this offprint.
Boards detached with small corner lacks, interior in good condition.
Rare.

First edition.
Contemporary half brown calf binding. Smooth spine with fleurons and fillets.
Following the convocation of the Estates-General in 1789 and recent events, the author expresses his reflections on the future of the people, the clergy, the king, the nobility... In the preamble, Bernardin de Saint Pierre expresses doubt regarding the decisions of the National Assembly, which alone cannot make just decisions for the people. His political reflection revolves around a balance of powers. The author's prose is characterized, even in this political essay, by a very personal accent of sincerity, the discourse being interspersed with many autobiographical touches.