Maurice BLANCHOT

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, the sole deluxe issue.

Spine slightly sunned.

A rare and pleasing copy.

Autograph letter signed and dated, one page, from Maurice Blanchot addressed to the theater actress Marcelle Tassencourt, wife of Thierry Maulnier, 18 lines in black ink.
Central folds inherent to postal handling, envelope included.

Maurice Blanchot praises the acting performance of Marcelle Tassencourt who created, in 1944, the role of Antigone in Robert Garnier's play directed by her husband, Thierry Maulnier:  "... cette Antigone m'a beaucoup touché. Je ne croyais pas que la beauté des vers y fût capable d'une actrice aussi vivante. Que la vie et le style peuvent être à ce point associés, que l'harmonie engendrât l'horreur, et la beauté le déchirement, c'est que...

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on vellum pur-fil paper Johannot, deluxe copies ("tirage de tête").
Rare and beautiful copy.

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.

Three small wormholes and a clear dampstain to margin of upper cover, one joint cracked at foot.
Retaining its prière d'insérer. 
Very precious and moving autograph inscription signed and dated by Maurice Blanchot to his mother and sister: "Personne ne reçoit tant de Dieu que celui qui est entièrement mort. Saint Grégoire. Pour sa chère maman et sa vieille Marg, en toute affection. Maurice [No one receives God so fully as someone who is entirely dead. Saint Gregory. For his darling mother and old Marg, with all love. Maurice]."

First edition, one of 13 numbered copies on vélin pur fil Lafuma-Navarre paper, the only large paper copies.
A very good, unsophisticated copy. 

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Handsome, fine autograph inscription from Maurice Blanchot to Gaston Gallimard on ffep: "On ne s'arrête plus aux tables des heureux, puisqu'on est mort. (Charles Cros) / A Gaston Gallimard, ce livre destiné à écarter tout lecteur [One doesn’t stop any more at the table of the joyous, for one is dead. (Charles Cros) / To Gaston Gallimard, this book destined to drive away every reader]."
Two repaired tears to head of spine (slightly sunned), one tiny scratch to head of upper cover, paper yellowed at edges of some pages as usual, ffep repaired with small lack at foot. 

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Handsome and attractive autograph inscription from Maurice Blanchot to Gaston Gallimard : "... ce livre qui lui doit deux fois l'existence. / Quand je contemplai ceci, je soupirai et dis en moi-même : certainement l'homme est un balai. Swift […this book that owes him its existence doubly./ When I think about that, I sigh and say to myself: man truly is foolish.” Swift]"
Repaired tear to head of spine (lightly sunned), paper yellowed at edges of some pages, as usual.

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy. A handsome and moving autograph inscription from Maurice Blanchot to his brother, sister-in-law and nephews: "Qui m'a tué ma mort, c'est là ce que je demande. H. von Kleist ["Who killed my death, that is what I ask here. H. von Kleist”].
Covers and spine lightly sunned at edges (but not seriously). 

Autograph manuscript by the author, two and a half pages in-8, published in the issue of May 11, 1944 of the Journal des Débats. Complete manuscript in very dense handwriting, with numerous erasures, corrections, and additions. Literary column published on the occasion of the release of Gaston Bachelard's L'air et les songes. Accompanied by the complete typescript.

« L'homme est d'abord rêverie, puissance d'imaginer avant d'être sensibilité et raison », Blanchot’s analysis of this new essay by Bachelard provides an opportunity to confront the philosopher with the uncertainties of his theory, which tends to fragment in the plurality of its forms...