Henry MURGER

Illustrated edition with coloured plates by André Gill.
Each title page is decorated with a border by Eugène Grasset.
Half brown sheep binding, spine with four raised bands adorned with gilt friezes and decorated with double gilt fillets, some rubbing to spine, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Handsome interior condition despite some light foxing.

Autograph letter signed by Henry Murger, 5 lines in black ink, to a publisher, apologizing for a delay beyond his control.
Some foxing. Traces of postal stamp in upper portion of the sheet.
"Comme on est venu chercher ma copie un peu tard, [...] insistez je vous prie pour qu'il me les fasse adresser" (As they came to collect my copy rather late, [...] please insist that he have them sent to me)

New illustrated edition in first printing with a frontispiece and 12 etchings by Alphonse Bichard. Edition printed in 118 copies "pour les amis des livres". The first 100 copies bearing the names of subscribers. This one to Monsieur Bouret, No. 52. All engravings in double state, before and after lettering. Printed on Arches laid paper.
Full brown morocco binding signed on the rear pastedown by Wampflug. Jansenist spine with raised bands. Author, title, place and date in gilt. Top edge gilt. Wide inner decorative border. Uncut copy, full-margined, perfectly fresh.
Copy from the Ader sale of Jacques Crépineau's library, with the Ader bookmark reproducing Crépineau's bookplate.

Edition illustrated with 40 original watercolors by Charles Léandre engraved by Eugène Decisy, one of 40 numbered copies on Arches vellum, deluxe edition after 35 on Japan blanc.
Full red morocco binding, spine with four raised bands set with black fillets, gilt date at foot, gilt roulettes on headcaps, frame of gilt fillet on the pastedowns in full mint green morocco, red watered silk endpapers, following endpapers of pebbled paper, all edges gilt, covers and spine preserved, slipcase with morocco entry, pebbled paper boards, brown felt interior, superb contemporary binding signed by Semet & Plumelle.
Our copy contains both states of all the illustrations and the decomposition of...

First edition.
Full hazel cardboard binding, smooth spine decorated with blind fillets, boards slightly and marginally discolored, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Occasional light foxing.

New edition.
Full cloth Bradel binding in almond-colored percale, smooth spine slightly faded decorated with a gilt floral motif, double gilt fillet and date at foot, burgundy shagreen title-label, binding cold-stamped signed by Pierson.
Some minor foxing.

First French edition, the first having appeared the year before in Brussels, published by Lebègue.
Half navy blue shagreen over marbled paper boards, spine (very slightly faded) in six compartments a little rubbed (but not significantly), marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
A very rare autograph inscription signed by Henry Murger to his friend Michel Carré on half-title.
A tiny lack at the center of one pastedowns, a little light insignificant foxing, marginal trace of a label to half-title.

First edition.
Contemporary half-sheep binding in caramel, smooth spine decorated with gilt and blind fillets.
Some light foxing.

Published before the first edition.
Rare.
Softcovers, as issued. Spine soiled.

First edition.
Spine cracked at foot, marginal lack at foot of second cover, some foxing.

First edition, one of the Service de Presse (advance) copies.
Autograph inscription by the author.
With a photographic portrait of H. Murger by Nadar as frontispiece.
Spine sunned, otherwise handsome copy.

New edition.
One cracked joint, light spotting to boards, some foxing.