Marcel PROUST

First edition, one of the 81 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe issue.

A handsome copy.

First edition, limited to 200 numbered copies.

Inner sides of the wrappers showing slight, harmless shadowing; a pleasing copy.

The volume includes two large folding leaves.

Signed presentation inscription by René Etiemble: "... ce produit d'un tout petit éditeur alexandrin, 'le scarabée', alias Etiemble."

First edition for each volume.

Fine copy of Du côté de chez Swann in first edition, second printing, with all identifying points (front cover dated 1913, table of contents present, no publisher's catalogue at end); copy in first edition bearing the mention "quatrième édition" for À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs (with the correct colophon dated November 30, 1918); although bearing the same colophon dated November 30, 1918, the 128 reimposed copies were not actually printed until a year later, together with the large paper copies of the Swann reissue; for the following 11 volumes, numbered copies on pur fil (wove paper), the only large paper copies apart from the reimposed ones.

The complete first edition of À la recherche du temps perdu comprises the first two volumes on ordinary paper with the particularities mentioned above, followed by deluxe copies for the subsequent volumes. These deluxe copies on pur fil are in the same format as the first two volumes.

Restorations with losses filled on the spine and boards of the first and second volumes, spine of third volume browned, small tears or slight losses of no consequence at foot of certain spines, rear board of fifth volume partially sunned, some foxing on fore-edge of sixth volume, manuscript ex-libris inscriptions in upper right corners of front cover and title page of first volume. This complete set of La Recherche comprises the following titles: Du côté de chez Swann, À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, Le Côté de Guermantes (2 volumes), Sodome et Gomorrhe (3 volumes), La Prisonnière (2 volumes), Albertine disparue (2 volumes), and Le Temps retrouvé (2 volumes).

Fine complete set, all volumes in first edition as published.

First edition on ordinary paper, without edition statement, bearing the correct colophon dated 30 November 1918.

The 128 deluxe paper copies would only be issued six months later, during the summer of 1919.

Light spotting to the margins of the endleaves, small l and a faint dampstain to the title page and following leaves, a bluish stain to the margins of pp. 339-340 inherent to the quality of the paper.

Bound in contemporary half forest-green morocco over corners, spine with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt date at foot, cat’s-eye patterned paper boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed by Huser.

A handsome copy in a well-executed binding.

First edition on ordinary paper, despite a false statement of third edition.
Handsome autohgraph inscription from Marcel Proust to René Boylesve.
This copy has a chemise and slipcase (with flaps) of half kaki morocco over marbled paper boards, spine very slighlty faded with bibliophilical gilt inscriptions to the foot, lined with liht green paper.
One very pale angular dampstain Mouillure angulaire très pâleto the first leaves.
Provenance : Heilbronn's library, with his ex libris.

René Boylesve découvre l'œuvre de Marcel Proust en 1913, à l'occasion de la parution du premier volume de la Recherche. D'abord dérouté par l'écriture proustienne, il se montre bientôt dithyrambique : « Notre œuvre, à nous, est ruinée par celle-là. Nous avons travaillé en vain. Proust supprime la littérature des cinquante dernières années. » (cité par GERARD-GAILLY Émile, « Note liminaire », dans BOYLESVE René, PROUST Marcel, Quelques échanges et témoignages, 1931, p. 24). Quant à Proust, l'admiration à l'égard de son aîné évoquée dans notre envoi n'est pas feinte ; ainsi quelques mois avant sa mort louait-il les romans de Boylesve, célébrant non seulement un « art en apparence si simple et qui dit tout » mais aussi « un perfectionnement suprême de technique » (PROUST Marcel, Correspondance, t.XX et XXI, 1991, p. 332 et 778).
Les deux hommes n'étaient pas proches mais correspondirent à partir de 1917. En faisant parvenir à Boylesve un exemplaire de ses Pastiches et mélanges, Proust dut le ravir : quand il n'écrivait pas, Boylesve était bibliophile. Ainsi, à propos d'un autre de ses ouvrages, Proust eut cette délicate attention : « J'avais une hésitation en ce qui concerne votre exemplaire. D'habitude, ceux qui sont tirés pour moi sans marque d'édition, sont un peu mieux que les "originales". Cette fois-ci, le "mieux" ne m'apparaît pas ; et comme je suis incapable de distinguer le "pur fil" du reste, je ne sais pas, des deux sortes d'exemplaires, ce qui est préférable. [...] Vous seriez mille fois gentil de me dire ce que vous voulez. C'est parce que je vous sais bibliophile que vous écris à propos d'un livre de moi, chose de peu d'importance [...]. » (PROUST Marcel, op. cit., t.XXII, p. 156-157)

"The interposition of the poem between painting and music has therefore proven to be an excellent conduit between the arts thanks to the fact that Hahn scrupulously respected the spirit of the poem while preserving his autonomy in his composition. The link between music and painting reveals itself after the other materials unite with each other; it is in this alliance that an astonishing complementarity then operates, desired on the soothing light of Albert Cuyp" (Nicolas Vardon)

"The interposition of the poem between painting and music has therefore proven an excellent conductor between the arts thanks to the fact that Hahn scrupulously respected the spirit of the poem while preserving his autonomy in his composition. The link between music and painting is revealed after the other materials unite among themselves; it is in this alliance that an astonishing complementarity then operates, sought upon the soothing light of Albert Cuyp" (Nicolas Vardon)

First edition on ordinary paper, with the false statement of “third edition,” complete with the errata bifolium.
Discreet repairs to the spine; a handsome copy as issued.
With a desirable signed presentation from Marcel Proust to the playwright Jacques Darval: “à Monsieur Jacques Darval / Hommage reconnaissant / Marcel Proust.” ["To Monsieur Jacques Darval / With grateful homage / Marcel Proust.”]
Darval, born Louis Valeton, authored several plays and numerous dance revues during the 1920s.

Autograph letter signed to Madame Catusse, 12,6x20,4cm, 3 pages on a double leaf.

Autograph letter signed by Marcel Proust, probably addressed to Madame Catusse. The recipient and date have been determined by Proust scholar Jean-Yves Tadié. Three pages in black ink on a double leaf edged in black. A fold inherent to the mailing.
A sombre and admirable letter steeped in Proustian melancholy. The future author of In Search of Lost Time feels more than ever the loss of his mother during the New Year period. The famously generous Proust also asks his faithful confidante Madame Catusse to buy a gift for the Straus couple, whose wife inspired the character of the Comtesse de Guermantes.

 
The end of 1907, apparent date of this letter alluding to the approaching New Year, marks the second holiday season spent without Madame Proust, who had died two years earlier: "New Year's Day is only an occasion for me - as if occasions were needed! -- to reminisce and weep". Proust had also expressed this sentiment in a letter to Anna de Noailles the year before ("New Year's Day had a terrible evocative power over me. It suddenly gave me back the memories of Maman that I had lost, the memory of her voice", February 1906). This fateful moment acted on Proust like a pernicious madeleine, at once a sensory reminiscence and an acute awareness of his loss. He would soon begin writing In Search of Lost Time to conjure up this mother figure whose absence would remain unbearable.

For the time being, Proust is busy writing a series of Pastiches for Le Figaro, "which were, in reality, only a penultimate detour before writing La Recherche" (George D. Painter). One of these Pastiches dealt with the swindle perpetrated on the president of De Beers in which Proust had invested. Imagining himself already ruined, he mentions these unfortunate circumstances in capital letters: "HAVE I REPORTED MY FINANCIAL DESASTERS TO YOU OVER THE TELEPHONE? ..." Overwhelmed by ailments, he is also plagued by one of his many asthma attacks "provoked or exasperated by these terrible fogs", forcing him into reclusion and even silence: "telephoning is very dangerous for me. And I'm also very tired when it comes to writing".

 
The recipient Mme Catusse was a friend of Proust's mother and became an invaluable support to the writer. Proust's prolific correspondence with the woman Ghislain de Diesbach had dubbed the writer's Notre-Dame-des-Corvées represents an inexhaustible resource of insights into his secret life and fears. Proust had called her in a panic during an aphasia attack suffered by his mother shortly before her death. As he became increasingly isolated after moving into 102 boulevard Haussmann the previous year, Proust sought her help in many matters, including the purchase of numerous gifts: "I would have liked to ask you if you had by any chance seen anything suitable for the Straus, although I always dislike coinciding with New Year's Day".

This sentiment would inspire a passage in The Captive castigating those same "New Year's Day presents" given to Madame Verdurin: "those singular and superfluous objects which still appear to have been just taken from the box in which they were offered and remain for ever what they were at first" (The Captive, C.K. Scott Moncrieff's Translation Edited and Annotated by William C. Carter, Yale University Press, 2023, p. 308). Known for his frenzied displays of prodigality, Proust overcomes his aversion to these occasional gifts. The smallest favor to the writer gave rise to extravagant expenses. Lawyer Emile Straus had probably helped the writer sort out his inheritance affairs: "I FEEL THAT THE NUMEROUS SERVICES PROVIDED TO ME BY MR. STRAUS CANNOT REMAIN WITHOUT THANKS, since I believe he would not accept a fee. If you happened to have seen something very pretty, in any genre, or any period, between 100 and 300 fr. I would gladly take it."

A precious demonstration of the "ever so strange and aggressive" Proustian generosity, making this letter a perfect demonstration of the link between friendship and money which would become a recurring theme throughout In Search of Lost Time.

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on Lafuma de Voiron and reimposed in quarto Tellière format, only deluxe copies ("tirage de tête").
Spine and cover slightly and marginally sunned.
Nice copy.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies printed on pure Lana vellum, the only large paper copies.
Fine copy.
Text established, presented and annotated by Anne Borrel and Jean-Pierre Halévy.

First edition including all the features of the first issue for Du Côté de chez Swann (Grasset printing error on the title-page, front cover with the date 1913, missing contents table, publisher's catalogue at rear). First edition on ordinary paper, one of the very rare first edition copies without a statement of edition for A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, from an edition of about 500 copies. Following volumes in first numbered editions on pur fil, only deluxe copies after the "réimposés".

Few small tears along the lower edge and a small crease mark to the upper cover of Du côté de chez Swann, with some foxing to the first two leaves; spine very faintly sunned and a marginal dampstain affecting three leaves not affecting the text in Du côté de Guermantes I; foxing to the inscribed leaves and opening leaves of Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I and Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1, the latter with a small mark to the spine; marginal foxing to Sodome et Gomorrhe II-3; small lacks of paper at the foot of the spine and one at the lower right corner of the upper cover of La Prisonnière I; a small mark to the upper cover and a tiny tear at the foot of the spine of the first vol. of Albertine disparue; spine sunned and a discreet crease at the corner of the upper cover of the first vol. of Le Temps retrouvé, and a small mark to the lower cover of the last two volumes.
Complete collection of In Search of Lost Time including two important and precious presentation copies, signed and inscribed by Marcel Proust to Lucien Descaves, founding member of the Académie Goncourt:
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectueux hommage de l'auteur. / Marcel Proust” [to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectful tribute from the author. / Marcel Proust] on Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I.
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiratif hommage. / Marcel Proust ” [to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiring tribute. / Marcel Proust] on Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1.

First edition, an ordinary paper copy.
The three volumes are housed in a full black morocco case, spine ruled in blind, date at foot, inside lined with khaki sheepskin, by Goy & Vilaine.

Handsome copy inscribed by Marcel Proust to Henri Massis in the first volume: 
“En témoignage de très vive sympathie Marcel Proust [a gesture of very fond affection].”

First edition, rare first issue copy (printing error in the Grasset imprint, original soft cover dated 1913, publisher's catalog in-fine, no table of contents) for the first volume; first issue of à l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs without statement of edition, one of about 500 copies, the 2000 later issued copies bearing a false statement of edition on the cover, pasted label "majoration temporaire cinquante pour cent" on the spine of the preserved soft cover; first editions on pur fil for the following volumes, the only grands papiers (deluxe copies) with réimposés quarto copies. 
Famous misprint known as "la faute à Grasset": most important printer's error, only present on service de presse (advance copies) and very first issue copies of Swann. A vertical bar | had slipped between Grasset's E and T on the lower part of the title-page and was quickly removed during printing. 17 deluxe copies - 5 on japon and 12 on hollande - were printed after first issue corrections. 
No statement of edition: true feature of first issue copies of à l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs. Although dated 30 November 1918, the 128 "réimposés" copies were only printed in 1919 along with deluxe copies of the Swann second edition.
The complete first edition, first issue of à la recherche du temps perdu includes the first two volumes on ordinary paper with the above-mentioned particularities, then deluxe copies for the following volumes. These deluxe copies on pur-fil are of the same format than the first two volumes.
Discreet restorations to the first volume, spine slightly wrinkled as usual for the second volume, a small stain to the spine of the third volume, two slight lacks of paper at the bottom of the third and fourth volumes, some minor foxing to some edges.
This complete collection of In Search of Lost Time includes the following titles: Du Côté de chez Swann, A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, Le Côté de Guermantes (2 volumes), Sodome et Gomohrre (3 volumes), La Prisonnière (2 volumes), Albertine disparue (2 volumes) and Le Temps retrouvé (2 volumes).

Precious set, as issued, all in first edition.

Autograph letter signed by Marcel Proust, two pages written in black on two leaves of watermarked "Imperial diadem" paper, with his autograph address "102 boulevard Haussmann". The two leaves are detached along the fold, a usual trace of horizontal fold, adhesive trace on the back.
Not included in his correspondence edited by Philip Kolb.

Interesting letter of thanks by Marcel Proust, after receiving autographs from his correspondent's grandfather.


"Sir,
You were very kind to have our friend Mr. [Constantin] Ullmann send these autographs of your grandfather. I would thank you at greater length if I were not extremely unwell tonight. I am enclosing with this note the one hundred francs that I owe you and that you would be so kind as to acknowledge receipt (...)"

[Monsieur, 
Vous avez été mille fois bon de faire remettre par notre ami M. [Constantin] Ullmann ces autographes de Monsieur votre grand-père. Je vous remercierais plus longuement si je n'étais ce soir extrêmement souffrant. Je joins à ce petit mot cent francs que je vous dois et que vous seriez bien gentil de m'accuser réception (...)]

First edition including all the features of the first issue for Du Côté de chez Swann (error with Grasset, first board with the date 1913, missing contents table, publisher's catalogue in-fine). First edition on ordinary paper, one of the very rare first without mention copies for A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, of which there were only around 500 copies printed. First numbered editions on pur fil, only deluxe copies after the reimposed for the following volumes.
Complete collection of In Search of Lost Time with two important and precious autograph inscriptions signed by Marcel Proust to Lucien Descaves, founding member of the Académie Goncourt:
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectueux hommage de l'auteur. / Marcel Proust” “to Monseiur Lucien Descaves. / Respectful tribute from the author. / Marcel Proust” on Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I.
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiratif hommage. / Marcel Proust ” “to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiring tribute. / Marcel Proust” on Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1.

Les Plaisirs et les Jours

First edition on ordinary paper, illustrated with drawings by Madeleine Lemaire including 14 inset, preface by Anatole France and scores by Reynaldo Hahn.

Bound in half red shagreen, spine in five compartments, marbled endpapers, large gilt lace tooling frame on the inner covers, wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, gilt fillet on the leading edges, contemporary binding signed by Franz.

Exceptional handwritten dedication signed by Marcel Proust to the painter Jean Béraud followed by a long, entirely unpublished, handwritten, artistic profession of faith by Marcel Proust disguised as a false quotation “extrait[e] d'un vieux livre d'esthétique” (“extract from an old aesthetic book”).

Copy enriched with a signed original watercolour by Madeleine Lemaire.

First Edition, one of 129 numbered copies on laid Lafuma Navarre and re-imposed in Tellière quarto format, deluxe copy ("tirage de tête").
Nice copy.