Romain ROLLAND

First edition of the French translation, one of 230 numbered copies on alfa paper.
With a preface by Romain Rolland.
A fine copy, the spine very slightly toned.

First edition, one of 12, 13, or 14 numbered copies on Whatman paper depending on the volume, the only deluxe paper copies. The first three volumes had no limited deluxe paper issue and are from an edition of 3,000 copies each. The Whatman copies are as follows:
- 12 copies for volumes seven, eight, nine, twelve, and thirteen,

- 13 copies for volumes four, five, six, ten, and eleven,

- 14 copies for the final four volumes.
Half dark brown morocco with bands, smooth spines, author, title, and volume numbers tooled in palladium, vellum-style boards, plain endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved for every volume, top edges in palladium (uncut for the Whatman copies), bindings signed by René Kieffer (binder’s stamp and label on the first endpaper of each volume). Head of vol. 2 lightly rubbed.

Copy belonging to Charles Péguy’s collaborator André Bourgeois, administrator of the Cahiers de la quinzaine (literary magazine which published this novel). It exceptionally contains valuable bound-in manuscript notes by Romain Rolland and Péguy.

This exceedingly rare set in first edition is handsomely bound by the great René Kieffer. It contains every volume issued on deluxe paper - these being "deuxième exemplaire de souche", i.e. name copies of the administrator after Charles Péguy's copy and before the printer's.

First edition of this issue of the pacifist journal founded by the socialist and anarchist activist Henri Guilbeaux.

Includes contributions by Romain Rolland, “La vérité dans le théâtre de Shakespeare”, Jean Jaurès, “Les causes de la guerre”, Gustave Dupin, “La guerre infernale”, Élie Reclus, “Lettre à Élisée Reclus”, and H. M. Swanwick, “Les femmes et la guerre” (conclusion)...

First edition, one of the 200 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper edition.
A stain on the front cover near the title, fading on the half-title page, shaded endpapers.
Rare copy with full margins.

Autograph letter dated and signed by Romain Rolland, 21 lines in blue ink, written from Villeneuve Schönbrunn.
Folding from postal dispatch, minor foxing.
Romain Rolland requests information necessary to properly draft the requested preface: "J'ai bien reçu les épreuves du volume, et je les ai lues. Il me manque encore les notes, qui me seront le plus nécessaires..."
He provides his Paris address on Boulevard du Montparnasse and informs his correspondent that he will be travelling for a few more days: "Je quitte Schoenbrunn, demain, et je ne saurais donner d'adresse stable, pour une quinzaine de jours." before turning to the Stendhalian task: "Pourriez-vous me communiquer le premier volume paru des oeuvres de Stendhal ? Cela me guidera un peu." [Can you send me the first volume of Stendhal's works? This will guide me a bit].