François VIDOCQ

Autograph letter signed by François Vidocq, dated in his hand November 12, 1837, on a double leaf, with the autograph address of the correspondent on the fourth page "Monsieur Pujol ancien directeur des Postes de Vendôme à Gournay, Enbray [Gournay-en-Bray] (Seine-Inférieure)". Numerous usual folds.

Fine printed letterhead detailing the services offered by his private detective agency: "20 FRANCS PAR ANNEE, Et l'on est à l'abri de la ruse des plus adroits fripons !" [for 20 francs a year, one is protected from the most cunning of scoundrels!] It bears the address of his agency, recently relocated to "Rue Neuve St Eustache, N°39" (manuscript notation). Vidocq had retained his former offices at "Rue du Pont-Louis-Philippe, N°20" (printed letterhead).

First edition.
Some light foxing. One hole affecting the text on page 395, the following leaf shows two repaired tears without loss.
Half black shagreen binding, smooth spine decorated with triple gilt compartments, black embossed paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, corners slightly bumped, contemporary binding.
Illustrated work, as frontispiece to the first volume, with a portrait of Eugène-François Vidocq by Eugène Devéria.
Manuscript signature of Eugène-François Vidocq below his portrait.
Our copy is exceptionally enhanced with a precision and manuscript modifications on the title page: he added "de Paris" after his patronymic and embellished the title of the work with parentheses and lines underlining each printed sentence; the title on the half-title page is also underlined.
Rare.

First edition.
Some small foxing.
Binding half red sheepskin, smooth back adorned with gilded arabesques, black titan title piece, marbled paper plates, guards and contreplats of handmade paper, marbled slices, Contemporary binding.
Illustrated book, frontispiece of the first volume, a portrait of Eugène-François Vidocq by Eugène Déveria.
Handwritten signature of Eugène-François Vidocq below his portrait.
Our copy is exceptionally enriched with 5 flyers of the agency Vidocq.