First edition of this Roman missal. Each text page within an engraved border containing multiple vignettes that change throughout the pages, after French manuscripts of the 15th century. Engraved title and 10 engravings in borders. The 5 chromolithographs may have been added, as they are not part of most copies. A frontispiece is sometimes mentioned, but the presence of a chromolithographic title with Curmer's name suggests they were added.
Contemporary full chocolate morocco Jansenist binding signed L. Curmer, in gold letters at the top of the first endpaper. Decorative gilt board-edges. All edges gilt. Scarlet silk endpapers with a monogram on the first endpaper. Light rubbing traces, corners and raised bands. Very handsome copy, with fresh paper.
Collection of all masses for the days of the year, holy days, Easter, Pentecost, etc...
First and only edition. This copy is one of the rare examples complete with the 64 full-page plates. The work is also illustrated with a title vignette depicting the artist Ambroise-Louis Garneray in a small boat, sketching the entrance to the port of Brest.
Contemporary binding of half tan sheep with corners, smooth spine richly decorated in gilt and blind with multiple large typographic tools, discreet restorations to the joints, marbled-paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
A magnificent work on the ports of France, and one of the finest collections ever produced on the subject.
The author of these highly precise engravings joined the navy at the age of thirteen and thereby witnessed numerous naval battles. From 1806 he was imprisoned for eight years in Portsmouth, using his captivity to study drawing and painting and to record the scenes he had observed during his voyages. Upon his return from the United Kingdom, Garneray became painter to the Duke of Angoulême, then Grand Admiral of France, later serving as director of the Rouen museum, and entering the Sèvres manufactory where he executed numerous maritime subjects.
His work, of remarkable delicacy and realism, was praised by Melville in Moby-Dick: "Who Garneray the painter is, or was, I know not. But my life for it he was either practically conversant with his subject, or else marvellously tutored by some experienced whaleman. The French are the lads for painting action."
Illustrated edition with a portrait of Jean Boccaccio as frontispiece to the first volume and 11 etched out-of-text engravings by Léopold Flameng, one of 600 copies on Holland paper in forme.
Half straw-yellow morocco bindings with corners, spines with five raised bands decorated with black fillets, gilt dates at foot, red morocco title and volume labels, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, top edges gilt, bindings signed by Canape-Helz.
Our copy is exceptionally enhanced with a suite of engravings executed by Gravelot.
Handsome set.
Autograph postcard signed by Jean Paulhan, 22 lines written in black ink addressed to Felia Leal the publisher of "Paroles transparentes", a work by Jean Paulhan decorated with 14 original lithographs by Georges Braque.
Central fold mark on the card which represents the painting by Georges Braque entitled: Cliffs and Boat.
Jean Paulhan asks for news of his correspondent: "Are you completely cured? What if it were me instead who came to your place?" and is amazed by the smallness of Parisian taxis: "These taxis for dwarf people are dreadful..."
From the narrowness of taxis, Jean Paulhan shifts to Gallimard's editorial timidity: "Imagine that G.G. keeps neither Blanchot, nor Noël Devaulx, nor... nor... [...] Basically G.G. is becoming Hachette and all the experience of the (young) nrf has to start over."
Ronéotype réalisé par Boris Vian de son manuscrit original, avec ajout autographe du titre : "Le penseur" et deux corrections autogrpahes, nouvelle initialement parue dans la revue Dans le train n°15, 1949, puis publiée dans le recueil posthume Le Loup-Garou en 1970.
Sans doute réalisé pour conserver une copie de sa nouvelle, avant l'envoi à la revue Dans le train, ce ronéotype du manuscrit originale signé a été conservé dans les archives de l'écrivain jusqu'à sa mort. les deux corrections autogrpahes et le titre au crayon semble indiquer que Boris Vian avait prévu une nouvelle publication.
Cette biogaphie express de la courte vie d'un philosophe de génie : Urodonal Carrier, était destinée à être lue le temps d'un trajet en transport en commun. Elle fait partie douze textes que Boris Vian publia entre 1948 et 1950 dans la revue humoristique Dans le train.
Provenance : Fondation Boris Vian.
Long autograph letter signed by Claude Farrère, approximately 160 lines in blue ink (8 pages on two double leaves), to his friend Pierre Louÿs thanking him notably for his thoughtfulness.
Traces of folds inherent to being placed in an envelope, envelope included.
Claude Farrère praises his friend's thoughtfulness towards him: "Thank you for your letter... not only because it is exquisite, - six times more than you can believe, - but much more because I know very well that you told it to me so as 'not to worry me...' as you say." and is amazed by the problems raised by these recent articles: "Said in parentheses, I am quite stunned by the one relating to controversial articles. Not only have I not written any."
He is more concerned about the suspicions he arouses regarding his alleged opium consumption: "I was informed by my own commander that the ministry, based on my first book, supposed that opium was not foreign to me. The same commander protested, arguing that, for so many months that I had served under his orders, he had absolute certainty that I had not committed the slightest sin! But I doubt that his word is very appreciated in Paris..." and about the hatred that an officer bears him.
Despite these problems, Claude Farrère wants to reassure his friend: "I want, my dear friend, for you to be absolutely at peace about me. I absolutely don't care myself." while lamenting that the latter is abandoning the south of France this year: "Tamaris without you, how do you expect the celestial mechanism to continue turning? And me (?) You would systematically push me to suicide. Don't forget that I'm writing a quite bloody book, and that I live in the iniquitous society of people who, for a half-yes or a quarter-no, disembowel themselves!"
He concludes his letter with new rumors concerning him: "Of course, Madame de X has gratuitously supposed horrible things: I am not the lover of the other lady from the milliner's. Come now! how could a young man such as myself, decent, and too well brought up (cf. Madame P.L.'s opinion) etc..."
Original autograph manuscript, 8 pages on 4 squared leaves, extensively revised and signed by Boris Vian. Subtle horizontal folds.
This short story, written on 7 June 1948 according to Noël Arnaud, was first published in issue no. 2 of the magazine Dans le train, and later included in the collection Le Loup Garou. The manuscript differs slightly from the printed versions.
