THE INVESTIGATION

"Quinola was the subject of a memorable battle, similar to that of Hernani"

In the 19th century, theater inspired the greatest artistic and political ambitions. Writers coveted the seductive power the stage exerted over all social classes. Through theater, Hugo launched the Romantic Revolution, Balzac sought fortune, Dumas fils wanted to equal his father, Sand reunited her family, Gautier set off in search of the ideal while Musset became disillusioned, Rostand reinvented eloquence whereas Zola and Flaubert joyfully received boos and whistles..

To this end, they introduced us to the most eccentric emissaries: a fallen nobleman, a witty bandit, a flowery lady, family puppets, a cross-dressed maiden, a murderous Medici, a Gascon poet, a drunken laundress, and a mediocre bourgeois...

To their authors’ dismay, these improbable heroes did not all achieve instant success but nonetheless became essential figures in our collective imagination.

This week, Edition-Originale highlights an inscribed copy beautifully capturing the grand theatrical adventure of the most ambitious and most unfortunate aspiring playwright: Honoré de Balzac.

FOCUS

Pierre GASSENDI. Animadversiones in decimum librum Diogenis Laertii qui est de vita, moribus placitiisque Epicuri, édition originale de 1649.

"The wise Gassendi, as admirable for his candor and virtues as for his erudition and philosophical knowledge, always made it his duty to give the Ancients the glory they deserved: sometimes he even gave them some of his own"

Abbé Batteux, Morale d'Epicure

OUR LATEST ACQUISITIONS

Walpole dance

All aboard De Principati-bus

Mai-Thu’s Hall of Frames

Abel pays tribute to the son of Cain

His name is Blas, Ruy Blas

Celine wins the Castle but loses the War

Dantan remains stone-faced

Don Quixote of la Frenchie

_______

Comte Antoine HAMILTON & Horace WALPOLE

Mémoires de Grammont

Edwards | London [1793]

Edition illustrated with 78 portraits, not 72 as stated on the title page, engraved by Harding and Voet, after the original paintings. 

Entirely printed on vellum.

A fine copy handsomely housed in an English morocco binding, of the most beautiful illustrated edition of this masterpiece described by Voltaire as “adorned with the most cheerful, lively, and pleasant style” (Siècle de Louis XIV).

> See more

Abel GANCE

Early autograph poem, signed, titled "La pluie" and dedicated to Baudelaire

[1907]

A mournful and beautiful poem, probably published in Abel Gance's only and very rare collection of poems “Un doigt sur le clavier", 1909 (A Finger on the Keyboard) when he set out to begin a theater career in Brussels.

Gance was deeply influenced by John Keats, Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud. Displeased with his creations, he put his poetic endeavors to a halt and returned from Brussels to Paris in despair.

> See more

Jean-Pierre DANTAN & Louis HUART & Théophile DEYEUX

Musée Dantan. Galerie des charges et croquis des célébrités de l'époque [Bound with] Le vieux chasseur

H. Delloye | Paris 1839

First edition for 'Musée Dantan', 100 portraits drawn and engraved by Maurisset after the curious sculptures by Jean-Pierre Dantan (known as Dantan Jeune). 100 captions opposite each engraving by Louis Huart. Nice issue on vellum.

An amusing gallery of caricatures including Balzac, Strauss, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Liszt, Paganini, Rossini, from the renowned library of Henri Béraldi, with his red morocco gilt stamped ex-libris.

> See more

Nicolas MACHIAVEL & Abraham Nicolas AMELOT DE LA HOUSSAYE

Le Prince

Chez Henry Wetstein | Amsterdam 1684

Second edition of historian Nicolas Amelot de la Houssaye's translation with an unsigned frontispiece portrait of the author by Ertinger.

A fine copy of one of the greatest masterpieces of political philosophy.

> See more

MAI-THU

Original signed and inscribed portrait 

1957 | 8,7 x 11,5 cm

Original portrait of the painter Mai Trung Thu, known as Mai-Thu, inscribed on verso with his emblematic monogram in colored pen.

The painter underwent several treatments in the 1950s for his tuberculosis, including one at the Sanatorium Universitaire Jacques Arnaud (mentioned by its acronym the inscription), where he met Father René Quéniart to whom he gifted this photograph.

> See more

Victor HUGO

Ruy Blas

H. Delloye | Paris 1838

First edition, first published in Hugo's complete works.

Romantic 3/4 morocco binding signed Petit, a nice copy.

Along with Hernani, Ruy Blas is Victor Hugo's most sought-after theater play.

> See more

Louis-Ferdinand CÉLINE

D'un château l'autre [Castle to Castle]

Gallimard | Paris 1957

First edition, one of 850 numbered copies on vélin labeur.

Publisher's boards after an original design by Paul Bonet.

Handsome copy with its original rhodoid see-through dust jacket.

> See more

Miguel de CERVANTES

Histoire de l'admirable Don Quichotte de la Manche

Chez Rigollet | Lyon 1738

New edition illustrated with 52 unsigned plates, including 6 frontispieces.

Contemporary roan binding.

New translation by Filleau de Saint-Martin, as Oudin's first translation had become obsolete, archaic and too literal. Interestingly, the translator changed the story's ending and chose to let the hero live - making this edition a French appropriation of Cervantes' masterpiece.

> See more

BROWSE ALL OUR NEW ACQUISITIONS