Liège (Belgique)

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on tinted vellum, the only printing after 1 on Japon and 5 on Madagascar.
Bradel binding in half black morocco with corners, smooth spine, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, original wrappers preserved, gilt top edge.
A pleasing copy, handsomely bound.
Publisher's autograph signature at the colophon.

Charming edition illustrated with a frontispiece, a framed title and 9 half-page illustrations, reproducing vignettes by Fokke after De Sève - with the final illustration for L'Adroite Princesse, newly added. 

Complete with the Épître dédicatoire by P. Darmancour [Charles Perrault] to 'La Grande Mademoiselle', Anne-Marie d'Orléans, cousin of Louis XIV.

Half-sheep binding, smooth spine ruled in gilt, and a diagonally stamped gilt title. Beige paper boards, speckled edges. Small paper defect in the margin of page 75, scattered foxing, a small brown stain affecting the illustration of Cinderella. A name written in ink in the lower margin of page 21.
 
This edition contains eight famous tales by Perrault: Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), Les Fées (The Fairies), La Barbe Bleue (Bluebeard), La Belle au bois dormant (Sleeping Beauty), Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots), Cendrillon (Cinderella), Riquet à la Houppe (Ricky of the Tuft), and Le Petit Poucet (Hop-o'-My-Thumb), as well as The Clever Princess or Finette by his niece Marie-Jeanne L'Héritier de Villandon, wrongly attributed to Perrault. The collection ends with La Veuve et ses deux filles, by Marie Leprince de Beaumont.
 
Cohen 789; Brunet Supplément, II, 206 ;
Provenance: Henry Betrand library, blind stamp on verso of frontispiece.

First edition printed in 36 copies with a frontispiece portrait of the author, one of 30 numbered copies on vellum, the only issue after 1 Japan and 5 Holland paper copies.

Admirably printed, this extremely rare bibliophilic object is particularly precious for its complementarity with the first edition of Voyage au bout de la nuit.

Handsome copy presented in a full beige cloth chemise (with light dampstaining at foot) which appears to be the publisher's slipcase.

Bookplate affixed to verso of front cover.

New edition. L'Abrégé historique has its own title page. A portrait of Jacobus Josephus Baro de Hubens engraved by Godin, placed in the foreword of L'Abrégé historique and 17 beautiful baroque engraved figures by Klauber including an allegorical frontispiece which make this edition very handsome.
Contemporary half sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated with fillets. Beige calf title label. Board papers replaced with similar paper, endpapers renewed with paper similar to the original. A tear with loss to the upper joint at head. Brown dampstain traces in margin of the first 3 leaves, same in upper margin pp49 to 56, and 108 to 120, 149 to 156; 171 to 186 in outer margin, and dampstain traces on the last 7 leaves of the proofs, the last leaf bearing 3 tears without loss in lower margin. The whole is clean apart from these dampstain traces. Visible stitching pp.113 and 133. p. 91 tear in margin with old adhesive trace.
Corpus Christi celebrates the Eucharist, it was officially instituted by Pope Urban IV in 1264. Julienne and Eve are considered the promoters of Corpus Christi, both had received visions asking them to celebrate the eucharist. At the end, proofs and supporting documents.

First edition printed in one of 53 hors commerce copies.
Fine and very rare copy of this unauthorized first edition, consisting of facsimile reproductions of 3 manuscript letters by Louis-Ferdinand Céline addressed to a young Danish woman, Bente Joyhansen, during his first weeks of detention in Denmark.

First edition, one of 45 numbered copies on vellum, the only printing after 8 on parchment.
Fine copy presented in a full sand-colored cloth chemise, with a brown elastic band allowing closure of the chemise at the right margin of the covers.
Bookplate of a Céline bibliophile pasted on a pastedown.

First edition.
Handsome copy despite covers slightly and marginally sunned without significance.
Exceptional autograph inscription signed by Marie-Magdeleine Saeyeys to the ace of aces of the Free French Air Forces (F.A.F.L.) Pierre Clostermann: "Au wing commander Pierre Clostermann. A chacun son combat, aux uns la splendeur des étoiles, aux autres les ténèbres... lorsqu'il est inscrit en nous pour éternellement le devoir accompli, qu'importe l'oubli des foules. M.M. Saeyeys. 19 août 1968." ["To wing commander Pierre Clostermann. To each his own combat, to some the splendor of the stars, to others the darkness... when duty accomplished is inscribed in us for eternity, what does it matter if the crowds forget. M.M. Saeyeys. 19 August 1968."]
Our copy is enriched with an autograph signed card from the author to Pierre Clostermann who bombed the Gestapo headquarters in Belgium, the episode and its impact on the population of occupied Wallonia being narrated on page 241: "Je n'ai pas l'ambition de vous voir lire ce journal en entier. Je souhaite seulement que l'ouvriez à la page 241 et qu'ainsi vous sachiez encore un peu mieux ce que signifiait pour nous un avion ami traversant notre ciel captif... M.M. S." ["I do not have the ambition to see you read this diary in its entirety. I only wish that you would open it to page 241 and thus know a little better what it meant for us to see a friendly aircraft crossing our captive sky... M.M. S."]
The passage in question is indicated in the margin of a paragraph on page 241.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on vellum, the only printing after 1 pure rag lutétia cream and 10 Holland.
Handsome copy.

First edition, one of 157 numbered copies on tea-tinted laid paper, the only printing after 3 Japan, 5 Holland and 25 Madagascar.
Handsome copy.

First edition. The history of Tancrede de Rohan is followed by 4 half-titles delimiting the different parts: Remarks on the birth of Henri II, Prince de Condé; History of the secret negotiations of France with Holland; Observations on the troubles of the Regency during the minority of Louis XIV; Research on the finances of the Romans; On the civil wars of the Romans.
Copy with armorial furniture on the boards of the Montmorency-Luxembourg family. Alérion and lion.
Ex libris L. Dussieux.
Tancrède de Rohan (1630-1649) is the putative son of Henri de Rohan. Secretly raised in Holland, he saw his title contested by Henri's daughter, Marguerite, duchess of Rohan-Chabot, her father's sole heiress. He lost it by decree of the parliament of Paris in 1646, despite the efforts of the dowager duchess, his mother. This study is expanded with several researches by Father Griffet, notably on the finances of the Romans or on Henri II, Prince de Condé.

First edition printed in 150 numbered copies.
Handsome copy despite the lower edge slightly soiled.

First edition printed with 120 numbered copies.
Nice copy.

First edition, one of 470 numbered copies on coated paper, the only deluxe copies after 30 Coronado "Lys de Gand".
Work illustrated with 21 drawings by Ferro.
Light and minor foxing without significance on the title page.

First edition under this title, the Essais dans le goût de Montaigne initially appeared in 1785 in Amsterdam, but the edition was printed in only a small number of copies intended for family and friends. The manuscript was reviewed, corrected and arranged for publication by the son of the Marquis d'Argenson, the Marquis de Paulmy.
Full brown granulated sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated with 4 urn tools, fillets and roulettes. Triple fillet frame on covers. Red morocco title label.
Very fine copy.
This collection of reflections and thoughts on various subjects is in fact a composition by the Marquis de Paulmy, his son, based on the manuscripts of the memoirs, which were not published until 1857. It is therefore more effectively the first book of the Memoirs of the Marquis d'Argenson to be published. One finds there a gallery of portraits of contemporary figures, but also numerous historical considerations, notably on Cardinal de Retz, literary criticism, in brief, the work gives the impression of being a salon of former times, where conversation, always refined, touches on different subjects. The Marquis d'Argenson frequented philosophers early on, notably Voltaire, he was preoccupied with political thoughts, and he is held to be a precursor of economic liberalism and the physiocrats; although he was minister of foreign affairs and very versed in diplomacy, his principal interest always focused on belles-lettres.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, the tirage de tête after 20 on Japan paper.
A very good copy despite a small trace of sunning to foot of spine.

First edition, one of 550 numbered copies on tinted laid paper, ours one of the few author's copies justified by Roger Devigne.
Precious signed autograph inscription from Roger Devigne to Henri Béraud: "... en haute amitié intellectuelle pour l'oruvre, pour l'homme, cette gerbe de souvenirs et de philosophies..." ["... in high intellectual friendship for the work, for the man, this sheaf of memories and philosophies..."]
Minor foxing without gravity.
Provenance: from Henri Béraud's Ré Island library.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on vergé baroque thé paper.
A good copy despite two slight traces of sunning to head and foot of spine.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on vergé baroque thé paper.
A good copy despite two slight traces of sunning to head and foot of spine.

First edition, published by Daniel Elzevir.
Early 19th-century full red morocco bindings, signed Canon. Spine with four raised bands richly decorated with gilt compartments, fleurons, dentelles and gilt roulettes. Covers framed with quadruple gilt fillets and gilt arabesques in corners. Fine gilt dentelles framing the doublures. All edges gilt. A very fine copy.
Pierre Nicole was, along with Antoine Arnault and Pascal, one of the principal figures of the intellectual Jansenism of Port-Royal, and one of the most vigorous opponents of the Jesuits. The author composed these letters on the model of Pascal's Provinciales in defense of Jansenism against the imaginary attacks of the Jesuits. Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin made a response to the first letters of the Imaginaires and Nicole employed himself in response in Les visionnaires (second part of the collection) to scrupulously demolish the authors, poets and dramatists, which earned him an outraged reply from Racine, his former student in Greek.
From the libraries of Doctor Ant. Danyau and P.J. Plane with their bookplates pasted in.

Edition after a few months to the original one of 1020 numbered copies on colored vellum, ours one of the 20 hors commerce justified by the publisher.
Binding to bradel full percaline sand, smooth back, as part of olive morocco first dish covered with a map of Paris and surrounding suburbs, preserved covers and backs, gilded head, signed G. Gauché binding.
Signed autograph of the author Madame (Madeleine) Harting "... with my respectful homage and gratitude for Savigny ..."
Madeine Harting attended literary and artisitiques circles, was a bookseller and publisher of texts by André Gide, Paul Valery, Francis Carco, Valery ... Larbaud, founder of the publishing house "At the Sign of the narrow door" under the direction of André Gide, and bibliophile
Book illustrated with an original etching by Jean Donnay frontispiece.
Beautiful original in a unique binding G. Gauché.

New edition of the French translation based on the sixth German edition.
Publisher's full sienna cloth binding.
Work illustrated with 179 figures and 196 tables in the text as well as one plate.
Gift inscription from a previous owner at head of an endpaper, handsome copy.

Statement of new edition, considerably expanded. Several volumes were indeed added to this edition, in addition to the illustrations. Illustrated with a portrait by Monet as frontispiece to volume I and 4 figures by Meon. Volume II: 4 figures by Meon. Volume III: 10 figures by Monnet. Very fine illustration, careful and refined. Remarkably executed edition.
Contemporary glazed blonde calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Garnet morocco title label and red morocco volume labels (with roulettes). Roulette at tail and headcap. Triple fillet frame on boards. Upper joint fragile at tail of volume I; this volume also has a small tear with loss at tail. A loss of one cm at head of volume IV. Lower joint of volume III split at tail (three wormholes along this joint). A tear with loss to the head compartment of volume VI. Headcap of volume VII fragile at head. One corner bumped on volume VII. Despite these defects, handsome set with desirable appearance.
Although one cannot truthfully qualify Palissot's literary output as important, he was undoubtedly a major figure in the literary life of his time; thus the various plays, notes, remarks, letters that frame each comedy (the edition is very rich from this point of view) are remarkable regarding the literary life of the second half of the 18th century, notably concerning the famous quarrel of the philosophers which Palissot initiated, attacking them outrageously in his eponymous play (undoubtedly poorly conceived from a dramaturgical standpoint, but excellent in its writing, each mockery hitting its mark).
Besides the theater and the poem La Dunciade, the volumes contain the Mémoires littéraires (dictionary of literary figures), the correspondence with Voltaire (he was his protégé at the beginning of his career), the critiques of his contemporaries (Freron, Piron, Duclos...). One will discover with pleasure the critiques of his contemporaries on his own plays. Palissot was undoubtedly a social climber, with an incredible talent for controversy and mockery, and equally for flattery; this edition of his works retains the greatest interest for the world of Letters of the second part of the 18th century.

First edition, relatively rare. Title page in red and black. This is the only early edition of these memoirs.
Near-contemporary half speckled brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with fillets.
Henri Charles de la Tremoille is the 4th Duke of Thouars and Duke of La Trémoille, although he died before his father. He began his career with his uncle in Holland, the Prince of Orange. In 1651, he opposed Cardinal Mazarin and supported the Prince of Condé during the Fronde. He was arrested and imprisoned in Amiens in 1656. These memoirs are not merely an account of the events of the Fronde; they are also a political portrait of the high nobility staging itself, since this is an autobiographical work (whose original manuscript is held by the Bibliothèque Nationale). Father Griffet, responsible for the 1767 edition, would have deliberately published these memoirs to prevent the return to favor of the La Tremoille family. What the Duke of La Tremoille offers his children, since he announces that he writes essentially for them, is an example of life; addressed to his contemporaries, it is a political message.

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies justified by the publisher on yellow parchment, ours bearing No. 1, deluxe copy.
Rare and handsome copy.

First edition, one of 8 numbered copies and justified by the publisher on Chiffon-Lutétia, the tirage de tête.
A rare and good copy.

At J. F. Bassompierre | in Liège 1776 | in-4 (23 x 29.8 cm) | (8) 330 pp (2) | bound
Illustrated edition in its second print of a vignette by J. V. Schley and of 31 figures, including 25 by Coypel and the others by Boucher and Cochin, Lebas, Picart and Tresmolier, engraved by Fokke, Picart, V. Schley and Tanjé. Title page in red and black.
Superb illustrations and highly sought-after book according to Petit and Cohen, mainly for the many figures by Coypel.
Copy with a crowned monogram of Louis-Philippe, King of France. Once on the throne of France, Louis-Phillipe no longer used the arms of the Duke of Orléans but instead his crowned monogram which symbolised his title as constitutional king, later in his reign, his crown will even be removed, leaving only the bare monogram.
Ex-dono by Jules Janin: “Sans être un cosaque du Don, ami Paul, je te donne en don, Don Quichotte et l'ami Sancho. Pense à nous donc. Ton ami chaud. Passy, le 1er janvier 1866.” “Without being a Don Cossack, my friend Paul, I give to you as a gift, Don Quixote and his friend Sancho. So think of us. Your hot friend. Passy, 1st January 1866.”
Near contemporary binding restoration in red straight-grained morocco, attributable to Simier, Louis-Phillipe's binder, spine decorated with two large, long rococo finishing tools, title page in black morocco, plates with the gold tooling crowned monogram of Louis-Philippe in the centre, large ornamental rococo composition, finishing tools in the spandrels with patterns of interlaced fillets, gilt edges, rich interior frieze. Light restorations to the upper and lower joints, two lower corners with slight pieces of leather missing, fresh paper, to all margins, with some pale foxing on the tissue between the text and illustrations, small dark stains on the boards, signs of rubbing, joints slightly darkened.
Superb copy in a highly decorative binding with Louis-Philippe's monogram. Extremely rare work which brings together a great text, a memorable illustration and a rich binding of renowned provenance.
Les Principales Avantures de l'Admirable Don Quichotte is a fairly unique experiment in the history of the picture book. Each of the book's plates is accompanied by a chapter of Don Quixote making it possible to reproduce the illustrated scene. The book, therefore, does not contain the entire text, but was designed by its illustration (the pre-eminence being clearly given to the figure). In fact, it should be noted that a luxurious portfolio containing the engravings was published in 1724, and Coypel paid particular attention to the engravers, it was later that the editorial idea came to life, because Coypel had never thought of illustrating the text. Between 1715 and 1734, Charles Coypel produced 28 paintings of Don Quixote, in no particular order, but featuring episodes from the book (Twenty-five boxes are kept at the Château de Compiègne) and some tapestries were also made from these paintings, since it seems that they were mainly intended for the Gobelin manufactory. Coypel has not designed the work of an illustrator in his series, but rather the vision of a painter, that is why it was undoubtedly the first time that Don Quixote was depicted in such a sophisticated way, the aesthetic of which also pulls the work towards the French Fête galante rather than towards the arid Mancha. Additionally, it is one of Charles Coypel's major works; he also came from the greatest dynasty of French painters during the 17th and 18th centuries and was very interested in theatre and comedy (he himself wrote several such works), which is evident in Quixote's mise en scene.

First edition, one of 300 copies on current paper, single print after 25 numbered copies.
Illustrated book with a frontispiece by Robert Varlez.
Autograph signed by Michel Fardoulis-Lagrange Georges Raillard.

First Edition printed 350 copies.
Back and marginally insolated boards, nice interior state.
Signed autograph of Jean Ricardou to Georges Raillard: "Improbable stripteases and calculated shells, his mistakes ... involuntary A Georges Raillard to say thank you for his beautiful book on a writer who knows how to break by enfurcations by redactions."
Some handwritten corrections of Jean Ricardou in the text.

First edition of the French translation for which it was not drawn great papers.
A circular stain on the first cover plate.
Signed autograph Ismail Kadare to a friend named Thérèse.

First Edition printed in 200 numbered copies.
Nice copy.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on vergé baroque thé paper.
A good copy despite small spots to spine and covers.

First edition, printed in 430 numbered copies on Hollande paper, almost all of which were – at the author’s behest – withdrawn from sale because of the typographic errors peppering the text.
With a frontispiece drawing by Aristide Maillol.
Spine very lightly soiled, otherwise a good and rare copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint from the magazine La vie wallonne.
A tiny tear at the foot of the spine, a light stain at the foot of one joint.
Handsome and rare pamphlet illustrated with photographic plates.

First edition printed to 200 numbered copies.
A good copy.

First edition.
Work illustrated with 93 figures in the text.
Handsome copy.

Second edition.
Half hazelnut sheep bindings, smooth spines faded and decorated with gilt friezes and fleurons, head caps slightly rubbed and worn, marbled paper boards, contemporary bindings.
Complete work with its 13 folding plates at the end of the first volume.
Library stamps, two pen dates at heads of endpapers or half-title pages, one angular lack at head of first endpaper of first volume.
Occasional foxing.

First edition of this issue entirely devoted to Pierre Olin. Worming to front cover as well as to first page of text, otherwise a rare and handsome copy.

First edition of this issue about Bernard Lazare.
A very good copy.

First edition, one of 200 numbered hors commerce copies on vellum.
Autograph inscription from Jean de Beucken to E. Berl, whose name has been unsuccessfully erased.
A handsome copy.

New edition.
Half hazel paper boards binding, smooth spine with a pasted label bearing the author's name and title of the work, front cover slightly faded with minor stains of no consequence, original wrappers preserved.
Work illustrated with 120 figures.

First edition, one of 520 numbered copies on tinted laid paper, the only issue with 1 Japan, 1 Montval, 58 Montgolfier.
Concerning notably A. Einstein.

First edition. Brochure decorated with 4 illustrations. Nice copy, rare.

First edition.
Covers slightly and marginally faded, otherwise rare and handsome copy.

First edition. Publisher's full red paper boards, smooth spine with a tiny loss at head. Work illustrated with 217 figures in the text. Handsome copy.