Paris (France)

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on alfa vellum, the only copies on deluxe paper.

Slight sunning at the foot of the spine.

A handsome copy.

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on alfa vellum, ours being No. 1, the only copies on deluxe paper.

Rare and handsome copy.

First edition, one of 13 numbered copies on pure rag Rives vellum, the tête-de-tirage.

Rare and handsome copy.

Partly original edition, entirely revised.

Some foxing.

Rare copy preserved in its original wrappers.

First edition, one of 265 numbered copies on alfa paper.

A handsome copy, notwithstanding a small marginal tear to the lower cover.

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies on Japan paper, the deluxe issue.
Bradel binding in half chocolate-brown morocco with bands, smooth spine, date gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, brown endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt edges, binding signed Honnelaître.

A unique combination of French translations of the first two philosophical works on the Sublime, marking the beginning of the most important reflection on aesthetics in Western history.
Extremely rare first edition of the first French translation of a philosophical work by Immanuel Kant, and the second ever translation of a Kantian text. The others were only translated during the 19th century. Illustrated with a portrait of the author by Benezy. The first edition in German was published in 1764 in Königsberg under the title "Beobachtungen über das Gefühl des Schönen und Erhabenen".
Contemporary half brown roan binding with vellum corners, smooth spine ruled in gilt, blue paper boards, white paper pastedowns and endpapers, yellow red-speckled edges. Some marks on the endpapers, scattered foxing more noticeable on a few leaves.
This essay contains Kant's first observations on aesthetics - he had previously only published scientific texts - and more specifically on the sublime, a concept that would come into its own in Critique of Judgment (1790) left untranslated until the 19th century as it is the case with almost all of Kant's oeuvre.
"Certainly even before 1781 Kant's name was not completely unknown at the University of Strasbourg, where some students and professors had cited him in their research or lectures. The works of the Berlin Academy which included memoirs by staunch opponents of Kantianism were not completely ignored in France. However, it was not until the French Revolution and even the end of the Convention and the beginning of the Directoire, i.e. almost fifteen years after the publication of the Critique of Pure Reason that people in France began to talk about Kant and his work" (Jean Ferrari, "L'œuvre de Kant en France dans les dernières années du XVIIIè siècle" Les Études philosophiques No. 4, Kant (oct-dec 1981), pp. 399-411).
Bound at rear: Second French translation of Burke's text by E. Lagentie de Lavaïsse considered superior to the first 1765 translation by Abbé Des François. Illustrated with a portrait of the author by Mariage. The very first work on aesthetics, published in 1757 and translated into English the same year under the title A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful.
Burke regarded the sublime as that which has the power to compel and destroy us (a "delightful terror"). As an ardent admirer of his philosophy, Kant went beyond this consideration in Critique of Judgment (1790), concluding that the sublime is "that which is absolutely great", something in the face of which man feels inferior and feels respect.
The first two modern definitions of the sublime - one as realization of human reason, the other as reason's confrontation with that which surpasses it - aptly bound together by a scholar aware of the philosophical debates of his time.

First edition, one of 150 numbered copies, the only copies on deluxe paper.

Inscribed and signed by Jean-Pierre Abel to Paul Devivat.

Rare and handsome copy with full margins.

First edition published under the pseudonym Cévennes and completed under oppression in Paris on August 1, 1944.

Pleasant copy.

Illustrated edition with 57 wood engravings drawn and engraved by Frans Masereel, one of the numbered copies on English paper.

Minor tears without consequence at the head and foot of the spine, a pleasing copy exceptionally enriched with a second state (on Japan or China paper) of 9 of the engravings.

First edition in book form; the rare original edition was issued in parts between 1845 and 1856 (Brunet, I, 1707. Garrison and Morton reference three works by Cazenave on skin diseases).

Illustrated with 60 large and striking hand-colored plates.

Contemporary half red shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands adorned with double gilt and black fillets, sides covered in marbled “cat’s eye” paper, some rubbing to the upper portion of the front board, endpapers and pastedowns in combed marbled paper, corners a bit worn; later binding.

Minor foxing, a pleasing copy overall.

Edition adorned with original color illustrations by Alain Tercinet.

Publisher's full brick cloth binding, smooth spine, copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket showing minor marginal tears and a sunned spine.

Slightly warped copy, internally in pleasant condition.

Inscribed and signed by Alain Tercinet to Robert Sabatier.

First edition.

Illustrated with 16 drawings by Georges Adam.

A superb copy of this rare booklet by Louis Aragon, a true "anti-clerical, anti-capitalist, anti-colonialist, anti-patriotic" (Pierre Juquin) catechism for the children of the exploited working masses.

"On June 25, 1932, the Imprimerie centrale completed printing for the Bureau des éditions et de diffusion, 132, Faubourg Saint-Denis, Paris, a beautiful pamphlet, now a bibliophilic rarity [...] On the cover, a large red star - an important and recurrent image in Aragon's work - appears imprinted on children's brains. Sixteen quatrains, droll and didactic, punctuated for ease of reading, alternate with drawings by Georges Adam, whose nearly expressionist mockery, reminiscent of Rouault's paintings, overturns taboos and myths." (Aragon. Un destin français 1897-1939)


After breaking with the Surrealists, Aragon threw himself wholeheartedly into the Journal de la lutte antireligieuse. He wrote this pamphlet from Moscow and published it on the Party's presses, to ignite the fervor of proletarian youth. French poet Jacques Prévert would later follow a similar path with his play Émasculée conception. Anticlerical activism within French Communist associations was in full swing at the time: every symbol and events of religious life were reinterpreted through the lens of class struggle. "Red baptisms" were organised, forming a community of "Godless" children (drawing their name from the Association of Godless Workers) who corresponded with their Soviet counterparts.
Aragon contributed to these new rituals with this particularly radical children's book, deemed excessively antipatriotic by Maurice Thorez, which he would later disavow at the end of his life.

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Covers and spine very skillfully repaired.
Handsome autograph inscription from Pierre Drieu La Rochelle to Henri Béraud.

First edition, one of the review copies.
Bradel binding in full wood-patterned boards, smooth spine, red morocco title-piece, covers and spine preserved, binding signed by Thomas Boichot.

A fine copy, handsomely bound.
Precious autograph presentation signed by Jacques Chardonne to Henri Béraud.

Head of collection of this important medical periodical, whose significance needs no further demonstration. It was published until 1914 (volume XLII) and included most of the essential contributions to the advancement of medical science in the 19th century.

The set is illustrated with 61 plates hors-texte, some lithographed and/or folding.

Half cherry calf bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets, romantic arabesques and blind-stamped fleurons, a few small rubs to some headcaps or joints, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, some corners slightly bumped, marbled edges, period bindings.

Beautiful set in a contemporary romantic binding signed by Bunetier.

First edition.
Elegant half navy blue morocco over marbled paper boards by Pierre-Lucien Martin, spine in six compartments with gilt fillets to bands and geometric decoration of red morocco onlays, date gilt at foot of spine, gilt fillet to boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt dentelle frame to pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

A very good copy in a handsome binding. 
Exceptional autograph inscription from Claude Farrère : "A Pierre Louÿs son très petit disciple [To Pierre Louÿs, his very humble disciple]", along with Chinese ideograms.

First edition, one of 1,200 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only large paper copies after 50 on Marais.

Spine very slightly faded as usual.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by Henri Michaux to Raymond Queneau.

First edition of the French translation, one of 51 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.
Spine and boards slightly and marginally sunned, as often.
Rare and handsome copy of this work, splendidly adapted for the screen in 1967 by Richard Brooks, with Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, John Forsythe, and John MacLiam in the leading roles.
Richard Brooks even went so far as to film in the actual house where the crime took place, as well as in the same courthouse, where 7 of the 12 jurors played their own roles.

Subscription prospectus issued in the format of the work, with 2 black-and-white reproductions in the text and 2 colour plates hors texte.

A fine copy.

First edition, illustrated with a frontispiece, in-text illustrations and maps, and a double-page map at the end.

Literary collaboration by Joseph Sachot.

Drawings, cover design and maps by André Millot.

Contemporary binding in green half shagreen with corners, smooth spine without title, marbled paper boards, illustrated wrappers bound in on tabs and preserved.

A compelling account of the life and conditions of Inuit populations: Father Roger Buliard (1909–1978), an Oblate of Mary Immaculate, served for fifteen years as a missionary in the Arctic before joining the Canadian military chaplaincy.

The book was a great success upon publication and inspired many future explorers.

Our copy includes an autograph note signed by Roger Buliard to a friend nicknamed Titi, written on thin paper and dated March 19, 1950.

Also included:

I. Two handwritten postcards addressed to the recipient of the note, along with newspaper clippings.

II. A small oblong 12mo green cloth album with eyelets and ties, containing 29 original silver print photographs, small in format (from 12 x 7 cm to 4 x 4 cm), mounted on heavy paper, depicting the author and various moments from his 1947 expedition.

A delightful ensemble.

A collection of four extremely rare first editions:
- Thuileur des trente-trois degrés de l'écossisme (1813), “a rare and sought-after work and one of the best thuileurs in existence...” (Caillet, I, 2910). With a frontispiece and 14 plates (one folding) as well as a large folding table at end;
- Récapitulation de toute la maçonnerie ou Description et explication de l'hiéroglyphe universel du maître des maîtres (1812) with two plate;
- l'Explication de la croix philosophique (1806) with a folding plate showing the eponymous cross;
- l'Explication de la pierre cubique (1806) with a folding plate describing the stone.
This copy is further enriched with a small insert (8 x 10.5cm) entitled “Couplets d'obligations”, bound at page 30; these songs “to be sung at the end of every Masonic banquet.”

Contemporary half brown calf over green paper boards, spine with numerous gilt dentelles and fleurons, red russia title label.
A very good copy.
Crossed out pen and ink ex-libris to title.

First edition of the exhibition catalogue presenting 37 works by Claude Monet at the Galerie Durand-Ruel from 9 May to 4 June 1904.

During the exhibition, most of the paintings were immediately purchased by American collectors.

Binding in vellum-effect paper boards, names of the catalogue preface writer and the painter inscribed in ink, water-effect paper endpapers, covers and spine preserved, curious ex-libris drawn by H. P. Gassier glued to a pastedown endpaper, binding signed Gonon.
Preface by Octave Mirbeau.

A rare and pleasant copy.

First edition of this program of events organized by the Centre National d'Art Contemporain from 16 October to 23 December 1974, presenting the works of Christian Boltanski and Jacques Monory.
The December date has been modified in green felt pen at the foot of the program.
Presentation of photographic, cinematographic and book-based works by Christian Boltanski and pictorial works by Jacques Monory.

A very rare document.

First roneo edition of the prospectus for the exhibition organized by the A.R.C. (Animation Recherche Confrontation) cinema section at the instigation of Christian Boltanski.
Signs of folding due to having been placed in an envelope.

The event was attended by Edmund Alleyn, Gianni Bertini, Christian Boltanski, Guðmundur Guðmundsson said Erró, Gérard Fromanger, Ipousteguy, Jean Le Gac, Tamas Zanko, Bruce Nauman, Pesce, Martial Raysse, Peter Stämpfli.

A rare document.

First edition published in the author’s collected works.
Some occasional foxing.
Half black morocco shagreen binding, smooth spine decorated with triple blind fillets and gilt fleurons, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Signed autograph inscription by George Sand : "to my friend Charles Fournier."
Handwritten note by George Sand beneath the title on the title page: "suite de Flamarande" published the same year and by the same publisher as "Les deux Frères".
 

First edition on ordinary paper, with the correct colophon dated 26 February 1926.

A pleasant copy.

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies on imperial japon, ours one of 3 hors commerce lettered copies, a deluxe issue following 6 on chine.

Bound in full sienna morocco, flat spine, gilt date at foot, moiré-effect endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillet border on pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved (spine restored and backed), gilt edges, chemise edged in sienna morocco, slipcase in wood-effect board with white felt lining, contemporary binding signed by Roger Arnoult.

Our copy is enriched with a one-page signed autograph letter by Jean Cocteau, mounted on a guard, written from La Roche-Posay in Vienne, probably addressed to Pierre Benoit, in which he humorously evokes Charlie Chaplin, his fragile health, and his boredom: "... Me voilà dans ce film de Charlot : \"Charlot fait une cure\" - parmi les clowns et clowneries du mercurochrome... Le docteur H. arrive à éteindre mon fer de travail avec ses pelotes d'épingles aquatiques. Mon ventre gargouille. Si tu venais ce serait une très bonne cure. Que penses-tu de cette publicité pour La Roche : La Roche source d'ennuis."

A handsome copy, finely bound by Roger Arnoult, a graduate of the École Estienne, active until 1980, who collaborated with and worked for the foremost binders of his time such as René Aussourd, Anthoine-Legrain, Paul Bonet, Georges Cretté, Pierre-Lucien Martin...

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on bouffant vellum paper from the Salzer mills, ours being No. 1, the only deluxe paper issue.
Handsome copy of this work awarded the Grand Prix du Roman of the Académie française. 
 

First edition.

Each booklet is richly illustrated with in-text and full-page figures or photographs.

Expeditions in the Mediterranean (1952–1964), including the study of the islet of Grand Congloué, campaigns in the northeastern Mediterranean, along the coast of Provence, and in the Gulf of Genoa.

Campaigns in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean (1951–1954), and in the tropical Atlantic (1956–1962), including missions in the Gulf of Guinea, the Cape Verde Islands, and off the Atlantic coasts of South America. General index for volumes I to XI.

Back cover of the first volume soiled; small tear at the top of the front cover of the third booklet.

A rare and appealing complete set in 11 volumes.

First edition, one of 500 numbered copies on pure wove paper.

Bound in full sienna morocco, flat spine with a slight snag at head, date gilt at foot, moiré endpapers and pastedowns, single gilt fillet framing the pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt edges, chemise edged in sienna morocco, slipcase of wood-grained boards lined with white felt, contemporary binding signed by Roger Arnoult.

Our copy is enriched with a signed autograph letter, one page, by Jean Cocteau mounted on a tab, dated April 1959, probably addressed to Pierre Benoit: "Nôtre Pierre fantôme... c'est autour de votre souvenir qu'on se réunit. C'est une chaîne bien étonnante que celle de cette affreuse et délicieuse cabane. Pensez moi. Je pense à vous. Je vous aime et je me résigne à vous aimer en rêve."

A fine copy, handsomely bound by Roger Arnoult, a graduate of the École Estienne, active until 1980, who worked with and for the greatest binders of his time such as René Aussourd, Anthoine-Legrain, Paul Bonet, Georges Cretté, Pierre-Lucien Martin...

First edition, with a frontispiece photograph depicting Gustave Eiffel in his laboratory, and 28 plates outside the text, some folding (an additional copy of plate 26 is included).

Publisher’s binding in white cloth-backed boards with corners, flat spine showing some soiling and small tears at head and foot, printed paper label mounted on spine, printed title on upper board, corners slightly rubbed.

Pleasant internal condition.

A light water stain in the left margin of the frontispiece and at the foot of the lower cover, some soiling to the bottom of the upper cover, and a few pencil annotations in the margins.

The author presents the results of experiments carried out at the Champ-de-Mars near the Eiffel Tower: 1. Installation of the laboratory and methods used (velocity measurement, aerodynamic balance, centres of pressure, pressure distribution on a plate surface, etc.). – 2. General results (square, rectangular and curved plates, parallel surfaces, cylindrical bodies, pressure distribution). – 3. Aeroplane wings (Esnault-Pelterie and Nieuport monoplanes; Wright, Maurice Farman and Bréguet biplanes). The volume is illustrated with 28 plates including diagrams, photographs, graphs, and technical schematics relating to these studies. A particularly interesting copy, annotated by a scientist named René Arnout, author of a paper published in 1910 in the Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences ("L’équilibre longitudinal et la courbure des surfaces portantes des aéroplanes"; see his handwritten note on p. 20 of the present volume).

First edition of the French translation of the only portion translated (and adapted) from the monumental Geographie der Griechen und Römer, comprising 14 volumes published between 1788 and 1825 in Nuremberg, which at the time constituted the finest synthesis of the Ancients’ geographical understanding of the known world (cf. Brunet 23 388).

First gatherings loosened, angular losses to the spine and boards, a few minor spots of foxing.

Konrad Mannert (1756–1834) was among the foremost Bavarian historians of his time.

First edition, printed in a very small number of copies, of this extract from the Revue archéologique.

The booklet is illustrated with several figures in the text and, at the beginning of the volume, a full-page plate.

Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau (1846-1923), orientalist and archaeologist, made major archaeological discoveries in Palestine, where he had resided since 1867 as dragoman-chancellor at the French consulate. Appointed consul in Jaffa in 1881, he accepted a mission on the Egyptian coast east of the Nile, in Philistia, Phoenicia and Palestine; he published the results in the Archives des missions scientifiques.

Until his death, he pursued a dual career as diplomat and archaeologist. Clermont-Ganneau also unmasked numerous archaeological forgeries.

Precious autograph presentation inscription from Charles Clermont-Ganneau to Viscount Charles-Jean-Melchior de Vogüé (1829-1916), himself both archaeologist and diplomat.

First edition, adorned at the beginning of the volume with a folding facsimile (cf. Cordier, Sinica, 1732).

Spine reinforced with an adhesive strip, minor marginal losses to the boards, some foxing.

These Practical Exercises are in fact a reply to the personal attacks and to two articles by M. Pauthier published in the Journal asiatique of Paris (nos. 66 and 67 of volume XII).

They "constitute the confirmation and complement" of his earlier work entitled "Examen critique de quelques pages de chinois relatives à l'Inde", translated by M. G. Pauthier, accompanied by grammatical discussions on certain rules of position which, in Chinese, play the same role as inflections in other languages (1841).

The frontispiece itself is a satire of Pauthier: it bears, composed by Hyacinthe Bitchourin, the Russian sinologist, this definitive remark: "Savez-vous pourquoi M. Pauthier se trompe en traduisant du chinois? C'est qu'il a une fausse idée du mécanisme de cette langue, et qu'il s'efforce de suppléer à ce qui lui manque de connoissance, au moyen de ses conjectures".

Edition with some parts in first edition.

Half green straight-grained morocco with corners, smooth spines faded and decorated with gilt romantic arabesques, gilt friezes at head and foot, almond paper boards, covers and spine preserved, top edges gilt, handsome pastiche romantic bindings.

The Poésies nouvelles and the Oeuvres posthumes are here in first edition, and the Comédies et proverbes in edition with some parts in first edition.
This set comprises: "Oeuvres posthumes" (2 volumes), "Poésies nouvelles" (3 volumes), "Poésies complètes", "Mélanges de littérature & de critique", "Contes", "Comédies et proverbes" (2 volumes).
Some light foxing of no consequence.

Handsome set in uniform pastiche romantic binding.

First edition, one of 95 copies on pur fil, the only deluxe issue after 45 copies on Hollande.
A slight vertical crease on the front cover.
A handsome copy.

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Half mustard-colored morocco over marbled paper boards by P. Goy & C. Vilaine, spine in six compartments, brown paper endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine (sunned) preserved, top edge gilt.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by Robert Desnos to Colette Clément, whose name he plays on: "A Madame Colette Clément / Clément Marot non Jacques Clément (ces mots barrés) / non / hommage de l'auteur Robert Macaire."
Ex libris of recipient pasted in underneath justification.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Half red morocco over marbled paper boards, spine lightly sunned in six compartments, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

One top corner very slightly rubbed.
Handsome autograph inscription by Charles Maurras : "A madame Colette Willy, en souvenir de la cocarde."

First edition, one of numbered copies on alfa.

A good copy.
Autograph inscription from Irène Némirovsky to monsieur Maier.