Paris

First French edition, one of 77 numbered copies on pur fil, only deluxe issue.

Preface by Albert Camus.

Nice copy housed under a chemise and slipcase by Devauchelle.

First edition of the 4 novels of this 'Histoire contemporaine' tetralogy. First illustrated edition for each. Copy no. 87, one of 100 on japon impérial, including an additional suite of drawings on chine, facing each watercolor illustration. Total run of 1000 copies, with 93 full-page illustrations, head-bands and decorations for each chapter, all in colour ; illustrations after the watercolors of Serge Beaune, made by the workshop of de D. Jacomet & Cie.

Handsomely and uniformly bound copy in red morocco.

A satirical novel about the clergy, the army and civil society in the Third Republic, published from 1897 to 1901, and a portrait of France during the Dreyfus Affair.

Bookplate of J.L and C Pierron.

New edition, illustrated with 111 drawings by Neuville and Riou. 7 plates, some in color.
Publisher's gilt Globe binding, upper cover signed Blancheland, Engel relieur, spine with lighthouse motif, rear cover of Engel H type, publisher's Y catalogue at rear of volume.
Spine with minor discoloration, a few small stains to upper corner of front cover, endpapers discolored, corners slightly twisted, the engraving between pages 122-123 with small corner lacks, occasional light foxing mainly to edges.
Undoubtedly the most famous of Jules Verne's novels, featuring the mythical figure of Captain Nemo and his legendary submarine, the Nautilus.

| "the time for planting has come" |
Autograph letter signed by François-René de Chateaubriand, dated March 14, 1827. 3 1/2 pages in black ink on a bifolium, addressed to Michel-Augustin Varcollier.

Chateaubriand writes to the husband of his goddaughter, Atala Stamaty-Varcollier, the first to bear the name of the heroine of his famous novel that propelled him onto the literary scene in 1801. Head of the Fine Arts Division of the Seine Prefecture, Michel-Augustin Varcollier acted as Chateaubriand's intermediary in the development of the grounds of l'Infirmerie Marie-Thérèse, his wife Céleste's grand project to house elderly priests and nobles widowed by the French Revolution.

Here, Monsieur, is a bill from Madame de Chateaubriand to M. de Chabrol, inviting him to attend Marie-Thérèse's council meeting, which will take place next Wednesday, the 21st at 2 a.m.". M. de Chabrol was kind enough to suggest Friday of this week, but it has been impossible to gather MM. the Counselors for that day. Kindly explain this to Monsieur de Chabrol. [...] I have obtained permission from the Prefect of Police to place palisades along the walls.

Now I need permission from M. le Préfet de Paris to plant within these palisades. I'm going to pretend I've already got it, because the time for planting has come. I have no doubt that Mr. Préfet will continue his gestures of kindness. There is still, to complete the work on the trellis on my little boulevart [sic] to give two coats of paint to the barriers. I recommend myself to M. de Fresnes for the completion of this great work. I must thank him and you, Monsieur, for all the kindness you have shown me."

Autograph letter signed by Victor Hugo to his friend H. de Cambier, 20 lines written in black ink on a bifolium, autograph address on the verso of the final leaf.
Splendid and likely unpublished letter from Victor Hugo inviting his correspondent to the famed Romantic 'Cénacle' gatherings at the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, a veritable literary institution in the 1830's.

"This Saturday the 6th,
I noticed the other evening, Sir, that you expressed, with some regret, not having a ball to attend on Sunday (tomorrow).
Now, I have managed to arrange my guard duty so as to be free tomorrow from nine o'clock to midnight (alas, I could not obtain more than six hours), and I am taking advantage of it to take my wife to a small masquerade party at Nodier's. If you would like to come with us, we would be delighted — and Nodier too. To do so, you would need to be at my home at nine o'clock, the hour I myself will return. — Answer me this morning, and believe in all my friendship. Vr Hugo."

"The interposition of the poem between painting and music has therefore proven an excellent conductor between the arts thanks to the fact that Hahn scrupulously respected the spirit of the poem while preserving his autonomy in his composition. The link between music and painting is revealed after the other materials unite among themselves; it is in this alliance that an astonishing complementarity then operates, sought upon the soothing light of Albert Cuyp" (Nicolas Vardon)

First edition, one of 41 numbered copies on Hollande paper, from the deluxe issue.

Contemporary half black morocco binding, smooth spine, wood-effect paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed, binding signed L. Bergeron. 

A fine copy.

First edition illustrated by Myrbach with plates, headpieces and vignettes, from the Guillaume and Lemerre collection.

Contemporary half grey morocco binding with corners. Slipcase with morocco entry and covered with peacock-eye paper. Original wrappers preserved, lacking spine. Spine with 4 raised bands in Jansenist style. Top edge gilt. Uncut paper, with wide margins, fresh paper, free from foxing. Light rubbing to slipcase.
Very handsome copy.
After "Mon frère Yves" and "Pêcheur d'Islande", "Matelot" completes, in 1893, Pierre Loti's trilogy of sea novels and recounts the adventures of Jean Berny who, after failing the Naval Academy entrance exam, enlists in the merchant marine as an ordinary sailor.

Exhibition catalogue listing 66 paintings by Félix Vallotton exhibited at the Druet gallery, 20, rue Royale in Paris, from 22 April to 3 May 1929.
Light worming to the first cover, otherwise a handsome copy.
Catalogue illustrated with 7 photographic reproductions of works by Félix Vallotton.

Complete set of 13 original lithographs by Eugène Delacroix, in first edition, first issue with the letter, one of 20 copies on Chine paper pasted on laid paper:

"It was originally printed in a few proofs on Chine, the format of which exceeds the square line by one or two centimeters. They are highly sought-after, even though they bear the letter" (Robaut).

Bound in the original publisher's brown half-shagreen binding, title gilt stamped on first board, original first cover wrapper preserved. Small restored tear to the margin of the wrapper over 5 cm, sunned spine, joints and corners rubbed, scattered foxing and a dampstain to the lower part of the laid paper on which the lithographs are pasted on, without affecting the lithographs themselves.

Exceptional and rare set of original lithographs by Eugène Delacroix on Chine paper, illustrating Shakespeare's masterpiece.
A cornerstone of Romantic art, this series was "made at M. Delacroix's personal expense. Only 80 copies were printed, 60 on blanc and 20 on chine, and these were sold out at the time of the author's death" (Henri Béraldi).  It is now esteemed as Delacroix's most accomplished graphic undertaking, which took him more than ten years to achieve and generally considered to be one of the first modern livres de peintre.

First edition of this rare and fragile advertising object for the Galeries Lafayette consisting of 47 cardboard pieces with a medallion illustration designed by Jack Roberts and a children's song of four verses.

Handsome copy complete with its original crystal paper envelope.