Paris

First edition on ordinary paper.

Contemporary binding in half red morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands framed with black fillets, gilt date on tail, marbled paper boards, bouquet-patterned endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved (small angular restoration to the foot of the first board), gilt head.

Binding signed by Léon Gruel, one of the most renowned bookbinders of the late 19th century.

Le Horla consists of thirteen short stories: Le Horla, Amour, Le Trou, Sauvée, Clochette, Le Marquis de Fumerol, Le Signe, Le Diable, Les Rois, Au bois, Une famille, Joseph, L'Auberge and Le Vagabond.

Precious signed and inscribed copy by Guy de Maupassant: « À monsieur Jules Claretie, cordial hommage. Guy de Maupassant ».  [‘To Mr Jules Claretie, with my warmest regards. Guy de Maupassant']

Autograph inscriptions on the first edition of Le Horla are particularly rare, especially in signed contemporary half-marocco bindings. Only fourteen copies have been recorded by Thierry Selva (Maupassant par les textes).

Autograph letter dated and signed by Antonin Artaud on Le Dôme brasserie letterhead, addressed to Maurice Martin du Gard, founder and director of Nouvelles Littéraires. 29 lines in blue ink in a nervous handwriting.
Traces of folds and small marginal tears inherent to postal dispatch and handling. Minor stains at the beginning of the letter.

Antonin Artaud fought to have his article on Balthus's painting, exhibited for the first time in France, published. He fiercely defended the artist he considered his 'double', so similar were they physically and intellectually.

"It's war!" we shouted that night, over and over again. The terrible word brought us bad luck... It was 1913: the following year, we were packing our kits again. This time, for real. And not all the guests came back." p. 335

First edition, one of only 6 copies printed on Hollande, this being copy no. 1 of the deluxe issue.
Bound in navy blue morocco backed boards with corners, spine very lightly sunned with raised bands, gilt date at foot, marbled paper-covered boards and endpapers, edges untrimmed, top edge gilt, covers and spine preserved. Binding signed Lavaux.
A fine copy with wide margins, attractively bound.
Bookplate pasted to a flyleaf.
The author's own copy, profusely extra-illustrated, of this magnificent Montmartre chronicle. Tipped in is an original ink portrait of Roland Dorgelès by Gus Bofa, humorously captioned: "Monsieur Roland Dorgelès dans son uniforme de rédacteur à la petite semaine"

Alongside two original photographs, one depicting the famous Montmartre figure Francisque Poulbot in his Guignol theatre (Agence Rol, 1910), and the other a very rare photograph of the legendary “Fête des Dernières Cartouches” organised by Poulbot on 23 May 1913. We have located only one other known image of this event. The photograph shows the merry band of participants at Poulbot’s place on rue de l’Orient, dressed as soldiers from the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. The celebration, which created quite a stir, is recounted by Dorgelès in this book:

First edition of the theatrical adaptation.
 
Contemporary binding in red half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands framed by gilt fillets, adorned with double gilt panels and decorative tooling, gilt fillets framing the marbled paper boards, combed paper endpapers and pastedowns, combed edges.
A few stains to the covers, a crisp and clean copy, free of foxing.
 
Signed autograph inscription by George Sand to the actor Fresne : « à monsieur Fresne, souvenirs affectueux. G. Sand. »
Fresne had performed in her play Molière at its premiere at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in 1851. 

First edition, one of 106 numbered copies on vergé de Vizille, only deluxe issue.

Nice copy of this 1999 Goncourt Prize winner.

Exhibition catalogue of Paul Gauguin's works at the Galerie Barbazanges, 109 Faubourg Saint-Honoré, from 10 to 30 October 1919.
Illustrated with Gauguin's splendid colour self-portrait with halo and serpent, wood-engraved by Jules Germain.
Essay by François Norgelet, entitled "Gauguin au Pouldu".
Catalogue of 28 works by Gauguin, including two lithographs and two plaster casts. Minute black spot in the margin of the front wrapper.

First edition, one of 1050 numbered copies on alfa bulky paper.
Publisher's binding after the original design by Paul Bonet.
Handsome copy despite slight traces of sunning at head and foot of spine and to margins of boards.