Paris

Affectionate autograph note signed by Armand Salacrou, on a card with letterhead of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers, 6 lines written in black ink.
"Mon cher Carlo,
Tu dis que je suis une tête ? ! Et si tu me prêtais tes jambes pour que nous partions, le coup, tous les deux, se reposer à la campagne ? Je t'aime bien. Armand Salacrou." ["My dear Carlo,
You say I'm a brain? ! And what if you lent me your legs so we could both take off together to rest in the countryside? I'm fond of you. Armand Salacrou."]

First illustrated edition by Robida, with 90 original illustrations. Limited edition of 300 numbered copies, this one unnumbered on vellum specially offered by the publisher to Mr E. Gruter with manuscript inscription and enhanced with a suite of all the engravings in black on China paper, and a duplicate state in blue.
Full brown morocco binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt compartments, quadruple gilt fillets framing the covers, double gilt fillet on the leading edges, brown and blue morocco doublure with gilt fillets and corner fleurons, top edge gilt, original wrappers preserved. Light rubbing traces on some raised bands. P. 295, lower portion yellowed. Uncut copy with full margins. Interior perfectly fresh.

Very handsome copy, perfectly executed.

First edition of this complete collection, including the portrait of Cochin as frontispiece. Some of the memoirs had appeared in 1773, but the collected edition that brings them all together is indeed dated 1774; certain pieces are dated 1773 as they were added after the title page bearing the 1774 date. Although the pagination varies, the collection contains only one general title page; some memoirs have half-titles, others do not.
Contents of the collection: Mémoires de M. Caron de Beaumarchais contre M. Goezman, Supplément au mémoire à consulter, Addition au Supplément du mémoire à consulter, Requeste d'atténuation pour le Sr Caron de Beaumarchais, Quatrième mémoire à consulter, Suite de la justification du Sieur de Beaumarchais, Mémoire pour Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, Réponse ingénue de Beaumarchais à la consultation injurieuse que le Comte de la Blache a répandu dans Aix, Le tartare à la légion (this piece is rare and is found in very few collections).
Contemporary full speckled calf binding. Spine with gilt decorative tooling, gilt fillets at head and foot. Brown morocco label. Blue mottled edges. Rubbing to joints. A good, fresh copy, with some gatherings slightly toned.
Bookplate of J. B. Regnault, avocat.

Second edition, after the original published in 1791. 2 large folding plates at the end of volume 2 with multiple figures.
Contemporary red Bradel binding in temporary boards. Smooth spine decorated with fillets. Brown shagreen title label. Gilt volume numbering. Volume 1: dampstain traces at mid-page from page 32 to 50, and p. 422 to 433. Humidity traces thereafter to page 250. Volume 2: light dampstain traces in upper margin p. 158 to 209, very faded thereafter. Dampstain traces in upper section on the 2 folding plates. Some signatures uncut. Rubbing traces.
One of the most important treatises on the subject, which remained for a long time the manual for dye workers. Berthollet is, after Lavoisier, undoubtedly the most important chemist of the 18th century. We owe him numerous discoveries in the field of dyeing, notably the bleaching of canvas with chlorine, Javel water.