Paris

Autograph letter signed by Paul Léautaud addressed to Marcel Lebarbier, his publisher at Editions de la Belle Page, 29 lines in black ink written on a double sheet with letterhead and vignette of Mercure de France where he worked for more than thirty years.
Léautaud had published earlier that year his volume of chronicles entitled Villégiature at Editions de la Belle Page.
«Vous êtes décidément une merveille d'éditeur, avec ce supplément de droits. vous me donnerez cela quand vous aurez l'occasion de venir à Paris - où j'irai le chercher rue de Vaugirard. Je vais plusieurs fois par semaine à deux pas de là.
Je ne...

First edition, a Service de Presse (advance) copy.
Light tears to spine, small folds and marginal spotting to boards.
Complete with publisher's (advertising) slip.
Autograph inscription dated and signed by Paul-Emile Victor to Maurice Carité.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Handsome copy.
Autograph inscription signed by Pierre Moinot to René de Obaldia and his wife Diane: "... voici les vaguelettes oubliées qui suivent un cou d'état, en gage d'admirative et fidèle amitié" ["...here are the forgotten ripples that follow a coup d'état, as a token of admiring and faithful friendship"] accompanied by a drawing depicting a small bird perched on a flower.

38 manuscripts and 43 typescripts, comprising Boris Vian's 45 chronicles on Jazz in Paris for the American radio station WNEW

“This is Boris Vian saying “Bonjour” from Paris...”

An exceptional complete set of Boris Vian's chronicles on French Jazz in the 1930s and '40s for the American radio station WNEW.

The autograph manuscript of 38 broadcasts written on blank or squared paper and occasionally on headed paper from the Centrale and the Office professionnel des industries et des commerces du papier et...

Admirative lettre autographe signée et datée, d'une page et demie et à en-tête de l'Académie Française, adressée par Paul Morand, à une femme de théâtre :
"Paris 28. I. 75.
Madame,
Je vous ai admirée hier soir, en bonne fée vengeresse d'un monde disparu. Après Moreno, on croyait que le rôle était épuisé : vous l'avez renouvelé par une grandeur, une force vitale qui n'est qu'à vous. Et tant de beauté cachée sous ce masque tragique, ne se faisait jamais oublier.
Je me suis associé à la foule enthousiaste de vos admirateurs ; restant, madame, à jamais l'un deux.
Paul Morand."

Paulin, Paris 1833, 8vo (12.7 x 21.1 cm), (4) 468 and (4) 475 (1), bound
First French edition.
Contemporary half dark blue calf. Spine with fillets and roulettes to head and foot. A little slight rubbing, mostly to corners. Faint scattered foxing. A fine copy.
Of the four volumes of the memoirs and correspondence of Jefferson that appeared in the US in 1829 (Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies, from the papers of Thomas Jefferson), the French publishers preferred a judicious and enlightened selection, rather than publishing the integral text. The essay on the principles of the American school is followed by the Constitution of the United States. The extract from the...

Les Hommes d'aujourd'hui - An almost complete collection from n°1 to n°416
Léon Vanier, Paris n.d. (1878-1898), 19.5 x 28.5 cm, 8 bound volumes
The first edition of this rare collection, almost complete and comprising 416 issues of four pages, each illustrated with a color caricature and sometimes illustrations to text. A ninth volume appeared in 1899.
Contemporary half red shagreen over marbled paper boards, spine in six compartments, titles and volume numbers in gold, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, title page preserved in each volume.
Spines uniformly faded, a little spotting and occasional browning. No. 136 slightly shaved by binder and first page of No. 74...

Edition postérieure de trois mois à l'originale.
spine légèrement gauchi comportant une petite tache en tête, une claire mouillure sur le premier plat, agréable état intérieur.
Envoi autographe daté et signé de Michel Tournier au docteur Jean-Louis Millet.

Photograph of Victor Hugo in Hauteville-HouseLarge original photograph on albumin paper, cabinet portrait size, mounted on thick card.
Photographer's advert to verso.
Rare photograph of Victor Hugo in his house, Hauteville, in the famous red Renaissance drawing room, the writer's favourite, entirely designed by him. The photograph shows the writer seated, his right hand in his vest. In early summer 1878, Hugo had an attack of apoplexy in Paris and went back to Hauteville to convalesce. The photographer, André, took several shots of him at Hauteville...

[PHOTOGRAPH] Photographic portrait of Victor Hugo at Hauteville House
A Maurice, Paris 1878, 10.6 x 16.4 cm, photograph
Large original photograph on albumin paper, cabinet portrait size, laid down on thick card.
Photographer's advert to verso.
Rare photograph of Victor Hugo in his house, Hauteville, in the bosom of his library. The photograph shows the writer seated, hands crossed, looking at the photographer. The curtain can be seen at Hauteville House following restoration. In early summer 1878, Hugo had an attack of apoplexy in Paris and went back to Hauteville to convalesce. The photographer, André, took several shots of him at Hauteville. The interesting thing about...

Michel Lévy Frères | Paris 1869-1870 | 11 x 18 cm | 7 volumes in contemporary half shagreen

Very important edition, according to Clouzot: “More and more sought-after, quite rightly, this edition includes in first edition: part of the Fleurs du Mal, the Petits Poèmes en prose, Curisosités esthétiques (except for the two Salons), L'Art romantique (except for Gautier and Wagner).”
Les Fleurs du Mal is a third edition, dated 1869.

Volume 1: Les Fleurs du Mal, volume 2: Curiosités esthétiques, volume 3: L'Art romantique, volume 4: Petits Poèmes en prose, volume 5: Histoires extraordinaires, volume 6: Nouvelles Histoires extraordinaires et volume 7: Aventures d'Arthur...

Charpentier et Dumont, Paris 1835-1837, 13 x 21.5 cm, 5 bound volumes
The first edition of the last three volumes. "The first two volumes were reprinted by Charpentier in 1835 without their frontispieces" (Clouzot).
Contemporary half light brown calf over marbled paper boards, spine with large typographic fleurons both gilt and in blind, gilt dentelles to head and foot, gilt initials and title and volume labels of black sheep, marbled endpapers and guards, all edges marbled.
Title and volume labels sunned, a few small scuffs to head and foot of spines. Scattered foxing.
Provenance: Library of the Château de Bois-Boudran with its ex-libris laid down to front pastedown of...