Alphonse Lemerre

First edition, issued without any deluxe paper copies.

Occasional marginal tears to upper part of front cover, small lacks of paper to spine-ends, lack of paper to the lower left corner of the lower cover, and a small snag to lower part of lower cover.

Exceptional presentation copy from one woman writer to another, addressed by Georges de Peyrebrune to Jane Catulle Mendès: "pour mon exquise confrère / pour ma charmante amie / Madame Catulle Mendès / En souvenir / Peyrebrune".

First editions by Peyrebrune and even more so her inscribed copies are decidedly scarce: "it is still very difficult to find Peyrebrune's books nowadays" (Sophie Ménard).

First edition on ordinary paper, with no mention of large paper copies.

Occasional light spotting, a small angular lack to half-title.
Elegant pastiche marbled paper Bradel binding by Thomas Boichot, brown morocco title label, covers preserved.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by the author: "A Guy de Maupassant, son ami [For Guy de Maupassant, his friend]."

First edition, one of the scarce copies on Japon paper.
Work illustrated with 17 colour plates.
A fine copy with wide margins.

First edition, one of 500 copies, dated 1867 on the wrapper.

3/4 brown morocco binding, spine with four raised bands framed in gilt and decorated with double gilt compartments adorned with small gilt tools at the corners and a large central floral tool at centre, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved with two minor restorations to the upper cover, gilt top edge, elegant binding signed by Bernasconi. A few minor foxing spots, slightly more pronounced on the first leaves.

Rare and precious autograph presentation inscription signed by Paul Verlaine to Emile Piau.

The first and most sought-after book of poems by Verlaine, with two of his most important creations in first edition: Mon rêve familier [My Familiar Dream] et Chanson d'automne [Autumn Song]. 

First trade edition, with the title page printed in black and red, issued after the exceedingly rare original edition limited to 10 copies.

Half navy blue shagreen binding, spine slightly faded with five raised bands, gilt date at the foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers sunned and restored spine, preserved, gilt top edge.

Pleasant copy illustrated with ornamental initials, headpieces, and tailpieces.

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.

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper copies along with 10 on China.
Contemporary half red morocco over marbled paper boards, spine in six compartments with gilt flowers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers preserved, top edge gilt.
Provenance : from the Lallemand de Mont collection, Stanislas de Guaita's son in law with his ex libris to pastedown.
A rare large paper copy with an exceptional provenance. 

First edition, one of 50 copies on vergé de Hollande, only deluxe issue (with 10 copies on papier Chine).
Contemporary dark red shagreen, probably a publisher's binding, spine in six compartments with gilt fleurons, covers with double gilt fillet frame and gilt fleurons to corners, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, edge of covers ruled in gilt, gilt roulette to head-pieces, top edge gilt, slipcase edged in dark red shagreen. 
A very rare and handsome copy perfectly set in a contemporary binding.

Later edition.
Autograph inscription from Jules Barbey D'Aurevilly to Madame Salomon : "... parce qu'il est plus moi que mes autres livres, je vous l'offre...[since it is more like me than my other books, I give it to you…]" What an inscription!
With a frontispiece portrait of the author by Martinez.
The front free endpaper with the inscription very slightly and partially faded.
Autograph inscriptions by Barbey d'Aurevilly on this work are rare and much sought after.