Ambroise Dupont

First edition enhanced with 5 engravings from the 1840 collected edition by Furne, by Camille Rogier and Tony Johannot. The print run, as specified by Clouzot (Guide du bibliophile français), was 1075 copies on laid paper, and some copies on rather fine vellum, with a question mark. This copy is part of the special printing on vellum of which the number of copies is unknown, but it is necessarily from a small print run.
Full morocco binding ca 1860 signed Amand at top of endpaper. Spine with raised bands richly decorated, triple ruled frame on boards. Wide interior border. Edges gilt. Traces of rubbing on bands, joints and corners. Narrow split in leather at beginning of lower joint at head. Paper perfectly fresh with occasionally tiny spots in margin.
Fine copy of the rare printing on fine vellum.
Hugo's play, of unusual length at 6920 verses, was reputed unperformable, notably due to its numerous scene changes. It definitively breaks with classical theater. The famous preface to the play will remain as a manifesto of romantic theater.

First edition.
Half brown calf binding, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets and dots, gilt friezes at head and foot, marbled paper boards, marbled edges, contemporary bindings.
Some foxing, scratches at head of some joints.

First edition.
Bradel bindings in full marbled boards, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets, brown sheepskin title labels, tears without loss to headcaps, two corners slightly bumped, yellow edges.
Work illustrated with a portrait of B. Constant as frontispiece to the second volume and complete with the folding facsimile.
Scattered foxing affecting mainly the first volume.

First edition. Edition of 1,075 copies according to Clouzot.
Half-calf binding with lavallière corners from the early 20th century signed Lavaux at the top of the first endpaper. Smooth spine decorated with 5 tools, gilt and blind fillets. Red edges. Spine uniformly faded. Foxing on the first 4 leaves and in the notes and some scattered foxing throughout. Handsome copy.
Hugo's play, of unusual length at 6,920 verses, was reputed to be unplayable, notably due to its numerous changes of scenery. It breaks definitively with classical theater. The famous preface to the play would remain as a manifesto of romantic theater.

Fourth edition.
Half green Russia morocco bindings with small corners, smooth spine decorated with double gilt fillets, single gilt fillet framing the green paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, corners slightly bumped, yellow edges, contemporary bindings.
Pen ownership inscription on endpapers.
Some minor foxing.
Rare.

Second edition published the same year as the first edition.
Bradel bindings in half Sienna earth cloth, smooth spines decorated with gilt fleurons, double gilt fillets at tails, marbled paper boards.
Scattered foxing, gift inscriptions in ink from a previous owner of the work on the endpapers.

Fourth edition, decorated with a frontispiece engraved by A. Fauchery after Devéria and printed on chine collé.
Contemporary half red calf binding, smooth spine richly decorated with gilt arabesques as well as a gilt bird tool and a black title-label, marbled paper boards, binding signed by Lefebvre.
Some minimal worming.

First edition.
Bradel bindings in red half-cloth, smooth spines decorated with a gilt fleuron, gilt date and double fillet at foot, brown shagreen title-label, marbled paper boards.
Concerning notably Stendhal, A. de Lamartine, F.R. de Chateaubriand, E. Scribe, A. Tastu...
Some foxing.

First edition.
Contemporary half pink sheep binding, smooth spine faded, decorated with gilt typographical motifs with three small holes at head.
Some foxing, a dampstain at the end of the second volume fading through the pages.
Rare.

First edition.
Half bronze sheep binding, spine with four raised bands set with gilt friezes decorated with cold-stamped friezes and fleurons as well as gilt fillets, gilt friezes at head and foot, tiny hole at foot of spine, joints lightly rubbed, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, contemporary Romantic binding.
With frontispiece engraved portrait of the author.
Some foxing.

First edition.
Bradel binding in full marbled boards, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets, brown sheep title labels, tears without loss to headcaps, two corners slightly bumped, yellow edges.
Work illustrated with a portrait of B. Constant as frontispiece to the second volume and complete with the folding facsimile.
Scattered foxing mainly affecting the first volume.