Delalain

First edition by Samuel Constant de Rebecque according to Barbier (Dictionnaire des anonymes).
Contemporary full marbled sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated. Brown morocco title label; black morocco volume label. Lacks to all headcaps. Upper joint of volume 1 cracked at head, lower joint with crack at foot. Upper joint of volume 3 cracked at head for 12 cm. Upper joint of volume 4 cracked at foot for 8 cm.
Swiss author born in Lausanne, the author devoted himself to a literary career after leaving the army, he made his name from 1783 with 3 sentimental and epistolary novels, then in vogue, which we find in Baculard d'Arnaud and whose origin goes back to Richardson. His 3 novels enjoyed a certain renown, in France and in Switzerland. Camille is a novel where psychological analysis plays a major role, we see the romantic journey of two friends who are complete opposites, one is thoughtful and reasoning, melancholic, the other prides herself on simplicity and gaiety and sees no interest in reflection. The most loving will not be the one we think. The work is interesting not only because we follow the character of two young girls and their sentimental adventures but because it exposes the condition and life of educated young girls at the end of the 18th century.

Very rare first edition published anonymously and illustrated with a very fine frontispiece signed by Eisen engraved by Ponce as well as a vignette and tailpiece by the same engraved by de Longueil and Binet. Cohen announces only 15 copies all printed, like ours, on Holland paper.
Later (19th century) binding in half blonde calf, spine with five raised bands richly decorated with gilt fillets and compartments, red and navy blue morocco title and date labels, paste-paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns of combed paper, binding signed Petit successeur de Simier. Joints and headcaps rubbed.
Some very minor marginal foxing as well as a pale stain on page 57, otherwise a handsome copy.
"First edition of the Baisers (numbering 15) and first attempt at their illustration. This is where are the proof vignettes of the frontispiece, of the vignette of the Hymne au Baiser which becomes in the following edition the head-piece of the first kiss, and of the tailpiece of the fifteenth kiss which becomes that of the twentieth." (Cohen)
Extremely rare.

First edition.
Contemporary half brown sheep binding with small corners. Spine with raised bands, decorated. Red morocco title labels, black sheep volume labels. One lack at head of volume I, one lack at tail, a split to upper joint at tail. Rubbing. 5 corners bumped. Good copy.
One of the principal novels by this woman of letters, who remained famous for having been Diderot's mistress. She takes the opposite stance to the libertine literature of the period and licentious novels of manners, depicting a virtuous and faithful man.

First edition
Half red shagreen binding, smooth spine slightly faded decorated with crosses and cold fillets, red paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Some foxing.
Work illustrated with in-text figures as well as 4 plates.

New edition revised by Barbeau de la Bruyère.
Contemporary full marbled sheep bindings. Spines with raised bands decorated. Red morocco title labels and green morocco volume labels. Head caps partly worn. Top joint of volume I cracked. Top joint of volume 2 cracked at head. Traces of dampstaining to outer margin of volume I.
The work met with some success and was reprinted numerous times until the 19th century. It contains a treatise on the sphere, universal geography (Europe, Africa, Asia, America) and ecclesiastical geography with the archbishoprics and bishoprics of the Catholic and schismatic churches.

First illustrated edition with 3 title vignettes and 3 figures by Eisen in volume I (as well as 3 pages of engraved music) plus 3 tailpieces and 1 figure by Marillier, 2 by Barbier and 3 title vignettes by Marillier in volume II, plus 3 tailpieces. All engraved by Fessard, Longueil, Née, Delaunay and Halbou. Very fine illustration, very elegant.
Contemporary full calf binding with scale pattern. Spine with raised bands decorated. Red morocco title labels, and green morocco volume labels. Triple-ruled frame on boards. Edges gilt. Small lack to upper joint at head of volume I. Signs of rubbing. Pale scattered foxing. One lack to margin of p. 479. The binder has inverted the volume numbers.

 

Handsome copy.

Volume I: Salisbury, Varbeck, Le Sire de Crequy.
Volume II: Le Prince de Bretagne, La Duchesse de Chatillon, Le Comte de Strafford.

Most of Baculard d'Arnaud's narratives show an immoderate taste for true anecdotes (historical or picturesque and drawn from various regions: Italy, Germany, Spain) and the author is perfectly representative of this literature that would give rise to the gothic and dark novel. An exacerbated, sparkling sentimentalism animates the author's works, with a certain complacency in depicting evil and a rather morbid pleasure in emotions. Were it not for the framework that often defines the gothic novel, which is absent from d'Arnaud's works (except for Le Comte de Comminges), the author is very close to this movement in late 18th-century literature.

A factitious collection composed of the 4 plays by Arnaud: Fayel, Le Comte de Comminge, Merinval, Euphémie. Le comte Comminge is separated from Fayel only by a half-title, just as Euphémie from Mérinval (with no loss in the collation). 3 figures in volume I, one by Eisen, one by Restou, one before letters; one by Eisen and one by Restou in volume II.
Contemporary full mottled calf bindings. Decorated spines with raised bands, roulettes at foot. Red morocco title label, and green morocco volume label. Triple fillet frame on the boards. Gilt edges. Surface wear on the spine of volume II with a loss in the first compartment, and loss of gilding. Surface wear and loss along the lower joint of volume 2. A fairly handsome set. Quality binding.
The 4 tragedies are enriched by numerous pieces (Mémoires du Comte de Comminge, Effets de la vengeance...). His theatre resembles his prose and seeks dramatic effects, his dramas are dark and arouse terror and tragic situations through a grand staging of emotions.

Third edition statement (considerably expanded) for Mes fantaisies; Mes nouveaux torts bears the date of the first edition, but from a different publisher than Delalain. A frontispiece by Marillier engraved by de Ghendt and a figure by the same engraved by Gaucher for Mes nouveaux torts. A frontispiece by Eisen, engraved by Longueil, a title vignette and a tailpiece by the same, engraved by de Ghendt for Mes fantaisies. Given the identical binding, we have united these two editions.
Half vermillion morocco bindings with corners from the late 19th century. Raised band spines with ornaments. Gilt titles. Fillets on boards. Uncut copies, with the original marbled covers. The volume of Mes nouveaux torts is slightly shorter. A tissue guard has been inserted between the frontispiece and title page.
Very fresh copies, established in perfect unsigned master binding.
Both works are poetic anthologies. A notice presents the edition of Mes fantaisies as being more carefully prepared than the two previous ones, with cuts and additions, and a new order. One finds the "Discours sur la poésie" as a preface, where the author confesses his inclinations, notably for medieval poetry.
One will note the important epistle that begins Mes nouveaux torts and explains the title, in which Dorat attempts to explain the origin of his disgrace in the literary world; following this justification, Dorat quotes an exchange of letters with Voltaire. This preface is doubly interesting regarding the world of letters and its intolerance, and regarding the author's biography.

First collected edition of this collection of novellas whose 5 volumes appeared from 1774 to 1778. 1774 for the first two volumes, 1775 for the third volume, 1777 for the fourth and 1778 for the fifth volume (volumes to come are announced at the end of published volumes). Due to the extended publication period, it is rare to encounter a homogeneous set with all the correct edition dates. Each novella is separated by a half-title with an edition statement.
Each novella contains a figure, a half-page title vignette, and a tailpiece by Eisen or Marillier, and engraved by Binet, de Ghuendt, de Longueil... Very beautiful and fine illustration, being 48 figures and 24 tailpieces. The printing, illustration and layout clearly recall the careful editions produced by Dorat. "...but as the illustrations are of the greatest beauty, it is important to obtain the first editions..." Cohen.
Volume I: Fanny, Lucie et Mélanie, Clary, Julie, Nancy. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces by Eisen.
Volume II: Anne Bell, Sélicourt, Sidney et Volsan, Adelson et Salvini, Sargines. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces, by Eisen.
Volume III: Zénothémis, Bazile, Lorezzo, Liebman, Rosalie. viij pages of sheet music for Sicilian romances. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces by Eisen.
Volume IV: Ermance, D'Almanzi, Pauline et Suzette, Makin, Germeuil. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces by Marillier.
Volume V: Daminville, Henriette et Charlot, Valmiers, Amelie. 4 frontispieces, 4 vignettes and 4 tailpieces by Marillier and Le Barbier.
Contemporary full brown scaled calf bindings. Raised band spines with ornaments, roulettes at tail and head. Red morocco title labels, and green morocco volume labels. Triple fillet frame on boards. Edges gilt. A small hole at head of volume I, tiny lack at head of volume IV. Rubbing to first raised band of volume I. Upper joints of volumes IV and V narrowly split at head. 3 corners bumped. A 1 cm lack on lower board of volume V. Usage rubbing. Scattered irregular foxing, some leaves yellowed and some yellow dampstain traces. A dampstain trace in left margin of first frontispiece of volume IV. Frontispiece of volume II backed and damaged in its left margin. Absence of half-title in volume II. Spine of fourth volume having lost gilding through rubbing.
Overall, handsome set in quality binding.
Most of Baculard d'Arnaud's tales show an immoderate taste for true anecdotes (historical or picturesque and from various countries: Italy, Germany, Spain) and the author is perfectly representative of this literature that would give rise to the gothic and dark novel. An exacerbated, brilliant sentimentalism animates the author's works, with a certain complacency in depicting evil and a rather morbid pleasure in affects. Were it not for the framework that often defines the gothic novel, and which is absent from D'arnaud's works (except for Le comte de Comminges), the author is very close to this movement in late 18th-century literature.

New edition, after the first published in 1765, expanded with a third volume appearing here for the first time.
Contemporary full brown marbled calf bindings. Smooth spine decorated. Red morocco title and volume labels. One corner slightly bumped. Some rubbing. Handsome copy.
For many years La Dixmerie would supply the Mercure with his tales almost free of charge after Marmontel's departure, and most of the 24 titles in this collection appeared there. They belong to all genres of tales: marvelous, oriental, moralist and historical. The author explains in the preface his use of the epithet "philosophical" added to his tales, mocking this term applied at the time to everything and anything, and which he used because it was fashionable and because all his tales could serve as a pretext for moralizing. One can distinguish a talent for lightness and satire.

First edition.
Half tan sheep binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt fleurons and fillets, scuffing to marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding. Work complete with its 63 plates (10 for the first volume, 28 for the second and 25 for the last) as well as its 2 folding plates.
Scattered foxing. Rare.

First edition. An engraved title frontispiece.
Full marbled and glazed blonde calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title-label. Head slightly worn. Handsome copy.
This almanac contains, in addition to the year's calendar, a series of pieces, fables and light poetry by various authors (Dorat, Voisenon, Voltaire, Piron, Marmontel, etc.), a critique of works published in 1773 and of shows performed in that same year.

First edition, illustrated with a frontispiece by Marillier engraved by de Ghendt and a figure by the same engraver executed by Gaucher.
Contemporary full brown calf binding. Smooth spine decorated in grotesque style with interlacing floral motifs. Red morocco title and volume labels. Triple gilt fillet frame on boards. Edges gilt. Head worn; foot partially fragile. A lack to the upper corner at top. Corners slightly bumped.
A poetic anthology bringing together certain earlier works and adding some new ones. Notable is the important epistle that opens the work and explains the title, in which Dorat attempts to explain the origin of his disgrace in the literary world; following this justification, Dorat cites an exchange of letters with Voltaire. This preface is doubly interesting regarding the world of letters and its intolerance, and regarding the author's biography.

First edition.
These two volumes are numbers I, II, III, IV, Volumes XXIII of the Le Philologue collection which comprises "7 to 8 volumes". Missing the third volume from the year 1828 which forms the Theocriti Quae Exstant Omnia.
Half fawn sheep binding, smooth spine decorated with plant motifs and gilt fillets, tears to joints, spine partially stained, marbled edges.
Scattered foxing.
Rare.