Handsome copy.
1911
First edition on ordinary paper.
A vertical crease along the right margin of the upper cover, which also shows a tiny blemish at the head; a complete copy retaining its publisher’s wraparound band.
Fine presentation inscription signed by Pascal Quignard: "Pour Michel Tournier cette terrasse à Rome, avec mon meilleur souvenir. Pascal Quignard."
First edition including all the features of the first issue for Du Côté de chez Swann (Grasset printing error on the title-page, front cover with the date 1913, missing contents table, publisher's catalogue at rear). First edition on ordinary paper, one of the very rare first edition copies without a statement of edition for A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, from an edition of about 500 copies. Following volumes in first numbered editions on pur fil, only deluxe copies after the "réimposés".
Few small tears along the lower edge and a small crease mark to the upper cover of Du côté de chez Swann, with some foxing to the first two leaves; spine very faintly sunned and a marginal dampstain affecting three leaves not affecting the text in Du côté de Guermantes I; foxing to the inscribed leaves and opening leaves of Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I and Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1, the latter with a small mark to the spine; marginal foxing to Sodome et Gomorrhe II-3; small lacks of paper at the foot of the spine and one at the lower right corner of the upper cover of La Prisonnière I; a small mark to the upper cover and a tiny tear at the foot of the spine of the first vol. of Albertine disparue; spine sunned and a discreet crease at the corner of the upper cover of the first vol. of Le Temps retrouvé, and a small mark to the lower cover of the last two volumes.
Complete collection of In Search of Lost Time including two important and precious presentation copies, signed and inscribed by Marcel Proust to Lucien Descaves, founding member of the Académie Goncourt:
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectueux hommage de l'auteur. / Marcel Proust” [to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Respectful tribute from the author. / Marcel Proust] on Le Côté de Guermantes II – Sodome et Gomorrhe I.
- “à monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiratif hommage. / Marcel Proust ” [to Monsieur Lucien Descaves. / Admiring tribute. / Marcel Proust] on Sodome et Gomorrhe II-1.
First edition, one of 647 numbered copies on pur fil, the only large paper copies after 109 reimposed.
Contemporary half green morocco, spine with five raised bands, date in gilt at foot, patterned paper boards, green paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and sunned spine preserved, top edge gilt, binding by Thomas Boichot.
Fine presentation inscription signed by Pierre Drieu la Rochelle to a pair of very close friends: "A Guillaume [et] Marcelle de Tarde ce Feu Follet qui en s'évanouissant emporte ma jeunesse votre amitié m'est précieuse et m'a fait beaucoup de bien \ Drieu." [To Guillaume and Marcelle de Tarde, this Will o' the Wisp which in vanishing carries away my youth, your friendship is precious to me and has done me much good].
First edition, one of 50 copies on pure thread paper, part of the deluxe issue.
Half aubergine morocco binding, smooth spine, lacquered marbled paper boards, aubergine paper endpapers and doublures, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, slipcase edged with aubergine morocco, aubergine paper sides, aubergine felt lining. An elegant binding signed C. & J.P. Miguet, dated 1990.
First edition.
A fine copy.
Inscribed and signed by Romain Gary.
First edition, one of the rare press copies. No deluxe limited issue printed.
Full yellow box calf binding, smooth spine lettered in palladium, boards tooled in blind, upper board with inlays of grey box calf, yellow box calf pastedowns, beige suede endpapers, original wrappers and spine preserved, no gilt edges like every binding by Jean-Luc Honegger, half yellow box calf custom slipcase, smooth spine lettered in palladium, yellow lustrine cloth boards, beige suede lining, very fine set signed Jean-Luc Honegger (2023).
4400 copies of this first edition of The Stranger were printed on April 21, 1942: 400 press copies, 500 copies without a statement of edition and 3500 copies with false statements of second through eighth "editions".
The press copies, not intended for sale, do not bear the price indication [25 francs] on the back cover.
Paper was scarce in 1942, and as Albert Camus was an unknown author at the time, Gallimard did not print a limited issue on luxury paper (or large paper) as was often the case. For this reason, press copies or copies without a statement of edition are particularly sought-after.
A precious and rare copy, perfectly bound by the fine bookbinder Jean-Luc Honegger.
First edition on ordinary paper.
A good copy retaining its advertising band.
Handsome autograph inscription from Marguerite Duras to Claude Simon.
First edition, an ordinary paper copy.
The three volumes are housed in a full black morocco case, spine ruled in blind, date at foot, inside lined with khaki sheepskin, by Goy & Vilaine.
Handsome copy inscribed by Marcel Proust to Henri Massis in the first volume:
“En témoignage de très vive sympathie Marcel Proust [a gesture of very fond affection].”
First edition on chestnut paper, complete with its wraparound band for booksellers.
Two small tears without loss to the spine.
First edition, one of the review copies.
Spine with a small tear at the foot.
Double autograph inscription signed by Raymond Queneau to Madame Bonnet, the first in blue ink: "A madame Bonnet en sincère hommage Queneau", the asterisk referring to the second signed inscription: " complété en II II III, 131789076, ABCDEFG... Queneau" in black ink.
First edition, one of the review copies.
A pleasant copy, slightly trimmed as usual.
Inscribed and signed by Raymond Queneau: "A madame A. Bonnet en bien sincère et respectueux hommage Queneau."
First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe copies.
A fine copy.
First edition, one of the numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper issue.
A handsome copy.
Illustrated edition featuring 6 full-page plates bound at the end (see Schwab 39).
No copy listed in the CCF (Catalogue Collectif de France).
Mid-19th-century Bradel binding in full marbled paper boards, smooth spine with title label mounted at the head, sprinkled edges.
A rare work, even in German libraries: it is in fact a summary compiled from the sources mentioned in the title, which were at the time not readily available in German. Johann Adam Bergk (1769–1834), a publicist and translator, was best known for his efforts to popularize idealist philosophy, particularly that of Kant, although his interests extended to many other fields.
First edition, one of the copies printed on alfa paper and reserved for the press service.
A pleasant copy.
Inscribed and signed by André Gide to the literary critic and historian Fortunat Strowski.
First edition, no copies printed on deluxe paper.
Publisher's full white boards, a fine copy complete with the illustrated dust jacket.
Inscribed by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie to G. Charbonnier: "... en souvenir d'une sympathique rencontre à France Culture, amicalement..."
First edition, with no deluxe copies printed.
Bradel binding in navy blue half shagreen, smooth spine, sides covered with 'cat's eye' patterned paper, original wrappers preserved.
Inscribed and signed by Emil Michel Cioran in green ink to Georges Linhent.
First edition on regular paper.
A faint dampstain to the upper margin, two traces of adhesive tape facing the half-title page.
Inscribed and signed by André Malraux to Edouard Caen.
First edition, rare first issue copy (printing error in the Grasset imprint, original soft cover dated 1913, publisher's catalog in-fine, no table of contents) for the first volume; first issue of à l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs without statement of edition, one of about 500 copies, the 2000 later issued copies bearing a false statement of edition on the cover, pasted label "majoration temporaire cinquante pour cent" on the spine of the preserved soft cover; first editions on pur fil for the following volumes, the only grands papiers (deluxe copies) with réimposés quarto copies.
Famous misprint known as "la faute à Grasset": most important printer's error, only present on service de presse (advance copies) and very first issue copies of Swann. A vertical bar | had slipped between Grasset's E and T on the lower part of the title-page and was quickly removed during printing. 17 deluxe copies - 5 on japon and 12 on hollande - were printed after first issue corrections.
No statement of edition: true feature of first issue copies of à l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs. Although dated 30 November 1918, the 128 "réimposés" copies were only printed in 1919 along with deluxe copies of the Swann second edition.
The complete first edition, first issue of à la recherche du temps perdu includes the first two volumes on ordinary paper with the above-mentioned particularities, then deluxe copies for the following volumes. These deluxe copies on pur-fil are of the same format than the first two volumes.
Discreet restorations to the first volume, spine slightly wrinkled as usual for the second volume, a small stain to the spine of the third volume, two slight lacks of paper at the bottom of the third and fourth volumes, some minor foxing to some edges.
This complete collection of In Search of Lost Time includes the following titles: Du Côté de chez Swann, A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, Le Côté de Guermantes (2 volumes), Sodome et Gomohrre (3 volumes), La Prisonnière (2 volumes), Albertine disparue (2 volumes) and Le Temps retrouvé (2 volumes).
Precious set, as issued, all in first edition.