Plon

First edition, one of 60 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only large paper copies.

A small nick to the spine; a rare and pleasing copy.

First edition of the French translation, one of 159 numbered copies on alfa paper, the entire issue on deluxe paper.

A rare and fine copy of this work warning against the dangers of the rise of Nazism in Germany.

New edition.

Minor, inconsequential tears at the head of the spine and along the margins of the covers.

Fine and valuable signed autograph inscription by Marguerite Yourcenar to Georges Bataille : "Au directeur de Critique hommage de l'auteur, Marguerite Yourcenar, "Il y a quelque chose à dire en faveur de l'exception, pourvu qu'elle ne veuille pas se faire passer pour la règle." F. Nietzsche." 

First edition of the French translation, one of 40 numbered copies on alfa paper, this one of 10 hors commerce copies, the deluxe issue.
Spine slightly sunned.
Rare signed and dated autograph inscription from Nikos Kazantzakis to Charles Orengo, then literary director of Éditions Plon.

Orengo, nicknamed “Père Joseph” by Françoise Verny, was a key figure in post-war French publishing. The founder of Éditions du Rocher, he went on to spend many years at Plon before being appointed to the management of the Librairie Hachette. He ended his career as chairman of Fayard. 

First edition, one of 95 hors commerce copies on pure wove paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

Half fawn morocco binding, smooth spine with gilt lettering of the author's name, title, date, and the mention “EX. J. KESSEL”, fawn paper boards, rust-colored endpapers and pastedowns, original covers and spine preserved, binding signed by Thomas Boichot.

Some foxing mainly affecting the covers as well as the first and last leaves.

Exceptional and moving signed autograph inscription from Maurice Druon to Joseph Kessel: "A toi mon grand Jef, prince des Cavaliers, avec la joie de t'avoir rejoint parmi les Immortels, cette histoire de famille en t'embrassant pour tous les jours des hommes. Maurice...

First edition on regular paper.

Spine with some faint dampstains, marginal foxing to the covers, paper toned as usual.

Inscribed and signed by Marguerite Yourcenar: "A madame Joly-Segalen hommage de l'auteur, Marguerite Yourcenar. Les vivants vont vite."

First edition, one of the numbered copies on Alfa Cellunaf reserved for veterans of Free France and members of the resistance and combatant associations of the 1939–1945 war.
Pleasant set.
Fine autograph inscription signed by General De Gaulle: "A madame Creteau en souvenir de la grande épreuve, en mémoire de son brave fils qui fut 'des miens'. Respectueusement. C. De Gaulle. 16.2.55".

First edition of the French translation established by Michel Tournier, one of 52 numbered copies on Alfa paper, the only deluxe copies.

A handsome and scarce copy.

First edition, one of 450 numbered copies on Alfa paper, after only 17 on Hollande and 22 on pur fil.

Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned, as usual, otherwise a pleasing copy.

First edition, one of 1,000 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe issue after 69 copies on Holland paper.
A fine copy, complete in five volumes.

 New edition with some parts in first edition, expanded with a new preface.

Minor tears at the head and foot of the spine, a few small stains and marginal tears to the covers.

Presentation inscription signed by Marguerite Yourcenar to Jane Bathori, the French mezzo-soprano, choral conductor, teacher, theatre director and film-maker, enriched with a Greek epithet used to describe to the Emperor Hadrian, the "supremely musical sovereign": "βασιλευς Μουσικοτατος", as a tribute to the dedicatee's artistry.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Contemporary half navy blue morocco, spine in পাঁচ raised bands decorated with gilt dotted tooling and gilt fillets, marbled paper sides, endpapers and pastedowns, wrappers preserved.
Our copy is complete with the author’s printed dedication to Marshal Pétain, later suppressed in subsequent editions.

First illustrated edition issued for the Club français des bibliophiles, one of the numbered copies.
Publisher’s full olive-green cloth bindings, smooth spines, gilt medallions in relief depicting General de Gaulle and Free France stamped at the centres of the upper covers, fine copies complete with their original glassine wrappers.
A complete set in three volumes, richly illustrated.
Autograph inscription dated and signed by Charles de Gaulle in the first volume, manuscript signatures dated in the second and third volumes.

First edition (cf. Cordier, Sinica, 1643).

Small tear and minor loss at the head of the spine; covers slightly soiled.

A highly interesting trilingual lexicon, presenting Chinese ideograms alongside their phonetic transcription, published in the immediate aftermath of the French expedition of 1858.

It includes, for example, practical phrases such as how to ask "Quelle est la nature de la rade ?" or how to reply that a general is "très brave ; il ne recule devant rien".

Claude-Philibert Dabry de Thiersant (1826–1898) began his career as a naval officer before turning to diplomacy, a path that led him to hold several consular posts in the Far East. Unsurprisingly, the greater part of his scholarly...