New search

First edition of the French translation, illustrated with a plan of Macao and 51 engraved plates by S. Simon after drawings by William Alexander (cf. Cordier, Sinica, 2387).

In the train of Lord Macartney’s embassy, by Mr Holmes, sergeant-major of his guard; to which have been added the Views, Costumes, etc., of China, by Mr W. Alexander, the plates from the original atlas of the embassy omitted from the French translation, together with their explanations. Translated from the English (…), revised and published with observations on the political and commercial relations of England and France with China, and notes by L. Langlès. 

Nineteenth-century binding in tan...

Later edition published only a few months after the first edition.
An attractive copy of this work, which won the 2001 Prix Goncourt and was adapted for television a few years later.
Dated and signed presentation inscription from Jean-Christophe Rufin to a woman named Muriel, to whom he also wishes a merry Christmas.

First edition (cf. Conlon 16:162; not listed by Barbier).

Later half marbled calf binding, spine with five raised bands ruled and decorated in gilt, marbled paper boards, speckled edges.

Restoration to the left-hand margin of the title-page, black ink stains in the margins of pages 4 and 5 and on the final flyleaf, with a few small spots of foxing.

Despite the anonymous author's prefatory remarks, the work appears to be a fashionable abridgement of Pétis de La Croix's book.

First edition (cf. Contominas 732; Blackmer 1652; Loukia Droulia 2021-22. Not in Atabey).

Contemporary Bradel binding in full grey marbled paper-covered boards, smooth spine with manuscript title label pasted at head, corners slightly rubbed, red-speckled edges.

Some foxing. 

 "An important work by the German philhellene, who was in fact the key figure in Bavarian philhellenism after Ludwig himself. In Munich in 1816 he founded an institute for educationg young Greeks (the 'Athenaion'). According to St. Clair he was also a member of the Philiké Etaireia ; certanly he called for volunteers in 1821. In 1831 he went to Greece as an unofficial agent of the Bavarian...

First edition, privately printed in a small number of copies as an offprint from La Patrie of 16 and 18 November 1883.

The CCFr records copies only at the BnF, the Bibliothèque Thiers and Compiègne.

Contemporary navy-blue half morocco over marbled-paper boards, with corners, spine with five raised bands, boards framed with blind fillets, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original front wrapper bound in, corners rubbed, top edge gilt.

Some foxing.

The text is a funeral tribute to Odilon Barrot’s last surviving brother, who, like him, was both a lawyer and a politician, though as staunchly Bonapartist as his elder brother was a leading figure of left-wing...

First edition, one of 75 numbered copies on pure rag laid paper, the only deluxe-paper copies offered for sale.
Rare and attractive untrimmed copy with full margins of the author’s masterpiece.

First edition, one of the copies on ordinary paper.

A pleasant copy despite a stain to the edge.

Signed presentation copy from Jorge Semprun to Françoise Giroud: "... ce nouvel exercice de mémoire..."

First collected edition, partly first edition, one of 129 numbered copies on wove paper, enhanced with an original engraving by Pierre Alechinsky, signed and numbered by the artist; our copy is one of the first 10 to contain a manuscript leaf, as stated in the limitation notice.

Signed by Yves Bonnefoy beneath the limitation notice.

A rare and fine copy.

First edition, printed in a small number of copies, of these extracts from the Cahiers de la Pléiade.

A few stains to the boards, with small red ink stains on the first page of Michel Tapié's text.

Signed presentation inscription from Henri Michaux to his friend, the painter and draughtsman Bernard Saby: "Les hommes qui ne donnent pas leur adresse ne craignent pas les exorcismes. Mais tout de même où est-il ce Saby? H.M."

Inspired both by his investigations into serial music and by his use of mescaline and hashish, Bernard Saby's painting aroused keen interest among his contemporaries. In 1956, his friend Henri Michaux gave him space in...

New edition, partly original.
Publisher's full grey cloth, smooth spine, a pleasant copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket.
Richly illustrated.
Signed presentation inscription from Yves Bonnefoy to Jacques Hartmann and his wife Nancy.
 

First edition of the French translation, illustrated in the atlas volume with 11 plates and 1 large folding map (cf. Hage Chahine, 720; Chadenat, 4227; Wilson, 35 for the 1835 English edition).

Contemporary Romantic bindings in aubergine half calf, smooth spines decorated with gilt arabesque tooling, gilt rolls at head and foot, marbled-paper boards, and marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

The atlas bound in aubergine half shagreen, smooth spine decorated with gilt Romantic arabesque tooling, gilt rolls at head and foot, marbled-paper boards, and marbled endpapers and pastedowns; a modern binding executed to match the Romantic bindings of the text volumes.

Joints...

First edition in book form of the first part (the second did not appear until 1916), comprising 1,080 proverbs, together with 100 Betsimisaraka proverbs collected by Joël Laimijay and translated only into Hova; the work had previously appeared in a periodical.

Cf. Grandidier II, 10,041.

Publisher's half cherry-red pebble-grain cloth binding, smooth spine ruled in gilt, a few small stains to spine, boards covered in embossed violet cloth, corners rubbed, speckled edges.

The complete work was reissued in 1929-1930, 1957 and 1960. Hugues Berthier's copy (1869-1958), chief colonial administrator, with his ink stamp. Berthier served as Secretary-General of the...

First edition of this colourful verse drama featuring the Conquistadors and Montezuma.

Not listed by Lorenz.

Contemporary green half calf, smooth spine tooled with gilt dots and fillets and blind fillets, some rubbing to spine, marbled-paper boards with small areas of loss and traces of recolouring, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges.

The Avignon-born author had previously published, in 1830, a verse comedy entitled "Les débuts en province". Cf. Bourquelot I, 150.

Our copy is enriched with numerous manuscript corrections in the author’s hand, together with a signed autograph presentation inscription by Paul Barbe on the recto of the final...

First edition of this thesis, illustrated with 4 plates.

Modern black half-calf binding, smooth spine decorated with double gilt fillets, marbled-paper boards.

A few minor spots of foxing; stamps of the Library of the Paris Faculty of Medicine on the plates and title page.

Not recorded by V. Rozier. 

The author served as chief surgeon to the First Battalion of Foot Grenadiers of the Consular Guard.

He invented an adjustable inclined bed, an instrument for the treatment of compound fractures of the lower jaw, a compression device for use in cases involving severed arteries, and an apparatus designed to transport seriously wounded men over long distances...

"Si quelque part au monde le coeur de la liberté continue à battre, s'il est un lieu d'où ses coups nous parviennent mieux frappés que de partout ailleurs, nous savons tous que ce lieu est l'Espagne." ["If anywhere in the world the heart of freedom continues to beat, if there is a place from which its beats reach us more clearly struck than from anywhere else, we all know that this place is Spain."]

First edition, one of 60 numbered copies on vélin d'Arche papers, the only grand papier (deluxe) copies with a few hors commerce also on vergé d'Arches.
Illustrated with 6 original lithographs by Antoni Tapies.

A very nice copy.
HAndwritten signatures of Antoni Tapies and Georges Raillard to colophon.

First edition, one of the 1000 numbered copies on vellum cloth, ours one of the hors commerce.

Illustrated book of 4 reproductions of works of Claude Garache.
Nice copy.
Signed autograph Yves Bonnefoy to his friend the sculptor and painter Raymond Mason and his wife: "For Raymond and Janine with affection Yves." enriched with the handwritten signature of Claude Garache in pencil.

First edition, extensively illustrated with reproductions of works by Speedy Graphito.

Text by Jean Seisser.

On the final free endpaper, a signed presentation inscription from Speedy Graphito to a man named François, surrounded by an original drawing.

First edition of Anne Guérin's French translation, for which no deluxe copies were issued; one of the review copies.

A small, unobtrusive nick to the head of the spine.

Introduction by Daniel Guérin.

An attractive copy, complete with the publisher's printed notice.

First edition of the French translation, one of 210 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue.

Spine and boards lightly faded at the margins, as is often the case.

First edition, one of the few copies printed on Japan paper.

A fine copy.

New edition illustrated with drawings by Jean-Jacques Sempé.

An attractive copy.

Signed presentation inscription from Jean-Jacques Sempé to Roger Karenvent, enhanced with an original drawing depicting a seated painter at work on a canvas.

First edition illustrated with 3 plates (Cf. Rodrigues 1357; Borba de Moraes I, 381; see INED 2496 for the 1774 edition).

Modern binding in brown mottled half calf, spine with four raised bands, gilt rules at head and foot, gilt initials at foot, red calf lettering-piece, marbled paper boards, sprinkled edges.

Stamp of a religious institution on the title page; old bookseller’s label pasted to the facing page.

The Coromandel Coast, European trading settlements, military strongholds, Indian religion, medicine, anatomy, the caste system, Indian manners, clothing, dwellings, gardens, food (and temperance), marriage rites, funerary customs, morality, fauna, flora...

First Italian edition; the work had originally appeared as early as 1806 with the Paris imprint of Gratiot, under the more explicit title: "La Guerra de'tre mesi, o l'Ultima campagna di S. M. l'Imperatore Napoleone".

Only three copies recorded in the CCF (BnF, Poitiers and Rouen, all of the 1806 edition).

Contemporary Bradel-style binding in quarter tan calf with corners, smooth spine decorated with gilt garlands, crimson morocco lettering-piece, rubbing to spine and boards with some loss of paper, yellow edges.

Some foxing; small wormholes to the lower right-hand corner of the final three pages, not affecting the text.

Unlike the author’s other works, this...

First edition of this treatise "qui comprend la structure et les fonctions de la bouche, l'histoire de ses maladies, les moyens d'en conserver la santé et la beauté, et les opérations particulières à l'art du dentiste".

Cf. Crowley 846. David p. 125. Poletti p. 49.

Contemporary half tan calf, smooth spine decorated with gilt ornamental rolls, red calf lettering-piece, some rubbing and minor losses to the joints, speckled-paper boards, marbled edges.

Illustrated with an engraved title-page, an allegorical frontispiece and 13 engraved plates, all hors texte.

Some foxing.

Original color lithograph, one of 15 proofs on Japon impérial paper reserved for the artist and his collaborators, the only printing with 20 more on Japon and 250 on Arches paper. Unsigned proof, as all proofs in this series, other than the frontispiece.
A superb proof on Japon paper specially made for The Story of Exodus, published in 1966, for which Chagall made 24 hors-text lithographs printed by Mourlot.
An exceedingly rare original proof on Japon paper, the most attractive and best for color lithographs.


Fernand Mourlot was undoubtedly the finest lithographic printer of the 20th century and was thus the friend and printer to the leading artists of his day...

First edition, one of 110 numbered copies on Rives laid paper.
Half red morocco binding, smooth spine, gilt date at foot, boards covered with abstract patterned paper, red paper endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, signed binding by P. Goy & C. Vilaine.
Autograph inscription signed by Jean Cocteau to a friend named Roger enhanced with a drawing in blue ink representing the face of a young man facing forward.

First French edition, one of 77 numbered copies on pur fil, only deluxe issue.

Preface by Albert Camus.

Nice copy housed under a chemise and slipcase by Devauchelle.

First edition, one of 750 numbered copies signed by the author, the only grands papiers (deluxe) copies.
Publisher's binding in half black cloth, marbled paper boards.
Autograph signature of William Faulkner on the justification page.
A beautiful copy, complete with its original acetate dust jacket.

First edition, one of the press copies.

Full emerald-green morocco, flat spine with a gilt rule lengthwise, title and author gilt-stamped, frontdecorated with multiple gilt rules framing a central onlaid panel of blue shagreen, light green suede endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed Boichot.

Exceptional and highly desirable presentation copy inscribed and signed by Louis-Ferdinand Céline: "A mons. Pierre Jean Jouve cordial hommage Louis Celine."

Original albumen print photograph of Auguste Rodin, cabinet card format, mounted on stiff card. Nadar's signature in red in the lower margin. Advertisements in red on the verso. A small white area in the upper left margin, with a few imperfections from the glass plate in the same area, not affecting the portrait. Foxing to the margins.

Iconic portrait of the sculptor with close-cropped hair and pince-nez, staring fixedly into the lens.

First issue, illustrated with 28 original burin engravings by Camille Paul Josso, one of 375 copies on vélin de Lana.

Cream wrappers with folded-in flaps, red suede cloth publisher's chemise and slipcase.

Chemise and slipcase somewhat soiled and scratched, corners bumped, a few edges chipped.

Elzevirian edition of the text of Julius Caesar, following the review established by the philologist and humanist historian Joseph Justus Scaliger (1540-1609), associated with the University of Leiden; this posthumous edition appeared twenty-six years after Scaliger’s death.

A desirable copy exhibiting all the distinguishing features of the first issue: 

• The buffalo head decorating the headpiece vignette of the dedication and of page 1
• Page 149 is misnumbered 153
• Page 335 is misnumbered 345
• Page 475 is misnumbered 375
• The index printed in italic type

Engraved title-page, two ornamental headpiece vignettes, a portrait of...

Very rare first edition, one of 150 copies signed at the colophon by Conrad Rooks. OCLC records only two copies at the American College of Greece and at Princeton University Library.

Spine and boards marginally sunned, two stains to the right margin of the rear board.

Presentation copy, inscribed, dated and signed "to Sueeva Viegand with appreciation for kind thoughts and friendship. Sincerely Conrad Rooks 5/7/1963 / Paris 26 rue Saint Beniot [Benoît] ’

Extremely rare first edition of Conrad...

First edition of the French translation, illustrated with a hand-coloured frontispiece depicting a Mahratta soldier and his wife (cf. Brunet, V, 883).

Contemporary Bradel binding in red paper-covered boards, title gilt to spine, some rubbing to spine, bookplate pasted to one pastedown, corners bumped.

Some foxing; the half-title was not bound into this copy.

A former colonel in a Mahratta infantry regiment, the author published his account in the form of letters addressed to an officer in the British Army.

The first English edition appeared in Bombay in 1798 under the title A Letter to an Officer on the Madras Establishment, before being translated...

Unpublished manuscript logbook kept by a French naval officer, an eyewitness to the celebrated action between the Aréthuse and HMS Amelia (1813), and to the campaigns that accompanied the restoration of French authority in the West Indies.

Unpublished autograph manuscript of 189 pages (the first 31 paginated, the remainder unnumbered), kept by an anonymous French naval officer and covering, without interruption, the period from 25 November 1812 to 4 May 1823.

Contemporary half tan calf, smooth spine decorated with repeated gilt rolls and naval ornaments, burgundy calf lettering-piece, brown paper-covered boards. Spine...

Rare first edition.

Our copy is offered in the original unbound state, with paper losses to the final leaf and a light waterstain affecting the opening leaves.

By General Duhesme (1766-1815), then serving with the army entrusted with the conquest of the Kingdom of Naples.

First edition, privately printed in a small number of copies as an offprint from issue No. 6 of the review Hermès, devoted to the theme of emptiness, of which Henri Michaux was the first editor-in-chief.

A few stains to the upper wrapper.

Signed autograph inscription by Henri Michaux to his friend, the painter and draughtsman Bernard Saby: "Quelques mots encore amicalement à Bernard Saby. Henri Michaux."

Inspired both by his investigations into serial music and by his experiments with mescaline and hashish, Bernard Saby's painting aroused keen interest among his contemporaries. In 1956, his friend Henri Michaux welcomed him into the pages of...

First edition in two parts, illustrated at the end of the volume with one folding table outside the text: "État des farines importées de France et de l'Etranger dans différens Ports de cette Colonie, pendant les mois d'Avril, Mai, Juin & Juillet derniers".

Not recorded by Sabin.

Ineed 2034, which does not mention the folding table: "Des rapports commerciaux qui relient la colonie à la métropole. Saint Domingue ayant souffert de disette, les députés de l'Ile demandent l'abolition du pacte colonial. Mais les députés des manufactures et du commerce de France soutiennent que leurs exportations de blé à Saint Domingue ont toujours été suffisantes et que leur prix n'a jamais...

First edition of the French translation by Barrère de Vieuzac, illustrated with 2 folding maps as plates.

Cf. Sabin 31266. Leclerc 1759.

Contemporary half aubergine basane binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt friezes, a gilt frieze at the tail, marbled paper boards, handmade paper endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, period binding.

Some light water staining affecting notably the two folding maps.

Rare work, significant for its contributions to Statistics, Geography, Mineralogy, Metallurgy, Natural History, Agriculture, and Trade of South America.

The original German edition was printed in Dresden in 1798. Both translations include additional...

First edition (cf. Polak, 7057; Grandidier I, 2503).

Nineteenth-century Bradel-style binding of marbled paper-covered boards, brown sheep title-label, headcaps worn away, corners bumped.

Some little foxing.

This pamphlet contains a translation of a small portion of the monumental India Directory—more precisely, Directions for sailing to and from the East Indies, China, New Holland, Cape of Good Hope, and the interjacent ports, compiled chiefly from original journals and observations made during 21 years' experience in navigating those seas (1817)—by the Scottish hydrographer James Horsburgh (1762–1836), who was employed by the British East India Company.

The...

First edition of the French translation, by Raymond Queneau, of Nigerian author Amos Tutuola’s first novel. One of 86 copies on Lafuma-Navarre pur fil wove paper, the only deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

Extremely rare original photograph showing Charles Baudelaire on albumen paper, contemporary print in carte de visite format, mounted on a board from the Nadar workshop, 35 boulevart (sic) des Capucines; “Photographic portrait for us taken by Nadar. Taken the same day as the previous one, same dimensions, same clothes. The waistcoat is still unbuttoned but Baudelaire hides his hands in the pockets of his trousers. Seen face on, he seems more troubled and sadder than in the previous attempt.” (Ourousof, 1896)
“Another carte de visite from the same day as the previous no. 41 [...] a contemporary albumen print found in the Musée d'Orsay collections (Provenance: from the Braive collection...

Original ink on cartridge paper, signed in ink on the lower right with Henri Michaux's monogram “HM.” A tiny tear, causing no effect, at the top of the leaf.
The drawing has been authenticated by M. Franck Leibovici, Henri Michaux's beneficiary, and will be entered into the catalogue raisonné in preparation.

Autograph letter signed by Charles Baudelaire, written in pencil and addressed to his mother. Dry-stamped stationery of the Grand Hôtel Voltaire, Faubourg Saint-Germain. Address to Madame Aupick in Honfleur (Calvados) in the author's hand, together with several postal markings dated 13 and 14 July 1858. Several underlinings, deletions and corrections by Baudelaire. Trace of a wax seal bearing Charles Baudelaire's initials in pencil, probably in the author's hand. A small portion of the second leaf has been excised, with no loss of text.
This letter was first published in the Revue de Paris on 15 September 1917.
From the former collection of...

Long autograph letter signed by Claude Farrère, approximately 160 lines in blue ink (8 pages on two double leaves), to his friend Pierre Louÿs thanking him notably for his thoughtfulness.
Traces of folds inherent to being placed in an envelope, envelope included.
Claude Farrère praises his friend's thoughtfulness towards him: "Thank you for your letter... not only because it is exquisite, - six times more than you can believe, - but much more because I know very well that you told it to me so as 'not to worry me...' as you say." and is amazed by the problems raised by these recent articles: "Said in parentheses, I am quite stunned by the one...

First edition, no deluxe issues published.
Richly illustrated.
A momentous presentation copy, signed and inscribed by André Malraux: "For Jean Dubuffet - who will not agree but who may console himself with the pictures! André Malraux. Dec. 1947." (Pour Jean Dubuffet - qui ne sera pas d'accord mais qui pourra se consoler avec les images ! André Malraux. Déc. 1947.)

This highly interesting inscription by Malraux acts as a perfect demonstration of their differing views on the subject of art:

"In 1947, as Malraux published, with Editions Albert Skira, the first essay of his Psychologie de l'art entitled Le Musée...

First edition of the second work in a set of four, published by a royal army officer between 1783 and 1788, focusing on a remedy claimed to cure numerous ailments. The remedy was prepared from a plant whose name the author deliberately withheld.

Bound in contemporary marbled paper over flexible cardboard, with wear and losses to the spine, labels pasted on the spine, and minor paper losses to the boards.

Printed stamps on some leaves.

The substance was both widely condemned as an excessively harsh purgative and praised—even by practitioners—for its apparent relief to gout sufferers.

An analysis conducted by Cadet and Parmentier failed to identify the plant used...

First edition (cf. Cordier, Sinica, 1282).

Contemporary flexible grey cloth, smooth unlettered spine slightly faded, blind-ruled borders to the boards, title lettered in gilt at the centre of both boards, a label bearing a handwritten inscription pasted to the upper left-hand corner of the front board, yellow paper pastedowns and endpapers, sprinkled edges.

George Thomas Staunton (1781–1859), an English diplomat and Orientalist, accompanied his father on a mission to China as early as 1792 and thus acquired a sound knowledge of the language at a very young age. In 1810, he published the Ta Tsing leu lee under the title Fundamental Laws of China. The...

First edition of this provisional account of the Helvetian campaign, from the moment Masséna assumed command (11 December 1798-21 April 1799).

Contemporary grey half cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine, tan longitudinal lettering-piece, marbled-paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns.

Occasional light foxing, a faint dampstain to the upper margins of most leaves, not affecting the text.

Louis Marès (1765-1806), initially a volunteer from the Hérault, transferred to the Corps of Engineers in 1793; wounded at Austerlitz, he died in early 1806 from the effects of his injury.

Autograph card signed, dated 18 November 1984, 12 lines in blue ballpoint pen, addressed to her friend the woman of letters Christiane Baroche, in which she discusses her latest work "Plaisirs amers" and the friendship binding the two women writers.

Autograph envelope addressed to Christiane Baroche enclosed.

A fine and affectionate letter of thanks, written six days after the announcement of the Prix Renaudot awarded to Ernaux for La Place:

« Merci Christiane de ta lettre qui m'a fait très chaud au coeur, car les moments de "gloire" sont aussi ceux qu'on a envie de traverser avec les gens qu'on aime bien. Je t'embrasse. Annie. »

...

First edition, for which no large-paper copies were printed; one of the review copies.

A pleasing copy.

Laconic but significant autograph inscription, dated and signed by Annie Ernaux, to Gallimard's esteemed reader, the writer Christiane Baroche: « merci. »

Original albumen print photograph depicting Louis Pasteur, in cabinet card format, mounted on thick card with Chalot's imprint, photographer, 18 rue de Vivienne, Paris.

A photograph mounted on thick card, with the photographer's address printed in red in the lower margin.

A fine copy.

Second edition, published the year after the first. Text in Greek and Latin.

Illustrated with the printer's device on the title page, headpieces, initials, and tailpieces.

Superb contemporary red morocco binding, spine with five raised bands bearing Colbert's crowned cipher, centre of both covers stamped with his arms, boards framed three times in gilt, gilt roll-tooling on the board edges, all edges speckled, spine very lightly sunned, discreet rubbing to the corners, board edges and spine-ends on one abrasion to the lower cover and a faint dark mark on one compartment of the spine.

A sumptuous copy bound in morocco stamped with the arms and cipher of...

Rare first edition for which no large-paper copies were printed, one of the press copies.
Spine and boards lightly sunned as usual, a few light dampstains to the spine.
Illustrated with 32 photographic plates.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Michel Leiris to Gabrielle Gras, a discreet yet prolific critic for the Revue Europe, close to Surrealist circles and to numerous writers and artists.

First edition, superbly illustrated with 200 full-page plates and 120 in-text vignettes by Grandville. Second-issue printing, with the errors corrected. It may be identified by the fact that, in the first issue, the opening third of the volume was printed on tinted wove paper, whereas this second issue was entirely printed on uniform white paper; the frontispiece no longer bears the title Badigeneographie but instead Des affiches seront, d'après ses ordres....
Publisher's original full green ribbed percaline binding, decorated with special blocking tools commissioned by Hetzel specifically for this edition. Smooth spine stamped with tortoise, butterfly and beetle...

First edition, one of 150 numbered copies on Marais wove paper, the only deluxe-paper copies.
Illustrated by Edith Destouches.
A fine copy.

First edition, one of the review copies.

Signed presentation inscription from Violette Leduc to Claude Couffon, a specialist in and translator of the leading Spanish-language writers of the second half of the twentieth century: "... après un chaleureux entretien et mon souvenir intact de son article pour ce livre..."

Edition published in the same year as the first edition, stated eighteenth edition. 

Spine sunned.
Dated and signed autograph inscription from Henri Calet to Claude Couffon, a scholar and translator of the leading Spanish-language writers of the second half of the twentieth century: "... ce roman-promenade..."

First edition of this celebrated illustrated issue featuring artwork by Le Barbier, with the plates engraved under his supervision. Engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by Le Mire and 15 finely engraved full-page plates after drawings by Le Barbier. 
Contemporary full glazed red Russia leather binding, attributable to Bozérian l'aîné. Smooth spine tooled with four small concentric ornaments and gilt rules. Gilt fillet border to covers. Wine-coloured tabis silk endpapers. Gilt inner dentelles. All edges gilt. Light rubbing to the binding. Small loss of paper at the upper right corner of the title page in Volume I. Occasional foxing, particularly in the margins of several...

First edition, first issue, illustrated with an engraved frontispiece printed on mounted China paper and 120 wood-engraved plates by Grandville. From 1839 onwards, subsequent printings incorporated the wood engravings within the text and the frontispiece was printed on ordinary paper. Two issues were published by Fournier in 1838. The first issue may be identified by the captions to the engravings ending with a full stop; on page XIII of the Life of Aesop, the capital letter N is formed of looping lines, whereas in the second issue it is composed of small black-and-white squares. This distinction between the two issues is seldom noted. Our copy combines features of both issues: all the...

Important dossier of documents relating to a dispute between the bakers of Le Mans and the city’s mayor and aldermen, comprising the following items:

• Avis donné par le lieutenant général de la Senechaussée du Maine, en exécution de l'Arrest du 17 décembre 1749. Sur la confection, la qualité & le prix du pain, & autres choses en dépendante (sic). 4 pp.
• Mémoire dans la Cause indiquée au Samedi 24. Avril 1751. Pour les Boulangers du Mans, Demandeurs. Contre les Maire & Echevins de la même Ville, Deffendeurs. 12 pp. "Les Boulangers demandent la nullité d'un essai fait au Mans en conséquence d'un Arrêt de la cour du 17 Décembre 1749, dans lequel en...