Justiciers, saints, sages & parangons de vertu

Letter signed by Saint Vincent de Paul, addressed to Father Firmin Get, Superior of the Priests of the Mission in Marseille, the text except the signature written in Paris by his secretary and twice dated 27 December 1658. Two pages in black ink on a folded bifolium, with the manuscript address on the verso of the bifolium, a dry seal impressed under paper, and usual folds. 

In this exceptionally rare letter, Saint Vincent de Paul fights to save the Christian captives of Tunis, having himself been captured and held as a slave in that very city for two years. 

The letter, recently cited in Vincentian scholarship, is an essential document for...

First edition, illustrated with an engraved frontispiece (copperplate) depicting the Virgin Mary tenderly embracing the Christ Child.

Bound in contemporary full mottled brown sheep, smooth spine decorated with gilt bands and fleurons, title label, gilt roll on board edges, shell-marbled paper pastedowns. Some rubbing to the binding, joints slightly weakened, losses to the edges of the lower board, upper margin a little short, the trimming having affected the manuscript inscription on the title page.

Bookplate of Victor Duchâtaux, dated 1887, on the front pastedown. A lawyer in Reims, he served several terms as president of the Académie nationale de Reims...

First edition, one of the review copies.

A pleasant copy of this work, awarded the Prix Goncourt in 1961.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Jean Cau to Marcel Arland.

First edition, illustrated with drawings by Pierre Joubert.

Spine lightly sunned, with minor rubbing to the joints.

Autograph inscription signed by Pierre Joubert to Henri Le Roy, enhanced with an original blue ballpoint pen drawing of a smiling scout's face.

New edition, printed in 1,020 numbered copies on châtaignier.

Copy slightly warped, the spine a little sunned, as is often the case.

Publisher's binding after the original design by Mario Prassinos.

Rare first edition under this title, complete with the engraved title-page. The first edition of 1607, Remonstrance faicte au Roy Très Chrétien pour la réunion des religions à la foy catholique, was printed in Tournon in only 96 pages. This second edition, of which there were probably two issues from the same bookseller, was substantially revised and enlarged by the author.

Contemporary limp vellum with turn-ins, smooth spine, faded ink manuscript title to spine, original ties present...

Very rare first edition, illustrated in each volume with a copper-engraved frontispiece by Tardieu after Monnet.

Half black grained cloth bindings, smooth spines decorated with blind fillets, marbled paper boards with light rubbing, sprinkled edges, modest late 19th-century bindings.

Some foxing and a few pale waterstains at the end of the second volume.

This work is an essay whose concerns are strikingly close to our own, though expressed in a very different context.

A founder of French ecological thought, the civil engineer François-Antoine Rauch (1762–1837) demonstrated the direct relationship between deforestation and the increase in extreme weather, calling...

"New edition, with parts in first edition, incorporating an unpublished preface; the first edition had appeared in 1927 in Tokyo at the close of Claudel’s ambassadorship in Japan (1921–1927) and was issued in three fan-shaped quarto volumes. Work illustrated with Japanese characters calligraphed by Ikuma Arishima. Composed between June 1926 and January 1927, this essay (blending traditional calligraphy, haiku, and short Western-style verse) bears witness, among Claudel’s other creations, to the influence of the Far East on his poetic practice.

Moving and exceptional presentation inscription, signed and dated by Paul Claudel to his eldest daughter, Marie Claudel, known as...

First French edition of the 50 colour plates by Arthur Rackham, tipped in with captioned tissue guards, a black vignette on the title page, and a further black vignette hors texte by Arthur Rackham, one of 200 copies on Whatman paper.
Publisher’s full vellum, smooth spine gilt-lettered, upper cover gilt-stamped with the title and a gilt illustration of Rip Van Winkle, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt, uncut, original silk ties preserved. Occasional light foxing.

A splendid copy, remarkably fresh, of Washington Irving’s fantastical tale profusely illustrated by Arthur Rackham.

First edition, one of 160 hors commerce copies on Lana vellum, ours being one of 60 hors commerce copies, the only deluxe issue.

Half long-grain black morocco binding, smooth spine lettered with the author’s name, title, date, and the palladium inscription “EX. JOSEPH KESSEL 1958”, wood-patterned paper boards, grey endpapers and pastedowns, wrappers and spine preserved, binding signed by Thomas Boichot.

Some foxing, mainly affecting the wrappers and the first and last leaves.

Exceptional and moving signed autograph presentation from Maurice Druon to Joseph Kessel: "A toi mon grand Jef, cet Alexandre le grand né lui aussi sous le signe du...

First edition, with no copies printed on deluxe paper.

Minor spots to the covers, not affecting the condition.

Inscribed and signed by Georges Didi-Huberman to a friend named Annick.

First edition, one of the review copies stamped "M.F." on the front cover and numbered in the colophon.

Small restored tears to the spine and upper part of the front cover, slight traces of creasing to the margins of the front cover.

Precious inscribed copy signed by Louis Pergaud to J.H. Rosny jeune, one of the historic members of the Goncourt Prize jury. Pergaud had won the 1910 Goncourt for his collection of short stories De Goupil à Margot.

First edition.
Contemporary half red shagreen over marbled paper boards, (a few discreet repairs), spine in six compartments, date to foot, marbled paper-lined endpapers and pastedowns, covers preserved, top edge red.
A very handsome autograph inscription signed by Victor Hugo to Alphonse Daudet.
Mrs. Daudet's collection stamp to first endpaper.

Victor Hugo represented for Alphonse Daudet, as for the other writers of his generation, the incontestable master of the Pantheon of the arts. His benevolent attention runs through Daudet's work, often listed side by side with Rousseau, Byron, Sand and Delacroix.
If during Daudet's childhood and youth, Hugo, an...

First edition illustrated with original photographs by Robert Doisneau, Marcel Arthaud, Pierre Jahan, Jean Roubier, Pierre Roughol, René Zuber, and Suzanne Laroche.

Publisher’s binding in full tricolour boards, smooth spine without lettering, slightly faded, upper cover decorated with a celebrated photograph by Robert Doisneau, minor spotting to the boards.

A pleasing copy.

First edition printed in 2,000 numbered copies, ours preserved in its original wrappers with Gallimard's resale label.

Fine autograph inscription signed by Jules Roy: "A Jean-Paul Bonnafous ces vieux chants d'un temps de misère, cordialement, Jules Roy."

First edition with 46 illustrations by Harry Furniss.
Publisher's binding over flexible paper boards, discreet and light repairs on the
joints, all edges gilt.
Autograph inscription dated and signed by Lewis Carroll to Mrs Cole.

First edition, with no deluxe copies printed.
Publisher's full illustrated boards.
Illustrated with drawings by André François.
Joints slightly rubbed and darkened at head and foot, as often; discreet blue ballpoint pen note at the top of the lower cover; a pleasant copy.

First collected edition. No deluxe paper copies issued.

Publisher’s binding in full green cloth, flat spines, with their dust jackets designed by Adam Rusak, showing only minor and insignificant marginal tears.

Rare presentation copy dated May 1, 1992 and signed by Solzhenitsyn to USSR émigré journalist and writer Sam Yossman, on the title page of the first volume.

First edition, one of 45 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, the deluxe issue.

A handsome copy, untrimmed, despite two pale vertical sunspots on the upper cover.

Inscribed and signed by Michel de Saint-Pierre to Maurice Gorrée, dated: "... ce roman qui est devenu champ-clos, alors que je voulais unir... Amicalement Michel de Saint-Pierre."

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only large paper copies along with a few hors commerce also printed on alfa.

A fine copy of this work dedicated to the memory of Simone Weil: "qui, si elle était morte assassinée, aurait consacré son dernier instant à prier pour ses bourreaux."

Partly first edition, revised and corrected, of which no deluxe copies were issued; one of the review copies.

Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned, as usual.
Rare and valuable signed presentation inscription from Robert Antelme to Geneviève Hirsch.

"Il n'y a pas d'espèces humaines, il y a une espèce humaine. C'est parce que nous sommes des hommes comme eux que les SS seront en définitive impuissants devant nous."
["There are no human races; there is only one human race. It is precisely because we are men like them that the SS will ultimately be powerless against us."]

This seminal work on the Nazi concentration...

Rare first edition (cf. Gay 367; Leclerc 638).

The work is illustrated with a map of the port and harbor of Brest and five plates: How the beds of the Negroes are made [and] The house of the Negroes – How the Moors ride their Camels, Horses and Oxen with their merchandise – How the Negroes collect palm wine [sic] [and] How they climb the palm trees [and] How the Negroes make incisions to extract the palm wine [and] how they are dressed – Dress of lords and notable persons – How the women are dressed and how they carry their children on their backs [and] How the Negroes dance in a circle.

This account is considered a valuable narrative, offering noteworthy details on the trade...

Deluxe issue, enhanced by a remarkable original drawing presented to Léon Werth.

First edition under this title with illustrations by Saint-Exupéry, one of 20 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, a deluxe issue. Published just days after the original edition without illustrations, issued by Gallimard (Lettres de jeunesse 1923–1931).

The work features 10 colour illustrations by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, as well as a cover vignette after a drawing by the author.

This copy is further enhanced by an exceptional blue and red pencil drawing by Saint-Exupéry on watermarked paper, inscribed in pencil on the verso: “Given to Léon Werth...

Rare example of this propaganda leaflet published by the Nazi Occupier, which became the most iconic image of the Resistance. This smaller version of the famous Affiche Rouge features the poster on the recto and a paragraph on the verso castigating « l'Armée du crime contre la France » ("the Army of Crime against France"). It opens with accusations against the « rêve mondial du complot juif » ("the global dream of the Jewish conspiracy") and claims that « si des Français sabotent, pillent et tuent (...) ce sont toujours des juifs qui les inspirent » ("if Frenchmen sabotage, loot, and kill (...) it is always Jews who inspire them").
A...

Original inscribed photograph portrait of Emile Zola. Original albumen paper print on cardboard bearing the stamps of the Eugène Pirou studio, rue Royale, Paris.

Signed and inscribed by Emile Zola to Otto Eisenschitz: "à M. Otto Eisenschitz / cordialement / Emile Zola".




 

New edition, with 58 illustrated full-page plates including a frontispiece, all after P. A. Varin.
Full green velvet binding with silver edges, elaborately decorated with gilt gauffered rocaille motifs, and some blind stamped, with abundant onlays of blue, purple, cream and red vel­vet ; upper board with silver engraved crowned A[ve] M[aria] initials at center, "RGP" silver engraved initials at center of second board, both initials inside a wide red velvet inlay bordered with gilt gauffered motifs displaying the sheep­skin of the Order of the Golden Fleece at bottom, spine elaborately decorated with gilt rocaille motifs, silver engraved title label, silver clasps with pierced leafy...

Autograph letter dated and signed by Jean Hélion addressed to Raymond Queneau, 41 lines (four pages on two leaves) written in black ink.
Jean Hélion cannot respond favorably to an invitation extended by his friend Raymond Queneau, partly due to his homebody nature: "J'ai pris l'habitude de rester chez nous, le samedi après-midi : à l'atelier jusqu'à 5 heures et là-haut jusqu'à l'heure du dîner pour y recevoit toutes sortes de jeunes gens que je n'ai pas le temps de voir un par un... Mais j'aimerais davantage vous montrer à vous seul, un peu tranquille et à n'importe quelle heure. Ne passez-vous jamais de ce côté ?" ("I have gotten into the habit of staying at...

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on deluxe paper, the only deluxe copies.
Rare and handsome copy.

Very elegant edition of Perrault's fairy tales, printed with the stereotype process invented by Louis-Etienne Herhan.

Illustrated with 5 full-text engravings (2 vignettes each) and a vignette on the engraved title, after the frontispiece by Antoine Clouzier for the first edition of Perrault's tales (Paris, Barbin, 1697).
Full roan binding, smooth spine framed in gilt and gilt motifs, black title label stamped in gilt, boards framed in gilt, inner dentelle, endpapers and pastedowns in caillouté paper, all edges gilt. Joints slightly split at head of spine, a small brown stain to title page and frontispiece, some spotting. 
Very rare edition, including Bluebeard, Little Red...

First edition, one of the copies on alfa paper, only deluxe issue apart from 25 copies on pur fil. 

Handsome copy despite some light sunning on the spine.

"La Revue Libre, a clandestine review, published in February 1944 an anonymous Lettre à un Ami allemand. It was by Camus. By Camus, too, was the second letter that appeared at the same date, under the pseudonym Louis Neuville, in the Cahiers de la Libération. Together with two others, which had remained unpublished, these letters make up the small volume Lettres à un Ami allemand, published in 1945, after the Liberation." (Henri Perruchot, La haine des masques...

First edition, one of 12 numbered copies on hollande paper, the only large paper copies.

Full red shagreen binding, spine with three raised bands decorated with gilt fillets and gilt cartouche enriched with black typographic motifs, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, bookplate affixed to pastedown, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, other edges uncut.

Foxing to some uncut edges.

Autograph inscription signed by Georges Clemenceau to Monsieur Henry Leyret, political and judicial chronicler...

First edition, one of 1,050 numbered copies on alfama paper.

Publisher's boards after the original design by Mario Prassinos. A tiny sunned area at the head of the spine.

A remarkably fresh copy.

First edition, one of the numbered copies on alfa paper.
Spine sunned as is usual, a small dent to one board edge, a small dark mark to the lower part of the front board.
Publisher's binding after an original design by Mario Prassinos.

 

First edition, one of 1,050 numbered copies printed on vélin labeur paper.
Publisher's binding after an original design by Mario Prassinos.
A fine copy.

First edition, with no deluxe copies issued.

Spine sunned, a small stain at the head of the front wrapper.

Warmly inscribed and signed by Kateb Yacine to theatre director and radio producer Lucien Attoun: "A Lucien Attoun son frère maghrébin. Kateb Yacine."

First edition, without edition statement, published simultaneously with the Paris edition issued by Pagnerre.

Contemporary red half-morocco bindings, flat spines twice ruled in gilt, large rule in blind and gilt floral tools, gilt roll-tooling at head and foot, slight rubbing to two headcaps, red cloth boards decorated with blind-stamped floral motifs, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, a few corners slightly bumped, a few minor nicks to some edges, contemporary bindings.
Some foxing and pale marginal staining, as usual, a small black ink stain in the margins of one gathering in the second volume, a slight loss to the upper right-hand corner of the first leaves of the sixth...

Fourth draft of the screenplay.

Printed wrappers worn, reinforced at the spine with adhesive tape, soiling, corner creases, small tear to the front cover, otherwise good internal condition. The mentions of the third draft printed on the front cover and title page are struck through and corrected in ink - "quatrième version" [fourth draft].
Newspaper clippings, brochures, and documents relating to the film and its screenings are laid in. A few pencil annotations on pages 22, 23, 105, and 108.

An intermediate draft of the screenplay for Louis Malle's classic film recounting a traumatic episode from his childhood during the Occupation.

New edition, front and rear pastedowns and free endpapers signed by Gérard Grée.

Publisher's binding with pictorial boards, smooth spine, light rubbing to spine-ends, illustrated endpapers and boards.

Superb original blue pencil portrait of Martine by Marcel Marlier, drawn within the tondo on the first free endpaper, surrounded by his presentation inscription: "For Andrée Alcaraz with all my sympathy. August 86 M. Marlier"

"This eternally well-behaved little girl, forever aged around ten, invented for Éditions Casterman in 1954 by the author Gilbert Delahaye and the illustrator Marcel Marlier, whose pencil stroke has been so...

Partly original edition, one of 25 numbered copies on Holland paper, the deluxe issue.

A few small creases to the margins of the boards, otherwise a fine copy.

Our copy is housed in a grey half-morocco chemise, with a flat spine and date at foot, lined with suede lambskin, and a grey paper-covered slipcase, signed Elbel and dated 2020.

First edition on ordinary paper.

A very good copy.

Signed presentation copy from Jorge Semprun to Sylvie Genevoix.

Rare first edition, printed in small numbers of this offprint from the Annales de philosophie chrétienne.

Minor marginal tears to the wrappers, a small loss at the foot of the spine, occasional foxing.

First edition of this poem by Paul Eluard, lithographed after his manuscript, accompanying the seven gouaches by Jean Hugo reproduced in pochoir. One of 948 numbered copies on vélin pur fil.

Wrappers with turned-in flaps, in loose gatherings. Wrappers slightly soiled with a few instances of foxing, shallow wormholes to the front cover.

Autograph presentation inscription signed by the author to Jacques Coutant: "à Jacques Coutant dans Paris délivré mais encore convalescent" ["To Jacques Coutant, in Paris - liberated, yet still convalescent"].

First complete edition.

It is illustrated with two frontispieces, twenty-four full-page engravings, and a folding map of Telemachus's travels. The portrait of Fénelon serving as frontispiece to the first volume is signed Baillieul and Duflos; the second frontispiece, together with the plates, is signed Bonnart fils and Giffart, while the map is drawn by Rousset and engraved by Berey. A few head-pieces, bandeaux, and ornamental initials. 

Bindings in full red morocco signed Chambolle-Duru, richly decorated covers, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt, gilt panels and fleurons between the bands, author, title, volume number, place and date lettered in gilt on...

First true edition as an earlier, truncated and inaccurate edition of this book had already appeared the same year in Brussels.
Copy in the original wrappers, as issued. Trace of a crease to the lower right corner of the front wrapper.

One of Hugo's masterpieces, containing some of the most powerful and sarcastic poems of the century. The emperor so reviled is treated here more mercilessly, if that is possible, than in Napoléon le Petit.

The majority of the text in in first edition. One of 45 numbered copies on hollande, the most limited deluxe issue.

Full black morocco binding, flat spine, covers decorated with some hundred inlays of red, orange-red and orange morocco evoking the chromatic variations of a setting sun, white morocco frame on the red suede endleaves and doublures, monogram blind-stamped on one doublure, original wrappers and spine bound in, all edges gilt; matching chemise in half black morocco with flaps, flat spine, date gilt at the foot, marbled paper sides, beige suede lining, matching slipcase edged in black morocco, marbled paper sides, white felt lining, a splendid binding signed and...

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, printed in Russian by the London-based Stenvalley Press.

Publisher's red cloth binding, author, title and publisher lettered in gilt on the spine, complete with its two-colour printed dust jacket showing light wear.

A few ballpoint pen annotations on some pages, presumably by the recipient.

Autograph presentation inscription, signed and dated by the author, to Michel Garder: "Дорогому Мишелю Гарде - с глубокой признательностью. На добрую память. 29.I.1975." [To dear Michel Garder - with profound gratitude. In fond remembrance. 29.I.1975.]

New edition. 

A handsome copy, covers very lightly browned, discreet restorations to the joints.

Rare presentation copy, signed and inscribed by Albert Camus: "to Madame Jean Labattut whom I thank three times, in respectful homage, Albert Camus."

Inscribed copies of Camus' masterpiece are exceedingly scarce.

First edition, with no deluxe issue, and bearing the correct printer's imprint date.

An unusual copy, with no edition statement on the title page but with the spurious mention « deuxième édition » at the head of the rear wrapper.

Minor tears at the head and foot of the spine neatly repaired, small losses at the head and foot of the front wrapper restored, paper browned as usual.

First edition, one of 45 numbered copies on hollande, most limited deluxe issue.

Contemporary full red morocco, spine with four raised bands framed with black fillets, date gilt at foot, taupe morocco doublures, red silk endleaves, gilt fillets and dots to board edges, all edges gilt, slipcase, an elegant binding signed Favre-Petit-Mermet.

A fine copy, handsomely bound in full morocco with morocco doublures by Favre-Petit-Mermet.

Very rare first edition, with second edition statement on title page.

Bradel binding in half blue-grey percaline, smooth spine decorated with a central gilt fleuron, double gilt fillet at tail, title label lacking, cat's-eye paper boards, original wrappers preserved with angular losses and discolouration, corners slightly rubbed, period binding.

Foxing, front wrapper and first free endpaper clumsily restored, small tears repaired on the first three leaves.

Rare presentation copy inscribed by Louise Michel: "... à de méchants amis que l'on aime quand même et toujours. LMichel." [to...

First edition on ordinary paper for the second volume; statement of 1000th edition on the first volume.

Minor foxing to the top edges.

A handsome set, housed in a white paper covered chemise and slipcase.

Exceptional presentation copies signed by Marcel Pagnol to Maurice Druon on each volume: "à Maurice Druon, écrivain véritable, hommage du romancier amateur, son ami, MarcelPagnol. 1958" [to Maurice Druon, true writer, homage from an amateur novelist, his friend, Marcel Pagnol] and "Cher Maurice, puisque ça te plaît, voilà la suite. Mais rassure-toi, il n'y en a plus qu'un ! affectueusement, Marcel." [Dear Maurice, since you liked it...

Rare first edition. First volume published on 6 May 1867, the second on 27 July and the third the next year (28 January 1868). All of 18° format are first editions of Verne's novels.

Contemporary brown half shagreen bindings, spines with four raised bands ruled in black and decorated with double black panels featuring central gilt floral tools, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, two upper corners slightly bumped, speckled edges, contemporary bindings.

A handsome copy attractively housed in its contemporary bindings. In Search of the Castaways is the very first Verne novel to be adapted for the cinema. predating even...

First edition of the French translation, of which no deluxe paper copies were issued.

Rare copy.
Rare signature by Alexandre Solzhenitsyn on the title page.

First edition, one of 175 numbered copies on pur fil wove paper, this being copy No. 1, specially printed for Madame General Frère, one of the deluxe issue.

Contemporary full red shagreen, spine with four raised bands decoratively tooled in blind with fillets and a coat of arms, light rubbing to the joints, gilt rolls to the spine ends, spotting to the boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillet border to the pastedowns, gilt rules to the edges, corners slightly bumped, top edge gilt, others untrimmed.
General Aubert Frère was notably a hero of the French Resistance, serving as organizer and commander of the Resistance within the Army; he was arrested by the Nazis in...

First edition, with the false statement of 16th edition.

Light discoloration at the head of the spine and along the left margin of the upper cover.

Autograph inscription signed by Léon Blum to Charles-André Julien: "à André Julien, son camarade fidèle et son ami reconnaissant, Léon Blum."

Charles-André Julien was one of the leaders of the Communist Party in Algeria. He left it in 1926 and contributed to the journal Clartés edited by Henri Barbusse.

A committed anti-colonialist and activist, he established contacts with independence movements, notably with the group formed around Habib Bourguiba, who became his friend...

First edition.

Half green chagrin binding, flat spine with color restoration ruled in black and gilt, gilt frieze and date at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved with restorations, binding of the period.

Presentation copy inscribed to Léon Richer.

Born into modest circumstances and having lost his father at an early age, Léon Richer founded in 1869 the weekly Droit des femmes, aimed at reforming women's legal rights, which enjoyed the renewed support of Victor Hugo: "I wholheartedly join in your useful endeavour. For forty years I have been pleading for the great social cause you devote...

First edition, one of 110 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe paper copies.

Frontispiece with a photographic portrait of Léon Blum.

A pleasant copy.

First edition, one of 822 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe paper issue after 109 reimposed copies.
A pleasing copy despite two small areas of sunning at the head and foot of the spine.

Original albumen print photograph of Charles de Gaulle, wearing the Cross of Lorraine and the insignia of the Free French Forces, likely taken shortly after the Liberation. Studio stamp of Harcourt Paris within the photograph, under mat and light wood frame, with some minor damage to the frame. 

Signed and inscribed by Charles de Gaulle below the portrait: "A M. Jules Guichet / Bien amicalement ! / 19.2.58 / C. de Gaulle". 

Definitive edition.

Spine slightly sunned and a little cocked, a few spots to the boards.

Signed autograph inscription from Vercors to François Triboudeau.

First edition for which no deluxe paper copies were issued.

Spine slightly sunned with small losses at head and foot, a slight marginal loss and a transverse crease to the lower cover.

A rare copy of Alexandra David-Néel's second work.