18th Century Illustrated Books

First edition of Les Hommes d'aujo­urd'hui (33 issues lacking out of 469). Five volumes bound in light blue half-cloth, smooth spines, blue morocco ti­tle labels decorated with double filets, marbled paper boards (4 volumes). The color title pages have been preserved and bound in. Marginal tears without damage to the text (no. 163; no. 165; no. 184, p. 2). Mar­ginal restorations without damage to text on 8 leaves be­tween nos. 214 and 223. Two leaves of no. 224 backed. Mar­ginal tear with some paper missing (no. 345, p.1). Format of quires in the first vol­ume varies; some are trimmed more than others.
First edition of Les Femmes du jour, very rare complete collection in 11 issues published between 1886 and 1892 (the last very rare Réjane issue appeared in 1892, six years after the other 10). Bound in half red cloth, smooth spine, mid­night-blue morocco title labels framed in gilt, gilt title length­wise, marbled paper boards.

An impressive gal­lery of prominent 19th century women and men carica­tured and described by the foremost avant-garde artists and writers of the time.

First edition illustrated with 200 color drawings by Pierre Vidal. Limited to 700 numbered copies, No. 294. Original illustrated covers and spine preserved. Printed on tinted coated vellum.
Modern chocolate half morocco Bradel binding with corners. Jansenist spine with 4 raised bands. Leaf 49 with censoring in lower margin (a hole with paper rubbing). Spine faded on the first 2 compartments. Good copy.

Edition translated by Defaucompret. Each volume has an engraved title accompanied by a vignette and at least 2 steel engravings per work (all on strong laid paper), the animated scenes are by Tony Johannot, the views are English engravings. 23 folding maps heightened in colors.
Contemporary half morocco binding with long grain in wine-lees color. Smooth spine decorated with rocaille tools. Marbled edges. Spines have become uniformly blonde. In volume II, a small lack to the lower joint at head. Pale scattered foxing, but the set relatively fresh, with paper remaining white, as well as the engravings.

Important critical edition, with all the author's prefaces for the different editions, and notes.

Details of the edition: 1)Waverley 2) Guy Mannering 3) L'Antiquaire 4) Rob-Roy 5) Le Nain noir & Les Puritains d'Écosse 6) La Prison d'Édimbourg 7) La Fiancée de Lammermoor ; L'Officier de fortune 8) Ivanhoé 9) Le Monastère 10) L'Abbé 11) Kenilworth 12) Le Pirate 13) Aventures de Nigel 14) Peveril du Pic 15) Quentin Durward 16) Les Eaux de Saint-Ronan 17) Redgauntlet 18) Les Fiancés ou Le Connétable de Chester 19) Le Talisman ou Richard en Palestine 20) Woodstock 21) Chroniques de la Canongate 22) La Jolie Fille de Perth 23) Charles le Téméraire 24) Robert comte de Paris 25) Le Château périlleux & Histoire de la démonologie et de la sorcellerie 26, 27 & 28) Histoire d'Écosse 29 & 30) Romans poétiques

First edition published in 20 instalments, illustrated with wood-engraved vignettes in the text after Célestin Nanteuil, Français, Karl Girardet, Jules David, etc., and 20 copper-engraved or lithographed plates after Diaz, Decamps, Hazé, A. Guignet, E. Hedouin, Théodore Chasseriau, Alophe, Couture, etc. The original covers of all instalments are bound at the end. The covers erroneously announce 30 engravings instead of the 20 actually included.
Later binding in red Russian half morocco with corners, spine in five raised bands richly gilt, date in gilt at foot, gilt fillet frame on pasteboard covers. Considerable rubbing and bumped corners.
Provenance: from the library of Victor Mercier, with his Art Nouveau bookplate engraved by Adolphe Giraldon.