A precious book, a beautiful gift for Christmas

Original photograph of Ravachol flanked by gendarmes, period albumen print mounted on card with a red border, bearing the handwritten caption « Ravachol à Montbrison » at the foot.

This image was taken by Auguste Berthon, a photographer based in Saint-Étienne, on the eve of Ravachol’s execution, during a walk in the prison yard at Montbrison. This promenade is mentioned in the surveillance reports of the Conciergerie: « Le détenu a été conduit à la promenade à 8 heures, a déjeuné à 9 heures et est retourné à la promenade de 10 heures à midi où il était encore lorsque nous avons été remplacés. » (11 May 1892)
Very skilful...

Rare first edition, with the wrapper and title page dated 1874.

Half black morocco binding with corners, spine with five raised bands, date at foot, gilt fillet on boards, combed paper pastedowns and endpapers, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed Alix.

Printed in 1869 by Lacroix, this edition was not released for sale for fear of censorship. Only about ten copies were stitched and given to the author (five have been recorded to date). In 1874, Jean-Baptiste Rozez, another Belgian publisher-bookseller, acquired the stock and published the work with a wrapper and cancel title page dated 1874, without publisher's imprint. It was in his...

First edition, one of 50 copies printed anonymously on papier japon.
First edition, one of 50 copies printed anonymously on papier japon.
Illustrated with an erotic frontispiece by Félicien Rops on chine.
Custom chemise and slipcase in half morocco and paper boards signed Boichot, some discreet restorations to the spine and covers, some discreet restorations to the top margin of the frontispiece, not affecting the engraving.
“La Présidente”, honorary nickname given to Apollonie Sabatier (alias Aglaëe Savatier, her real name), was one of the most captivating Salon hostesses of the 19th century. She inspired an ethereal love in Baudelaire who...

"Y a des bals pour les pompiers / Et les joyeux militaires. /...

First edition on ordinary paper.

Publisher’s full cloth binding, flat spine, minor inconsequential wear to headcaps and corners.

Illustrations.

Rare and valuable presentation copy to Odette and Francis Ponge.

Bell's Edition. The Poets of Great Britain Complete from Chaucer to Churchill, Edinburgh, Apollo Press, by the Martins, and London, Apollo Press, by George Cawthorn, 1782-1804, 18mo (8.5 x 13.5 cm).

An important gathering of volumes from John Bell’s celebrated series, uniformly bound at the time: 34 physical volumes, numbered 1 to 35 with volume 8 lacking, that volume having contained parts 5 and 6 of Edmund Spenser’s poetical works. The present set therefore comprises 97 parts actually present out of the 99 that this particular gathering would contain if complete.

First edition of these memoirs - extract from the first issue of the Description de l'Égypte, in the section titled "Etat Moderne", 
Bound in full modern cream parchment-style boards. Black morocco title label. A wide-margined, untrimmed copy.
The city of Qoçeyr lies on the shores of the Red Sea, along the trade route between Egypt and Arabia. The author stayed there during his journey in Egypt. M. Costaz undertook a voyage and stay in Nubia in 1799, from which he brought back these invaluable observations, of a still largely unknown region.

Fourth collective edition for the first part and third for the second and third parts, published by Corneille himself. Our copy is adorned with the frontispiece of the first two editions (dated 1645), and the portrait of Corneille by Michel Lasne, dated 1644.

Later bindings in full blue morocco, Jansenist spines with five raised bands, endpapers and pastedowns framed with gilt dentelles of marbled paper, all edges gilt, marbled paper slipcases bordered with morocco, bindings signed by Alix.

Rare and beautiful copy elegantly bound.

First edition, of which only 500 copies were issued. With an etched frontispiece portrait of Théophile Gautier by Émile Thérond.

With a substantial prefatory letter by Victor Hugo.

Full red morocco binding, gilt date at the foot of spine, marbled endpapers, Baudelairian ex-libris from Renée Cortot’s collection on the first endpaper, wrappers preserved, top edge gilt. Pale foxing affecting the first and last leaves, beautiful copy perfectly set.