Cadeaux historiques

First edition, one of 200 copies printed on hollande, the only deluxe issue.

Bound Bradel-style in three-quarter dark green morocco, flat spine with date at foot, cat's-eye paper-covered boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved; binding signed by Carayon.

A few minor foxmarks to the boards and some of the deckle edges.

A rare, untrimmed copy of Guy de Maupassant's masterpiece, handsomely bound by Carayon.

First illustrated edition, with original lithographs by Renée André-Piot, one of 600 numbered copies on Vidalon royal wove paper.

Some foxing.

Autograph presentation inscription signed by Joseph Kessel to Jacques Lengrand.

Accompanied by an original Roger-Viollet photograph, with the agency's stamp on the verso, showing Joseph Kessel seated at a table in the La Cloche d'Or restaurant in Paris in 1952, cigarette in hand, beside a young woman.

Creasing to the right-hand margin of the photograph.

Manuscript annotations by Roger-Viollet and two stamps on the verso of the photograph.

First edition on ordinary paper.

A fine and rare copy.

First edition, one of 15 numbered copies on Montval paper, the deluxe issue after 6 copies on nacré Japan paper.

A few minor foxing spots, chiefly affecting the edges.

Complete with the duplicate wrappers and spines.

First edition, one of 200 numbered hors commerce copies on alfa paper, reserved for review copies.

Fine copy, complete with the publisher's review slip.

Signed presentation copy from Marcel Pagnol to Jacques Jaujard.

First edition, one of 15 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe copies after 5 on Japan paper.

Contemporary red half morocco over corners, spine slightly faded, with five raised bands ruled in blind, date gilt at foot, marbled-paper boards, combed-paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, binding signed in blind by Vermorel.

Endpapers uniformly toned.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe copies.

Contemporary red half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands ruled in black, a small area of rubbing to the spine, date gilt at foot, gilt fillet borders to the marbled-paper boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, top edge gilt, original wrappers preserved with minor marginal restorations.

A fine copy with full margins, attractively bound.

New edition, with no deluxe copies printed.

A stain at the head of the rear wrapper, which also has a crease at the foot.

Signed autograph inscription from Edouard Glissant to theatre director and radio producer Lucien Attoun.

Very rare first Polish edition of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract, prepared by Józef Wien and published by a Polish émigré living in exile in Agen, printed on Quillot's presses.

Apparently unrecorded by Dufour; the wrapper is dated 1840.

Front wrapper soiled with small losses at the corners, marginal dampstaining at the beginning of the volume, some foxing. 

Second edition, the first having appeared in 1831.

Joseph Héliodore Garcin de Tassy (1794-1878) was a French Orientalist and specialist in India.

He studied Oriental languages under Silvestre de Sacy and, together with him, was one of the founders of the Société asiatique in 1822. In 1828 he was appointed to the chair of Indology at the École spéciale des Langues orientales, and in 1838 was elected a member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres. Initially known for his studies of Islam and his translations from Arabic, Turkish and Persian, Garcin de Tassy became the foremost French specialist in Hindustani.

Unlettered spine, small marginal losses to the...

New edition, expanded from the novel entitled Amélina, épisode de la conquête et de la colonisation des Espagnols dans l'île d'Haïti (Tours, 1841), which comprised only the first narrative.

The following two, set respectively in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, are by a certain A***, who has not been identified.

Contemporary Romantic binding in full brown calf, smooth faded spine decorated with gilt Romantic arabesques, covers framed with gilt fillets and gilt Romantic arabesques, white moiré silk endpapers and pastedowns, corners bumped, gilt fillets to the board edges, all edges gilt.

Restorations to spine, a few minor spots of foxing.

First public edition, one of 238 numbered copies on Arches paper, the only issue after 6 copies on Japon and 6 on blue paper.

Spine and boards slightly and marginally faded, as usual.

Fine signed presentation inscription from Paul Valéry to his friend, the bookseller, publisher and bibliophile Ronald Davis: "Exemplaire de Ronald Davis offert par l'auteur Paul Valéry."

Extremely rare first edition of this poem composed to mark the capture of Ulm (15–20 October 1805), during the Austrian campaign.

No copy recorded in the CCF. 

The only copy we have located is held by the Biblioteca musicale Gaetano Donizetti in Bergamo.

Francesco Zacchiroli (1750–1826), a native of Ferrara, is best known for his Description de la galerie royale de Florence (1783), although he was also a prolific writer of both verse and prose.

Traces of a label to the upper left corner of the front wrapper, a few minor spots of foxing.

First edition of the French translation, one of 10 numbered copies on Japanese paper, the deluxe issue.

Rare and fine copy, with full margins.

First edition, printed in a small number of copies, of this offprint from the Revue des deux mondes, issue of 15 September 1858. 

Printed colportage stamp on the half-title, a few small spots of foxing.

Our copy is preserved in its original state, stitched in temporary pink paper wrappers, with a few pale stains at the foot of the rear wrapper.

One of the contributions made by the liberal journalist Prévost-Paradol (1829-1870) to the moderate opposition to the Second Empire: beginning with a comparison between France and Great Britain, he highlights the limited freedom of action enjoyed by believers under France's Concordat system. 

At the head of the...

First edition of the French translation, one of 41 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the sole large-paper issue.

Spine and boards slightly and marginally faded, as often; two small spots of foxing in the left margin of the front board.

Letter written by a secretary and signed by Louis XVI, addressed to Cardinal Ludovico Calini, in ink over eleven lines. The signature of Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, appearing at the foot of the bifolium, accompanies that of the King for these New Year wishes. The recipient's name is inscribed on the verso: "Mon Cousin le Cardinal Calino".

A few waterstains, a small hole at "qu'il vous ait".

"My Cousin, I have seen with pleasure from your letter of October 1st the token of the sincerity of the wishes you express for me at the beginning of this year. Your good intentions are as well known to me as you must be certain of my desire to give you...

First edition of this remarkable album devoted to the Island of Elba, published in Paris by Dusacq & Cie in 1862 and printed by Lemercier. Large folio, loose sheets: 4 pp. of text comprising the Notice historique et archéologique sur l'Ile d'Elbe, 1 lithographed dedication leaf and 18 lithographed plates, including the title-frontispiece. The views were drawn from nature by André Durand and lithographed with the collaboration of Eugène Cicéri. The Bibliothèque nationale de France likewise records the work as comprising 18 numbered plates, including the frontispiece.

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on Holland paper, the deluxe issue.
Bound in full ebony morocco, smooth spine decorated with small inlays of garnet morocco and pearl-grey box calf, the latter framing the author’s initials and the title; the first numeral of the date, given in Roman numerals, appears within a square of pearl-grey box calf. Morocco boards framed with wide panels of chocolate suede, the upper cover with a large granulated paper panel lettered with the title and date of the edition set in garnet morocco, the initials framed by a rectangle of paper taken from a map of Haute-Savoie; bluish paper...

Rare first edition of the French translation, with no copies printed on deluxe paper.

Spine slightly sunned, a vertical shadow on the lower cover, internally clean and attractive.

Autograph note signed by the Aga Khan on a fragment of paper, bearing the words: "I have the honor to be your obdt servant Aga Khan"

The note is undated, but is written in English (Aga Khan IV was French-speaking) and bears the characteristic signature of Aga Khan III, born Mohammed Shah, who served as the 48th Imam of the Nizari Ismailis from 1885 to 1957.

Accompanied by a dated and signed certificate of authenticity issued by the distinguished London bookseller and autograph dealer Winifred A. Myers, whose premises were located at 70 Bond Street.

First edition of the French translation, one of 25 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe issue.

Faint, light foxing to spine, rear wrapper and final endpaper, otherwise a pleasant copy.

First edition, one of the numbered copies on bouffant alfa calypso paper.

Publisher's full blue cloth binding after the original design by Massin, smooth spine, complete with its original acetate dust jacket and wraparound band.

A fine copy.

Signed presentation inscription from Marguerite Yourcenar to Mr Steiner: "... ces temps troublés comme les nôtres..."

First edition, with no deluxe copies printed.

A pleasant copy.

Precious dated and signed presentation inscription from Jean Raspail: "A M. Marcel Jouhandeau de son ancien élève toujours fidèle. en respectueux hommage. Jean Raspail. 27 X 66".

First edition on ordinary paper.

A few small stains to the bottom edge, otherwise a pleasant copy.

Signed presentation inscription from Jean Raspail to Monsieur Patrier, dated 12 November 1973.

First edition on ordinary paper, with a spurious statement of sixth edition.

Illustrated with drawings by Henry-Paul Gassier.

Spine and covers faded and sunned, as usual.

Signed presentation copy from Joseph Kessel to René Arcos, poet and member of the Abbaye group: "A René Arcos confraternel hommage J. Kessel." additionally signed by Georges Suarez.

New edition published in the same year as the first, one of 425 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only large-paper copies after 65 copies on pur fil.

Fine copy, with full margins.

Illustrated with a frontispiece drawing by Jean Oberlé.

Dated and signed presentation inscription from Pierre Bourdan to Monsieur Prin.

First edition, one of 450 numbered copies on Marais pur fil paper, the only deluxe issue announced.

Fine copy, with full margins.

Signed presentation copy from Pierre Bourdan to Monsieur Prin, conveying his best wishes for the year 1946.

First edition, one of 65 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

Illustrated with a frontispiece drawing by Jean Oberlé.

First edition.
Contemporary Bradel binding in full Empire-green cloth, smooth spine decorated with a gilt fleurion, date and double gilt fillet at foot, black morocco lettering-piece with a small marginal loss, original wrappers preserved, corners very slightly rubbed, without consequence, contemporary binding signed Durvand.

Precious signed presentation copy from Alphonse Daudet to the distinguished historian of the Napoleonic era and fellow member of the Académie française, Frédéric Masson.

Provenance: from the library of Émile Henriot, with his manuscript ex-libris beside the binder's name at the head of an endpaper ; on the facing page appears...

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue after 25 hors commerce copies on Holland paper reserved for the Cercle lyonnais.

Rare and fine copy.

First edition on ordinary paper.

A very good copy.

Signed presentation copy from Jorge Semprun to Sylvie Genevoix.

New edition.

Preface and afterword by Francis Jeanson.

Slight rubbing to spine, three small stains at foot of rear board, otherwise a pleasant copy.

First edition, with no deluxe copies issued; one of the review copies.

Spine and covers lightly and marginally sunned, a crease mark to the lower right corner of the rear cover, complete with the publisher's review slip.

Signed presentation copy from Jehan Laurent Gheerbrandt to the writer Jean Henri Guillaumet.

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on Lafuma pur fil paper, the only deluxe issue after 125 copies on alfa paper and 25 on Hollande.

A few minor rubs to the slightly sunned spine.

Important signed presentation inscription from Lise Lamarre to the eminent Resistance figure Jacques Debû-Bridel: "Puisse ce livre vous aider à conserver le souvenir de Lise Lamarre, française de bonne souche, dont le coeur et l'esprit surent dans la pire adversité dominer les évènements..."

This presentation inscription alludes to the ordeal endured by Lise Lamarre and her husband, who were accused of collaboration and imprisoned despite having themselves...

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on Japan paper, comprising the deluxe issue.

A few spots of foxing to the boards, spines and some deckle edges.

Rare untrimmed copy, preserving the full margins, of the Tiger's philosophical testament.

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 the French translation established by Georges Guiffrey.

Beige half roan binding, spine with four raised bands framed by black fillets, slight rubbing to the bands, boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

"In 1855, if my memory serves, Georges Guiffrey set about translating Vanity Fair with Thackeray's blessing: the perfection of this version makes it very nearly a masterpiece of nineteenth-century French literature. A critic nevertheless found occasion to take issue with its recent reissue, on the grounds that it had been given no more than a discreet dusting-off. Guiffrey's French strikes him as...

New edition of Alfred Franklin's French translation, one of 300 copies on hollande paper, the only issue aside from 6 copies on Whatman paper.

Contemporary red half morocco, spine with five raised bands ruled in black, date gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, combed-paper endpapers and pastedowns, top edge gilt.

An attractive copy, handsomely bound.

First edition of the French translation, with no deluxe-paper copies issued.

Preface by Annie Le Brun.

A pleasant copy despite a few small stains to the lower edge.

First edition on ordinary paper.

A transverse crease to the upper edge of the front wrapper.

Illustrated.

Rare dated and signed presentation inscription from Fernand Legros to the journalist Brigitte Kantor: "... avec ma gratitude pour un journaliste objectif et attentif..."

First edition, illustrated with 4 plates, one folding, and a large vignette on the dedication leaf.

Contemporary full fawn calf, smooth spine gilt in compartments with gilt floral tools, olive-green shagreen lettering-piece, minor rubbing to the joints, boards framed with triple gilt fillets, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets to the board edges, all edges gilt.

Contemporary ownership inscription on a free endpaper.

Internally in pleasing condition.

First public edition of this foundational text of the intellectual Resistance.

Handwritten ownership inscription recording the volume as a gift, small tears and one snag to the spine, rear cover creased along the right-hand edge.

First edition, false statement of ninth edition, no deluxe issue printed.

Small marginal tears without significance to the soiled boards.

Presentation copy signed by feminist activist Yvonne Netter of her important essay on the emancipation of women and their right to vote.

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 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 70 named and numbered copies on Madagascar paper.

Faint marginal crease marks to the lower right-hand corner of the front wrapper.

Illustrated with a frontispiece drawn and wood-engraved by Vassily Photiadès.
Signed presentation inscription from Joseph Kessel to Emmanuel Arago, for whom this copy was specially printed.

First edition, actually printed in Nantes by Malassis despite the Paris imprint on the title-page, as revealed by a manuscript note by Mangourit himself cited by Barbier.

An anonymously published pamphlet, with a typographical vignette on the title-page.

Copy preserved in its original stitched state and therefore without wrappers, with a pencilled manuscript note on the title-page identifying the author.

Our...

First collected edition, one of 30 copies on alfa paper, this copy unnumbered but duly identified as printed on alfa at the foot of the spine and in the limitation statement, the only deluxe-paper copies.
Albert Camus's foreword appears here for the first time.
A pleasant copy.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Spine very lightly sunned, a trivial defect.

Signed autograph inscription from Marcel Pagnol to Mr. R. Bouchard on the printed dedication page.

First edition, illustrated with a frontispiece in each volume and a folding plate at the end of the first volume.

Bradel-style bindings in brown half cloth with small corners, smooth spines very slightly faded and ruled in gilt, marbled-paper boards with a few minor scuffs, blue-grey endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, bookplates pasted to the front pastedowns.

Some foxing, as usual.

Our copy is complete with all three engravings: a view of St Peter's in Rome and a plan of the remains of ancient Rome in the first volume, and Trajan's Column in the second.

It also includes a second state of the plan of the remains of ancient Rome, with slight variations...

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.

First edition, one of 56 hors commerce name copies on Saint-Amand, the only deluxe issue with 32 copies on hollande.
A fine copy.

Name copy printed for Kessel's friend Eddy Marnay signed and inscrbied by Joseph Kessel beneath the limitation statement and his name: "... ou le zombie son ami Jef."

Born Edmond Bacri, he was a French lyricist and singer who wrote approximately 4,000 songs, including Les Amants de Paris for Edith Piaf.

First American edition.

Publisher's original brown paper-covered boards, flat spine, spine ends and corners lightly rubbed, complete with its illustrated dust jacket showing a few minor closed tears.

Profusely illustrated throughout.

An exceptionally important presentation copy inscribed Paul Bocuse to Lionel Poilâne: "A monsieur Poilane avec toutes mes amitiés gourmandes. Paul Bocuse 1978." [with all my gourmand sympathies]

The first Paris edition, published simultaneously with the Brussels edition.

Most of the volumes bear a statement of fourth, seventh, or eighth edition.

Some foxing to several volumes.

Contemporary half tawny speckled sheep bindings, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets, red sheep lettering-pieces lettered "Oeuvres de V. Hugo", sky-blue sheep title and volume labels, volume label lacking from the fifth volume, three others partially lifting, marbled paper-covered boards, decorative endpapers and pastedowns.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Bound in half red shagreen with corner pieces, spine with four raised bands ruled in blind and gilt, a few rubs to the spine, marbled paper boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, upper cover preserved, corners lightly bumped.

Illustrated edition featuring original lithographs by Edmond Lajoux, one of 40 numbered copies printed on Rives wove paper.

A pleasing copy, complete with its slipcase and chemise, both partially and lightly sunned, a minor condition issue.

The slipcase is slightly split at the upper edge.

As called for in the limitation statement, our copy retains the black suite of the illustrations as well as an original preparatory artwork for the illustrations.

Our copy is further exceptionally enriched with an original signed colour watercolour by Edmond Lajoux depicting a column of French infantrymen carrying their packs and...

First edition on ordinary paper.

A crease to the lower right corner of the upper cover, a library shelf-mark to the upper left corner of the half-title page, which also bears, at its foot, a library stamp overprinted with the word "cancelled".

On the same half-title page, a signed autograph inscription by Alain: "A Monsieur Prulhières et vivent les lions ! Alain. Le 5 juillet 1935."

Edition limited to 100 numbered copies on laid paper.

Bradel binding in half vellum-style paper boards with corners, smooth spine very lightly toned, black date lettered at foot, blue paper-covered boards with a few small stains, endpapers partially foxed, pasted bookplate.

Original edition of Marcel Schwob's introduction and facsimile reproduction of the Stockholm manuscript.

First edition, issued without any edition statement.
Contemporary half mottled fawn sheep bindings, smooth spines ruled in gilt with double fillets, red sheep lettering pieces bearing the author's name "Works of V. Hugo", sky-blue sheep title and volume labels, marbled paper-covered boards, decorative endpapers and pastedowns.
Some occasional foxing, small holes at the head of the half-title leaf of the first volume.
Widely regarded as Hugo's masterpiece in the realm of fiction, a dark and baroque work in which his poetic style, built upon antitheses and oxymora, is carried to its furthest limits, anticipating qualities later embraced by the Surrealists.

First edition, one of the press service copies.

Sun-faded spine, boards marginally faded and sunned, as is usually the case.

Precious signed autograph inscription by André Malraux: "A Pierre Mac Orlan, introuvable, en témoignage de gratitude et de vieille sympathie."
 

Definitive edition with a foreword by the author, one of 12 numbered hors commerce copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

The first edition of 1935 was not issued on deluxe paper.

A rare and pleasing copy.

Signed autograph inscription from Jacques Debû-Bridel to Monsieur and Madame Claude Gallimard.

First edition illustrated with a photographic portrait of Paul Valéry as frontispiece.

Contemporary forest green half morocco over marbled paper boards with corners, spine faded and with four raised bands, boards slightly faded at the margins, marbled and gilt paper-covered boards, moiré-effect endpapers and pastedowns, wrappers and spine preserved, bookplate mounted on a pastedown, signed binding by Lagadec.

Signed autograph inscription from Paul Valéry to Louis Barthou on the title page: "... ces propos subversifs, son confrère et ami..."

First edition, one of the press review copies.
Trimmed copy, joints soiled and restored, stain to the lower cover.
Humorous signed autograph inscription by Paul Morand: "Cher Caracalla, j'apprends que vous n'avez jamais reçu mon Fouquet ; en juin dernier je vous l'envoyais avec ma fidèle pensée. Que le diable patafiole le facteur ! Je vous renouvelle ici ma très amicale sympathie. Morand."

First edition, one of 24 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the deluxe issue.

Spine showing two small areas of sunning at the head and foot.

A rare and pleasing copy of this novel set against the backdrop of the French collapse during the Second World War.

First edition, without the mention “oeuvres complètes de Victor Hugo” (see Clouzot).

Contemporary red polished half calf bindings, spines slightly mellowed and decorated with four raised bands framed by gilt garland tools and gilt quintuple rules, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges.

Very slight rubbing to the spines, a pleasing copy, lacking the preliminary preface leaf, attractively bound in a contemporary Romantic-style binding.

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on hollande paper, top-of-edition issue.

A very fine copy.

First edition, one of 110 numbered copies on vergé pur fil d'arches, the most limited deluxe issue.

A blue ballpoint pen mark to the upper cover, spine and boards lightly and partially sunned, as is often the case.
Untrimmed copy with wide margins, illustrated throughout.
A typed letter of thanks from Pierre Clostermann, signed by him and addressed to Henri Torrès, bound to the left margin of the half-title page.

Our copy exceptionally contains two original watercolours (14 x 10.5 cm) depicting two R.A.F. bomber aircraft flown by Pierre Clostermann: the Vickers-Armstrong "Wellington" and the Bristol...

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...

Rare first edition. This first appearance of the text in book form was Jules Verne's preferred format, as Jauzac notes, instead of the more famous gilded publisher's bindings.

Contemporary brown half shagreen binding, spine with four raised bands ruled in black and decorated with double black panel compartments featuring central gilt floral tools, marbled paper-covered boards, marbled endpapers, speckled edges, a few small abrasions to one edge, contemporary binding.

A small black ink stain to the lower right margin of the opening leaves.

A handsome first edition copy attractively housed in a contemporary binding. This founding novel is considered one of, if...

Rare first edition. The first volume dated 4 August 1876, followed by the second volume published on 6 November with Un drame au Mexique bound in. All first editionswere published in 18° format. 

Half brown shagreen bindings, spines with four raised bands ruled in black and framed in black with with central gilt fleurons, marbled paper boards, paste-down endpapers and flyleaves of hand-marbled paper, sprinkled edges, contemporary bindings.

A handsome first edition copy of this celebrated Siberian adventure, attractively bound in contemporary bindings.

This first appearance of the text in book form was Jules Verne's preferred format, as Jauzac...

First edition, one of the press review copies.
Spine with a small waterstain at the foot.
Signed autograph inscription from Jorge Semprun: "A Mr Pierre Pain, a good bookseller like good bread, in memory of a signing day and of a shared memory far richer. With warm regards. JSemprun."

 

First edition.

Half morocco binding, spine with five raised bands tooled in black with gilt fleurons, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges, contemporary binding.

Some minor foxing.

Presentation copy signed by Victor Hugo to René Heymann.

Victor Hugo most likely came to know René Heymann (1866-1944) through his beloved grandson, the future painter Georges Victor-Hugo. In the immediate aftermath of the great poet's death, two years after the publication of this penultimate series of La Légende des siècles, Heymann would receive from Georges a heartbreaking letter: "Do not come today. If you only knew...

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 2,270 numbered copies printed on alfa paper, the only printing.
A pleasing copy despite small marginal tears to the wrappers.

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies on Alfama paper, the only deluxe paper issue apart from a few hors commerce copies also printed on Alfama.

Minor, unobtrusive traces of corner creasing to the wrappers.

A rare and pleasing copy.

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...

Rare edition, partly first, as it contains for the first time a letter by Louis Blanc, following the edition published by Bry aîné in 1847.

Corner creases to the wrappers, small tears to the spine.

Second edition of Barbès's text, partly first edition as it is here augmented by a letter from Louis Blanc, published a few weeks after Barbès and Louis Blanc were sentenced to deportation by the High Court of Bourges for their role in the events of 15 May 1848. The first edition of Barbès's text had been published in Paris by Bry aîné.

Corner creases to the wrappers, small tears to the spine.

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...

Rare first edition.

Small tears at the head and foot of the spine, a few angular losses to the partially soiled covers, foxing.

First edition, one of the ordinary issue, with no deluxe paper copies noted.

Small angular losses at the upper margins of the first leaves, paper occasionally brittle in the margins of certain leaves.

Signed autograph inscription from Rachilde to Léon Frapié.