Writings and Cries for Freedom

Victor HUGO
Les Misérables
A. Lacroix & Verboeckhoven & Cie, Bruxelles 1862, 14,5x22cm, 10 bound volumes.

First edition without statement published concomitantly with the Pagnerre's Paris edition.
Bound in half blue sheepskin, spine in four compartments decorated with double gilt fillets, blue paper plates, marbled paste-down and endpapers, mottled edges, English bindings of the time.
Scattered foxings, title page of the third volume slightly and marginally soiled, paper plates a little rubbed and a few tears on some edges, some joints repaired.

Rare and genuine posthumous first edition of the first six books of the Confessions, the remaining volumes not appearing until 1789. Several other editions were issued shortly thereafter, but the evidence provided by the commentary published in the June 1782 issue of the Journal Helvétique clearly establishes that this separately printed edition, known as the "large type" issue, is indeed the very first (F. Michaux, "L'Édition originale de la première partie des 'Confessions' de J.-J. Rousseau" in Revue d'Histoire littéraire de la France, 35th Year, No. 2 (1928), pp. 250-253).
Contemporary half calf bindings, flat spines tooled with gilt fillets and decorated...

Complete run of the first twenty years of the newspaper Libération, founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre, Serge July, Philippe Gavi, Bernard Lallement and Jean-Claude Vernier.

6,200 issues in pristine condition (never opened).

This unique collection comprises 6,200 issues of Libération in impeccable condition (never opened), and is absolutely complete – including all the “numéros zéros”, promotional issues, special reports, thematic supplements (including the entire series of the celebrated “Sandwich” issues), and the commemorative twentieth anniversary album – from Monday 5 February 1973 to Monday 3 January 1994.  
The collection...

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...

Superb original photographic portrait of Ravachol taken by Alphonse Bertillon, contemporary print on albumen mounted on bristol board.
Extremely rare handwritten caption signed by the most famous of the French anarchists, written in his hesitant and naive handwriting, at the bottom of the photo: “1er mai 1892 Koningstein [sic] Ravachol” “1st May 1892 Koningstein [sic] Ravachol”.
The spelling Koningstein chosen by Ravachol differs from his father's surname (Königstein). This variation confirmed by the Maintron (Biographical dictionary of the social and labour movement) is found in particular in a piece of his writing by hand dated 13 April 1892 and kept at the Conciergerie.
“ Un...

Autograph letter signed on four pages, dated 12 November 1851. 124 lines in black ink.

This letter is presented in a chemise and slipcase with paper boards decorated with abstract motifs, green morocco spine, green suede doublure, slipcase with morocco spine and matching paper boards signed by Thomas Boichot.

Unpublished autograph letter on progress, signed by Pierre-Joseph-Marie Proudhon, major figure in French social thought, and  “the father of...

First edition. The second part is regarded as rare, since Prussia ordered the manuscript to be seized and the copies burned, although in fact the second part is found in many sets.
Contemporary full mottled brown calf binding. Spine with raised bands richly gilt. Red morocco lettering-piece. Lower headcap partly torn. Abrasion to the lower cover with loss along the joint. Two corners rubbed. A brown stain in the upper margin of p. 49, about 2 cm. Loss in the margin at the corner of p. 144, not affecting the text. Marbled endpaper with a cut along the outer margin. Some gatherings browned. A good copy.

Exceptionally rare autograph satirical poem by Louis Aragon, entitled Distiques pour une Carmagnole de la Honte, written between September 1944 and February 1945. 26 lines penned in black ink on a single leaf, with a note from the author in blue ink at the foot of the page.
Our manuscript belongs to a group of thirteen poems composed during the first half of 1945, intended for publication in a poetry anthology (Aragon, published by Pierre Seghers in Paris, Collection “Poètes d’aujourd’hui” no. 2, 20 July 1945). It was sent by Aragon as a working copy to his editor and friend Claude Roy. This autograph poem is the only known...