Gift Ideas – Rare Editions

Partly first edition, gathering the most famous speeches by Victor Hugo, including some of his most memorable addresses delivered at the tribune of the Legislative Assembly—most notably the speech on constitutional revision and the powerful plea he gave at the trial of his son, on 11 June 1851, before the Cour d'assises of the Seine, in defense of the inviolability of human life. Spurious mention of “eighth edition.”
Complete with the rare portrait of the author by Masson printed on China paper, as frontispiece.
Scattered occasional foxing.
Precious inscribed copy signed by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet : « à mon pauvre...

First edition, with the illustrations of the author (often missing) and 79 plates (plate 27-28 double page) hors texte steel-engraved by Forestier after drawings by Antoine Chazal.
Strictly contemporary Romantic binding in brown calf, spine in six compartments richly decorated with gilt fillets and blindtooled arabesques, boards with blindtooled arabesques to corners, double fillet frame and gilt initials ‘A.D.' to centre, gilt roulette framing marbled endpapers and pastedowns, double gilt fillets to edges of covers. Binding very skilfully restored.
Jacques-Pierre Maygrier (1771-1835) was a student of Antoine Dubois, the obstetrician of Empress Marie-Louise. He practiced at the...

First edition, an ordinary paper copy.
Contemporary green half shagreen, marbled paper boards, spine with five raised bands and gilt flowers, speckled edges.
With the autograph signatures of every author of the "Médan group" involved in the writing of this famous collection of short stories: Guy de Maupassant, Emile Zola, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Léon Hennique, Paul Alexis and Henri Céard on the first endpaper.
A very good and rare copy in a strictly contemporary binding.

First edition, one of 100 numbered copies on vellum, ours unnumbered, the only deluxe papers after 15 copies on Japon.
Illustrated with a frontispiece drawing by Salvador Dalí.
Precious signed autograph presentation from Paul Eluard to René Char : « Exemplaire de mon ami René Char. Paul Eluard. »

First edition on ordinary paper, issued after the destruction of the 1923 printing following a dispute between Tzara and the publisher.
Double autograph inscription, signed and dated by Tristan Tzara, first to Paul Éluard – « à Paul Éluard. Tristan Tzara. Juillet 1929 » – then, after striking through this initial dedication, to René Char in September 1934: « à René Char avec toute l'amitié grande de Tristan Tzara ». This second inscription is further embellished with a small drawing by Tzara, a hand pointing with its index finger to Char’s name.

First edition, one of 47 numbered copies on Vergé de Vizille, the only deluxe paper issue.
A fine copy.

First edition on ordinary paper, despite a false statement of third edition.
Handsome copy signed and inscribed by Marcel Proust to René Boylesve.
Housed in a half kaki morocco over marbled paper boards chemise and slipcase (with flaps), spine very slighlty faded with gilt inscriptions of provenance at foot, lined with light green paper.
One very pale angular dampstain.
Provenance : Heilbronn's library, with his ex-libris.

First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.

Three small wormholes and a clear dampstain to margin of upper cover, one joint cracked at foot.
Retaining its prière d'insérer. 
Very precious and moving autograph inscription signed and dated by Maurice Blanchot to his mother and sister: "Personne ne reçoit tant de Dieu que celui qui est entièrement mort. Saint Grégoire. Pour sa chère maman et sa vieille Marg, en toute affection. Maurice [No one receives God so fully as someone who is entirely dead. Saint Gregory. For his darling mother and old Marg, with all love. Maurice]."

First edition, one of 10 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper copies along with 10 on China.
Contemporary half red morocco over marbled paper boards, spine in six compartments with gilt flowers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers preserved, top edge gilt.
Provenance : from the Lallemand de Mont collection, Stanislas de Guaita's son in law with his ex libris to pastedown.
A rare large paper copy with an exceptional provenance. 

First edition, one of 50 copies on vergé de Hollande, only deluxe issue (with 10 copies on papier Chine).
Contemporary dark red shagreen, probably a publisher's binding, spine in six compartments with gilt fleurons, covers with double gilt fillet frame and gilt fleurons to corners, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, edge of covers ruled in gilt, gilt roulette to head-pieces, top edge gilt, slipcase edged in dark red shagreen. 
A very rare and handsome copy perfectly set in a contemporary binding.

First edition, one of 100 hors commerce numbered copies on BFK de Rives paper, the only grand papier (deluxe) copies with 662 other copies on BFK de Rives paper.
Precious copy inscribed and dated October 1966 by Beckett to his friend the painter Geer (Van Velde) and his wife Lise.
Nice copy.
“What to say of the sliding planes, the shimmering contours, the cut-out figures in the fog, the balance that any little thing can break, breaking and re-forming themselves under our very eyes? How to talk about the colors that breathe and pant? Of the swarming stasis? Of this world without weight, without force, without shadow? Here everything moves, swims, fells...

First edition of the author's French translation, one of 50 numbered copies on vélin d'Arches paper, an hors commerce copy, the only large paper copies with 292 other vélin d'Arches paper.
Precious copy inscribed and dated December 1972 by Samuel Beckett to his friend the painter Geer (Van Velde) and his wife Lise.
Spine and back cover slightly discolored.

What to say of the sliding planes, the shimmering contours, the cut-out figures in the fog, the balance that any little thing can break, breaking and re-forming themselves under our very eyes? How to talk about the colors that breathe and pant? Of the swarming stasis? Of this world without weight...

First edition, one of 80 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the deluxe issue.
Fine copy.

First edition, one of 90 copies on Holland paper, ours being one of a few lettered hors commerce copies.
Bradel binding in half brown box, smooth spine, decorated paper boards, brown endpapers and pastedowns, original covers preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed by Goy & Vilaine.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Paul Valéry: « A Victoria Ocampo, - a sus piès de Vd - ce petit rien qu'elle a bien voulu désirer. »
A superb dedication that marks the beginning of the enduring friendship between the two writers, beyond all differences.
At Valéry's death in 1945, Victoria Ocampo would recall their first meeting in December 1928 during a writers’ dinner to...

First edition.
Handsome signed and dated autograph inscription in French from Victoria Ocampo to the singer (Jane) Bathori, who was the partner of the comedian Andrée Tainsy : "... qui a travaillé pour la musique en Argentine with tant de générosité and de chaleur..."
Iconography.
Spine sunned.

Seventh edition, first to illustrate Zimeo, adorned with 7 plates by Moreau le Jeune: a frontispiece and 4 plates for Les Saisons, engraved by Delaunay, Duclos, Prévost and Simonet, and 2 plates for the Contes, Poésies fugitives and Fables orientales, together with 4 headpiece vignettes by Choffard. Our copy is further enriched with separate pulls of the title-page ornament and Choffard's vignettes.
Nineteenth-century binding in full midnight-blue morocco. Five-raised-band spine decorated with pastoral flowers (vine, wheat and billhook, game and hunting horn...) and gilt compartments. Triple gilt fillet and...

First edition printed in 51 copies numbered and initialled by the author on Whatman.
Playful and striking signed presentation inscription from Jean Ajalbert to Henry Fèvre: "... ex-écrevisse de rempart, ces vers de l'auteur des bastions..."
Illustrated with an original lithograph by Paul Signac as frontispiece.
Minor spots on the lower cover, a rare and handsome copy.

First edition of the german translation by Paul Celan, printed on vergé.

Slight foxings, not serious, on one cover of the slipcase.
A good copy.
Autograph inscription, signed and dated, by Paul Celan to the surrealiust painter Edgar Jené and his wife : "Für Erica und Edgar Jené herzlich, Paul Celan. Paris, am 30. Oktober 1960".

First edition on ordinary paper.
Handsome autograph inscription from Paul Eluard to Raymond Queneau on the first volume: "... ce livre qui nous rajeunit...[…this book that makes us young again…]"

First edition, of which no copies on deluxe paper were issued.

Spine slightly faded as usual.
Precious signed presentation inscription from Eugène Ionesco to Raymond Queneau: "Pour Raymond Queneau, le Satrape, avec mon admiration affectueuse (et que tant je voudrais revoir plus que de temps à autre). Eugène Ionesco."

First edition on ordinary paper.

Some scattered foxing.
Bradel binding in full combed paper, smooth spine, navy morocco lettering-piece framed with gilt fillets, elegant pastiche binding signed by Thomas Boichot.
Rare and precious autograph inscription signed by Hector Malot: "A Guy de Maupassant, son dévoué confrère."

First edition of only 100 copies, numbered by Pierre-Eugène Clairin on pur fil de Lana paper, plus a few hors commerce copies.
Text by Albert Camus.
With 7 etchings, 2 drypoints and three original lithographs (one in colors) by Pierre-Eugène Clairin, who has signed eight of the illustrations in pencil.
A little light marginal worming, a good copy complete with its chemise and slipcase (with flaps).
Rare.

First edition of 30 copies printed on Japon paper of this offprint of L'Artiste for November 1890.
Contemporary Bradel binding of beige paper boards, ex-libris to pastedown.
Autograph inscription signed from Paul Verlaine to Edmond Bonnaffé on the justification of printing at end: “Exemplaire de Monsieur E. Bonnaffé. P. Verlaine [Monsieur E. Bonnaffé's copy. P. Verlaine]”. Edmond Bonnaffé (1825-1903) was a wealthy collector and noted historian of art, very close to the artistic movements of the age.
These pages by Verlaine are a critical review of the book by Roger Marx of the same name (Paris, 1890). In it, the poet discusses the great names in Art...

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on vélin de cuve paper reserved for the “XX” bibliophile group, the tirage de tête.
A good copy complete with its double covers by Albin Michel and the “XX” bibliophile group.
Joints of chemise rubbed, modern slipcase, tiny insignificant worming to endpapers.

Signed by the author on justification page.

First edition, one of 18 numbered copies on pur fil, from the deluxe issue.
Full red Jansenist morocco binding, spine in five compartments, date gilt at foot, black morocco endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, all edges gilt; matching half red morocco chemise, spine in five compartments, date gilt at foot, black felt lining; slipcase edged in red morocco, ochre felt interior, a highly elegant ensemble superbly executed by Duhayon.
A superb copy, impeccably bound in a triple binding by Duhayon.

HUGO Victor
La Pitié suprême [The Supreme Compassion] Calmann Lévy, Paris 1879, 150 x 240 mm (5 15/16 x 9 7/16 ”), half shagreen
First edition.
Elegant half dark blue shagreen over marbled paper boards by René Aussourd, spine in four compartments with gilt dots and double gilt compartments containing horizontal arabesques and gilt stars, date and “ex. de J. Drouet” in gilt at foot, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved (marginal repairs to covers), top edge gilt, ex-libris of Pierre Duché on one endpaper.
An exceptional presentation copy, inscribed by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet, the love of his life: “The first copy...

First edition, one of the review copies.

Spine slightly sunned, minor marginal spots on the front cover.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Maurice de Vlaminck to his Montmartre friend Pierre Mac Orlan: "... son vieux copain..."

First edition in French, printed on vergé paper.

Publisher's Arabesque yellow paper binding by A. Lenègre, spine with gilt, black, and turquoise Arabic decorative motifs (head- and tail-pieces slightly rubbed), upper cover richly ornamented with Arabic decorative motifs in gilt, black and turquoise with a frame of gilt and black fillets, turquoise paper pastedowns and endpapers (corners slightly bumped), all edges gilt, a few small insignificant spots to lower cover.
Text by Alfred Edmund Brehm & Johannes Dumichen.
The work is illustrated with 24 watercolors after nature by Charles Werner.
A few small spots, mostly affecting endpapers.
Rare.

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on "pur-fil" paper, most limited issue.

The book Camus dedicated to his friend René Leynaud.

Rare and handsome copy.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Half-forest green shagreen contemporary binding, spine with five raised bands, marbled paper board and endpapers, bookplate pasted on one guard.
Some slight, minor foxing.

Rare signed and inscribed copy by Gustave Flaubert to (Louis) de Carné, journalist and historian, several of whose works were listed in the inventory of Flaubert's personal library.

Flaubert's interest in de Carné's work was not always benevolent, however. Critical notes on his articles can be found in the Bouvard and Pécuchet files.
Moreover, the publication of Salammbô coincided with the controversial election of Louis de...