Ephemera

An exceptionally rare complete collection in six issues of this important Dada journal, including the very rare sixth no. of July 1921 entitled "Invention et proverbe".

Contributions by Paul Eluard, André Breton, Céline Arnauld, Tristan Tzara, Philippe Soupault, Louis Aragon, Jean Cocteau, Francis Picabia, Jean Paulhan, Maurice Raynal, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Jacques-Emile Blanche, Théodore Fraenkel, among others.

One of the most significant Dada journals published at the height of the movement with its very rare subscription leaflet.

Undoubtedly the finest example of poetic parody conceived by the Dadaists as a radical response...

First edition of Aristide Bruant’s electoral manifesto, written in his signature chansonnier style, for the legislative elections of May 8, 1898, covering the Belleville–Saint-Fargeau district, the first constituency of the 20th arrondissement of Paris.

The fourth leaf of this fragile electoral document features a hagiography of Aristide Bruant, "poet of the outcasts and the wretched," by Michel Morphy.

The manifesto is illustrated with a drawing by Borgey.

First edition, published anonymously by Delaporte,  secretary and prompter of the Comédie-Française.

Contemporary black cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine, red shagreen lettering-piece with some loss, marbled paper boards, upper corners slightly worn, 19th-century binding.

Copies recorded only at the BnF and in Rouen (CCFr).

Printed initials at the foot of the title page.

Rare summary, by the Comédie-Française secretary and prompter, of the grievances held by the Company against the actor Talma, focusing particularly on performances of Marie-Joseph Chénier’s play Charles IX.

The play, which achieved immense public success, drew criticism from...

First edition of this paper on cassava and the cultivation of peanuts, read before the General Assembly of the Royal Aragonese Society on 22 August 1800.

Our copy is preserved in modern plain beige wrappers, with a few insignificant spots of foxing.

From the library of the comte de Lasteyrie du Saillant, the renowned agronomist, with his red printed stamp on the title-page.

Rare and luxurious invitation card for the exhibition organized by art critic André Warnod on "art nègre," a term he coined in 1910 in the journal Comœdia to originally designate African and Oceanic statuary. From January 20 to February 20, 1926, four painters were invited to exhibit at the art gallery of the Grande Maison de Blanc, Place de l'Opéra in Paris. These were most likely the French artists Marguerite Guy-Lemm (née Lemaire) and Luc-Albert Moreau, the Uruguayan Pedro Figari, and the Dutchman Kees van Dongen.

Fine...

Very rare document on the so-called "Eau de Cologne," illustrated with a headpiece depicting the city of Cologne.

Written by Giovanni Antonio Farina (1718–1787), one of the heirs and successors of the inventor of the famous lotion, the Italian perfumer Giovanni Paolo Feminis (1660–1736), who had settled in Cologne.

Jean-Antoine Farina would later transmit the formula to his descendants, the last of whom, Jean-Marie Farina (1785–1864), successfully marketed the celebrated water during the first half of the 19th century.

This pamphlet details the various medicinal applications of Eau de Cologne (the names of the ailments are printed in capitals). "Il y a environ un...

Rare vintage polychrome "Happy Families" card game titled "The Trades," complete with all 42 cards, from the 1930s.

Comic portrayal of seven trades: Ramona (heating engineer), Lebouif (cobbler), Lavinasse (innkeeper), Boudingras (pork butcher), Courtepaille (farmer), Potard (pharmacist) and Dubifteck (butcher).

Without its original box, some traces of use, such as rubbed corners, and some foxing spots on the back of the cards. Good general condition.

Amusing...

First edition.

Illustrated with 16 drawings by Georges Adam.

A superb copy of this rare booklet by Louis Aragon, a true "anti-clerical, anti-capitalist, anti-colonialist, anti-patriotic" (Pierre Juquin) catechism for the children of the exploited working masses.

"On June 25, 1932, the Imprimerie centrale completed printing for the Bureau des éditions et de diffusion, 132, Faubourg Saint-Denis, Paris, a beautiful pamphlet, now a bibliophilic rarity [...] On the cover, a large red star - an important and recurrent image in Aragon's work - appears imprinted on children's brains. Sixteen quatrains, droll and didactic, punctuated for ease of...

Subscription prospectus issued in the format of the work, with 2 black-and-white reproductions in the text and 2 colour plates hors texte.

A fine copy.

First edition of this program of events organized by the Centre National d'Art Contemporain from 16 October to 23 December 1974, presenting the works of Christian Boltanski and Jacques Monory.
The December date has been modified in green felt pen at the foot of the program.
Presentation of photographic, cinematographic and book-based works by Christian Boltanski and pictorial works by Jacques Monory.

A very rare document.

Remarkable collection of 19 letters patent transcribing into French law what had originally been the outcome of diplomatic conventions; the sovereignties concerned are as follows, arranged in chronological order of the letters patent: I. Imperial City of Reutlingen (January 1775, 6 pp.). – II. Principality of Nassau-Weilburg (26 April 1776, 23 pp.). – III. Electorate of Saxony (1 September 1776, 10 pp.). – IV. Republic of Ragusa (October 1776, 7 pp.). – V. Principality of Nassau-Usingen (10 June 1777, 8 pp.). – VI. Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg (15 August 1778, 11 pp.). – VII. Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (15 August 1778, 12 pp.). – VIII. Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (15 August 1778, 12...

First edition of this program for the concert commemorating the death of Erik Satie, held in Arcueil-Cachan on 30 June 1929.
Our copy retains the photographic reproduction of the bust of Erik Satie modeled by Robert Caby in September 1925.
A handsome copy despite a few minute marginal spots.

First edition of this issue of the magazine edited by Jean-Louis Bory, with Pierre Bourgeade as editor-in-chief.
The entire issue is devoted to the work of Arman, who also authored the texts.
Illustrated throughout.

A handsome copy.

Rare collector’s head volume of this fascinating economic, agricultural, and industrial journal founded by economist and statistician César Moreau (1791–1860), who also established the "Société française de statistique" (cf. BNF, "Catalogue collectif des périodiques", III, p. 157. Not in Hatin.)

Text printed in three columns.

Contemporary half brown sheepskin binding, smooth spine gilt-ruled with decorative panels, joints rubbed and professionally restored, marbled paper-covered boards, corners worn, yellow edges speckled with red.
Issue no. 23 of the second year is lacking from our set, which collation is as follows:

• 1) 8 pp. comprising the society’s...

Rare (possibly complete) collection of this popular Chilean weekly printed in Valparaíso, not listed in the catalogue of the National Library’s periodicals.

Contemporary binding in red half sheep, smooth spine decorated with double gilt and black fillets, black morocco title label, marbled paper-covered boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

Although primarily concerned with historical and political matters—featuring frequent polemics against Spain and Peru—this provincial paper also aspires to literary status, including numerous poems, occasionally illustrated with small wood engravings. The "classified ads," of particular interest, along with the theatre listings...

First edition of the catalogue of the 33 works by Paul Cézanne exhibited at the Galerie Bernheim Jeune & Cie from Wednesday 1st to Saturday 18th December 1920.

Upper cover lightly sunned along the edges, printed stamp and shelf number to upper left corner of the inside front cover; otherwise a rare and attractive copy.

Some pencil annotations in the margins of a few of the listed works.

Catalogue illustrated with 10 reproductions of the artist’s works.

Introductory text by Octave Mirbeau.

First edition of the retrospective exhibition catalogue of 109 works by George Bottini, held at Galerie L. Dru from 15 April to 8 May 1926.

Minor foxing to the front cover, not affecting legibility.

Text by Adolphe Tabarant.

A rare and appealing copy.

Catalogue for the exhibition of 28 works by Edouard Vuillard held at Galerie Bernheim Jeune & Cie from Monday 13 to Saturday 25 February 1911.

Three light halos along the left margin of the upper cover, and a small tear along the right margin of the lower cover.

Illustrated catalogue featuring 3 reproductions of works by Edouard Vuillard.

Rare.

Exhibition catalogue of the 43 works by Kees Van Dongen shown at the Galerie Bernheim Jeune from Tuesday, March 1 to Wednesday, March 9, 1921.

Illustrated catalogue with 5 reproductions of Van Dongen's works.

Ink annotations on the verso of the front wrapper, the title page, and continuing on the final two pages of the catalogue, regarding a painting by the artist. Minor, usual rust marks around the staples.

Rare.

First edition of the catalogue listing 58 works by Henri Matisse exhibited at Galerie Bernheim Jeune & Cie from October 15 to November 6, 1920.

Upper cover slightly faded along the left margin, printed stamp to upper left corner of the verso of the front cover, otherwise a rare and attractive copy.

Illustrated catalogue featuring 19 reproductions of the artist's works.

Introductory text by Charles Vildrac.

First edition of the exhibition catalogue for 21 recent works by Pierre Bonnard, shown at the Galerie Bernheim from 19 May to 7 June 1913.

Catalogue illustrated with 10 reproductions of works by Pierre Bonnard.

Rare and handsome copy.

Catalogue for the exhibition of 29 works by Édouard Vuillard held at the Galerie Bernheim Jeune & Cie from Monday 15 to Saturday 27 April 1912.

Illustrated catalogue featuring 3 reproductions of works by Édouard Vuillard.

Rare and appealing copy.

First edition of this rare and fragile promotional item for the Galeries Lafayette consisting of 47 cardboard pieces with an illustration in medallion drawn by Jack Roberts and a children's song of eight verses.

A handsome copy, complete with its original printed crystal paper envelope.
 

Photograph depicting Henri Calet with his young son Louis Nordmann seated on his lap.

Contemporary print.

Minor tears without significance to the left margin of the photograph.

The photograph was taken by Jean-Nicolas De Boé, the writer's nephew. 

Complete set of uncorrected galley proofs dating from August–September 1935, comprising 65 pages on as many leaves numbered in pencil from 1 to 65.

First set of galley proofs for Henri Calet's debut novel La Belle Lurette (Gallimard, October 1935), forwarded to the author by Gallimard in the summer of 1935.

"On 15 June 1935, in a small room on the rue Edgar-Poe, close to the Buttes-Chaumont, Calet completed the writing of his first book, La Belle Lurette, which appeared in November of that same year with Gallimard, with the support of Jean Paulhan. The book met with little commercial success, yet Calet earned the esteem of distinguished...

First edition of this issue of the review edited by Nicolas Beauduin and William Speth.
Contributions by Max Jacob "Réponse de l'abbé X à un jeune homme découragé", Nicolas Beauduin "Poèmes synoptiques sur 3 plans", Renée Dunan "La culotte en jersey de soie"...
Review illustrated with wood engravings and drawings by Medgyes, A.P. Gallien, Colette Nel-Demouchel, P.L. Menon, Irène Lagut, C. Dalbanne. 
Light tears with occasional small marginal losses affecting both wrappers, internally well preserved.

First edition.

Contributions by Paul Léautaud “Lettres 1902-1919 (1ère partie)”, Edmond Gréville “Porte donnant sur la voie”, Jean Lurçat “U.S.A.”, P.G. van Hecke “Spectacles américains à Paris”, Pierre Courthion “Bar du Dôme”, Jean Perros “A bas le pittoresque”...

Issue illustrated with photographs by Man Ray, Germaine Krull, Bérénice Abbott, Florence Henry, Eli Lotar and drawings by Paul Klee, Marc-Eemans, Gustave de Smet, Frits van der Berghe...

Reproductions of paintings by Pablo Picasso, René Magritte, Paul Klee, André Derain, Raoul Dufy, Marc Chagall, Max Ernst, Georges Braque, André Masson, Juan Gris...

A stain to the upper cover, spine and covers lightly...

First edition.

Contributions by Albert Valentin "Eugène Atget", Morely Callaghan "Une passion de rustre", E.L.T. Mesens "Hans Arp", Pierre Mac Orlan "L'aube", Denis Marion "La découverte de l'Amérique", Paul Fierens "Vénus et les mannequins", Franz Hellens...

Issue illustrated with photographs by Eugène Atget, Man Ray, Germaine Krull, Mylander and drawings by Marc-Eemans, Ramah, Frits van der Berghe, Hans Arp, Fernand Léger, Léopold Survage...

Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned, not affecting the soundness of the copy, internally well preserved.

First edition.

Contributions by Pierre Mac Orlan "Accordéons", P.G. Van Ecke "L'envoûte ou la destinée des peintres", Denis Marion "A double tour", Gille Anthelme "Un aspect décisif des Ballets Diaghilew : Léonide Masside", Frans Vervoot "Nine, ou l'avant-propos", Albert Valentin "Aux soleils de minuit (IV)", Paul Fierens "Des rues et des carrefours", Franz Hellens...

Issue illustrated with photographs and drawings by Hans Arp, Jean de Bosschère, Marc Chagall, Gustave de Smet, Edgar Tytgat, Frits van der Berghe...

Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned, small losses and tears to the spine, a pleasing copy internally.

Rare first edition.

Corner creases to the covers, minor tears to the spine.

First edition.
Literary contributions by Antonin Artaud, Paul Eluard, André Breton, Pierre Brasseur, Louis Aragon, Michel Leiris, Benjamin Péret, Ernest Gegenbach...
Pictorial or photographic contributions by Joan Miro, Yves Tanguy, Max Ernst, Man Ray...
Upper cover with a few marginal stains to the left margin, a small tear at the foot of the spine, otherwise a pleasing copy considering the fragility of this periodical.

First edition printed in a small number of copies.

A rare and pleasing copy.

First edition.

No copies recorded in the CCF.

A very rare small guide intended for English travellers in the Kingdom of Naples. It opens with an itinerary from Rome to Naples via the monastery of Monte Cassino.

Some foxing, small losses to the spine which also shows a tear at the foot.

Complete year for 1787, with 50 issues, of this health journal with continuous pagination (pagination error between nos. 48 and 49).

Contemporary half marbled sheep, smooth spine, bronze sheep lettering-piece, rubbing to the spine, domino-patterned paper boards, a few scuffs to the boards, corners worn and small nicks to the edges, red edges, contemporary binding. 

The journal, founded in 1773 by Jean-Jacques Gardane, doctor-regent of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, would run for 17 years, with one volume per year, except for the years 1773-1774.

Jean-Jacques Gardane distinguished himself in the establishment in Paris of treatment houses for the poor and in the...

Booklet of the "Rabelaisian menu" offered on "diemenche 26 de oiteuvre 1952" [Sunday, 26 October 1952] on the menu of the Parisian restaurant Au Mouton de Panurge, gastronomic headquarters of the Amis de Rabelais et de La Devinière, whose walls were decorated by Albert Dubout, who is also the author of the illustrations featured here. On the final page appear several facsimile signatures of distinguished regulars of the establishment. Our booklet is enhanced by a gift inscription from one of these signatories, Albert Schweitzer: "to Andrée [Eekman, his goddaughter, also the niece of his close...

Original photographic portrait of the Arab leader at one of his hideouts in Jordan, taken by reporter Geneviève Chauvel for the French press photography agency Gamma. According to Hubert Henrotte, she was the only photographer Yasser Arafat agreed to meet during that period.

Minor loss to the upper right corner and a few faint folds. Good condition.

On the verso of the photograph appears a contextual note...

Rare first edition printed in a small number of copies.

Covers slightly faded and sun-toned at the edges, as is usually the case.

First edition of this handsome trade catalogue illustrated with 33 plates (printed recto and verso), incorporating several mounted colour fabric samples (silks, woollens, etc.), each facing a pochoir-coloured vignette depicting a young woman dressed in a garment fashioned from the textiles presented; the designs bear evocative names: Caprice, Oasis, Pluie de rose, Polyanna, Divine chanson, Pêcheuse, Vamp, Mickey, Poupée blonde, Intrépide, Espiègle, Montparnasse, Sibéria, Câline, Incognito, Magicienne, etc.

Bound in full grey flexible boards, smooth spine lettered in gilt on the upper cover, the copy complete with its original textile cord.

A few leaves with staining or foxing...

First edition of this in-folio broadside signed "Phelypeaux", printed on one side only and in two columns.

A scarce and pleasing copy despite traces of central folding.

First edition of this in-folio printed broadside signed "Phelypeaux", printed on one side only.

Visible fold marks to the broadside.

Very rare fully mimeographed first edition of this course prepared for officers of the French Army of the Levant, issued locally under the French Mandate in Syria and Lebanon.

No copy recorded in the CCF. Not in Hage Chahine.

Minor marginal tears to the wrappers, a manuscript ex-libris on the upper wrapper, and a hole in the lower wrapper also affecting the final page but not the text.

The Belgian Jesuit and orientalist Henri Lammens (1862–1937) spent almost his entire life in Beirut; he was the first to apply to the study of the origins of Islam a critical method as rigorous as that used for any historical subject, which earned him much hostility and repeated...

First edition of these extremely rare statutes of an Indo-British lodge established in Calcutta since 1860.

No copy recorded in the CCF or in WorldCat.

Minor losses to the spine and corners of the boards, with one tear at the head of the upper cover skilfully restored.

Rare pre-first edition offprint of Charles de Gaulle's article Les Origines de l'armée française, published in issue 520 of the Revue d'Infanterie in January 1936. This 44-page text will be entirely reprinted two years later as the first chapter of his celebrated work La France et son armée, published by Plon in 1938. Our copy is enriched with an autograph inscription signed by the author "to M. Jean Auburtin": "With profound and faithful friendship. C. de Gaulle."

Blue wrappers...

Programme for the Ballets Russes, for the Paris season in May-June 1912 at the Théâtre du Châtelet and the Hungarian tour of March 1912. It includes the argument of Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, the programme for Saturday 8 June 1912 with cast list and the argument of Daphnis et Chloé, Sheherazade, The Rite of Spring, The Firebird (L’Oiseu [sic] de feu), followed by a page with the argument and cast list for Carnaval and Narcissus, and two pages in Hungarian announcing the programme of the March 1912 tour at the Royal Hungarian Opera.

Rare collection of approximately 250 issues of the bilingual English–French maritime gazette published in Constantinople, covering the period from 1 July 1869 to 3 June 1870.

No library appears to hold a complete run. The numbering is at times erratic, and a manuscript note reading "suspension" apparently accounts for a gap of several days in November 1869, together with a dating error.

Bradel bindings in half black cloth, smooth spines ruled in gilt; two frayed spine-ends with tears, a vertical abrasion with orange and green staining to the spine of the first volume, beige paper-covered boards with small losses, a few scuffs to the edges; modern bindings.

Some...

First edition of this pamphlet, with contributions by Éluard, Tzara, Marcel Duchamp under his pseudonym Rrose Sélavy, Benjamin Péret, Erik Satie, Philippe Soupault, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Vincente Huidboro, Walter Serner, Matthew Josephson, Théodore Fraenkel.
Three copies found in institutions (BnF, Thomas J. Watson Library, Princeton University Library, Ryerson & Burnham Libraries - Art Institute of Chicago).
Cover designed by Ilia Zdanevich (Iliazd) on a motif created out of 19th-century woodcuts: “The cover of Le Coeur à barbe is an emblematic image of the Dada aesthetic, where old engravings are combined with words to create visual puns and unpredictable associations.”...

"For a few months now, we have been witnessing a regularised passive hunt for patriots, too highly noticed, it seems, at a time when risking their own life and that of their family's was not a shopfront item.
The odious thing about this way of acting is that it is strangely reminiscent of the Hitlerians. We dishonour, then we wait and see. Regardless of the esteem in which a person is regarded, a police visit always leaves a hint of ambiguity, it is believed. Vigilance more than ever, solidarity.” (7 December 1945 addressed by René Char to Francis Ponge)

The first and only edition of this legendary “Céreste Affair” poster printed by...

Exhibition catalogue listing 66 paintings by Félix Vallotton exhibited at the Druet gallery, 20, rue Royale in Paris, from 22 April to 3 May 1929.
Light worming to the first cover, otherwise a handsome copy.
Catalogue illustrated with 7 photographic reproductions of works by Félix Vallotton.

First edition of this rare and fragile advertising object for the Galeries Lafayette consisting of 47 cardboard pieces with a medallion illustration designed by Jack Roberts and a children's song of four verses.

Handsome copy complete with its original crystal paper envelope.
 

Exhibition catalogue of Paul Gauguin's works at the Galerie Barbazanges, 109 Faubourg Saint-Honoré, from 10 to 30 October 1919.
Illustrated with Gauguin's splendid colour self-portrait with halo and serpent, wood-engraved by Jules Germain.
Essay by François Norgelet, entitled "Gauguin au Pouldu".
Catalogue of 28 works by Gauguin, including two lithographs and two plaster casts. Minute black spot in the margin of the front wrapper.

First edition and first printing of Lucien Laforge’s pacifist illustrations, one of 400 deluxe copies on special matte red paper from the Barthélémy paper mills, the only deluxe issue announced.
Some light wear, otherwise a very good copy of this fierce anti-militarist pamphlet in which runs "comme le grésillement du fer rouge marquant à vif la chair pâle et grasse du Bourgeois repu de morts" (Paul Vaillant-Couturier in L'Humanité).

Invitation card to the ball celebrating the centennial of Victor Hugo's birth, held at the Salle des Ingénieurs civils, rue Blanche in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, on Saturday, February 22nd, 1902.
A handsome and rare copy despite a very small stain in the upper left corner of the card.
The ball was organized by the committee of the "Société littéraire Victor Hugo" presided by P. Heuzey.