Exceptional Autographs

Comme devant une place / Pleine de gens et de bruit / Je reste figé sur place / Arrêté devant ma vie

First edition on ordinary paper.
Work decorated with a frontispiece illustration by Joan Miro.

Very precious autograph inscription signed by Janine Queneau to her great friend Boris Vian: "A Boris dont je crains d'avoir bien mal suivi les conseils. Avec beaucoup d'affection. Janine." ["To Boris, whose advice I fear I have followed very poorly. With much affection. Janine."]

Provenance: Boris Vian Foundation.
 

Third edition after the original published in Bordeaux in 1593 and a second Parisian edition in 1594. The copy mentions the second edition because it is the second to be published in Bordeaux.
Extremely rare handwritten presentation signed by the author on the page of the endpaper: “Pour Monsieur de Rives en memoire de moy. A Caors ce iiij [4] may 1595. Charron.” “For Monseiur de Rives in memory of me. In Caors this iiij [4] May 1595. Charron.” It is, without doubt, about Jean III de Rieu, Lord of Rives, who belonged to the family of Antoine Hébrard de Saint-Sulpice, bishop of Cahors. Pierre Charron had been called theological by this same bishop of Cahors and became his curate...

First edition, one of 230 numbered copies on Auvergne paper, ours one of 75 not-for-sale copies, the only printing after 10 copies on China and a few hors commerce copies; this copy specially printed for René Daumal.
 
Frontispiece illustrated with an original lithograph by Étienne Cournault.
Very faint, insignificant foxing to the margins of the covers.
A handsome copy complete with its original wraparound band.
 
Exceptional and superb signed autograph inscription dated 27 December 1936 from René Daumal to his future partner Véra Milanova : « à Véra Milanova – à toi Véra, d'abord ces anciens mensonges (que je n'ai pu nourrir...

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.

First edition, published in London by Seeley, Jackson & Halliday in 1883. The work is illustrated with twelve large plates on Arches wove paper, comprising eleven etchings and one plate in wash manner by Alfred-Louis Brunet-Debaines and his pupil Henri Toussaint, together with thirty-three engraved illustrations in the text, including plans, architectural details and views. Text printed in double columns.

Contemporary full navy blue morocco. Spine with raised bands and gilt shell tools, title gilt; broad...

First edition of this work published in Toulouse, cradle of aeronautics.
Precious and rare signed autograph inscription by Clément Ader to René Fonck, « l'As des As » of French aviation, who achieved the highest number of aerial victories during the First World War: « à monsieur René Fonck membre du Comité de Direction de l'Aéro-Club. En souvenir du 2 mars reconnaissant hommage. »
This remarkable dedication was most likely written on 2 March 1922 on the occasion of a banquet held by the Aéro-Club de France at the Palais d'Orsay, celebrating the award of the Commander's insignia of the Légion d'honneur to Clément...

First edition for which no grand papier (deluxe) copies were printed.
Small marginal pieces missing at the top of the first board, a clear remnant of adhesive paper at the bottom of the first endpaper.
Copy complete with the facsimile at the end of the volume.

Precious handwritten inscription signed by Gabriele d'Annunzio to Natalie Clifford Barney: « à miss Barney et au Temple de l'Amitié attentive, cette légère torpille ‘sine litteris' est offerte par la ‘tête d'ivoire'. Gabriele d'Annunzio » (“To Miss Barney and the attentive Temple of Friendship, this light ‘sine litteris' torpedo is offered by the ‘ivory head'. Gabriele...

First edition of which there were no grand papier (deluxe) copies, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Bradel binding, spine slightly faded with a small spot to head, small stains on the covers, covers and spine preserved,
Contemporary binding signed by M.P. Trémois.
Exceptional and handsome autograph inscription signed by André Breton to Man Ray: “à Man Ray, dans la lumière qu'il a recréée, de tout cœur. André Breton” (“To Man Ray, in the light that he recreated, with all my heart. André Breton”)

Second issue, printed in March-April 1917, one month after the first edition published in February of the same year.
Publisher's red cloth.
Exceptional inscribed copy signed by H.G. Wells to André Citroën: “To André Citröen who has to do his share in making a new world out of a very shattered old one. From H. G. Wells.”
The inscription echoes the chapter of the book entitled New arms for old ones, in which Wells describes the armament factory created by Citroën to remedy the French artillery weakness. Reconverted at the end of the war, the factory will become the first Citroën automobile manufacturer.

First edition, of which there were no grand papier (deluxe) copies, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Spine slightly bowed, with a few tears and lacks to plastic film cover. Slight foxing in the margins of a few pages.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by Michel Foucault, at the time a young teacher, to Jean-Charles Varennes.
A very rare advance copy, which could be said to have taken the place of the grand papier (deluxe) copies.

One of the most magnificent letters by Fernand Léger

A fabulous handwritten letter by the painter Fernand Léger, written on the front line during the Battle of Argonne, addressed to the Parisian art trader Adolphe Basler.
92 lines in black ink, four pages on a double leaf, dated 28 May 1915 by Léger.
The handwritten letter is presented with a half forest green morocco chemise, green paper boards with a stylised motif, endpapers lined with green lamb, slip case lined with the same morocco, the piece is signed by Goy & Vilaine.
The letter was chosen for Cécile...

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...

First edition of which there were no grand papier (deluxe) copies, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Small foxing on covers marginally and slightly sunned, one joint cracked and glued down to foot, a small tear to head of spine.
Illustrated, as frontispiece, with a drawing by Etienne Dinet.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by Etienne Dinet to Georges Rochegrosse : "A G. Rochegrosse cordial souvenir de son vieil ami."