First Editions on Wove Paper

First edition of the French translation, one of 25 numbered copies on pur fil, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.

Blood red morocco binding, gilt title lenghtwise, black stingray boards framed in morocco, gilt decorative paper endleaves, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, an elegant binding signed Boichot. Front free endpaper slightly toned, otherwise a handsome untrimmed copy.

Illustrated with original woodcuts by Jean-Gabriel Daragnès.

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on Arches wove paper.

Our copy is enriched with the autograph signatures of Jacques Prévert — who signed as Jacques Rêve-vert (with the word “vert” highlighted in green) — and of André Pozner, each accompanied by two small drawings: a little cat for Jacques Prévert and a camel’s hump for André Pozner.

A fine copy, complete with its slipcase.

First edition, printed on Vélin d’Angoulême, with the usual typographical errors, and containing the six proscribed poems; one of the few copies presented to the author and "intended for friends who render no literary services".

Full claret morocco binding, spine with five raised bands richly decorated with multiple gilt- and blind-tooled fillets; third-state covers; boards framed with multiple blind-tooled fillets; marbled endpapers; gilt turn-ins; all edges gilt; marbled paper slipcase with morocco border; signed binding by Semet & Plumelle.

Precious copy, enhanced with an autograph dedication in ink by the author on the dedication page, addressed to Paul Meurice, playwright, journalist, and close collaborator of Victor Hugo, « à Paul Meurice, témoignage d'amitié. Ch. Baudelaire » ["To Paul Meurice, in token of friendship. Ch. Baudelaire"]. Featuring twenty autograph corrections by the author to the printed dedication and four poems:

- At the dedication: two pencil corrections to the last words of the first line. Baudelaire adds a plural to “es langueS françaiseS,” “es” being, in fact, the contraction of “en les.” A surprising syntactical correction, sacrificing coherence, which the author later amended in 1861 to “Magicien es Lettres Françaises”.

- “La muse vénale”, p. 29: one ink correction to the final word of the last line of the first tercet, “Guère S,” one of the earliest misprints corrected by Baudelaire, which had nevertheless escaped him on the proofs, as with the following.

- “Le chat”, p. 110: one ink correction in the second line of the sixth quatrain, “au” logically changed to “un.”

- “Don Juan aux enfers”, p. 43: three ink corrections to the third line of the third tercet. The first, a simple misprint, “errant S,” had already troubled Baudelaire on the proofs, but its earlier correction had not been carried over.

The other two, “leS rivageS,” are not orthographic corrections but represent one of the very first poetic variants, absent from most presentation copies, foreshadowing the forthcoming complete revision of Les Fleurs du mal and the new original edition of 1861.

-"Le reniement de Saint Pierre", p. 217: a pencil correction on the fourth line of the second quatrain. The “D” replacing the “C” in “Cieux” is underlined three times. Curiously, the proofs reveal the exact opposite: “Les Dieux” was then corrected with a “C,” equally emphatically underlined. Anti-clerical remorse or altered alliteration? This correction, found in only a few copies, drew the poet’s attention to another misprint, still intact in our copy, later corrected in subsequent presentation copies: “au X doux bruit.”

-Baudelaire also inscribed a large “C” in pencil on pp. 52, 73, 91, 187, 191, and 206, at the head of the six poems condemned on 20 August 1857 for removal from copies in circulation. He transferred the same “C.” to the table of contents, opposite the six incriminated titles: Les Bijoux, Le Léthé, À celle qui est trop gaie, Lesbos, Femmes damnées: À la pâle clarté, and Les Métamorphoses du Vampire.

In total, twenty autograph interventions by Charles Baudelaire.

First edition, one of 26 copies on pure wove paper, the only deluxe-paper issue.

A rare and handsome copy.

Antoine Tudal was the son-in-law and close confidant of Nicolas de Staël, who confided to him a few days before his death: "Tu sais, je ne sais pas si je vais vivre longtemps. Je crois que j'ai assez peint. Je suis arrivé à ce que je voulais..."

First edition of the French translation, one of the scarce lettered copies printed on pur fil for private circulation, ours bearing the letter A, the only deluxe-paper copies together with 25 numbered copies on pur fil.
Wide-margined copy, boards and spine lightly and marginally sunned, a few scattered foxmarks affecting some leaves and deckle edges.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on Ingres paper, deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

New edition, one of 50 copies on deluxe paper (no. 29/500) and issued with a named dedication, ours specially printed for Baron Emmanuel-Alban Guillaume-Rey (1837–1916), orientalist and archaeologist specializing in medieval Syria.

Full rigid vellum binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets and floral tools, brick-brown morocco title label, gilt place and date at foot, gilt cornerpieces on the covers, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.

A poetic account of the exploits of Peter I of Lusignan, King of Cyprus (1328–1369), written shortly after his death at the request of Charles V, and centered on the so-called “Alexandrian Crusade,” the ill-fated expedition launched in 1365 at the call of Pope Urban V, which led to the capture of the Egyptian port on 10 October 1365.

A handsome copy attractively bound in a style reminiscent of medieval bindings.

First edition, one of 500 copies on ordinary paper.
This copy has a chemise and slipcase.
A little light spotting, not serious, nice copy.
Retaining its advertising band and slip.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by René Char: “à Man Ray au voyant carnassier de tout cœur R. Char.” (“To Man Ray to the carnivorous fortune teller, with all my heart, R. Char.”)

First edition, one of 750 numbered copies on vélin paper, this not justified, the only printing along with 50 on Japan.

A good copy.
Aesthetic Surrealist autograph inscription by Benjamin Péret: '...Pourquoi la chevelure, me direz-vous? Oui, pourquoi? Parce que les cheveux remplacent les parapluies...' to his friend Léo Malet.

First edition, one of 120 copies printed on pure laid paper.

Pleasant copy with wide margins throughout.

First edition, one of 220 numbered copies printed on Vélin du Marais.

Rubbing to the slipcase and chemise, otherwise a clean and attractive copy.

Illustrated with 25 intaglio engravings by Elisabeth-Mary Burgin.

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on Ingres d'Arches paper, the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First bilingual edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, the deluxe issue.

The French translation, printed opposite the English text, was prepared by Patrick Guyon and Marie-Claude White.

A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, one of 69 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper copies.

A very handsome copy.

First edition of the French translation by Isabelle Rivière, one of 33 numbered copies on pur fil de Voiron, ours being one of 5 hors commerce copies, reimposed in quarto Tellière format, the only deluxe copies.

A handsome and rare copy.

First edition, one of 15 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only deluxe copies.

A very handsome copy.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on Lana wove paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

A handsome copy.

First edition for each volume.

Fine copy of Du côté de chez Swann in first edition, second printing, with all identifying points (front cover dated 1913, table of contents present, no publisher's catalogue at end); copy in first edition bearing the mention "quatrième édition" for À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs (with the correct colophon dated November 30, 1918); although bearing the same colophon dated November 30, 1918, the 128 reimposed copies were not actually printed until a year later, together with the large paper copies of the Swann reissue; for the following 11 volumes, numbered copies on pur fil (wove paper), the only large paper copies apart from the reimposed ones.

The complete first edition of À la recherche du temps perdu comprises the first two volumes on ordinary paper with the particularities mentioned above, followed by deluxe copies for the subsequent volumes. These deluxe copies on pur fil are in the same format as the first two volumes.

Restorations with losses filled on the spine and boards of the first and second volumes, spine of third volume browned, small tears or slight losses of no consequence at foot of certain spines, rear board of fifth volume partially sunned, some foxing on fore-edge of sixth volume, manuscript ex-libris inscriptions in upper right corners of front cover and title page of first volume. This complete set of La Recherche comprises the following titles: Du côté de chez Swann, À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs, Le Côté de Guermantes (2 volumes), Sodome et Gomorrhe (3 volumes), La Prisonnière (2 volumes), Albertine disparue (2 volumes), and Le Temps retrouvé (2 volumes).

Fine complete set, all volumes in first edition as published.

First edition of the French translation, one of 200 copies numbered on Marais vellum, the only deluxe paper issue.

Minor rubbing along the joints. A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, one of 60 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only deluxe copies after 17 on Hollande.

Bradel binding in full beige cloth, smooth spine, red morocco title-piece, upper wrapper preserved, sprinkled edges, modest binding.

First edition, one of 137 numbered copies on pure thread vellum, the deluxe issue following 80 on Montval.

A pleasant copy.

Fine signed autograph inscription by René Bazin: "Pour monsieur Dubois en très amical hommage. Cette vie d'une sainte  - agressive et qui du reste n'avait pas la foi - Hervé Bazin. 18.9.52."

First edition of the French translation, one of 51 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.
Spine and boards slightly and marginally sunned, as often.
Rare and handsome copy of this work, splendidly adapted for the screen in 1967 by Richard Brooks, with Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, John Forsythe, and John MacLiam in the leading roles.
Richard Brooks even went so far as to film in the actual house where the crime took place, as well as in the same courthouse, where 7 of the 12 jurors played their own roles.

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on bouffant vellum paper from the Salzer mills, ours being No. 1, the only deluxe paper issue.
Handsome copy of this work awarded the Grand Prix du Roman of the Académie française. 
 

First edition, one of 500 numbered copies on pure wove paper.

Bound in full sienna morocco, flat spine with a slight snag at head, date gilt at foot, moiré endpapers and pastedowns, single gilt fillet framing the pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt edges, chemise edged in sienna morocco, slipcase of wood-grained boards lined with white felt, contemporary binding signed by Roger Arnoult.

Our copy is enriched with a signed autograph letter, one page, by Jean Cocteau mounted on a tab, dated April 1959, probably addressed to Pierre Benoit: "Nôtre Pierre fantôme... c'est autour de votre souvenir qu'on se réunit. C'est une chaîne bien étonnante que celle de cette affreuse et délicieuse cabane. Pensez moi. Je pense à vous. Je vous aime et je me résigne à vous aimer en rêve."

A fine copy, handsomely bound by Roger Arnoult, a graduate of the École Estienne, active until 1980, who worked with and for the greatest binders of his time such as René Aussourd, Anthoine-Legrain, Paul Bonet, Georges Cretté, Pierre-Lucien Martin...

First edition, one of 95 copies on pur fil, the only deluxe issue after 45 copies on Hollande.
A slight vertical crease on the front cover.
A handsome copy.

First edition printed with 750 numbered copies on Arches Velin and planned for the exhibition of Léger's works organised at the Louis Carré gallery from 19 November to 31 December 1954, for which the catalogue has been published only two years after the retrospective.

Work illustrated with original lithographs by Fernand Léger: 6 unpaged colour plates, two of which are double pages, 5 black and white unpaged plates and 10 within the text.

A beautiful copy despite slight rubbing to the caps.

First bilingual edition, one of 270 copies on Arches Ingres paper, including a photographic portrait of Ratna Mohini by her husband Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Rare and handsome copy.

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 50 numbered copies on pur fil.
Spine slightly sunned, a small scratch to the front cover, corner creases at the preserved margins.
Rare copy as issued.

First edition, one of 85 copies on pur fil paper, from the deluxe issue after 26 on Hollande.

Spine and covers slightly sunned, marginal tears to the covers and at the foot of the spine.

Rare copy with full margins.

First edition, one of 45 numbered copies on Vélin du Marais, ours one of 15 lettered copies not for sale, the only copies on deluxe paper.

Attractive copy despite a faint shadow along the margin of the upper cover.

First edition, one of 160 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper issue.

Half red shagreen binding with corners, spine with four raised bands framed by black fillets, gilt date at foot, boards covered in moiré-effect paper, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

A handsome copy in an attractive binding.

First edition, one of 85 numbered copies on pur fil paper, this one of 10 hors commerce lettered copies, the tirage de tête.
This copy is lettered “f”, specially printed for Raymond Queneau.
Handsome autograph inscription signed and dated by Youki Desnos to Raymond and Janine Queneau : "... La rue Lacretelle - le gras double du petit déjeûner...[…Rue Lacretelle – the double pleasures of breakfast…]", also with an inscription by René Bertelé : "... avec l'hommage bien amical du copiste...[with the copyist's best wishes]."
A very good copy.