Gift Ideas – Inscribed Copies

First collective edition, for which no deluxe paper copies were issued, one of the press service copies.
Preface by Louis Aragon.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Louis Aragon to his friend Charles Dobzynski, whose wedding witness he was, along with Elsa Triolet: "A Dob, Louis."

 

First edition.

Black half morocco binding, spine with four raised bands adorned with gilt dotted fillets and double gilt compartments decorated at the corners, gilt date and the inscription "Ex. de J. Drouet" at the tail, marbled paper boards and endpapers, preserved covers and spine, top edge gilt, binding signed by René Aussourd.
Some minor foxing, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume.

Precious signed and inscribed copy by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet, the great love of his life: ‘To you, my lady. Humble homage. V.'

This copy comes from the library of Pierre Duché, who acquired Juliette Drouet's entire lib

First edition on current paper.

Illustrated book of 6 vignettes by André Derain.
Very discreet restorations on the back and the boards of covers, tiny angular gaps in heads of the very first leaflets.
Precious autograph dedication signed by Antonin Artaud: "To my dear friend André Lhote the only living writer who knows how to speak about painting in a poetic and superior sense."

First edition, one of the press service copies.
Precious signed autograph inscription from Paul Éluard to Benjamin Fondane.
Spine with three small expertly repaired tears, of no consequence.
A moving dedication from poet to poet, written on the eve of the war during which the two friends would contribute together to poetic resistance journals such as l'Honneur des poètes.
The deportation and death of Fondane in 1944, along with many other artist and poet friends, would profoundly affect Éluard, who composed in their memory a magnificent poetic tribute, "Eternité de ceux que je n'ai pas revus," listing the names of each of the departed:
"Visages cla

First edition on ordinary paper.

A few small spots of foxing, and a faint dampstain along the right margin affecting most leaves of the volume.

Black 3/4 morocco binding, spine with five raised bands framed in black, gilt date at foot, marbled paper boards framed in gilt, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers preserved and bound on stubs, top edge gilt, slipcase trimmed with black morocco, marbled paper slipcase boards, binding signed P. Goy & C. Vilaine.
Very rare signed and inscribed copy to Madame Charpentier, his publisher’s wife: "... son bien dévoué et respectueux..."

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 on ordinary paper.
Half red morocco over marbled paper boards, spine lightly sunned in six compartments, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

One top corner very slightly rubbed.
Handsome autograph inscription by Charles Maurras : "A madame Colette Willy, en souvenir de la cocarde."

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 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]."

The first edition, an advance [service de presse] copy.
A fine inscription from Jean Cocteau to Jean-Paul Sartre: “son ami de tout cœur [your true friend].”
Despite not being of the same generation, and despite everything that could have separated them, Jean Cocteau and Jean-Paul Sartre were friendly in the late 40s and early 50s. When Sartre died, Jean Marais evoked their regular telephone calls and dinners with endless, wonderful discussions.
The two also worked together for recognition for Jean Genet and in July 1948 published an open letter together in Combat, addressed to the President of France, Vincent Auriol, urging the release from pris

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, c

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, for which no copies on larger paper were produced.
A pleasing copy, with press clippings laid in.
Exceptional autograph presentation copy inscribed in English by Claude Lévi-Strauss to the anthropologist Raymond Firth.

First edition
Contemporary red half Russian morocco, the spine with double gilt fillets, corners very lightly rubbed.
Presentation copy, inscribed by Théophile Gautier to Monsieur Bufquin des Essarts on half-title.

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.

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 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 Nouv

First edition, one of numbered copies on alfa.

A good copy.
Autograph inscription from Irène Némirovsky to monsieur Maier.

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.
Contemporary red cloth Bradel binding by Pierson, spine with gilt floral motif, date and double gilt fillet to foot, black shagreen title label.
A little light spotting, principally affecting the first and final few leaves.
Ex libris of Adolphe Racot on inside upper cover.
Concerning Victor Hugo, Alfred de Musset, George Sand, François-René de Chateaubriand, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas fils, and so on…

Autograph inscription from Emile Zola to Adolphe Racot.

First edition, one of 7 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper copies, this one no. 1, specially printed for Jean Cocteau's mother.
Contemporary vellum Bradel binding by Dupré, gilt date to foot of spine, brown shagreen title label, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved. Light worming, principally affecting the margins of some leaves.
A moving and exceptional autograph inscription signed and dated by Jean Cocteau to his mother, in Latin, quoting a verse of Virgils Bucolics: “Incipe, parve puer : cui non risere parentes, nec deus hunc mensa, dea nec dignita cubili est. / Virgile. / Jean”, which in English is: “Realise this, child:

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..."

Second edition on ordinary paper.

Bradel binding in half orange cloth, smooth spine very slightly faded decorated with gilt floral motif, double gilt fillet at foot, chocolate shagreen title label, marbled paper boards, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.

Precious signed autograph inscription from Octave Mirbeau to Jean Ajalbert.

Provenance: library of Jean Ajalbert with his Japanese-style bookplate in the style of the Nabis, wood engraved in a very small number, signed with a monogram, probably that of Félicien Rops.

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