Gift ideas – Tales & Legends

First edition, illustrated with 18 figures in the text.

Spine and covers slightly sunned and faded, with small losses along the edges; a pleasant copy internally despite occasional minor foxing.

From 1895 onwards, René Dussaud (1868-1958) undertook several archaeological missions in Syria, a field to which he would devote much of the rest of his career.

Signed presentation inscription by René Dussaud on the half-title to the archaeologist Emmanuel-Alban Guillaume-Rey (1837-1916), an Orientalist and archaeologist specializing in medieval Syria.

First edition, exceedingly scarce, of this light-hearted and engaging introduction to the principal ancient myths, prepared for a Polish aristocrat. Annopol (today Anopal) is a locality now situated in Belarus.

No copies recorded in the CCF. A single copy located in WorldCat (National Library of Poland, Biblioteka Narodowa, Warsaw).

Contemporary-style half sheep binding in brown, the smooth spine ruled with alternating thick and thin gilt fillets, marbled paper boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns; modern binding.

Losses to the title-page expertly filled and restored; the final two leaves also restored.

First French edition, illustrated by Arthur Rackham with 40 mounted colour plates on thick brown paper, each protected by a captioned tissue guard, along with 30 black-and-white line drawings within the text, one of the extremely rare 30 copies printed on japon, signed by Arthur Rackham on the limitation page; the deluxe issue.

Publisher’s Bradel binding in full vellum-style boards, smooth gilt-titled spine, upper board gilt-stamped with title and a tree design, top edge gilt; the silk tie on the lower board is lacking.

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Illustrated edition with 13 colour plates on brown paper by Arthur Rackham tipped in with captioned tissue guards, together with 14 black-and-white illustrations in the text by Rackham, including a frontispiece portrait of Alice, one of the very rare 20 copies on japon, signed by Arthur Rackham on the limitation page, copy from the deluxe issue. A few name copies on the same paper were also issued.

Publisher’s full vellum binding, flat spine lettered in gilt with a gilt illustration of the Cheshire Cat, upper cover stamped in gilt with the title and an illustration of two fantastic...

Illustrated edition with 24 colour plates by Arthur Rackham tipped in with captioned tissue guards, 8 full-page black-and-white illustrations, together with numerous ornaments and vignettes in the text by Arthur Rackham, one of 300 copies printed on vélin à la forme, signed by Arthur Rackham on the limitation page.
Publisher’s Bradel binding in full bright white vellum, smooth spine lettered in gilt, upper cover gilt-stamped with the title and a design of fantastic animals within a vertical gilt rule, illustrated endpapers and pastedowns, top edge gilt, untrimmed edges preserved. 
A very well-preserved copy of Milton's baroque and Dionysian...

First French edition of the 50 colour plates by Arthur Rackham, tipped in with captioned tissue guards, a black vignette on the title page, and a further black vignette hors texte by Arthur Rackham, one of 200 copies on Whatman paper.
Publisher’s full vellum, smooth spine gilt-lettered, upper cover gilt-stamped with the title and a gilt illustration of Rip Van Winkle, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt, uncut, original silk ties preserved. Occasional light foxing.

A splendid copy, remarkably fresh, of Washington Irving’s fantastical tale profusely illustrated by Arthur Rackham.

First edition, one of 160 hors commerce copies on Lana vellum, ours being one of 60 hors commerce copies, the only deluxe issue.

Half long-grain black morocco binding, smooth spine lettered with the author’s name, title, date, and the palladium inscription “EX. JOSEPH KESSEL 1958”, wood-patterned paper boards, grey endpapers and pastedowns, wrappers and spine preserved, binding signed by Thomas Boichot.

Some foxing, mainly affecting the wrappers and the first and last leaves.

Exceptional and moving signed autograph presentation from Maurice Druon to Joseph Kessel: "A toi mon grand Jef, cet Alexandre le grand né lui aussi sous le signe du...

Second edition of the French translation prepared by François-Victor Hugo.

Half red shagreen bindings, slightly faded spines with four raised bands numerously framed in gilt and central gilt tooled motif, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, speckled edges, contemporary bindings.

Some occasional foxing, minor black specks on a few spines, upper corners of volume 10 slightly damaged.

Our set, attractively bound uniformly in contemporary bindings, is complete in 18 volumes including the often lacking final three volumes of apocryphal writings.

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

Publisher’s binding in full black cloth, smooth spine, a fine copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket.

Illustrations.

Inscribed and signed by Pierre Jakez Hélias to friends named Fanny and André.

Rare first edition of this predominantly folkloric and literary work: the Forest of Bréchéliant, also known as the Forest of Paimpont, is traditionally identified in Breton folklore with the mythical Forest of Brocéliande from Arthurian legend.

Illustrated with 14 full-page plates in the first volume and 21 in the second.

Our copy was uniquely extra-illustrated at the time with 59 postcards and 2 original photographs mounted on thin cardboard and bound into the volumes.

Contemporary half black shagreen bindings, flat spines with gilt compartments and decorative gilt typographic motifs, marbled paper-covered boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns...

First edition, first issue, illustrated with 21 original etchings by Jules Lalauze. Printed in a limited edition following 220 copies on deluxe paper. One of 20 copies on Wattman paper, no. 40. Title pages printed in red and black. A fine impression. An exceptional copy with the engravings in four states (sometimes bound further within the volume), whereas even the copies on Japan paper contain only three states, two of which are proofs on Japan paper. Volume IV is unfortunately lacking in this set. Original wrappers and spines preserved.
Contemporary half orange morocco binding, signed by Canaps on the upper flyleaf. Spine with raised bands, tooled with four crosses composed of four...

First edition, illustrated with 10 compositions by Jean-Jacques Sempé, one of the numbered copies.

Publisher's full wood-grain style marbled boards, plain flat spine.

An attractive copy of this fable recounting the sudden disappearance of every form of paper, bringing modern society to a standstill.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Japan paper, the deluxe issue.

Spine slightly sunned, otherwise a very good copy.

Preface by Léon Bocquet.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on alfa paper reserved for the press service.
A few spots of foxing, chiefly affecting the endpapers and edges, small tears to the boards at the edges, a small loss at the foot of the spine, which also shows slight sunning at the head.
Presentation inscription signed by Marguerite Yourcenar to Mr. Van Melle.
 

New edition, revised, corrected, enlarged, and illustrated with engravings.

Contemporary half brown morocco over marbled boards, corners preserved, spine with five raised bands showing a few minor rubs, gilt date at foot, gilt fillet border to the boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, all edges gilt, an elegant binding signed by Pierson.

A few occasional and unobtrusive spots of foxing.

A handsome copy, attractively bound.

First edition of the illustrations by Henry Lemarié, one of 3,450 copies printed on Rives wove paper (No. 1059).
Magnificent work illustrated by Henry Lemarié with 3 title vignettes and 57 large wood-engraved plates hors texte, hand-coloured using the pochoir process. 
One of the most desirable illustrated editions of La Fontaine's Fables produced in the twentieth century. 
Spines of the chemises sunned, boards lightly and partially discoloured, as is often the case, otherwise a pleasing set. 

First edition of Henry Lemarié's illustrations, issued in 3,450 copies, this being one of the copies on Rives wove paper (no. 1073).
Spines of the chemises decorated with gilt compartments and lacework tools, slipcase panels adorned with a large illustration depicting artistic attributes and highlighted in gold.
Boards of the volumes lightly and partially sunned.
The work is illustrated throughout with black-and-colour in-text illustrations by Henry Lemarié.
An attractive, richly illustrated copy in an elegant presentation.

First edition, one of the numbered copies on vélin d'archers, the only large paper issue.

First endpaper, half-title and title pages slightly shadowed, with a few pencil annotations and reading marks in the margins of some leaves.

Rare and pleasing copy.

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on pur fil, most limited issue. In addition, 25 hors-commerce copies on vélin labeur.

A fine and rare copy.

First edition, with no deluxe paper copies issued, this being one of the publisher's review copies.

Inscribed copy, dated and signed by Georges Dumézil to Alfred Ernoul.

First edition of this important work, the fruit of nearly thirty years of research conducted in China by the Jesuit Léon Wieger (1856–1933), and which remains a valuable reference despite the narrowly confessional bias that frequently comes to the fore.

Contemporary half tan shagreen binding, faded spine with four raised bands ruled in blind, some rubbing to spine and joints, marbled paper boards, paste-paper endpapers and pastedowns, corners bumped.

Illustrated with figures in the text. 

First edition of the French translation of an episode from the Ramayana. 

Our copy is preserved in its original wrappers, under a temporary blue paper cover with minor losses at the corners. 

Some foxing, mainly affecting the endpapers.

The young orientalist Antoine-Léonard Chézy (1773-1832), influenced by Friedrich Schlegel, had begun teaching himself Sanskrit around 1806, studying original texts alongside their English translations.

In the same year, 1814, he was appointed to the very first chair of Sanskrit in Europe, becoming professor of Sanskrit language and literature at the Collège de France.

New illustrated edition featuring 15 naive woodcuts, including one on the rear cover.

No copies recorded in the CCF (Collective Catalogue of France).

Pleasant and rare copy.

This small illustrated tale, primarily serving as an opportunity to showcase all familiar animals within a single narrative, is part of the "penny books" series—the equivalent of our own chapbooks intended for the most modest audiences.

It is traditionally attributed to the publisher, John Golby Rusher (1784–1877), who took over his father’s printing business (William Rusher) and specialized in children’s literature.

First edition, printed in a small number of copies, of this offprint from the Revue de l'Orient, de l'Algérie et des colonies, published in the February 1857 issue.

According to the CCFr, copies are recorded only at the BnF, the BULAC and the Académie de médecine.

Our copy is preserved in its original stitched wrappers, with plain blue temporary paper covers, unopened.

Some foxing.

This pamphlet surveys all the animals mentioned in the Quranic surahs.

The author, Antoine-Paulin Pihan (1810-1879), who was proficient in Arabic, Turkish and Persian, was merely a proofreader in the Oriental typography department of the Imprimerie Impériale. Yet the number of...

First edition of the French translation of the story of Nala and Damayanti, from the Aranyakaparvan, or Book of the Forest, the third of the eighteen books of the great Indian epic.

Spine restored and reattached, a few spots of foxing.

 Emile-Louis Burnouf (1821-1907), first cousin of Eugène Burnouf, was likewise a Sanskrit scholar and Indologist.

First edition, printed in a limited run, of this extract from the Revue britannique of February 1880.

Only three known copies in the CCF (BnF, INHA, and Sorbonne).

This copy is presented in its original wrappers, with a blank temporary cover.

Pamphlet adorned with in-text black-and-white illustrations.

In Greek mythology, the Cabeiri were minor deities worshipped in mystery cults across several regions of Greece, particularly on the islands of Samothrace, Lemnos, and Imbros.

These deities, little understood even by the Greeks themselves, were remnants of an Aegean past influenced by Phoenician culture, yet they later became protectors of...

Rare first edition, illustrated at the end of the volume with two folding plates.

Only two copies recorded in the CCF (BnF and Strasbourg). Backer & Sommervogel III, 1242 (59).

Our copy is preserved in its original provisional yellow paper wrappers,

With a few minor spots of foxing on the folding plates.

The Neapolitan Jesuit Raffaele Garrucci (1811–1885) devoted his work to the study of the Church Fathers as well as to both pagan and Christian antiquities.

He became one of the foremost disciples of Father Giuseppe Marchi, alongside the renowned Giovanni Battista de Rossi.

First edition, one of 17 numbered copies on alfa mousse paper, the only deluxe copies.
Spine slightly sunned.
Fine and rare copy, complete with the publisher's notice printed on page 7 which was removed from most copies at the author's request.
In this work the author, a volunteer paratrooper active at the front during almost the entire "Algerian War", describes with complete impartiality the abuses committed by the French Army in Algeria, which resulted in "Saint Michel et le Dragon" being seized upon publication.

Complete series of illustrations the tale of Red Riding Hood hand-painted on 12 glass plates intended for a magic lantern, the ancestor of the projector and the cinema.
Publisher's cardboard box, with the titles on the top board: “12 Superior English Made lantern slides”. Handwritten: “Red Riding Hood”. Signs of rubbing on the box. A stop in the split lid at 2cm. On plate 9, paper is missing which circles the plate in a border. On plate 12, the black part has a small scratch, this part encircling the medallion which is projected by the lantern. Otherwise collection in excellent condition.
Millikin & Lawley carried out their trade in magic lanterns and plates between 1860...

Rare original lithograph printed in colour, by Louis John Rhead for L'Estampe Moderne, “Deuxième prime gratuite réservée aux abonnés d'un an de L'Estampe Moderne” [Second free gift reserved for the annual subscribers to L'Estampe Moderne].
One of the 50 grand luxe proofs printed on Japon paper with wide margins, artist's signature and date in the plate, publisher's embossed stamp showing a child's profile on the lower margin, a numbered stamp of the tirage de luxe on the back; engraving preceded by a protective tissue guard with the name of the artist, the title and a poem; as well as a blank protective tissue guard.
Lithograph inspired by a poem extract...