Original Gift Ideas

First edition, one of 110 numbered copies on Rives laid paper.
Half red morocco binding, smooth spine, gilt date at foot, boards covered with abstract patterned paper, red paper endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, signed binding by P. Goy & C. Vilaine.
Autograph inscription signed by Jean Cocteau to a friend named Roger enhanced with a drawing in blue ink representing the face of a young man facing forward.

Original color proof of a woodcut inspired by the work of Gauguin and engraved by George-Daniel de Monfreid for a frontispiece project, remaining unpublished, of Victor Segalen's Les Immémoriaux.

Only one other original color proof and one print run, in black and white (see below), are known to date.
Printed in two tones, green and brown, on old Japan and enhanced with gilt painting by the artist.

This engraved woodcut was to illustrate, as a frontispiece, the original edition of Segalen's Les Immémoriaux, an ethnographic novel, directly inspired by his trip to Polynesia following in Gauguin's footsteps. Segalen...

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...

Ink and watercolour portrait of the poet Paul Verlaine by his friend Marie Crance, bearing the artist's signature and the handwritten caption “Paul Verlaine à l'hôpital”.

A single sheet, presented in a frame with a mount. An inscription on the back of the frame—“written in the margin (by the framer): ‘For Messrs. Thénot and Lercey, 25 April 1894’”—provides a likely terminus post quem for the drawing.
 
Marie Crance (1860–1945), nicknamed Marie-aux-fleurs, was at the time the companion of the illustrator Frédéric-Auguste Cazals, whom she married in 1912. A laundress, maid, and occasional singer in the poet’s favourite...

First edition printed in 310 copies, ours being one of 285 numbered copies on Auvergne paper.

Our copy is enhanced with an original drawing signed by Léon Courbouleix. 
Bradel binding in full vellum, smooth spine decorated with an original drawing and pen title, covers decorated with drawings by Gaston Hoffmann, marbled paper slipcase.
Very handsome work entirely engraved with etching, printed on hand press by Léon Courbouleix and bound in a very beautiful painted binding by Gaston Hoffmann.

First edition of this aquatint, printed on laid paper with wide margins. Félicien Rops' characteristic signature is present below the plate in red.
Plate mark dimensions: 18.7x13.9cm. Sheet dimensions: 46x35.2cm
Tense face of a young professor bound by the tongue to the lower body of another figure with strong legs and arms. The latter is visible only from behind and seems to be breaking free from the grip of two strange tentacles emerging from the bulb from which the professor's head protrudes. These surround the main action and create an impression of movement.
Fourteen busts of highly expressive figures, all different from one another, form a circle around...

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies reimposed on Japan Imperial paper, ours being one of the few hors commerce copies, deluxe edition after 1 unique copy on Japan Imperial and 19 old Japan.
Illustrated work, as frontispiece, with a portrait of Charles Maurras consisting of an original drypoint by Edouard Chimot and original lithographs by Wassily Schoukhaeff.
Half chocolate brown morocco binding with corners, spine with five raised bands, gilt date at foot, black roulettes on headcaps, black fillet frame on wood-effect paper boards, wood-effect paper endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, perfect unsigned binding.
Very handsome copy...

An album containing 14 gouaches on silk, including 12 erotic paintings. The first painting on each side of the folding shows a bird and on the other side maple leaves, thus masking on each of the first pages the erotic aspect of the collection. Shunga is the generic Japanese term that designates erotic art, it literally means Spring Image, spring being a euphemism and figure of style expressing sexuality. The term Shunga having been reserved for a long time for prints, collections or albums have often been designated by the appellation Pillow Books, or notes for the pillow, etc. (Utamaro: The Song of the Pillow, 1788).
Japanese accordion album covered with damask silk with flowers and...

New edition, with some parts in first edition as expanded with a preface, one of 30 numbered copies on Holland paper, deluxe copies after 6 on Japan paper.

Full chocolate brown morocco binding, spine with five raised bands, gilt roulettes on headcaps, quadruple black fillets framing the boards, black fleurons at corners, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, triple gilt fillets framing the pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, double gilt fillets on leading edges, top edge gilt on deckled edges, contemporary binding signed by Stroobants.

Bookplate pasted at head of one pastedown.

Very fine copy perfectly executed by Stroobants.

Collection of documents formed of 33 original contemporary silver halide print photographs, a reproduction of a press clipping from La Voix du Nord and three mimeographed technical plans, united in a black binder with a label with the inscription «Production Report «press» – press-forming of the ½ spheres of Ct Cousteau's diving saucer – February 1964.» Handwritten title page.
Signed, handwritten presentation: «Avec les amitiés du reporter photographe Wallemme Raoul» «With love from the photojournalist Wallemme Raoul.»
Very beautiful and unique collection, testifying to the genius of the making of the Deep Star 4000, a diving saucer invented by...

Original poster by Karen Horowitz numbered 145/200, dated 1974 and signed in pencil, showing a photograph with a superimposed quote from Lawrence Durrell's Justine: “The world is like a cucumber – today it's in your hand, tomorrow up your ass”.
A few tiny wormholes.

Manuscript inscription in felt tip pen by Lawrence Durrell to the left of the quote: “Buttons dear Attention! Larry Durrell. 1978”

This poster was given to a young lover of the author's who, in both Sommières and Paris, livened up his lonely days at the end of the 60s and in the 70s. Janine Brun, also known as “Buttons” in the author's letters and postcards was described thus...

Rare first edition of this catalogue presenting jewellery creations by the Maison Templier.
Very nice copy.
Illustrated catalogue with 3 photographs by Laure Albin-Guillot.

First edition, one of 15 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the leading copies.
This copy with the original frontispiece lithograph by André Masson.
Hors-texte illustrations by André Masson.
A very good and rare copy.

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, one of 18 numbered copies on pur fil, from the deluxe issue.
Full red Jansenist morocco binding, spine in five compartments, date gilt at foot, black morocco endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, all edges gilt; matching half red morocco chemise, spine in five compartments, date gilt at foot, black felt lining; slipcase edged in red morocco, ochre felt interior, a highly elegant ensemble superbly executed by Duhayon.
A superb copy, impeccably bound in a triple binding by Duhayon.

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 presentation copy, inscribed by Octave Mirbeau to Jean Ajalbert.

Provenance: Jean Ajalbert’s Japanesque bookplate, in the style of the Nabis, woodcut printed in a very small number of copies and signed with a monogram, probably that of Félicien Rops. “"His bookplate bears all the character of his literature: it is an idealised synthesis of his native Auvergne and of Mount...