Love from Brutal to Sacred

First public edition of this text by Elsa Triolet, written under the pseudonym Laurent Daniel, one of 58 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, the deluxe issue.

Fine copy.

Published in the year of the first edition, one of 950 numbered copies on wove paper.
Publisher’s binding after the original design by Paul Bonet.
Attractive copy, complete with its original flexible cardboard slipcase.

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on vélin teinté de rives, the only issue following 40 copies on vélin blanc d'Arches, with an additional suite of the illustrations.

A fine copy.

Illustrated with three etchings by Alberto Giacometti.

Autograph letter dated and signed by Jacques de Lacretelle, 14 lines in blue ink on letterhead of the Académie française, addressed to the noted autograph collector Claude Armand.

Folds from mailing. Original handwritten envelope included.

Jacques de Lacretelle reflects on his love of books: "Je dois tout aux livres et au goût de l'analyse que j'en ai retiré."

First edition, with all the features of first issue copies, including the misprint “Sénart” on the dedication leaf.

Contemporary plum-coloured 3/4 morocco binding signed by Georges Huser, spines with five raised bands, numerously ruled in blind, with a gilt floral tool at centres, dates in gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, top edges gilt, bookplates on each front pastedown. Complete with the publisher’s catalogue at the end of the first volume.

A very handsome copy, elegantly bound by Georges Huser, with the

First edition, a Service de Presse (advance) copy.
Foreword by Raymond Queneau.
Light dampstains to spine, some staining to board margins.
Rare autograph inscription signed by Boris Vian to the actress Jacqueline Pierreux, mother of Jean-Pierre Léaud, and to her husband the novelist and screenwriter Pierre Léaud: "Pour monsieur Léaud et mame Pierreux avec une bise (pas pour lui). Boris Vian." (For Mr. Léaud and Mrs. Pierreux with a kiss (not for him). Boris Vian.)
In April 1948, Jacqueline Pierreux created the role of Judy in the theatrical adaptation of "J'irai cracher sur vos tombes" at the Verlaine theatre, directed by Alfred Pasquali.

First edition with false statement of 3rd edition, as this theater play was first created at the théâtre français on January 18, 1866.
Split to upper part of joint of the second board, some wear to head and foot of joints, rubbed corners.
Contemporary deep green morocco binding. Arms of Napoléon III stamped at center of each boards. A nice copy.
In the aftermath of the Terror, the author portrays the protagonists of the French political revival: General Hoche and General Bonaparte in the Salon of Madame Tallien.

New edition illustrated with 52 unsigned plates, including 6 frontispieces. Volume V is a continuation of the history of Don Quixote, by the translator Filleau de Saint Martin. Volume VI written by the author Robert Challes. Title pages erroneously indicate 58 figures.
Brown full contemporary roan, stamped in gilt in between raised bands. Title page in red morocco. Small piece of leather lacking to upper part of Volume I, small loss to head of spine. In volume II, upper spine-end torn off and lower spine-end partly missing, some damage to lower cover. Volume III, damaged upper spine-end. Volume IV, lower spine-end missing. Volume V, upper spine-end missing. Volume VI, upper spine-end

First edition, one of 9 numbered copies on japon, only deluxe issue aside from 35 copies on pur fil, and a few on coloured paper.

Full black morocco binding, flat spine, author’s name palladium-stamped, title stamped lengthwise in palladium and blind, grey long-grain shagreen inlays to boards with author and title stamped lengthwise in palladium and in blind, turn-ins framed in morocco, light plum suede pastedowns and flyleaves, three palladium decorated deckled edges, outstanding custom binding by Thomas Boichot.

Set of 52 original plates, etched and enhanced with watercolours at the time, numbered 1 to 52, mounted in pairs under mats.
 
Leaves in red half calf slipcase (early 20th century), red shagreen boards.
The plates vary in size (10.8 x 17.6 cm to 28.1 x 18.8 cm) and paper stock, as was often the case with La Mésangère's publications. Unbound engraved title on a bifolium, printed separately, absent from most copies. It is replaced here by its identical reprint by Gosselin (1893-1903), on antique watermarked paper and bears the publisher's 'G' mark, characteristic of this reprint a century later. All the plates, however, are in their first edition, without the G mar

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper copies.

3/4 blue morocco Bradel binding, spine with five raised bands highlighted with gilt dots and decorated with triple gilt compartments, gilt date at tail, gilt fillets on marbled paper boards, marbled paper flyleaves and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, others uncut, binding signed Canape.

Rare copy of Guy de Maupassant's masterpiece beautifully bound in an elegant signed binding.

First edition printed in 300 numbered copies on pure rag vellum from the marais, ours being one of the 246 containing illustrations in the text.
Work illustrated with 18 unsigned drypoints in the text by Fernand Hertenberger.
Boards uniformly and lightly sunned.
Rare and handsome copy.

Pirate edition of 1812, imprint dated 1796. It features the exact pagination of the genuine 1796 edition, as well as the 13 plates and 2 frontispieces by Monnet, Mlle Gérard and Fragonard fils engraved by Baquoy, Duplessi-Bertaux, Dupréel, Godefroy, Langlois, Lemire, Lingée, Masquelier, Patas, Pauquet, Simonet and Trière. The pirate edition is identified by the letters “R. p. D.” in the plates' lower margins, as they have been retouched by Delvaux. In addition, the fillet preceding the date on the title-page is wavy, and the title is presented in seven lines rather than eight.

Bound in full morocco, slight rubbing on the corners, all edges gilt, splendid binding signed by Hardy

Ronéotype réalisé par Boris Vian de son manuscrit original, avec ajout autographe du titre : "L'amour est aveugle", nouvelle initialement parue dans la revue Paris-Tabou n°1 de 1949, puis publiée dans le recueil posthume Le Loup-Garou en 1970.

Sans doute réalisé pour conserver une copie de sa nouvelle, avant l'envoi à la revue Paris-Tabou, ce ronéotype du manuscrit originale signé a été conservé dans les archives de l'écrivain jusqu'à sa mort.
Ecrit d'un seul jet et comportant très peu de corrections, il témoigne de la créativité de l'écrivain et de son univers onirique hors du commun.

Provenance : Fondation Boris Vian

Autograph letter signed by Marshal Davout to his wife, Aimée Leclerc. Two and a half pages in black ink on a double sheet. Fold marks inherent to mailing.
Very likely unpublished letter ("the intimate correspondence of Marshal Davout ceases from August to November [1807]" incorrectly states the Marquise de Blocqueville in Le Maréchal Davout, prince d'Eckmühl, raconté par les siens et par lui-même) addressed to his beloved wife, sister-in-law of Pauline Bonaparte. Settled in his palace halfway between Warsaw and Łódź, Davout, now Governor General of the Duchy of Warsaw, longs for his wife and their property in

First edition, one of 20 copies on Arches paper, most limited deluxe issue (tirage de tête).
Like all copies on Arches, it is wrapped in a double dust jacket in yellow and white, and bears the rare sanguine vignette drawn and engraved by Hans Bellmer.
Preface by Jean Paulhan.

Our copy is housed in a custom clamshell box featuring an original design signed by Julie Nadot.

Beautiful first edition copy of this masterpiece of erotic literature, in its most limited deluxe issue.

To make the strength of marriage consist in that of love is to go so far as to misunderstand the spirit of this institution.

"On June 28, 1970, I attended the first New York Gay Pride March. The date marks the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which launched the LGBTQ+ liberation movement in the U.S. We left from Christopher Street, a gay cultural mecca in Greenwich Village, and walked up 6th Avenue to Central Park. To end the day, a kissing contest was held in the middle of the park! It was a great moment of joy, love and freedom. This couple, who kissed for hours under an umbrella, obviously didn't care about photographers" (Interview with Clément Thierry, 2021)

"On June 28, 1970, I attended the first New York Gay Pride March. The date marks the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which launched the LGBTQ+ liberation movement in the U.S. We left from Christopher Street, a gay cultural mecca in Greenwich Village, and walked up 6th Avenue to Central Park. To end the day, a kissing contest was held in the middle of the park! It was a great moment of joy, love and freedom. This couple, who kissed for hours under an umbrella, obviously didn't care about photographers" (Interview with Clément Thierry, 2021)

"On June 28, 1970, I attended the first New York Gay Pride March. The date marks the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which launched the LGBTQ+ liberation movement in the U.S. We left from Christopher Street, a gay cultural mecca in Greenwich Village, and walked up 6th Avenue to Central Park. To end the day, a kissing contest was held in the middle of the park! It was a great moment of joy, love and freedom. This couple, who kissed for hours under an umbrella, obviously didn't care about photographers" (Interview with Clément Thierry, 2021)

"On June 28, 1970, I attended the first New York Gay Pride March. The date marks the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which launched the LGBTQ+ liberation movement in the U.S. We left from Christopher Street, a gay cultural mecca in Greenwich Village, and walked up 6th Avenue to Central Park. To end the day, a kissing contest was held in the middle of the park! It was a great moment of joy, love and freedom. This couple, who kissed for hours under an umbrella, obviously didn't care about photographers" (Interview with Clément Thierry, 2021)

Cela fait bien longtemps que je te connaissais, mon coeur
Cela fait bien longtemps que je te connaissais
Et tu ne savais pas ce que c'est que d'aimer, mon coeur
Et tu ne savais pas ce que c'est que d'aimer

Si tu m'aimais
Si c'était vrai
Quelle surprise
Si tu voulais
Si tu venais
Quelle surprise
Si j'entendais
Dans l'escalier
Tes pas timides
Tes pas rapides
Qui se décident

Erotic playing card with hidden image, unknown manufacturer, produced in France around 1860. Lithograph colored with pochoir, blank verso.
When held up to the light, the card reveals an erotic scene: the lady is amusing herself with a dildo.
A curiosity!