Major works that have marked the history of thought.
First editions, often extemely rare, and beautiful antiquarian editions of literary masterpieces hold a special place in the ideal library of a book collector.
First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on deluxe paper.
Fine copy preserved in its double wrapper.
First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on pure rag paper.
Shadowed endpapers; a small loss at the head of the upper board of the original front cover.
A pleasant copy, preserved in its double wrapper.
Third edition and the last revised by the author, partly original as 25 poems appear here for the first time, bringing the total to 151 poems (as against 100 in the 1857 edition). Copy of the second issue, with a title page dated 1869 and bearing the statement of third edition.
Illustrated with a steel-engraved portrait of Charles Baudelaire by Nargeot as frontispiece.
A few minor spots of foxing, as often encountered.
The upper cover and the half-title page bear the wording: "Oeuvres complètes". According to Clouzot, the volume was sold either separately on its own or as the first volume of the collected works, whose publication extended over several years.
It should be noted that the wrappers of this third edition are always dated 1869, while certain copies, the rarest, carry a title page dated 1868.
Notice by Théophile Gautier.
First edition of the Petits poëmes en prose, later entitled Le Spleen de Paris – Petits poëmes en prose. Second edition of Les Paradis artificiels.
Some foxing, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume.
Contemporary half black shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with gilt tools, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, corners slightly rubbed.
The half-title bears the designation: "Oeuvres complètes". The work was issued separately, either on its own or as the fourth volume of the complete works, the publication of which extended over several years.
Clouzot notes: "Très rare en reliure d'époque sans tomaison au dos".
Particularly sought after.
First edition, one of 65 copies on Arches; our copy is unnumbered but correctly justified "vergé d’Arches" at the foot of the lower cover. One of the only deluxe papers issued.
Two slight sunning marks at head and foot of the spine, which is also lightly pinched at the foot.
A pleasing copy.
New edition, expanded with a foreword by Albert Gleizes, one of 400 numbered copies on Lana wove paper.
Volume illustrated with 7 original etchings or drypoints by Pablo Picasso "L'homme au chapeau", Jean Metzinger, Marie Laurencin, Albert Gleizes, Francis Picabia, Jacques Villon and Marcel Duchamp, together with 4 plates after Georges Braque, André Derain, Juan Gris and Fernand Léger.
Press clippings laid in.
A rare and particularly handsome copy, issued in the publisher's folder and slipcase, of this foundational work devoted to Cubism.
New edition of the French translation of this work, originally published in 1731 in two quarto volumes (see Brunet IV, 456).
This edition is illustrated with 8 folding plates, comprising 3 maps and 5 views.
Contemporary full marbled tan calf bindings, smooth spines richly decorated with gilt floral panels, bronze calf lettering- and volume-pieces, small wormholes to the spines, gilt rolls to the caps, single blind fillet framing the boards, marbled endpapers, gilt fillets to the board edges, red edges, bindings of the period.
Repairs to the joints, a few occasional spots of foxing.
The translator of this French version, written "en un style aisé, clair, même élégant", was Abbé Nicolas Gédoyn [Oréans, 1667 near Beaugency, 1744], known both for his translations and his scholarly works.
Born into an old and distinguished family of the Orléanais, he studied at the Jesuit college and entered the Society of Jesus as a novice in 1684.
He subsequently taught humanities and rhetoric at the college of Blois
Owing to ill health he left the order and entered the secular clergy. He settled in Paris, where in 1701 he was appointed canon of the Sainte-Chapelle.
Through his elderly kinswoman Ninon de Lenclos he became friendly with M. Arouet, the father of Voltaire, and discovered the future great writer in his earliest attempts. Appointed Abbé of Sainte-Sauve de Montreuil (diocese of Amiens), he resigned this benefice in favour of the abbey of Notre-Dame de Beaugency.
First edition of this anthology of French poetry compiled by the former French headmistress of an American boarding school, comprising 128 poems by the foremost French poets, from Malherbe to Victor Hugo, which the editor assigned to her pupils during her tenure.
Publisher’s full violet cloth, spine lightly faded, headcaps slightly frayed, upper cover blocked in gilt at centre with a swan, brown endpapers and pastedowns, hinges slightly split.
On the front free endpaper, a violet stamp bearing the name “Consuelo”. This very likely refers to Consuelo Suncin Sandoval (1901–1979), the Salvadoran artist who married Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1931 and was one of the muses of the Surrealist circle.
During the Second World War, after a period of separation, the beautiful and capricious Consuelo rejoined her husband in New York in 1942.
She watched over him while he was writing the story of Le Petit Prince, in which Saint-Exupéry portrayed her in the guise of the Rose.
A later issue consisting of a reissue of the 1857–58 edition, with cancel titles (see Cordier, Sinica, 770; Caillet, 5294; Numa Broc, Asie, 247–249).
At the end of the volume, volume I is illustrated with a folding hand-coloured map inserted as a plate.
Some foxing, notably to the boards.
A native of Caylus, near Montauban, Évariste Huc (1813–1860) pursued his studies in Toulouse before entering the seminary of the Congregation of Saint Lazarus in 1836.
Ordained a priest in 1839, he left for China as a missionary.
After five years’ residence, he was entrusted with an extensive journey of exploration and evangelisation across the country: between 1844 and 1846 he undertook a major expedition that brought him to Lhasa, which he succeeded in entering disguised as a lama. He remained there for six weeks before being discovered and expelled back to China.
The account of his journey, published in Paris in 1850, enjoyed considerable success. The present work, devoted to the history of Christianity in China, is divided into four parts: From the apostolate of Saint Thomas to the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope. – From that discovery to the establishment of the Tartar-Manchu dynasty in China. – From the establishment of that dynasty to the death of Emperor Kangxi. – From the death of that emperor to the Treaty of Tientsin in 1858.
It also contains numerous documents on ancient religions and on occultism in general (see Caillet).
First edition (cf. En français dans le texte, 288. Horblit, 11b. Printing and the mind of man, 353.)
Full black cloth binding, smooth spine, headcaps slightly softened, corners slightly frayed, contemporary binding,
Printed stamps on the title page and on the final page of the table of contents, which bears, on the facing page, a numerical annotation in black ink.
New edition published under the direction of Victor Cousin and illustrated with 45 folding plates at the end of the volumes.
Full polished calf bindings in light brown, spines evenly darkened with four raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt panels, gilt rolls at head and tail, gilt friezes at the foot of the spines, a few heads of spines slightly trimmed, joints rubbed, black calf lettering and volume labels, gilt fillet and garland borders on the covers, upper boards gilt-stamped at centre with crowned laurel wreaths and the gilt inscription “académie de Paris - Prix du concours général”, moiré silk endpapers and pastedowns in white, all edges gilt, gilt fillets on the board edges, a few corners lightly rubbed, contemporary bindings.
The set includes 45 folding plates: 11 in volume 3, 12 in volume 4, 11 in volume 5, 3 in volumes 6 and 7, 2 in volumes 8 and 9, and 1 in volumes 10 and 11.
Scattered foxing.
First edition, first issue with all the features of first issue copies including the misprint "Sénart" on the dedication leaf.
Dark green half-shagreen binding, spines with four raised bands decorated with double gilt-tooled compartments with gilt roundels at the corners, very minor restoration to the headbands, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary bindings.
With an exceptionally added autograph letter signed by Gustave Flaubert to his niece Caroline Commanville, affectionately known as "Loulou", on one page of a bifolium, pasted to a flyleaf of the first volume:
"Mardi 11h. [26 mars 1872]
Mon Loulou, ta gdmère a très bien supporté le voyage et, malgré l'abominable état où est plongé Croisset, son humeur est bonne. Je n'en dirais pas autant de la mienne. Mon irascibilité touche à la démence. Je vais m'habiller pour aller à Rouen payer des notes - choisir des papiers - & faire une visite à l'hôtel dieu. J'ai couché dans ta chambre. On ne sait pas comment se retourner dans la maison - qui pue violemment - et nous n'avons ni femme de ménage - ni cuisinière. Je t'embrasse ainsi qu'Ernest
Ton vieux - peu gaiGFlaubert."
"Tuesday, 11 o'clock. [26 March 1872]
My Loulou, your gdmother bore the journey very well and, despite the appalling state in which Croisset finds itself, her spirits are good. I cannot say the same of mine. My irascibility borders on madness. I am going to dress and head to Rouen to settle some bills - choose papers - & pay a visit to the Hôtel-Dieu. I slept in your room. One cannot turn around in the house - which reeks dreadfully - and we have neither a housekeeper nor a cook. I embrace you as well as Ernest. Your old man - in poor spirits.
GFlaubert."
On the facing pastedown is another letter by Heeckeren, dated 11 January 1931, providing details regarding Flaubert's letter: "Mon cher ami, Loulou, c'est la nièce de Flaubert et c'est elle-même qui remis cet autographe à ma mère ; c'est elle aussi qui écrivit au crayon la date : 1872... [...]"
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 rare original wrappers preserved.
A new printing of the works issued by Houssiaux, who had acquired the Furne publishing stock under which the works were originally released. He expanded the series with three additional volumes (Théâtre, Contes drolatiques, etc.), which appeared for the first time within the collected works in 1855. The edition was entirely reprinted in 1855. Most volumes bear the date 1863.
Contemporary half shagreen bindings in brown, spines with five raised bands, decorated with four blind-stamped fleurons within compartments. Author, title and volume numbering gilt. Scattered foxing. One volume with the paper boards renewed. Signs of rubbing.
The set is illustrated with 138 plates hors-texte by the leading artists of the period, including Bertall, Daumier, Gavarni, Johannot and Nanteuil, together with a small number of in-text illustrations and several sheets of printed music.
As is invariably the case with these editions of the complete works, our set "naturally" shows a number of noteworthy variants, detailed as follows:
Volume I: 7 plates including the portrait of Balzac; Volume II: 7 plates; Volume III: 8 plates; Volume IV: 7 plates; Volume V: 8 plates; Volume VI: 8 plates; Volume VII: 8 plates; Volume VIII: 8 plates; Volume IX: 7 plates; Volume X: 8 plates; Volume XI: 8 plates; Volume XII: 6 plates; Volume XIII: 6 plates; Volume XIV: 6 plates; Volume XV: 6 plates; Volume XVI: 5 plates; Volume XVII: 5 plates; Volume XVIII: 16 plates; Volume XIX: 4 plates; Volume XX: 5 plates.
First edition, limited to 1,100 copies, divided into four fictitious editions within the same year, in order to create the illusion of commercial success. These were subsequently reissued with a new title-page bearing an edition statement and the author’s name, together with a volume designation on the half-titles (cf. Clouzot). Our copy carries the designation “third edition.” Contemporary bookplate traces on the upper pastedowns. Expert restorations to headcaps and joints, with a tiny loss at the foot of the lower joint of vol. I. A clean copy, entirely free of foxing.
Contemporary half chocolate calf bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets and romantic fleurons with gilt Gothic motifs, marbled paper boards, pebbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, strictly contemporary bindings.
The title-pages are illustrated with two wood-engraved vignettes after Tony Johannot by Poiret, showing Esmeralda offering water to Quasimodo (vol. I) and L’Amende honorable (vol. II).
A fine copy, in handsome period bindings and entirely without foxing, a state of preservation very seldom encountered. “This first edition, in fine condition, is the rarest of all the author’s works; it enjoyed worldwide renown, and is among the most difficult to obtain from the Romantic period” (Carteret).
First edition on ordinary paper, bearing the correct imprint dated 6 May 1959, with the false statement of second edition.
Spine very slightly sunned.
Signed and inscribed by Eugène Ionesco to the stage director, playwright, and writer Simone Benmussa on the half-title.
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 flattened. 6 corners dulled. Despite traces of use, a good, uniform set. Bright paper overall, with occasional foxing around title pages and some yellowed leaves.
At the end of the 17th century, publisher Claude Barbin tasked Filleau de Saint-Martin to issue a new translation of Don Quixote, as Oudin's first translation had become obsolete, archaic and too literal. Filleau de Saint-Martin's translation prevailed until the 19th century. Interestingly, the translator changed the story's ending, opting not to have his hero die, which allowed him to write a sequel to his adventures, followed by another sequel by Robert Challes; this edition can be regarded as a French appropriation of Cervantes' masterpiece.
First 12o edition published a year after the very rare first edition.
Light dampstains to the joins of the volumes, a small hole at foot of a joint on the first volume, slight rubbing to the spines, an upper corner of volume 1 rubbed, small part of leather lacking and a hole to a joint of the third volume.
Bound in half bronze sheep, smooth spines framed in gilt and cold-stamped fillets, modern black morocco title labels and volume labels, marbled paper boards, spotted edges, contemporary bindings.
Provenance: from the library of Michel Marie de Pomereu with his engraved bookplates pasted on the pastedowns.
Second edition with some parts in first edition (with 5 added tales), Félix Vallotton's illustrations in first issue, one of 20 numbered copies on japon, only deluxe issue.
Bradel binding, brown 3/4 cloth, smooth spine with floral motif stamped in gilt at center, twice ruled in gilt at foot, slightly chafed morocco title-label, marbled paper boards, original covers and spine preserved, contemporary binding signed Carayon.
Small clear stains to the top edge of first board, one corner slightly rubbed, a spot of foxing at foot of the first few pages.
Illustrated with 50 drawings by Félix Vallotton.
Rare and handsome copy housed in a contemporary binding by Carayon.
First edition on ordinary paper.
Contemporary binding in half red morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands framed with black fillets, gilt date on tail, marbled paper boards, bouquet-patterned endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved (small angular restoration to the foot of the first board), gilt head.
Binding signed by Léon Gruel, one of the most renowned bookbinders of the late 19th century.
Le Horla consists of thirteen short stories: Le Horla, Amour, Le Trou, Sauvée, Clochette, Le Marquis de Fumerol, Le Signe, Le Diable, Les Rois, Au bois, Une famille, Joseph, L'Auberge and Le Vagabond.
Precious signed and inscribed copy by Guy de Maupassant: « À monsieur Jules Claretie, cordial hommage. Guy de Maupassant ». [‘To Mr Jules Claretie, with my warmest regards. Guy de Maupassant']
Autograph inscriptions on the first edition of Le Horla are particularly rare, especially in signed contemporary half-marocco bindings. Only fourteen copies have been recorded by Thierry Selva (Maupassant par les textes).
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.
New illustrated edition with vignettes by Tony Johannot. Single-volume reprint by Dubochet of the 1835 Paulin edition, with some new vignettes, notably on the title page. 800 Vignettes.
Contemporary full navy blue shagreen binding. Spine with false flat raised bands decorated with grotesque compartments. Boards stamped in blind with a large central decorative frame with multiple borders, in blind, with triple gilt fillets, bold... Interior frieze. Edges gilt. Signs of rubbing. One upper corner pushed in. White watered silk endpapers darkened. Apart from 2 leaves in the preface on Molière that are browned, paper very white and fresh. Dubochet used different paper for his edition whereas the 2-volume edition is almost systematically always foxed.
Handsome copy in full contemporary binding.
First edition, one of 80 numbered copies on Montval paper, ours unnumbered but properly justified with Montval at the foot of the spine and below the print run justification, deluxe copy.
Handsome full-margined copy.
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.
First edition, one of 55 numbered copies on pur fil paper, most limited deluxe issue.
Endleaves and half-title slightly and partially shaded.
Exceedingly rare and handsome copy of this seminal text of modern feminism.
Our copy is housed in a custom gray clamshell box, square spine titled in red, author's name and subtitles in black, first panel hollowed revealing a black and white photograph of Simone de Beauvoir as a young woman under a plexiglass, title in red, author's name, first volume number and subtitle in black, second panel hollowed revealing a color photograph of the author in her prime under plexiglass, titled in red, author's name, second volume number and subtitle in black, box lined with burgundy paper, superb work by artist Julie Nadot.
The second édition originale on ordinary paper. Fifteen hundred copies had been printed, plus 4 on chine paper, a few copies on hollande and on vélin.
Complete with the portrait of the author by Félix Bracquemond (often missing), here in first state on papier chine pasted on the page (before letters, i.e. “L'Artiste” on top of the portrait).
Orange half cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine double ruled in gilt, gilt date at foot, slightly scratched brown shagreen title-label, marbled paper boards, slightly later 19th-century binding.
Mistakenly considered as “partly original”, this edition was entirely revised by the author, with 35 newly composed poems and 55 “deeply rewritten” poems [profondément remaniés] among the 129 poems. This true new first edition of Les Fleurs du Mal is the culmination of Baudelaire's grand œuvre and the only text of reference for foreign language translations.
"Vous avez été leurs maîtres, et vous en avez mal agi ; ils sont devenus les vôtres, et ils vous pardonnent ; faites vos réflexions là-dessus." ["You have been their masters, and you have acted badly; they have become yours, and they forgive you; reflect upon this."] (Trivelin, final scene)
First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue after 2 reimposed on pur fil vergé hors commerce reserved for Jacques Hébertot and 13 on holland paper.
A handsome and rare copy of this response by Albert Camus to Jean-Paul Sartre's "Les mains sales".
The second édition originale on ordinary paper. Fifteen hundred copies had been printed, plus 4 copies on chine paper, and a few other copies on hollande and on vélin.
Half brown morocco, slightly sunned spine with five raised bands, marbled paper boards double ruled in gilt, mould made paper pastedowns and endpapers, gilt top edge. Foxing. Complete with the portrait of the author by Félix Bracquemond (often missing), here in second state on papier chine pasted on the page.
Mistakenly considered as “partly original”, this edition was entirely revised by the author, with 35 newly composed poems and 55 “deeply rewritten” poems [profondément remaniés] among the 129 poems. This true new first edition of Les Fleurs du Mal is the culmination of Baudelaire's grand œuvre and the only text of reference for foreign language translations.
Very rare and highly sought-after first edition according to Clouzot, for which no copies on large paper were issued.
Full red morocco binding, spine with five raised bands, gilt rolls on headcaps, inner dentelle border on off-white morocco pastedowns enhanced with a red morocco mosaic fillet and quintuple gilt fillets, the fillet and quintuple gilt fillets interlacing at corners, gilt fillet border on turn-ins, ivory watered silk endpapers, iron-grey wrappers and spine preserved (Clouzot notes two states of wrappers: iron-grey - the rarer - and bluish-grey), all edges gilt, double gilt fillets on board edges, half red morocco slipcase with bands, spine with five raised bands, pebbled paper boards, red morocco-edged box, beige leather interior, pebbled paper boards, magnificent binding signed Huser. Provenances: from the libraries of Raoul Simonson and José Peraya with their bookplates pasted on a pastedown.
A superb copy, complete with its rare iron-grey wrappers and the publisher's catalogue which is very often lacking, bound in a splendid full morocco binding with morocco pastedowns and mosaic work by Huser.
First edition, one of 115 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe copies aside from 35 on pure thread.
Two small spots of foxing on the front cover, a discreet crease, a handsome copy as issued.
Rare and highly sought after in deluxe paper.
First edition first issue for which no grand papier (deluxe copies) were printed, one of the rare service de presse (advance copies).
Some very discreet restorations to spine, paper browned, some discreet traces folds at the bottom of some leaves.
A handsome copy, as issued. The book is housed in a slipcase signed by Julie Nadot, reproducing the original design of the cover and spine.
This first edition of L'Étranger was printed on 21 April, 1942 with a run of 4,400 copies: 400 advance copies (service de presse), 500 copies without statement and 3,500 copies with false statements from the second to eighth “edition”.
The advance copies, not intended for sale, do not include the indication of price [25 francs] on the back of the cover.
