Nobel Prize in Literature

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on vélin pur fil paper, the tirage de tête (deluxe copies).

Full morocco, covers and spine preserved, slipcase, elegant binding signed by Semet & Plumelle.

Provenances: mostly from Robert Desprechins' library with his ex-libris drawn by Jean Cocteau, and by Louis de Sadeleer with his engraved ex-libris.

A very nice copy beautifully bound morocco signed by Semet & Plumelle.

First British edition of 1955 (the first edition of 1954 is American), complete with its dark pink dust jacket designed by Lynton Lamb, on which one of the two prizes received by A Fable in 1955 is mentioned: the Pulitzer Prize. This is the work on which William Faulkner laboured longest and which he considered his masterpiece.

Publisher's binding in candy-pink cloth, with title and author's name gilt in a false panel at the head of the spine, and publisher's name gilt at the foot. Galignani bookshop label affixed to the foot of the front pastedown.

Colour very slightly faded to the headcaps, discreet staining to the foot of the spine and to the tail edge. To the dust jacket, the spine sunned as is common, losses to the upper and lower portions of the spine, wear to the margins of both boards, most notably to the upper board, and further wear to the board edges and corners, staining to the foot of the lower board, price-clipped.

First English edition of 1950 (the first edition, published the same year, is American) on ordinary paper, complete with its original illustrated unclipped dust jacket with gondola motif.

Publisher's binding in turquoise green cloth, to spine, a mock title label on red ground with palladium lettering and publisher's device also in palladium to foot, red central medallion to upper board echoing the gondola of the dust jacket, bottom edge untrimmed.

Cloth very slightly faded to spine ends, old faint traces of adhesive tape to pastedowns, minor rubbing to spine ends, joints and corners of the dust jacket. A pleasing copy.

First edition of this poetry collection, which was awarded the Cholmondeley Prize on publication, complete with its dust jacket illustrated by Leigh Taylor.

Publisher's binding in brown half-cloth, title, author's name and publisher's device gilt to spine, bronze-coloured glossy paper to boards. To recto of rear endpaper, a manuscript quotation in black pen by a celebrated English poet: "the mind can only repose on the stability of truth... Samuel Johnson."

Head of spine very slightly pushed. To the dust jacket, head of spine and upper left corner slightly chipped, old crease to head of upper board, a tiny tear to lower board, price clipped.

English reprint of 1955 — the first American edition was published in 1927 and the first English edition in 1928 — on ordinary paper, complete with its original illustrated unclipped dust jacket.

Publisher's binding in light blue cloth, title, author's name and publisher's device stamped in dark blue to spine, title repeated, also in dark blue, to head of upper board.

Spine ends and edges slightly sunned as is often the case, a few faint marks to lower board. To the dust jacket, some minor chipping to spine ends, joints and corners, old traces of adhesive tape to the inside of the flaps. A pleasing copy.

New edition for the first volume, first edition on ordinary paper for the three other ones.
Bound in dark blue half morocco, five raised bands on spine, marbled paper boards, marbled pastedowns and endpapers, original wrappers preserved, gilt top edges, contemporary bindings with blind-stamped signature of bookbinder Petitot.
A fine set despite minor scuffing to the spines.
Signed and inscribed by Anatole France to Madame Félix Roussel on each of the four volumes. The author penned an amusing first dedication on the opening page of text of the first volume:

"A Madame Félix Roussel, ces quatre volumes d'un cours de littérature qui aura du moins cet effet de ne lui apprendre absolument rien

Affectueusement Anatole France

 

[To Madame Félix Roussel, these four volumes of a litterature lesson which will at least have the effect of teaching her absolutely nothing]"

Madame Félix Roussel, née Pauline Gérard, was a devoted reader of Anatole France's works. The author gifted her a great number of his books, and even the original manuscript of his lectures on Rabelais.

First edition, with no deluxe paper issue, one of the review copies.

A pleasing copy.

Inscribed, dated and signed by Annie Ernaux to her friend, the writer Christiane Baroche.

First edition, with no deluxe paper issue.

A handsome copy, with the promotional leaflet loosely inserted; the verso is creased and shows a tear.

Fine dated and signed presentation inscription from Annie Ernaux to the writer Christiane Baroche: "Pour Christiane,qui m'a fait "naître" dans le bonheur il y a dix ans. Annie. 3/02/84."

Autograph letter signed by Albert Camus to his housekeeper or caretaker, "Chère Madame Quentin." One page on a single leaf written in black ink, on NRF letterhead, accompanied by its envelope bearing the autograph address of the recipient. Horizontal crease inherent to the folding of the letter for mailing.

Given that his own mother had been a housekeeper, the writer does not merely concern himself with domestic matters when addressing his employee. He also inquires after the wellbeing of his "Chère Madame Quentin" following her vacation: "I shall be in Paris on Monday or Tuesday at the latest (thus the 31st or the 1st). Could you ask Madame [...] (Pintres?), upon receipt of this letter, to stop forwarding my mail. I hope you were able to rest a little during the month of August and I send you my most faithful regards." (our own translation). 

Accompanied by a telegram once again to Mme "Quentin 86 Rue de Varennes," dated "5-59."

Autograph letters signed by Albert Camus are highly sought after today. This one bears witness to the considerate language the writer uses towards Madame Quentin, his housekeeper, a trade he knows intimately through his mother.

First edition, one of the review copies.
Spine just lightly rubbed.
Inscribed and signed by Patrick Modiano to the writer Christiane Baroche.
 

First edition, with no deluxe paper issue.

A small stain to the upper-left margin of the front cover; an attractive copy nonetheless.

Fine dated and signed presentation inscription from Annie Ernaux to the writer Christiane Baroche : "Voilà Christiane, je ne pouvais réellement écrire autre chose... Avec amitié AErnaux 6/01/88."

First edition, with no deluxe paper issue.

A fine copy.

Dated and signed presentation inscription from Annie Ernaux to the woman of letters Christiane Baroche: "Pour Christiane, très amicalement. Annie. 24/03/93."

First edition, with no deluxe paper issue.

A well-preserved copy.

Fine dated presentation inscription signed by Annie Ernaux to the writer Christiane Baroche: "Pour Christiane, avec notre vieille amitié, de tendre pensées 'fraternelles' AErnaux 16/01/92."

First edition of the French translation by Georges Sautreau, review copy punch on the lower cover.

Spine slightly sunned, otherwise a pleasant copy.

Signed autograph inscription by Georges Sautreau, in Norwegian, to the philologist and literary historian Gunnar Fougner Høst, wishing him a joyful winter solstice: "Til Gunnar Høst glaedelig Jul Georges Sautreau Paris Nöel 1932;"

Autograph letter dated and signed by Alexis Léger, 26 lines in blue ink, written from Washington to his friend Emily Amram, describing the torments of his convalescence following a "stupid accident".

Folds inherent to mailing.

The poet thanks his friend for her floral attentions during his illness: "combien la présence de vos fleurs m'a aidé contre les mauvaises ombres pendant mes jours de réclusion !" and, much to his regret, must once again postpone the visit he had promised her: "une mauvaise grippe washingtonnienne, qui m'a surpris, déjà fatigué, peu après mon retour chez moi, achevé de me déprimer, et pour ne pas accabler encore l'affectueuse sollicitude de bons amis comme vous et Phil, je n'ai su, écœuré de moi-même, que me condamner au silence et à la solitude."

He intends to banish his dark thoughts by granting himself a stay by the sea in the South: "Je pars demain pour le sud et vais demander au voisinage de la mer la possibilité de me libérer, par la natation; des dernières traces de mon stupide accident."

First edition, of which there were no large paper copies.

Complete with dj (slightly sunned at edges of spine and covers), small tears to head of upper cover. 
Handsome autograph inscription, signed and dated by Canetti to Raymond Queneau : " Für Raymond Queneau aus Freude über eine unerwartete Begegnung, Juni 1951 [for Raymond Queneau, the pleasure of an unexpected meeting, June 1951]".

First edition of the French translation, one of 325 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe issue together with a few alfa mousse copies not for sale.
Minor tears without loss at the head of the spine, which also shows slight sunning at the foot, final endpaper partially shaded.
A rare and pleasing copy.

Second edition only one month after the first edition.
Spine lightly wrinkled, small signs of folding in the margins of the boards, a light mark on the second board.

Claude Couffon, a French specialist and translator of the major Spanish-speaking writers of the second half of the 20th century, translated Chronicle of a Death Foretold a few years later.
On the last page, below the colophon, Gabriel García Márquez specified an address in Barcelona, that of his famous literary agent for Spain: “c/o Agencia Carmen Ballcells Urgel 241, Barcelona, 11.”

Rightly considered as one of the most important works op the Spanish language, the novel by García Márquez, however, had difficult beginnings after a first refusal by the avant-garde Barcelona publisher Seix Barral: “This novel will not be successful [...], this novel is useless.”
García Márquez sent it from Mexico to the Argentinian publisher Francisco Porrúa who immediately perceived the power of this unknown Colombian writer: “It wasn't a question of getting to the end to find out if the novel could be published. The publication was already decided from the first line, in the first paragraph. I simply understood what any sensible publisher would have understood: that it was an exceptional work.”
Finished printing in May 1967, Cien Años de Soledad appeared in bookshops in June with 8,000 copies selling out in a few days. The second print on 30 June will have the same success, as will the editions that follow week after week. More than half a million copies were sold in three years.

Several copies were later inscribed by Gabriel García Márquez who over the years has become one of the most famous South American writers, translated into 25 languages. However, contemporary autograph inscriptions on the first prints are extremely rare, even more so to one of his French translators who will contribute largely to his international renown.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Handsome, fine autograph inscription signed by Albert Camus : "à Albert Béguin qui trouvera ici les raisons de mes désaccords avec Esprit, avec mon bien cordial souvenir...[to Albert Bégiun who will find here the reasons for my disagreements with the Spirit, in friendly remembrance…]"
A little light spotting primarily to upper cover and ffep.
Retaining its advertising notice, entitled "Lettres sur la révolte".

First edition of the French translation by Jean Dutourd, one of 86 numbered copies on pur fil, only grand papier (deluxe) copies. 

First edition, one of the 200 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper edition.
A stain on the front cover near the title, fading on the half-title page, shaded endpapers.
Rare copy with full margins.

First collected edition. No deluxe paper copies issued.
Publisher’s binding in full green cloth, smooth spines, with their dust jackets designed by Adam Rusak, showing only minor and insignificant marginal tears.

Rare presentation copy dated May 1, 1992 and signed by Solzhenitsyn to USSR émigré journalist and writer Sam Yossman, on the title page of the first volume.

First edition of the French translation, one of 30 copies numbered on pure white Lana wove paper, the deluxe issue.

Handsome illustrated cover.

A pleasing copy, untrimmed.

Sinclair Lewis was the first American novelist to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

First edition, one of the advance review copies.

Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned, internally clean and well-preserved.
Work for which Patrick Modiano was awarded the "Prix Goncourt" in 1978.
Rare inscribed copy, signed by Patrick Modiano to Jean-François Revel.
 

Complete autograph manuscript in French by Anatole France, 7 pages in black ink on 7 leaves and a signed autograph note on a bifolium.

Complete and extensively corrected speech by Anatole France, on the occasion of a banquet given in his honor in London. The future Nobel Prize winner for Literature delivers a passionate appeal for peace between nations and an ode to England - its philosophy, literature and politics - less than a year before WW1.

The writer offered this manuscript with a signed note: “Keep, dear colleague and friend, keep these leaves of paper if they are of any value to you. Anatole France London, December 12, 1913”.

First edition of the 4 novels of this 'Histoire contemporaine' tetralogy. First illustrated edition for each. Copy no. 87, one of 100 on japon impérial, including an additional suite of drawings on chine, facing each watercolor illustration. Total run of 1000 copies, with 93 full-page illustrations, head-bands and decorations for each chapter, all in colour ; illustrations after the watercolors of Serge Beaune, made by the workshop of de D. Jacomet & Cie.

Handsomely and uniformly bound copy in red morocco.

A satirical novel about the clergy, the army and civil society in the Third Republic, published from 1897 to 1901, and a portrait of France during the Dreyfus Affair.

Bookplate of J.L and C Pierron.