Politics in Writing

First edition, one of 12 copies numbered on Montval laid paper, the deluxe issue.

Light foxing to the upper cover and endpapers, with a small nick to the lower right corner of the rear cover.

First edition, one of the publisher’s review copies.

Spine and boards very slightly and marginally sunned.

Fine dated and signed autograph inscription by Pierre Bost: "à Jean-Paul Sartre qui a connu le tiroir - et qui a même déjà lu ce livre. Avec l'amitié de Pierre Bost dec.45."

First edition, one of 13 numbered copies on imperial Japan paper, deluxe issue.

Spine and boards very lightly and marginally sun-toned, without significance.

Rare and pleasing copy, with full margins and uncut.

First edition printed in 500 copies on rag vellum, numbered and signed by Ferdinand Bac.

A pleasing and scarce copy, with a bookplate and a bibliophile’s label pasted to the verso of the upper cover.

Autograph signed inscription by Ferdinand Bac to Maître Gilbrin in violet ink: "... en souvenir de l'aimable visite à la \"surintendance\" de Compiègne, le nonagénaire Ferdinand Bac mai 1949." enhanced with an original pencil drawing depicting Napoleon III in profile, overlooking the signed inscription.

First edition, one of 16 numbered copies on pur fil, the deluxe issue following 6 copies on Montval paper.

Half hazelnut morocco binding, spine with four raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt panel compartments, date gilt at the foot, sides of cat’s-eye paper, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, bookplate pasted to a pastedown, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, untrimmed, contemporary signed binding by Albinhac.

A fine copy attractively bound.

Illustrated first edition, with a frontispiece portrait of Talleyrand.

A few light spots of foxing, mainly affecting the opening leaves.

Contemporary full caramel polished calf, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt compartments, author’s name in red morocco, title label in dark blue morocco, gilt date at foot, gilt rolls to the headcaps, covers framed with a double gilt fillet, a few small stains and light scuffs at the upper edges of the boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt dentelle border to the turn-ins, double gilt fillets to the edges, gilt top edge. An elegant binding of the period.

A fine, attractively bound copy.

First edition, one of 925 numbered copies on Artois vellum, the only issue including a sheet of butcher’s paper in tribute to General de Gaulle, together with 20 hors commerce copies and 75 on Marais paper.

Illustrated with headpieces and tailpieces.
Attractive copy.

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on Japanese vellum, the deluxe issue.

Illustrated with 3 engravings and 1 map.

Brown half shagreen morocco binding with corner pieces; spine with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt date at foot; minor rubbing to the spine; marbled paper sides; marbled endpapers and pastedowns; original wrappers and spine preserved; corners slightly bumped; gilt top edge.

A pleasing copy.

First edition, one of the press copies.

A pleasing copy.

Fine signed autograph inscription from René Char: "A Georges Hugnet affectueusement. René Char."

First edition of the French translation prepared by Alexandre Vialatte, one of the complimentary copies.

A manuscript ex-dono erased in the upper right corner of the half-title page, resulting in a small loss of paper.

Signed autograph inscription by Alexandre Vialatte to Albert Thibaudet.

First edition; one of the press copies.

A pleasing copy.

Signed autograph presentation inscription from Pierre Drieu la Rochelle to Germaine Fiévé.

First edition, one of 13 numbered copies on Imperial Japan paper, from the deluxe issue.

A rare and fine copy.

Rare complete set of four pamphlets with poems by Georges Hugnet in first edition published during the Occupation, illustrated by Picasso, Joan Miro, and Valentine Hugo. The first titled "Non-vouloir" was limited to only 26 copies; our copy is one of the 20 copies on vergé antique de Montval, following 6 copies on japon. The three others on ordinary paper from a limited edition of 200 copies.

"Non-vouloir"  was the first resistance poem published openly and signed by its author without being subjected to censorship. Composed between March and June 1940, Hugnet's poem stands as a poetic manifesto of refusal against defeat and occupation, echoing General De Gaulle's famous radio speach of June 18. Hugnet became an early member of the resistance  and joined the group "La Main à plume" which printed numerous clandestine tracts. He used his bookbinding workshop to forge false documents and, under the pseudonym "Malo le Bleu", contributed notably to "L'honneur des poètes", a collection of resistance poetry published clandestinely in 1943 by the famous Editions de Minuit.

First edition, one of 110 numbered copies on deluxe paper, our copy unnumbered, the only large-paper issue.

With a photographic portrait of Léon Blum as frontispiece.

Some scattered foxing, notably to the edges and endpapers; minor marginal tears to the covers, without significance.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on alfa paper, our copy not specifically numbered, issued as the only deluxe paper copies.

A few small spots of foxing, mainly affecting the edges and the endpapers, which show two small traces of adhesive paper.

First edition limited to only 250 copies, which were not offered for sale but given to the author's close circle. This former minister under Louis XV composed these essays in 1736, and his son, the Marquis de Paulmy, had them published nearly fifty years later.

Contemporary half brown calf, grained paper boards, spine with five raised bands decorated with five compartments featuring double gilt fillets, red morocco lettering piece, red speckled edges.

Lower headcap missing, some surface rubbing to boards, corners worn, small wormhole at foot of spine, book interior in fine condition.

Light foxing, author's name annotated in brown ink on title page.

The name of the author's intellectual master, Michel de Montaigne, is spelled here, as in the first edition of the Essais, without the 'i'—originally silent before 'gn'; but after all, isn't 'Montagne' one of the highest peaks of French literature?

New compilation of the celebrated songs by the troubadour from Sète, including "La mauvaise réputation", "Le parapluie", "Le petit cheval", "Le fossoyeur", "Le gorille", "Corne d'auroch", "La chasse aux papillons" and "Hécatombe".
Inevitable creasing and light rubbing along the margins of the record sleeve.

A small ballpoint pen doodle in blue ink on the lower cover.
Autograph signature of Georges Brassens in the lower right margin of the upper cover.

First edition, with no copies printed on deluxe paper.

A very good copy.

Inscribed by Maurice Druon to a friend named Henri: "... pour les souvenirs d'une année de travail qui devint une année d'amitié."

First edition.

Our copy is preserved in its original plain pink paper waiting wrappers.

Ink annotations to the front cover, a few short tears; internally a clean and agreeable copy.

As it was never ratified, this concordat never came into effect, and France therefore remained under the regime of the Concordat of 1801 until the Law on the Separation of Church and State in 1905.

First public edition of this text by Jean Cassou, written under the pseudonym Jean Noir, one of 50 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, from the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First public edition of this text written under the pseudonym François la Colère, one of 50 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, the deluxe issue.

Rare and fine copy.

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

Spine lightly wrinkled, a small loss at the foot of the lower board; otherwise a pleasing copy.

Signed autograph inscription by Maurice Genevoix.

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 deluxe paper.

A very slight tear, without loss, to the second panel of the double wrapper.

A pleasing copy preserved in its double wrapper.

First published edition of this text by Pierre Bost, written under the pseudonym Vivarais, one of 50 copies on Madagascar paper, deluxe issue.

Fine copy.

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.

First edition.

Spine and boards slightly and marginally faded.

A rare and pleasing copy.

First edition of the French translation, one of 230 numbered copies on alfa paper.
With a preface by Romain Rolland.
A fine copy, the spine very slightly toned.

Rare first edition, illustrated with an engraved frontispiece (cf. Barbier II 802; Cioranescu 65461).

Contemporary full mottled brown calf, spine with five raised bands tooled with rubbed gilt fillets and decorated with gilt compartments containing floral tools, gilt roll-tooling to the head- and tailcaps, rubbing to the joints, mottled edges; contemporary binding.

The work is attributed to Claude Vanel, who served as counsellor at the Cour des Comptes in Montpellier.

Provenance: from the library of Jacques Charreton, a Lyon jurist contemporary with the publication; his armorial bookplate (Meyer-Noirel C 0949) appears on the pastedown.

Manuscript shelf-mark in ink to a flyleaf.

First edition (see Sabin 97501).

A light dampstain to the right margin of the opening leaves.

Half brown cloth binding, smooth spine with a brown sheep lettering-piece, boards with marbled paper; a modest later binding.

After distinguishing himself—at times infamously—during the wars of the French Revolution, notably in Vendée, Louis-Marie Turreau [1756–1816] later served in Italy and captured the city of Susa.

He held the post of Ambassador to the United States from 1804 to 1811 and was created Baron of the Empire upon his return. His Aperçu of 1815 offers a bitter critique of the federal government. Turreau’s name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile (see Hoefer).

First edition of the French translation prepared by Lamole de Tamayo of this monumental publication, long sought after for its exceptionally rich iconography: 107 plates hors texte, including 2 in colour (mostly portraits), 2 folding colour maps, and a very large number of in-text figures and photographs (portraits, views, reproductions of early engravings, types and costumes, portraits, etc.).

Publisher’s bindings in half brown shagreen, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets and dotted tooling, as well as blind-stamped panels; gilt titles and ornaments in relief on the green percaline boards; publisher’s bindings signed E. Domenech-Barna.

Some rubbing to the spines with lightening, two lower caps with losses and one flaw, occasional internal foxing.

Very rare first edition (cf. Ryckebusch 7452).

Four copies are recorded in the CCFr, all in Paris at the BnF: Tolbiac (2), Arsenal and Richelieu.

Spine and boards restored and reattached, with losses to the corners,

A refutation of the memorandum by Baron de Lareinty, former delegate of Martinique, urging the National Assembly to reject the bill establishing trial by jury in the colonies.

Denouncing judicial practices prejudicial to men of colour, this memorandum is jointly signed by four liberal deputies: Victor Schoelcher, Alexandre Laserve and J. François de Mahy, representatives of the island of Réunion in the Assembly, and Philippe Pory-Papy, deputy for Martinique.

Rare, though in worn condition.

Rare illustrated first edition, with 5 copper-engraved plates hors-texte, including 2 folding plates (cf. Barbier II, 302. Schwab, 517. Hage Chahine, 4320. Wilson, 200. Absent from Blackmer and Atabey.)

Our copy lacks the two dedication leaves to Rouillié, often missing, with repairs to the joints and one corner, and a manuscript ex-libris on the title-page.

Contemporary full mottled fawn calf, spine with five raised bands gilt and decorated with gilt compartments and floral tools, tan calf title-label, gilt fillets to the edges partly faded, speckled edges.

Sanson, a zealous apostolic missionary, tireless traveller and accomplished diplomat, arrived in Persia in 1683, learning Armenian, Turkish and Persian while travelling through the kingdom in order to "consoler les chrétiens qui y habitent".

He took an interest in everything, "mœurs… situation… antiquités", of the regions he crossed, and eventually gained access to the Palace, "qui ne sont accordées qu'aux grands seigneurs de Perse", attending all audiences and taking part in every banquet.

He spent three years close to Soliman before returning to France, bringing Louis XIV a personal message from the "roi" of Persia.

Provenance: copy from the library of the literary critic Émile Faguet (1847–1916), with his vignette bookplate pasted to the inside board.

Each of the disbound parts is in its original edition.

With: "Supplément au Précis justificatif de la société commerciale de la nouvelle Compagnie des Indes. Pour servir de réponse aux inculpations contenues dans le rapport fait à la Convention nationale, le 3 août 1793", printed in Paris by Lottin, also in 1793 (4to, 14 pp.), likewise disbound, printed in two columns, one for the "inculpations" and the other for the "réponses", on bluish paper.

These texts constitute refutations of the allegations levelled against the Compagnie des Indes, founded in France by Colbert in 1664 and whose privilege had been abolished on 3 April 1790.

During the Terror, the Compagnie des Indes was suspected of counter-revolutionary activities, and on 26 July 1793 the Convention ordered its buildings to be sealed.

A second decree of 11 October 1793 abolished the Compagnie des Indes and requisitioned its goods and ships. 

Second edition comprising the reissue of the first two volumes of the Bulletin, no less scarce than the copies of the first edition, and corresponding to the opening phase of Bourbon’s legislative and regulatory activity, a veritable mine of information not only on legal matters but on every aspect of the island’s daily life (cf. Ryckebusch, 1224).

Contemporary Bradel bindings in half fawn marbled sheepskin, smooth spines ruled in gilt with double fillets, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, yellow edges, three corners lightly rubbed.

The third and final volume lacking, occasional foxing, two black stains to the lower cover of the first volume.

First edition, illustrated with a folding map at the end of the volume (see Fumagalli 730, and Gay, 2674bis (collation of the first two parts only: 292 pp.). 

The third part of this history of the "Ethiopia of the Ancients" is devoted to Christianity, the religion most widely practised in Abyssinia.

Occasional light foxing, chiefly affecting the folding map.

Half blue shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands gilt with dotted tooling and decorated with double gilt panels, slight rubbing to the spine, dark navy percaline boards framed with blind fillets, a small loss of percaline at the foot of the upper board, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, contemporary binding. 

First edition of this important first-hand account of the deportation and enforced stay in French Guiana of the counter-revolutionary journalist and songwriter Louis-Ange Pitou (1767–1846), placed under “preventive” arrest after the Directory’s coup d’état of 18 Fructidor, Year V [4 September 1797], sentenced to transportation, and released from exile only after 18 Brumaire (cf. Fierro, 1170. Sabin 63057. Leclerc 3445.)

The work is illustrated with two folding engraved frontispieces: La détention des déportés sur la frégate La Décade and Le désert de Konanama dans la Guyane.

Contemporary bindings in fawn calf, half-bound with small vellum corners, smooth spines decorated with dentelle tools and double gilt fillets, cherry morocco lettering- and volume-labels, with an inlaid green morocco piece on the volume labels, some rubbing to the spines, marbled paper boards, speckled edges; period bindings.

A pleasing copy preserved in its contemporary bindings.

First edition.

Green half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands and blind-tooled compartments, a few rubs to the spine, marbled paper sides, comb-marbled endpapers and doublures, sprinkled edges, contemporary binding.

Georges Perrot (1832–1914), a French Hellenist and archaeologist, undertook in 1861, together with the architect Edmond Guillaume and the travelling physician Jules Delbet, a scientific and literary mission to Greece and Asia Minor on behalf of the French Ministry of Public Instruction, the results of which were published in 1872.

He would later be the author, with Charles Chipiez, of the monumental Histoire de l'art dans l'Antiquité, Égypte, Assyrie, Perse, Asie mineure, Grèce, Etrurie, Rome (Paris, Hachette et Cie, 1882–1914).

We include, on a loose leaf, a dated and signed autograph letter addressed to M. J. Jahègue, Doctor of Law, announcing the gift of a book (certainly this one) originating from the Plocque sale. 

A finely preserved copy in its contemporary binding.

First edition of the French translation (cf. Chadenat, 494; Brunet I, 24.)

Contemporary half green sheep, smooth spines faded and decorated with double gilt fillets, marbled paper sides with minor rubbing, marbled endpapers, two small tears at the joints, contemporary bindings.

Light waterstain to the upper right corner of a number of leaves in the second volume.

An Indian traveller, Mirza Abu Taleb Khan was born in 1752 at Lucknow in Hindustan and died in Calcutta in 1806. 

After serving in the army of the Nawab of Oudh, he embarked for Europe on 16 February 1799 with his friend Captain David Richardson.

Following a three-month stay at the Cape, he landed at Cork in Ireland on 9 December of the same year.

He resided in London for more than two years and, in 1802, travelled to Paris. He returned to his country via Constantinople, Mosul, Baghdad and Basra (cf. Hoefer). "Cet ouvrage contient des anecdotes piquantes et des observations judicieuses sur les peuples visités par l'auteur" (Chadenat).

Chapters XXVI to XXVIII relate to Malta, Smyrna, the Dardanelles and Constantinople (description, character of the Turks, government, the author’s presentation to the Sultan).

Extremely rare collection of three works, in original anonymous editions, devoted to the Eastern Question and the policy France should adopt to counter Russian ambitions in the Ottoman Empire.

The author is believed to be one Mignonneau, a former war commissioner.

Bound in full mottled calf, smooth spine richly decorated with gilt crossbands, brown calf title label, rubbing to joints and spine, gilt roll partially faded on head and tail, triple gilt fillet framing boards, handmade paper endpapers and pastedowns, gilt turn-ins, corners slightly worn, all edges gilt, contemporary binding.

Minor angular losses to boards, light dampstaining to lower margin of leaves in the second work.

The set comprises the following:

1) "Considérations politiques, par M.***"
(S.l., 1783, title and 77 pp. First edition. (cf. Conlon 83: 1465. N.U.C.: NM 567505.))

2) "Ces réflexions devoient, avec beaucoup d'autres, faire suite aux Considérations politiques ; mais le tout n'étant pas encore rédigé, les circonstances du moment m'ont déterminé à faire paroître celles-ci sur-le-champ."
S.l.n.d. [c. 1783], 44 pp. with simple title. First edition. (cf. Conlon 83: 1464 locates no copies in France. N.U.C. locates only one copy at the Library of Congress. The RLG Union Catalog mentions another at the University of Chicago.)

The first half of this work is devoted to the invasion of Crimea, the second to Russia's claims regarding the "etiquette of the court" governing international relations and their true significance.

3) "Lettre à M. le Comte de ***, octobre 1784".
S.l.n.d. [c. 1784], title and 49 pp. First edition. (cf. Conlon 84: 1533 locates no copies in France. N.U.C. mentions only the copy at the Library of Congress.)

This third work denounces Russia's expansionist policy. The author reveals, among other things, Catherine II's designs on Armenia and also discusses the potential interest Turkey might have in liberating Greece.

Very rare first edition illustrated with one map and one colour plate.

Not recorded by the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Cordier, or Lorentz.

Half midnight-blue shagreen, smooth spine decorated with quadruple gilt fillets, one joint very fragile, upper headcap worn down, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

Some foxing.

An offprint from the Description de l'Égypte; the paper was read during the expedition itself before the members of the Institut d'Égypte on 1 Frimaire, Year IX [22 November 1800].

See Meulenaere, p. 125.

Bradel binding in full red boards, smooth spine, red title label mounted lengthwise, the upper cover very lightly and marginally faded; modern binding.

A civil engineer with the Corps des Ponts et Chaussées, Michel-Ange Lancret (1774–1807) had been tasked with gathering the movable goods abandoned by the Mamluks during their flight, which in part supplied the material for this memoir.

First edition of this rare imprint from the Vivarais.

A single copy recorded in the CCFr (Grenoble).

Contemporary half brown cloth binding, smooth spine without lettering with a small scuff, boards of vat-made paper; a modest 19th-century binding. 

Charles La Font de Savine (1742–1814), Bishop of Viviers and later of Ardèche (1778–1793), was one of only four bishops in office in 1789 to swear the constitutional oath. The "citoyen Savine" was subsequently required to surrender his pectoral cross and all episcopal insignia, together with his letters of priesthood, on 1 December 1793, and to resign his public office as bishop of the diocese of Ardèche; arrested as a suspect on 15 May 1794, he was transferred to Paris. During his imprisonment, he recanted his oath before being released in October 1794.

Rare first edition of this fervent—indeed visionary—appeal to bring the Orient under the sway of the combined powers of the State and the Christian religion, informed by such an overtly Eurocentric outlook that the work is almost unreadable today, yet remains an eloquent record of the illusions prevailing in the West in the mid-nineteenth century.

Corners restored at the outer tips of the boards, some scattered foxing, and a stain to the right margin of the upper cover.

In an admirably prophetic vein, the author exclaims: "La civilisation chrétienne, qui ne cesse d'agrandir son cercle, ne s'arrêtera pas devant le Coran, et ce n'est pas la loi de Mahomet qui présidera au réveil de l'Orient". 

At the head of the upper wrapper, a signed presentation inscription from Louis de Juvigny to the mystical polemicist Ernest Hello (1828–1885), then the darling of the most uncompromising and exalted Catholic circles (Léon Bloy owed his conversion to him, which says it all…).

First edition.

The CCF records only the minutes of the sessions of December 1787 and January 1788, published at Narbonne (Veuve Besset).

A very rare report of the first sitting of the provincial assembly of Roussillon, held in three sessions (20, 21 & 22 October 1787), preliminary to the sessions of the following December and January, but apparently overlooked by most historians.

Rare illustrated first edition, complete with three folding maps printed at the end of the volume: Cercle de Biskra, Zaatcha et les oasis voisines, Plan des attaques de Zaatcha du 7 octobre au 26 novembre 1849 (cf. Playfair 2479. Tailliart 1903.) 

Bound in modern half black shagreen, spine with five raised bands, gilt date at foot, minor rubbing to foot of spine, comb-marbled paper sides, brown paper endleaves and pastedowns, top edge gilt. 

Occasional foxing, manuscript bookplate in violet pencil on a flyleaf.

First edition.

Minor marginal tears to the boards, a few spots of foxing.

Not recorded by Sabin.

First edition of the French translation.

Loukia Droulia (849) records this work without having been able to examine it. Not in Blackmer and Atabey, who describe the English edition published the same year (A narrative of Lord Byron's last journey to Greece).

Contemporary full mottled beige calf, flat spine elaborately decorated with gilt garlands and fleurons, red morocco lettering piece, minor rubbing at the foot of the joints, gilt tooling to spine-ends, borders of gilt dotted rules, gilt garlands to the boards also framed in gilt, edges framed in gilt, marbled edges.

A few minor and unobtrusive spots.

Pietro Gamba (1801-1826) was the brother of Byron’s mistress, Teresa Guiccioli; he became Byron’s secretary and accompanied him on his final journey to Greece. Prize copy awarded on 22 August 1831 at the Collège royal of Tours (prize label pasted to the front endpapers). A fine copy.

An uncommon first edition (cf. Palau, 92 173. Barbier, IV, 1072. Quérard, II, 40. Cioranescu, XVIII, 28675-28678.)

Contemporary full marbled fawn calf, smooth spine decorated with double gilt panels and ornaments, hazelnut calf lettering-piece, spine caps defective, covers framed with a single blind fillet, marbled endpapers, corners rubbed, gilt fillets to the edges, red edges; a fragile contemporary binding: spine ends trimmed, joints and upper hinge entirely split.

The imprint is fictitious: the pamphlet was not printed at Saint-Malo.

This satire, directed against the government, religion and customs of the Spaniards, and marked by singular bad faith (Fleuriot never set foot in Spain), was condemned in France to be burnt by the public executioner by decree of the Parlement of Paris dated 26 February 1786, at the request of King Charles III. Emboldened by this success, Jean-Marie-Jérôme de Fleuriot (1749-1807) pursued his career as an anti-religious pamphleteer. The work went through six editions up to 1803 (the last recorded by the DLF, XVIIIe s., p.38) and was translated into four languages.

Rare first edition (cf. Sabin, 24009. Ryckebusch, 3167.)

Our copy is presented in wrappers, preserved in a modern marbled paper chemise, with a printed title label mounted on the upper cover.

Red ink stamps on certain leaves.

Staining and dampmarking to the first and last pages.

For the pastor de Félice (1803-1871), there exist "three very distinct classes of abolitionists: apparent abolitionists, the temporisers, and those who are called pure abolitionists", a category in which he places himself.

In correspondence with Schoelcher and Bissette, whose efforts he supports, Guillaume de Felice advocates an "immediate and complete" abolition and criticises the lack of dynamism among French abolitionists.<

Very rare first edition of this substantial memorandum on the "Pierre Calvet Affair", which unsettled Canada in the aftermath of the American War of Independence.

Sabin 21044. In the CCF, copies only at the BnF and Rouen.

A few light spots of foxing; a faint marginal dampstain to the fore-edge of the front endpaper.

Half green sheep with corners, smooth spine slightly darkened and ruled in gilt, gilt fillet border to the marbled paper boards, a central gilt cartouche bearing a crowned cipher to each cover. Corners rubbed, a few scuffs to the edges, bookplate pasted to one pastedown, lemon-coloured edges; nineteenth-century binding.

Parallel to the work The Case of Peter Du Calvet (784), addressed to the English courts, this volume presents the case for a Canadian readership.

The merchant Pierre Du Calvet (1735–1786), a French Protestant, settled in New France in 1758; he remained there after the British annexation and pursued a persistent political campaign on behalf of the inhabitants of the Province of Quebec, both to obtain a constitution and to secure fair justice for the former French subjects.

The present text concentrates on his disputes with Governor Frederick Haldimand (1718–1791) and on his brief imprisonment.

A forerunner of the long struggle waged by the citizens of the Province of Quebec for recognition of their political rights within the British Empire,

Du Calvet nevertheless remained largely forgotten in Quebec’s historical memory.

His actions, and even his name, were widely overlooked by posterity until the republication of his memorandum in 2002.

Rare first edition of this sticker album entirely devoted to the glory of the Castro regime and the Cuban Revolution.

The album comprises 268 small, mounted, colour stickers, each captioned and arranged in strict chronological order of events, including 16 portrait plates of the principal figures (the Castro brothers, Camilo Cienfuegos, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Faure Chaumont, Rolando Cubelas, Victor Bordon, Eloy Gutierrez, Crecencio and Faustino Perez, etc.).

No copy recorded in the CCFr, which comes as little surprise for this type of production.

Our copy, issued in original illustrated colour wrappers, is housed in a modern oblong slipcase, full decorated boards in the colours of the Cuban flag.

Minor tears and marginal losses to the covers and spine, together with numerous unavoidable restorations using transparent adhesive repairs, reflecting the extreme fragility of this sticker album intended for "older children".

This very rare album, complete with all its stickers, was produced to commemorate the successive stages of the Cuban Revolution. It belongs to the genre of collectible sticker albums for children and young people, hugely popular in the 1960s: the images were obtained with the purchase of consumer goods and served as promotional incentives (in this case, the "dulces en conserva" marketed under the Felices brand).

Unsurprisingly, the portrayal of the Revolution is entirely partisan and conforms to the heroic and liberating image the regime sought to project.

On the verso of the final cover, one finds a speech by Fidel Castro dated 16 October 1953.

First edition of this particularly engaging monograph, written by the Dutch pastor Gerard Croese (1642–1710), and translated into English as early as 1696 (though never into French).

A few minor spots of foxing.

Full green vellum binding, the spine faded and tooled with small gilt ornaments, the title-piece largely lost leaving the spine without lettering, edges sprinkled green, a contemporary binding.

Partly informed by letters and documents supplied by William Sewel (1653–1720, himself the author in 1717 of an excellent Histori van de Opkompste, Aanwas en Voortgang der Christenen bekend by den naam van Quakers), it offers an account of the movement at a particularly significant moment in its history, marked both by a certain easing of persecution in Great Britain (the Toleration Act of 1689) and by emigration to the United States.

Book I concerns the life and work of George Fox, while Books II and III are devoted to William Penn.

First edition published anonymously (cf. Ryckebusch, 6737).

Light, scattered foxing.

Modern half brown cloth, smooth spine without lettering, marbled paper boards, corners rubbed.

The anonymous author urges abolitionists to be especially active and visible at the moment when the chambers are to vote on the new colonial legislation.

Very rare first edition of this Mauritian imprint of a charitable lecture delivered during the war in the island’s second city, by the Solesmes Benedictine Dom Paul Chauvin (1866–1937), preacher and prior of the Parisian Abbey of La Source.

Only one copy recorded in the CCF (Rennes).

Bradel-style binding in half brown glacé morocco, smooth spine, date and place gilt at foot, top edge gilt, sides in handmade paper, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.

At the head of the title page, an autograph inscription by Paul Chauvin to the Duke and Duchess of Bauffremont (the sixth duke, Pierre-Eugène de Bauffremont, 1843–1917, a noted collector of Mauritian literature).

First edition, illustrated with three folding tables in the text.

Our copy is preserved sewn, as issued, in plain contemporary waiting wrappers of pink marbled paper.

The plain spine is browned and detached, with some losses.

First edition (cf. Playfair, 533; Tailliart, 2295).

Spine cracked with small tears, some foxing. 

General considerations on the colonisation of Algiers, its aims and its results. On the Arabs. The various systems of occupation, etc.

At the head of the front wrapper, an autograph presentation inscription from Amédée Hippolyte de Brossard to Marshal Clausel.

First edition, illustrated with a map of the Mexican states at the time of the Conquest in 1521, by Malte-Brun (see Sabin 7429, Leclerc 1079, Brasseur de Bourbourg, Bibliothèque Mexico-Guatémalienne, p. 27, Numa Broc, Amérique, pp. 45-47).

Originally engraved by Erhard Schieble, this map is presented here as an early facsimile, likely produced by the publisher to complete his copies.

Bound in half havana shagreen, spines with four raised bands decorated with gilt tooling and gilt panels and fillets, orange shagreen title labels, minor rubbing to spines, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, twentieth-century bindings.

Waterstains, mainly affecting volumes III and IV.

This foundational work on the history of Mexico is divided as follows: I: Heroic Times and History of the Toltec Empire. – II: History of Yucatan and Guatemala; with that of Anahuac during the Aztec Middle Ages, up to the establishment of the monarchy in Mexico. – III: History of the States of Michoacan and Oaxaca, and of the Anahuac Empire up to the arrival of the Spanish. Astronomy, religion, sciences, and arts of the Aztecs, etc. – IV: Conquest of the Mexican and Guatemalan States, etc. Establishment of Spanish government and the Catholic Church. Ruin of idolatry, decline and subjugation of the indigenous race.

A former professor at the Quebec Seminary and later Vicar General in Boston, Abbé Étienne Charles Brasseur de Bourbourg (1814–1874) traveled as a missionary to Mexico and Central America. He developed a keen interest in vanished civilizations and was appointed official archaeologist of the French expedition to Mexico in 1864.

"By turns archaeologist, ethnologist, historian, and linguist, Brasseur de Bourbourg, alongside Désiré Charnay, was one of the founders of Americanist studies in France in the mid-nineteenth century" (Numa Broc).

First edition of the illustrated French translation, with a folding map (cf. Sabin 5568).

Only three copies recorded in the French Union Catalogue (BnF, Ministère des Affaires étrangères, Draguignan).

Contemporary-style half calf, smooth spine rubbed, joints split at head and foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, in a slightly later binding.

Light foxing, a paper flaw in the right margin of the final leaf not affecting the text.

It should be noted that the translator mistook the genitive form for part of the author’s surname, spelling it “Birkbecks”.

The American first edition appeared in 1818 under the title of “Letters from Illinois”, and went through no fewer than seven editions in English.

"In directing settlers to the prairies lands of the West [this book] exercised a widespread influence, and incidentally brought down on [the] author the hearty vituperation of William Cobbett, who was in the pay of eastern land speculators". Cf. Dict. of amer. biogr., II, 289.

Born into a Quaker family, Morris Birkbeck (1764–1825), an Anglo-American adventurer and Illinois pioneer, was one of America’s leading journalists and a prominent champion of the anti-slavery cause.

First edition, illustrated with 2 engraved portraits on separate leaves by Adam after Du Simitière (Washington and Arnold), and with 1 folding plan (forts, batteries and the post of West Point in 1780) (cf. Sabin 3302; Quérard I, 173).

Contemporary half polished brown calf, smooth spine ruled in triple gilt fillets, gilt decorative rolls at head and foot, orange calf lettering-piece, minor rubbing to spine and joints, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

Occasional foxing, manuscript corrections in black ink on the second page of the introduction.

First edition of this pamphlet, directed in part against Mormonism (cf. Sabin 2797).

Illustrated with a folding lithographed map of the United States, inserted as a plate.

Spine cracked with small losses and tears at the joints; library shelf label pasted at the foot of the upper wrapper; small corner tears to the wrappers.

This booklet also considers the relations between Christians and the indigenous inhabitants, as well as with the African population brought to the United States through the cupidity of the citizens of the Old World. A good copy.

Rare first edition of the illustrated French translation, complete with two folding maps of Northern Asia, one showing the region at the time of the conquests of Genghis Khan (or Zingis-Chan), the other representing the contemporary state of Asia (cf. Brunet, I, 19; Chadenat, 1782).

Translated from the Tartar manuscript of Abulgasi-Bayadur-Chan and enriched with a large number of authentic and highly curious remarks on the true present state of Northern Asia, together with the necessary geographical maps. By D***. Leiden, Abram Kallewier, 1726.

Contemporary full brown calf bindings, spines with five raised bands highlighted by gilt rules and decorated with gilt compartments filled with floral tools, red and brown morocco lettering and volume labels, gilt rolls to the headcaps, boards framed with a single blind fillet, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets to the board edges, red edges; bindings of the period.

Small paper losses to the title pages, filled and neatly restored with paper.

Contents comprise: 1. History of the generations of the Tatars from Adam to Mogull or Mung’l-Chan. – 2. History of the generations of the Tatars from Mung’l-Chan to Zingis-Chan. – 3. History of the reign of Zingis-Chan. – 4. History of Ugadai-Chan, third son of Zingis-Chan. – 5. History of Zagatai-Chan, second son of Zingis-Chan, and of the princes of his posterity who ruled over the cities of the kingdoms of Cashgar and Ma-urenner. – 6. History of Taulai-Chan, youngest son of Zingis-Chan, and of his descendants who ruled in the land of Iran. – 7. History of Zuzi-Chan, eldest son of Zingis-Chan, and of his descendants who ruled over the Kipchaks. – 8. History of Scheybani-Chan, son of Zuzi-Chan, and of his descendants who ruled in the land of Ma-urenner, in Crimea, and in the country of Turan. – 9. History of the descendants of Scheybani-Chan who ruled in the land of Charass’m.

Khan of Khwarezm (situated south of Turkestan) and descendant of Genghis Khan, Abulghasi Behader (or Bahadür) was born in 1605 at Urgench (Khwarezm); he ascended the throne in 1644 and abdicated shortly before his death in 1663.

After his abdication, he composed a genealogical history of the Tatars in Tatar, which was first translated into Russian and then into German by Swedish officers exiled to Siberia after the battle of Pultava.

The original text was not printed at Kazan until 1825 under the title Historia Mongolorum et Tatarorum.

First edition of the French translation, established from the second edition.

Our copy, preserved in its original wrappers under a plain provisional cover, is complete with its coloured map, almost invariably lacking.

The only French translation, uncommon, of "A sketch of the military and political power of Russia in the year 1817", an anti-Russian pamphlet composed in the context of the growing opposition between Great Britain and Russia, once the aftermath of the Empire had been settled.

General Robert Thomas Wilson (1777-1849) had served in 1812 as liaison officer with Alexander’s army.

Provenance: copy from the library of Armand-François-Théophile d'Oilliamson (1792-1862), son of General Count d'Oilliamson (1738-1830), bearing his manuscript ex-libris on the half-title.

First edition, illustrated with a folding plate printed outside the text, of these essays by « M. L. C. D. M. D. L. D. G. D. C. D. M. L. C. D’A [i.e. Monsieur le chevalier Duvernois, maréchal des logis of the guards of the comte d’Artois] ».

Cf. Quérard, Supercheries littéraires, II, 700. Blackmer 1725. Hage Chahine 4990. Atabey 1280.

Our copy is preserved in its original wrappers, under plain grey covers, the spine unlettered and bearing traces of manuscript inscription.

Light marginal dampstaining affecting several leaves.

Verdy du Vernois (1738-1814) later became chamberlain to the King of Prussia and the author of several works on the military art, history, and the origins of certain sovereign houses of Germany.

His geographical essays on Turkey, on the military constitution of the Turks, and on the principal events of the war of 1768 between Russia and the Porte, may serve as a continuation to the memoirs of Baron de Tott.

The folding table, placed at the beginning of the volume, presents the genealogy of the Turkish emperors.

First edition of this advance extract from "Annam – Numismatic Studies", an ouvrage not due to appear until 1905.

A rare and pleasing copy, despite 

Autograph presentation inscription from Albert Schroeder to Jean-Calixte-Alexis Auvergne, Resident-Superior in Annam from 1897 to 1898, and again from 1901 to 1904.

Second edition, partly original as enlarged, illustrated with a lithographed frontispiece and two lithographed plates printed hors-texte.

Bradel binding in full paper boards covered with red shell-patterned paper, smooth spine, red shagreen title label, restored wrappers preserved and mounted on guards, modern binding.

This memoir, published by order of the Royal Academic Society of Savoy, of which the Comte de Boigne was president, notably recounts his travels in India.

Benoît Leborgne, Comte de Boigne, served in India and received from Prince Sindiah the supreme command of his troops, to whom he imparted European discipline and manoeuvres.

With them he won resounding victories. Upon the sovereign's death, the celebrated general returned to his native city and made numerous donations to the city of Chambéry.

George-Marie Raymond succeeded the count at the head of the Royal Society of Savoy.

The illustration consists of three portraits: that of the Comte de Boigne, placed as the frontispiece, and those of the Mughal emperors Maladjy-Sindia and Shah-Aulum.

First edition of what is sometimes inaccurately referred to as the "Constitution of Year XII", but which in fact constitutes an act of the Conservative Senate, dated the previous day (18 June 1804), entrusting the government of the French Republic (this designation being retained until 1814) to a hereditary Emperor in the person of Napoleon Bonaparte, and to his successors (in the absence of a direct male heir, a substantial portion of the text is devoted to the organisation of the succession)

This also represents the final production of the Imprimerie de la République, which immediately thereafter became the Imprimerie impériale.

A few minor spots of foxing, not serious.

Our copy is preserved in its original wrappers under a green speckled provisional paper cover.

Second edition of this French version (the first having appeared in 1781), approved by the author, of the Memorial most humbly addressed to the sovereigns of Europe, on the present state of affairs (London, July 1780) (cf. Sabin 64827).

Disbound copy, presented in a modern marbled paper wrapper.

This text had in fact been the subject of an earlier translation based on the Translation of the memorial by Edmund Jennings and John Adams, which failed to satisfy Pownall (namely the Pensées sur la Révolution de l'Amérique-Unie, issued with the Amsterdam imprint in 1780).

The substance of the various versions nonetheless converges, forming a prescient exhortation to the sovereigns of Europe to confer together in order to enter into commercial and economic relations with the future power that Pownall already discerned in the English colonies of America.

New edition, partly original, published anonymously (see Sabin 20,288).

Disbound copy, preserved in a modern marbled paper wrapper.

Abbé Louis Genty (1743–1817) is better known for his Influence de la découverte de l’Amérique sur le bonheur du genre humain, published in 1788, but this Dissertation appears here in a form close to its first draft.

Rare collection of 16 hand-coloured engravings, comprising a frontispiece and 15 plates, illustrating the virtues of soldiers and young men during the Consulate period.

Contemporary half bronze calf binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets, dotted tools and floral ornaments, minor rubbing to the spine, brown morocco title label, boards, endpapers and pastedowns of marbled paper, ex-libris pasted on the front pastedown.

An attractive copy.

A very rare Brescia imprint, dedicated to Prince Eugène and celebrating Napoleon’s successes in the German campaign of 1805.

No copy recorded in the CCF.

A dampstain to the upper right corner of the leaves.

Contemporary cream paper-covered boards, smooth spine without lettering with tears,  boards soiled, title within a black frame on the upper board and address likewise on the lower board, tears with losses on the lower board, contemporary binding. 

However, dated 26 November of that year, it could not yet include the victory of Austerlitz. Niccolo Bettoni (1770-1842) was a prominent figure of Italian typography at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and was nicknamed the "Italian Didot" by his Parisian admirers: having developed a passion for the art following a meeting with Bodoni, he first acquired the Tipografia dipartimentale di Mella (in Brescia, which became the finest printing house in Lombardy), before opening four further workshops in Padua (1808-1819), in Alvisopoli (1810-1813) and finally in Milan and Portogruaro (1819-1832).

In 1835 he secretly departed for Paris, where he died, somewhat forgotten and pursued by his creditors.

Rare pre-first edition offprint of Charles de Gaulle's article Les Origines de l'armée française, published in issue 520 of the Revue d'Infanterie in January 1936. This 44-page text will be entirely reprinted two years later as the first chapter of his celebrated work La France et son armée, published by Plon in 1938. Our copy is enriched with an autograph inscription signed by the author "to M. Jean Auburtin": "With profound and faithful friendship. C. de Gaulle."

Blue wrappers slightly sunned at extremities, spine and upper joint rebacked, minor losses to spine, vertical crease probably from mailing, old creases to upper right corners, some ink stains on lower wrapper, old stamp affixed and partially torn on same wrapper.

Uncommon first edition (cf. O'Reilly & Reitman, 6271: "Travail consciencieux, bien documenté et toujours utile"; Numa Broc, Océanie, pp. 377-380).

Our copy retains the two folding maps bound at the end of the first volume.

The two maps are titled: Carte de l'île Taïti d'après Vilson et les travaux récens de la frégate l'Artémise; Carte de l'archipel Taïti d'après les travaux les plus récens [et] des archipels français dans l'Océanie par Mr Vincendon-Dumoulin, 1844.

Contemporary half bottle-green sheep, spine with five raised bands gilt with scrolling tools and floral ornaments, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, spines slightly darkened.

Scattered foxing; two rather clumsily repaired tears to pp. 421 and 813 in vol. II.

The hydrographer-engineer Vincendon-Dumoulin (1811–1858) accompanied Dumont d’Urville aboard the Astrolabe during his visit to Tahiti in September 1838, at the time of the French intervention on the island.

Beyond an opening chapter on colonisation in Oceania, the work comprises a geographical section and a historical one.

The first offers a description of the Leeward Islands (Maupiti, Bora-Bora, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa), followed by the Windward Islands, including Tahiti.

The historical section, after several remarks on the institutions and customs of the inhabitants, recounts their history.

The table placed at the beginning of the volume provides a clear chronological sequence of events.

An appendix of 51 documents gathers the correspondence, notes, and reports exchanged by the representatives of France, England, and Pomaré in 1842–43.

First edition, illustrated with a folding plate bound at the end of the volume (cf. Quérard IX, 259).

Contemporary full boards covered with marbled paper, smooth spine heavily rubbed, a label with a now-effaced manuscript title affixed at the head of the spine, surface abrasions with paper losses to the boards, snags to the edges, bumped corners, sprinkled edges; a period binding.

Following general remarks on the designation, status, quality, and responsibilities of consuls, the work presents the texts of ordinances, treaties, and conventions relating to the Levant and Barbary trading posts (1781), prizes brought into foreign ports (1784), navigation and commerce between France and Russia (1787), trade between Portugal and Russia (1787), commerce between Russia and the King of the Two Sicilies, and that between Germany and Russia (1784–1785), Denmark and Russia (1782), etc.

The author served as Privy War Councillor in Berlin.

Second edition, partly original, revised and corrected (cf. Gay 954 and Tailliart 1601, who record only the fourth edition; Playfair 404).

Spine darkened and split, scattered foxing, a few stains to the boards.

The volume includes, as a frontispiece, a folding view of Algiers together with five plates and a folding map of the environs of Algiers, all hors texte.

First edition illustrated with three folding maps out of text.

"This work is one of the best contemporary accounts of the Greek War of Independence". Atabey 1014.

Minor losses to the corners of the spines and boards, uniformly browned boards, a few small spots of foxing.

Maxime Raybaud (1795–1894) was a senior officer in the Corps of Philhellenes and aide-de-camp to the President of the Executive Power of the Greek government.

He assisted the insurgents between 1821 and 1823, and again in 1825 and 1826.

First edition featuring the celebrated original color stencil "Aidez l'Espagne!", printed on Arches paper by Joan Miró.
With literary contributions by Christian Zervos on Pablo Picasso's "Guernica", as well as texts by Jean Cassou, Georges Duthuit, Pierre Mabille, Michel Leiris, Paul Éluard, René Char...
Illustrated with numerous reproductions of works by Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró’s "Le faucheur".
Some rubbing and small tears to the spine, as often, a vertical crease to the rear wrapper, otherwise a fresh and well-preserved copy.

Original black and white photograph depicting Moshe Dayan in a frontal pose, looking to his left.

Envelope and a printed sheet inscribed: "STATE OF ISRAEL with the compliments of The Minister of Defense" enclosed.

Signed by Moshe Dayan in blue ballpoint pen at the foot of the portrait.

Provenance: from the collection of the renowned autograph collector Claude Armand.

First edition, with no deluxe paper copies issued.

A few faint spots to the margins of the endpapers.

Rare dated and signed presentation copy from Didier Schuller to Jean La Mannerie and his wife.

Autograph manuscript signed by Gracchus Babeuf. Three pages on three leaves and nine lines (on the verso of the first leaf). He still writes under the name François-Noël and Camille (in homage to Camille Desmoulins) in the autograph manuscript heading on the first leaf ("F.N. Cam. Babeuf citoyen français"). Autograph pagination in the upper left corner of each leaf. Minor marginal tears not affecting the text, occasional foxing, slight horizontal center fold.

This long discourse is one of the first significant documents in which Babeuf, the Marat of Picardy and precursor of communism, speaks about himself after devoting his pen to defending the rights of peasants and workers since the beginning of the Revolution. In this veritable revolutionary credo, Babeuf replaces the rejection of Satan with that of the aristocracy and its works. He intends to prove that his past as a feudiste (whose work consisted in reconstituting or recovering the deeds by which lords could claim to collect from peasants rights that had fallen into disuse) paradoxically makes him the most qualified to abolish the feudal regime and its property privileges - ultimately achieving an early version of communism Babeuf was adamantly advocating for. 

"Feudality is nothing but a system of slavery and tyranny; my homeland wishes to be free, it must preserve nothing of what relates to such a regime. Recently, speaking to me of the former lords, I was asked very seriously this question: - do you renounce them? -yes, I replied, I renounce them and forever."

Very important and last remaining archives in private hands, including autograph manuscripts, typescripts, corrected proofs, offprints, first editions, etc.

Exceptional collection of manuscript and printed archives – the last in private hands – of the founder of liberalism and modern economics, Léon Walras, preserved and annotated by his most prominent scholar William Jaffé. One of the 5 most important sets of personal archives belonging to Walras, considered by Schumpeter “the greatest of all economists”.

This collection of 42 important documents, including complete autograph manuscripts, corrected proofs, abundantly annotated offprints and expanded printed material, was given by his daughter Aline Walras and then Gaston Leduc to William Jaffé, who added his autograph notes to some of them and used them to edit the first translation of Éléments d’économie politique pure. 

Autograph letter dated and signed by Charles Vildrac to Henri Barbusse; one page with his monogram blind-stamped in the upper left corner and written in black ink on one leaf, 18 lines.
Postal folds, a small tear at the foot of the letter without any damage to the text.
Charles Vildrac congratulates Henri Barbusse for his militant devotion and dynamism: "J'ai pris connaissance du Manifeste appel pour une ligue internationale des écrivains et j'y adhère sans réserves en applaudissant à votre généreuse initiative." ["I have read the Manifesto calling for an international league of writers and I join it without reservation, applauding your generous initiative."] while criticizing the silence or indifference of certain colleagues in the face of the dangerous rise of fascist and Nazi perils: "Ne pensez-vous pas que l'on pourrait solliciter l'adhésion d'une quantité d'écrivains qui se sont abstenus de toute réaction publique devant les événements... à leur signifier notre opposition à leur attitude ?" ["Don't you think we could solicit the support of a number of writers who have abstained from any public reaction to events... to signify our opposition to their attitude?"]