Prestigious Designation of Provenance

The first edition, an advance [service de presse] copy.
A fine inscription from Jean Cocteau to Jean-Paul Sartre: “son ami de tout cœur [your true friend].”
Despite not being of the same generation, and despite everything that could have separated them, Jean Cocteau and Jean-Paul Sartre were friendly in the late 40s and early 50s. When Sartre died, Jean Marais evoked their regular telephone calls and dinners with endless, wonderful discussions.
The two also worked together for recognition for Jean Genet and in July 1948 published an open letter together in Combat, addressed to the President of France, Vincent Auriol, urging the release from...

First edition of this selection established by Paul Léautaud and Adolphe van Bever, a Service de Presse (advance) copy.
Worming to boards, two lacks to head and foot of spine.
Precious and handsome signed autograph inscription from Paul Léautaud to Henri Béraud: "... ces fleurs de lyrisme..." ["...these flowers of lyricism..."]
Provenance: from the library of Henri Béraud from Ré.

First edition, one of 90 copies on Holland paper, ours being one of a few lettered hors commerce copies.
Bradel binding in half brown box, smooth spine, decorated paper boards, brown endpapers and pastedowns, original covers preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed by Goy & Vilaine.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Paul Valéry: « A Victoria Ocampo, - a sus piès de Vd - ce petit rien qu'elle a bien voulu désirer. »
A superb dedication that marks the beginning of the enduring friendship between the two writers, beyond all differences.
At Valéry's death in 1945, Victoria Ocampo would recall their first meeting in December 1928 during a writers’ dinner to...

Seventh edition, first to illustrate Zimeo, adorned with 7 plates by Moreau le Jeune: a frontispiece and 4 plates for Les Saisons, engraved by Delaunay, Duclos, Prévost and Simonet, and 2 plates for the Contes, Poésies fugitives and Fables orientales, together with 4 headpiece vignettes by Choffard. Our copy is further enriched with separate pulls of the title-page ornament and Choffard's vignettes.
Nineteenth-century binding in full midnight-blue morocco. Five-raised-band spine decorated with pastoral flowers (vine, wheat and billhook, game and hunting horn...) and gilt compartments. Triple gilt fillet and...

First edition published as part of the complete works
Half light brown morocco by Petit successeur de Simier, spine in six compartments, marbled pastedowns and endpapers, top edge gilt
Handsome autograph inscription from George Sand to his friend Charles Sagnier, a frequent visitor of the house at Nohant during the final years of Sand's life.
Provenance: from the library of Charles Sagnier with his ex libris.

First edition of the german translation by Paul Celan, printed on vergé.

Slight foxings, not serious, on one cover of the slipcase.
A good copy.
Autograph inscription, signed and dated, by Paul Celan to the surrealiust painter Edgar Jené and his wife : "Für Erica und Edgar Jené herzlich, Paul Celan. Paris, am 30. Oktober 1960".

First edition on ordinary paper.
Handsome autograph inscription from Paul Eluard to Raymond Queneau on the first volume: "... ce livre qui nous rajeunit...[…this book that makes us young again…]"

First edition on ordinary paper.

Some scattered foxing.
Bradel binding in full combed paper, smooth spine, navy morocco lettering-piece framed with gilt fillets, elegant pastiche binding signed by Thomas Boichot.
Rare and precious autograph inscription signed by Hector Malot: "A Guy de Maupassant, son dévoué confrère."

Statement of second edition, the first edition having appeared in 1705. Each volume contains a trimester, and a title page for each month. The set thus comprises the months from January 1705 to June of the same year. General title page in red and black.
Armorial copy with the arms of the Riquet de Caraman family.
Contemporary full glazed blonde calf binding. Richly decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label and volume labels.
The Nouvelles de la république des lettres was a monthly publication published from March 1684 to June 1718 (with a notable interruption from 1711 to 1715). This gazette was inaugurated by Pierre Bayle (11 volumes until February 1687), then...

First edition on ordinary paper, stated the second.
Contemporary half khaki cloth Bradel binding over marbled paper boards by Paul Vié, initials and date gilt to bottom of spine, covers preserved.
Precious autograph inscription from the author to the noted art critic Philippe Burty.
Occasional spotting, principally affecting margins.

HUGO Victor
La Pitié suprême [The Supreme Compassion] Calmann Lévy, Paris 1879, 150 x 240 mm (5 15/16 x 9 7/16 ”), half shagreen
First edition.
Elegant half dark blue shagreen over marbled paper boards by René Aussourd, spine in four compartments with gilt dots and double gilt compartments containing horizontal arabesques and gilt stars, date and “ex. de J. Drouet” in gilt at foot, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved (marginal repairs to covers), top edge gilt, ex-libris of Pierre Duché on one endpaper.
An exceptional presentation copy, inscribed by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet, the love of his life: “The first copy...

Second edition on ordinary paper.

Bradel binding in half orange cloth, smooth spine very slightly faded decorated with gilt floral motif, double gilt fillet at foot, chocolate shagreen title label, marbled paper boards, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.

Precious presentation copy, inscribed by Octave Mirbeau to Jean Ajalbert.

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

First edition on ordinary paper.
Contemporary Bradel binding in half almond cloth, smooth spine very slightly faded decorated with a gilt typographical fleuron, double gilt fillet at foot, red shagreen title-label, marbled paper boards, original wrappers preserved, front cover with small harmless stains at head.
Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by Jules Renard to Jean Ajalbert.

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

First edition, for which there is no mention of large paper copies.
Contemporary Bradel binding in half khaki cloth over marbled paper boards, the spine with gilt floral motif, a double gilt fillet at foot of spine, red shagreen title label (small marginal scratches), one lower corner rubbed.
A rare and precious autograph inscription from Alphonse Allais to his publisher Paul Ollendorff : "... le seul éditeur vraiment digne de ce nom, hommage d'un auteur qui n'est pas non plus dans une potiche [the only publisher really worthy of that name, homage from an author who is also not on a sinecure".
Provenance : library of Paul Ollendorff. 

First edition on ordinary paper.

Half-forest green shagreen contemporary binding, spine with five raised bands, marbled paper board and endpapers, bookplate pasted on one guard.
Some slight, minor foxing.

Rare signed and inscribed copy by Gustave Flaubert to (Louis) de Carné, journalist and historian, several of whose works were listed in the inventory of Flaubert's personal library.

Flaubert's interest in de Carné's work was not always benevolent, however. Critical notes on his articles can be found in the Bouvard and Pécuchet files.
Moreover, the publication of Salammbô coincided with the controversial election of Louis de...

First edition.
Authorial presentation inscription signed by Guy de Maupassant “to Monsieur [Amaury] Renoul,” manager of the Librairie Nouvelle, located at 15 boulevard des Italiens. The back room of this celebrated Parisian bookshop served as a literary salon frequented by many of the capital’s foremost artistic and intellectual figures. 
Spine slightly cocked, joints rubbed, otherwise a very good copy in its original condition.

Seventh edition, first for some parts, as corrected and reviewed.
Contemporary half black shagreen over black paper boards, spine in five compartments with slender bands and double blindruled compartments, marbled pastedowns and endpapers.
Rare autograph inscription signed and dated by Alfred de Vigny to abbé Huc, who was one of the great missionaries to China and for whom Alfred de Vigny bore a great admiration: " témoignage de vénération et d'attachement / Alfred de Vigny [testimony of [my] veneration and attachment / Alfred de Vigny]."
A little light foxing.

Edition illustrated with original tailpieces and vignettes by Jean-Gabriel Daragnès engraved on wood, one of 250 numbered copies on Arches vellum, the only edition with 30 various Japan.
Publisher's binding in full flexible boards covered with watered paper, title vignette pasted on the front cover.

Precious and fine autograph inscription from J.-G. Daragnès to André Gide who signed twice (in black ink then in blue ballpoint pen).

A tiny lack at the foot of one joint, handsome copy.