Romanticism

Very rare and highly sought-after first edition of Balzac's first novel signed by his name. Published a small number of copies, this first novel whose original title is inspired by the last of the Mohicans James Cooper, reappeared, reworked in 1834 under a new title: The Chouans .
This first important work of Balzac also marks the beginning of the comedy Humaine which she constitura since 1845 a scene of the military life .
Bindings in half red Russian leather, smooth backs adorned with gilt and black threads, gold friezes in heads and tails, marbled paper plates, Contemporary binding.
A restored bit and a flap sheet of the first volume changed, some...

Rare first edition of Hector Berlioz's first book.
Some restorations to the top spine-end, volume label on the spine of the second volume not fully visible, boards strengthened or lined (first board of the first volume), some stains on the first boards of both volumes.
Fine condition inside almost without any foxing.
Our copy is housed in green half shagreen chemises and slipcases, marbled paper boards, slipcases lined with the same shagreen, gilt titles and dates on the spine.
Rare.

First edition.

Black half morocco binding, spine with four raised bands adorned with gilt dotted fillets and double gilt compartments decorated at the corners, gilt date and the inscription "Ex. de J. Drouet" at the tail, marbled paper boards and endpapers, preserved covers and spine, top edge gilt, binding signed by René Aussourd.
Some minor foxing, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume.

Precious signed and inscribed copy by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet, the great love of his life: ‘To you, my lady. Humble homage. V.'

This copy comes from the library of Pierre Duché, who acquired Juliette Drouet's entire...

The very rare first edition.

Full glazed red calf bindings, smooth spines ornately decorated with gilt vegetal motifs, black calf title labels, gilt tooling on the headcaps, frames of quadruple black and gilt fillets enhanced with gilt fleurons at the corners on marbled paper boards, pink paper endpapers and pastedowns slightly soiled at margins, all edges gilt, gilt fillets at head and tail of leading edges, contemporary bindings.

Some light rubbing to boards, some minor foxing.

A handsome and rare copy of this work dedicated to his friend Béranger bound in an elegant contemporary Romantic binding. 

First edition of Album d’un pessimiste, here in its exceptionally rare earliest state. In this copy, both the title-page and half-title still bear the heading Œuvres posthumes.

Three states of the edition are known. The first, represented by the present copy, retains Œuvres posthumes on both title-page and half-title. In the second state, a new title-page reads Album d’un pessimiste, while the half-title remains unchanged; this is the state most commonly...

Rare and highly sought-after first edition (...) of which only a portion of the copies contains a preface (cf. Clouzot). The important account of the lawsuit concerning The Lily of the Valley that precedes the novel was not retained in subsequent editions and is often lacking in a number of the copies published by Werdet.

Copy complete with both the preface and the account of the lawsuit that opposed Balzac to the publisher François Buloz. Contemporary half green sheepskin bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt romantic typographical motifs, gilt fillets at heads and tails, marbled paper boards, paste paper endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges...

First definitive editions, partly original.
Bound in red half-shagreen with corners, spine with four raised bands decorated with blind-stamped panels and fillets, the entwined monogram of Jules Hetzel at the foot, uncut copy, contemporary binding.
A few occasional spots of foxing.
Inscribed by the author to Jules Hetzel, “as a token of the author’s friendship.”

In the 1840s, Balzac “contributed to a collective volume illustrated with Grandville’s vignettes, Scènes...

First edition.
Bound in red half Russia with corners, spine with four raised bands gilt-ruled and decorated with double gilt panels, date in gilt at foot within a compartment, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, rare wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, uncut, binding signed by Bernasconi.
The catalogue leaf of Victor Hugo’s works is present. A few folding creases to some leaves.

Mounted opposite the definitive version printed on p. 223 is a precious autograph poem by Victor Hugo, entitled “La pauvre...

First edition
Contemporary red half Russian morocco, the spine with double gilt fillets, corners very lightly rubbed.
Presentation copy, inscribed by Théophile Gautier to Monsieur Bufquin des Essarts on half-title.