Tales, Myths and Legends

Original wood engraving signed on the plate by the artist and engraver. Composition created by Gustave Doré and engraved by Charles Maurand on China paper and mounted on laid Holland paper at the request of publisher Hetzel to illustrate his folio edition of Perrault's Contes in 1862.
Occasional worming and soiling to lower right corner, not affecting the engraving.
These illustrations of the Contes are considered the most successful of this text: Gustave Doré presents an unprecedented dramatic vision. With him, everything contributes to the dramatization of the tale, from the theatrical staging of the scene to the smallest details that generate terrifying realism through the technique known as "tinted wood". He uses India ink or gouache, previously diluted as required by the "wash" technique. For Perrault's tales, the eleven best engravers of the time were employed to engrave with burin the forty wooden plates: Pannemaker, Pisan, Pierdon, Maurand, Boetzel, Brevière, Hébert, Deschamps, Dumont, Delduc and Fagnon. Gustave Doré's work in illustrating the Contes is paramount; he does not reduce engraving to its ornamental function but transforms it into a true object of narration. These illustrations are Doré's most famous works and immediately received enthusiastic criticism, notably that of Sainte-Beuve in Les Nouveaux lundis (December 23, 1861): "Un Perrault comme il n'y en eut jamais jusqu'ici et comme il ne s'en verra plus. (...) Je ne puis que dire que ces dessins me semblent fort beaux, d'un tour riche et opulent, qu'ils ont un caractère grandiose qui renouvelle l'aspect de ces humbles contes et leur rend de leur premier merveilleux antérieur à Perrault même." ["A Perrault like there never was before and as will never be seen again. (...) I can only say that these drawings seem very beautiful to me, of a rich and opulent turn, that they have a grandiose character that renews the aspect of these humble tales and restores to them their original marvelous quality that existed before Perrault himself."]

Original wood engraving signed on the plate by the artist and engraver. Composition created by Gustave Doré and engraved on China paper and mounted on laid Holland paper at the request of publisher Hetzel to illustrate his folio edition of Perrault's Contes in 1862.
Small fold to lower right corner not affecting the engraving and occasional light worming to margin.
These illustrations of the Contes are considered the most successful of this text: Gustave Doré presents an unprecedented dramatic vision. With him, everything contributes to the dramatization of the tale, from the theatrical staging of the scene to the smallest details that generate terrifying realism through the technique known as "tinted wood". He uses India ink or gouache, previously diluted as required by the "wash" technique. For Perrault's tales, the eleven best engravers of the time were employed to engrave with burin the forty wooden plates: Pannemaker, Pisan, Pierdon, Maurand, Boetzel, Brevière, Hébert, Deschamps, Dumont, Delduc and Fagnon. Gustave Doré's work in illustrating the Contes is paramount; he does not reduce engraving to its ornamental function but transforms it into a true object of narration. These illustrations are Doré's most famous works and immediately received enthusiastic criticism, notably that of Sainte-Beuve in Les Nouveaux lundis (December 23, 1861): "Un Perrault comme il n'y en eut jamais jusqu'ici et comme il ne s'en verra plus. (...) Je ne puis que dire que ces dessins me semblent fort beaux, d'un tour riche et opulent, qu'ils ont un caractère grandiose qui renouvelle l'aspect de ces humbles contes et leur rend de leur premier merveilleux antérieur à Perrault même." ["A Perrault like there never was before and as will never be seen again. (...) I can only say that these drawings seem very beautiful to me, of a rich and opulent turn, that they have a grandiose character that renews the aspect of these humble tales and restores to them their original marvelous quality that existed before Perrault himself."]

Original wood engraving signed in the plate by the artist and the engraver. Composition created by Gustave Doré and engraved by Héliodore Pisan on China paper and mounted on Dutch laid paper at the request of publisher Hetzel to illustrate his folio edition of Perrault's Contes in 1862.
Worming in margins not touching the engraving.
These illustrations of the Contes are considered the most successful of this text: Gustave Doré offers an unprecedented dramatic vision. With him, everything contributes to the dramatization of the tale, from the theatrical staging of the scene to the smallest details that generate terrifying realism through the technique known as "tinted wood". He uses India ink or gouache, previously diluted as required by the "wash" technique. For Perrault's tales, the eleven best engravers of the time were enlisted to engrave with burin the forty wooden plates: Pannemaker, Pisan, Pierdon, Maurand, Boetzel, Brevière, Hébert, Deschamps, Dumont, Delduc and Fagnon. Gustave Doré's work in illustrating the Contes is paramount; he does not reduce engraving to its ornamental function but transforms it into a true narrative object. These illustrations are Doré's most famous works and immediately received enthusiastic reviews, notably that of Sainte-Beuve in Les Nouveaux lundis (December 23, 1861): "Un Perrault comme il n'y en eut jamais jusqu'ici et comme il ne s'en verra plus. (...) Je ne puis que dire que ces dessins me semblent fort beaux, d'un tour riche et opulent, qu'ils ont un caractère grandiose qui renouvelle l'aspect de ces humbles contes et leur rend de leur premier merveilleux antérieur à Perrault même." ["A Perrault like none before and like none to come. (...) I can only say that these drawings seem very beautiful to me, richly and opulently executed, having a grandiose character that renews the aspect of these humble tales and restores their original wonder that predates even Perrault."]

Original wood engraving signed in the plate by the artist and the engraver. Composition created by Gustave Doré and engraved by Héliodore Pisan on China paper and mounted on Dutch laid paper at the request of publisher Hetzel to illustrate his folio edition of Perrault's Contes in 1862.
Two scratches in the margin, a small tear in the upper margin without loss and very rare worming not touching the engraving.
These illustrations of the Contes are considered the most successful of this text: Gustave Doré offers an unprecedented dramatic vision. With him, everything contributes to the dramatization of the tale, from the theatrical staging of the scene to the smallest details that generate terrifying realism through the technique known as "tinted wood". He uses India ink or gouache, previously diluted as required by the "wash" technique. For Perrault's tales, the eleven best engravers of the time were enlisted to engrave with burin the forty wooden plates: Pannemaker, Pisan, Pierdon, Maurand, Boetzel, Brevière, Hébert, Deschamps, Dumont, Delduc and Fagnon. Gustave Doré's work in illustrating the Contes is paramount; he does not reduce engraving to its ornamental function but transforms it into a true narrative object. These illustrations are Doré's most famous works and immediately received enthusiastic reviews, notably that of Sainte-Beuve in Les Nouveaux lundis (December 23, 1861): "Un Perrault comme il n'y en eut jamais jusqu'ici et comme il ne s'en verra plus. (...) Je ne puis que dire que ces dessins me semblent fort beaux, d'un tour riche et opulent, qu'ils ont un caractère grandiose qui renouvelle l'aspect de ces humbles contes et leur rend de leur premier merveilleux antérieur à Perrault même." ["A Perrault like none before and like none to come. (...) I can only say that these drawings seem very beautiful to me, richly and opulently executed, having a grandiose character that renews the aspect of these humble tales and restores their original wonder that predates even Perrault."]

First edition of the new French translation by Christian, illustrated with first printing of 10 plates by Gavarni on wood and multiple vignettes, initials, tailpieces by the same. Preface on Hoffmann by Christian.
Half lemon yellow morocco binding with corners, late 19th century, signed Champs at the top of the first endpaper. Raised bands spine richly decorated. Red morocco title label. Decorative fillets on boards. Peacock eye paper on boards. Top edge gilt. Small dark spots on upper board. Small dent at foot over 2 mm. Fresh tinted paper free from foxing, rare condition for this edition usually covered with foxing and browning.
Very handsome copy.
17 tales (Salvator Rosa, Antonia's Song, Coppelius...), including The heroic story of the famous minister Klein-Zach, nicknamed Cinnabar, in ten chapters.

First edition, illustrated with 21 etchings by Jules Lalauze. Limited printing after 220 numbered deluxe copies. One of 107 on Holland paper, No. 124. Title pages in red and black. Fine printing on laid paper.
Bound in contemporary glazed green half morocco with corners in Bradel style, signed L. Guetant on endpaper. Smooth Jansenist spine, gilt title and volume number. Separating fillets on boards. Top edge gilt. Uncut copy with full margins. 5 volumes slightly warped. Toned paper with some scattered worming, overall paper yellowed nonetheless. Browning on the engravings in the margins. Leaf 120 in volume 1 with restoration to lower margin. Leaves 52, 92, small restoration to margin, volume 7; leaf 147, restoration to lower margin. Tear in volume 9, p. 138.
Handsome copy.

First edition of this sung tale by Jacques Le Lorrain set to music by Gaston Dubreuilh.
Publisher's binding in half steel-blue percaline, smooth spine unlettered, grey paper boards, illustrated front board, blue paper endpapers and pastedowns.
Handsome copy.
Work illustrated by Maurice de Lambert.
Rare copy of this sung tale created by Gabriel de Montoya at the shadow theatre of the Quat-z-Arts.

First French illustrated edition with 13 attractive unsigned figures. Title pages in red and black. Sir Charles Morell is the pseudonym of James Ridley. The first English edition dates from 1764, here translated by Robinet.
Contemporary full brown marbled and glazed calf bindings. Spines with raised bands, decorated. Red morocco title and volume labels. Headcap of volume I with loss. Restorations at head of volumes II and III, likewise at tail of volume I. Joint of volume II split at tail. A filled loss along the upper joint of volume II. Upper joint of volume III split at tail. Fresh copy overall with some yellowed leaves. The plates of volume III have been bound in volume II and vice versa.
Bookplate: from the library of M. de Beaumont.
Attributed to Imam Horam (whose life occupies the preliminary pages) and supposedly translated by the ambassador to Bombay Charles Morell, these tales inspired by the structure of the Arabian Nights are the work of James Ridley's imagination, whose notoriety and popular success were significant in England. Published at the beginning of the 18th century in Galland's translation, the Arabian Nights generated in Europe an important literature tinged with fantasy, oneirism and eroticism.

New illustrated edition with 8 etchings by Tony Johannot bearing the artist's name engraved with the point, on China paper mounted. These illustrations belong to the first illustrated edition of 1845, 2 are artist's proofs without Johannot's name added by him. Printed on laid paper.
Half old red shagreen binding with corners signed Petit at the top of the first endpaper. Spine with raised bands richly decorated with elaborately gilt compartments. Red shagreen title label. Top edge gilt. Uncut copy, full-margined, perfectly fresh. Spine slightly faded.
Handsome copy from the sale of Jacques Crépineau's library, without his bookplate but with a bookmark from L'Etude Ader reproducing the bookplate (11/10/2021). Director of the Michodière theater and theater historian, he held a famous collection of Romantic books.
List of tales: Trilby - Le songe d'or - Baptiste Montauban - La fée aux miettes - La combe de l'homme mort - Inès de las sierras - Smara - La neuvaine de la chandeleur - La légende de la soeur Béatrix.

Edition of the French translation by Desaintange (Ange-François Fariau de Saint-Ange (1747-1810)), with the French version alongside the Latin. The very famous illustration comprises a portrait of Desaintange, a frontispiece, and 139 figures by Eisen, Moreau Le Jeune, Gravelot, Monnet, Boucher and engraved by Massard, Simmonet, Née, Leveau, Ponce, Binet, De Longueil... Most by Eisen and Moreau Le Jeune. Complete with the leaf showing placement of engravings after the title of volume I.
Contemporary binding in full blonde sheep marbled in green and brown. Smooth spine decorated with 4 compartments in grotesque style (stars and small tools), with roulettes at head and foot (wide Empire-style roulette at foot). Vine-motif border frame. Title and volume labels in blonde sheep. Loss to upper joint at head of volume I with 3cm split. One cut to headcap of volume I. Loss to upper joint at head of volume 2. One gathering in vol. II p.55 largely detached, and protruding by a few millimeters. Scattered pale foxing. A good copy.

Illustrated edition with first printing of vignettes by Tony Johannot, Baron, Celestin Nanteuil, Grandville, Geoffroy and 32 plates by the same artists.
Half chocolate brown morocco with corners, late 19th century, signed Bertault at the top of the first endpaper. Smooth spine richly decorated with mirror-pattern tools in Romantic style, roulette at head and tail, frame fillets. Separating fillets on boards. Top edge gilt. Covers and spine preserved. Uncut copy with full margins. Paper perfectly fresh, immaculate. Spine slightly sunned. Some traces of rubbing.
Very handsome copy of this rare illustrated Romantic work.

Magic Lantern Red Riding Hood – 12 Lantern slides Complete series of illustrations the tale of Red Riding Hood hand-painted on 12 glass plates intended for a magic lantern, the ancestor of the projector and the cinema.
Publisher's cardboard box, with the titles on the top board: “12 Superior English Made lantern slides”. Handwritten: “Red Riding Hood”. Signs of rubbing on the box. A stop in the split lid at 2cm. On plate 9, paper is missing which circles the plate in a border. On plate 12, the black part has a small scratch, this part encircling the medallion which is projected by the lantern. Otherwise collection in excellent condition.
Millikin & Lawley carried out their trade in magic lanterns and plates between 1860 and 1900.

The first edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Two small stains at head of first endpaper and on verso of front board facing it, slight tear without loss at foot of title page.
Autograph inscription signed by Georges Dumézil to René Etiemble.

The first edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Handsome copy.
Autograph inscription dated and signed by Georges Dumézil to René Etiemble.

This illustrated edition originally appeared from Curmer but the frontispieces of each tale were only printed in black whereas they have been printed in bistre in this edition. The text of the tales is entirely engraved in italics and superbly printed on strong laid paper. The illustrations in the text are finely engraved on steel, they are due to the imagination of Pauquet, Marvy, Jeanron, Jacque, Beaucé, Jules Compagnon, and engraved by Monin.
The 15-page notice on the life and works of Perrault by Paul Jacob appeared for the first time in the 1836 edition, the same is true for the dissertation in fine on fairy tales.
One general title in bistre and 9 frontispieces in bistre; each page of each tale entirely engraved with text and composition framing the text or as headpieces, tailpieces...
Publisher's binding in half dark green shagreen. Spine with false raised bands richly decorated with ornate compartments. All edges gilt. White glazed watered paper for the endpapers. Signs of rubbing. 2 frontispieces partly detached. Some small scattered foxing on paper that is quite white with full margins. A handsome copy.
"It is one of the most beautiful illustrated books of the 19th century and perhaps the rarest in fine condition..." Carteret (Le trésor du bibliophile romantique et moderne). This edition is very rare and is encountered only very infrequently, just like the one published by Curmer, it found itself, as Carteret affirms, in the hands of children with little bibliophilic sense.

First edition illustrated with an unpublished portrait in chromolithography, 14 frames on tinted frieze, ornaments and tailpieces extracted from a 15th-century manuscript, and 14 beautiful original compositions printed in monochrome by Claudius Ciappori-Puche.
Deluxe publisher's binding in full brown shagreen gilt and polychrome signed at foot by Legros and Pelletier. Spine with raised bands decorated with special tools. Large ornamental panel on boards, with at the center of the upper board a shield on blue ground, same on the lower board with the initials JD within a decorative medallion. Foot headcap slightly worn in part. Gilt roll on leading edges and rich interior frieze. Edges gilt. Leather of lower joint at foot with slight crack. Some pale scattered foxing.
Rich binding inspired by the 15th century.
Biography of Joan of Arc examined from the perspective of her divine mission.

First edition.
Bound contemporary brown half-shagreen. Spine decorated with gilt fillets. Gilt title. Traces of rubbing to edges. Scattered foxing. A good copy.
This translation of Poe was published a few months before Baudelaire's first collection of poems, Les Fleurs du mal.
While we know how much E.A. Poe owes to Baudelaire, whose superb translation is known to even surpass the original work, we often overlook Baudelaire's own literary debt to his American model. More than an exercise in translation, Baudelaire found in reading Poe's extraordinary stories the very soul of his poems, which we still being written at the time.
Following the success of his first translation of Les Histoires Extraordinaires in 1856, Baudelaire added a unique preface to his Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires, which goes far beyond a simple presentation of Edgar Allan Poe's "dark and strange genius", and proves to be a true tribute to Poe by his humble translator who was about to become one of the greatest poets in history.
"From the bosom of a greedy world, starved of materialities, Poe darted into dreams. Smothered as he was by the American atmosphere, he wrote at the head of Eureka: "I offer this book to those who have put their faith in dreams as in the only realities!" [...] Poe, an Aristocrat by nature even more than by birth, a Virginian, a Southern man, a true Byron lost in a bad world, always retained his philosophical impassivity, and, whether he was defining the nose of the rabble, mocking the fabricators of religion, or mocking libraries, he remains what the true poet was and always will be, - a truth dressed in a bizarre way, an apparent paradox, who doesn't want to be elbowed by the crowd, and who runs to the far east when the fireworks go off at sunset." (Baudelaire in his foreword to his Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires)
Henry de la Madelène, a writer and friend of Baudelaire's, made no mistake when he urged his contemporaries to discover the poet through his translations of Poe: "Read them carefully, and you will at once have the secret of Baudelaire's soul and the secret of his works".

First printing of the 109 color miniatures by Henry Lemarié, one of the numbered copies on Rives laid paper for each volume.
Small traces of soiling on the inner flaps of the slipcases which also have small paper lacks to the corners.
Handsome and rare set, lacking three of its slipcases, which was originally intended to comprise six tales but of which only three were published.

First edition published anonymously.
Spine cracked with small lacks, a lack at the head of the first cover, handsome interior condition.
Rare.

First edition.

 

Half-shagreen binding of the late 19th century. Smooth spine decorated with repeated romantic tooling, title and date in gilt. Top edge gilt. Spine uniformly sunned. Light scattered foxing. 

Bookplate with crowned cipher, Alfred and Blanche de Curzon.  Alfred de Curzon was a French painter, deceased in 1895.

This collection contains important short stories by the author, including Mateo Falcone, L'enlèvement de la Redoute, Vision de Charles XI, Le vase étrusque...

This edition is a modified impression of the first illustrated edition of 1685. The illustration consists of 2 frontispieces and 58 half-page vignettes drawn by Romeyn de Hooghe (except the second frontispiece which is not found in the 1685 edition and the figures of the 4 last tales). "The frontispiece of the first volume is that of 1685 reversed, without signature. The date and the bookseller's name have been removed. The frontispiece of the 2nd vol. is a new composition without signature. The vignettes are those of 1685, reversed and engraved with a certain fineness". Hédé-Haüy, p. 13. This is therefore not a reissue, the figures having been newly engraved and reversed. This particularity forms the entire interest of this new edition, different from the first. Moreover the 4 last tales have large anonymous engravings and a frontispiece has been added." - Brunet III, 759 "This edition contains in addition to that of 1685, four tales printed in Paris in Maucroix's collection." This edition was made in Paris, Desbordes' address merely reproduces the publisher of the first illustrated edition of 1685.
Contemporary full bronze olive green morocco binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Triple gilt fillet frame on boards. Gilt edges. Interior gilt fillet. Paper uniformly yellowed.
Very fine copy, very rare in contemporary green morocco.
Although Cohen stipulates that many collectors join this edition to the fine illustrated books of the 18th century, one should note however that the vivid art of Romain de Hooghe, which magnifies the vignette, is entirely representative of his century and in no way joins the aesthetic canons of the following century; this is precisely what gives it all its value.

The rare first posthumous edition. After the half-title, 4pp. catalogue.
Contemporary full porphyry calf binding. Smooth spine decorated with 4 fleurons. Black calf title label. Frame border on boards. Small 0.5cm split to upper joint at head and foot, minimal. Handsome copy.
Famous orientalist and pioneer of Egyptology, translator of the Quran, fluent Arabic speaker, Savary brought back several tales from his travels, and it is specified in the foreword that this is a translation. It is nevertheless preferable to consider that Savary is the author, and that his great knowledge of Arab customs makes this tale a story close to those of the Thousand and One Nights.
The Mercure de France of 1789 is particularly laudatory of this tale which it characterizes by its veracity, opposing it to the countless forgers who have created oriental tales without knowing anything about the Orient.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

first edition for which no large papers were taken, one of the review copies service.
Autographed autograph dedication of the author from Georges Dumézil to Pierre Dumayet.
Back slightly insolated.

New edition, one of the copies printed on Holland paper of which no mention is made.
Work illustrated with a frontispiece drawn by Louis-Edouard Fournier.
Spine and boards uniformly sunned, a light marginal dampstain to the front board, handsome interior condition.

New edition, rare, after the original Parisian edition of 1723, and illustrated with 8 unsigned figures, 4 for each volume. Title pages in red and black. At the end Catalogue des livres qui se trouvent chez Jean Neaulme (32 p.).
Contemporary full marbled brown calf bindings. Raised band spines with ornament. Red morocco title labels, tan morocco volume labels. Tail of volume II partly torn away. Lower joint of volume I split at head. Two lacks to upper board of volume II. Upper joint of volume I cracked at head. Missing one endleaf before title. A good copy.
The title "Oriental Tales" would truly be more accurate to describe this bewildering collection, where the stories are embedded within one another, taking us from one country to another. Thus we find numerous tales about Persia, some about India, others about the kingdom of Canaan (Cochinchina, Laos...). Everything begins with the king of Canaan's desire to send a harem as an offering to the king of China. The reader finds himself in Persia with the ambassador of the king of Canaan and two dervishes, one of whom turns out to be a girl, and the other the king of Georgia. The essential narration is handled by the mandarin Fum-Hoam, but the tales and stories concern Persia and neighboring countries more. The marvelous is not absent from these tales of unbridled invention: one can notably see Fum-Hoam transformed into a flea. Gueullette made a specialty of writing oriental tales and produced several quite important collections that all had lasting success, not only in France, but also in England, Germany, and even Russia. One cannot distinguish what in Gueullette stems from compilation, borrowing or even plagiarism, and what comes from the author's pen. One thing is certain, reading the Arabian Nights translated by Galland (whose first collection appeared in 1704) profoundly marked him and he holds an important place alongside 18th-century tales by Crébillon, Hamilton and others, for whom the Orient was an inexhaustible source of inventions and moral transgressions.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Publisher's full brown cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine.
Handsome copy complete with its dust jacket which shows slight marginal tears.

First edition, rare. Title pages in red and black. The work was reprinted in the Collection des voyages imaginaires, songes, visions et romans cabalistiques, volume XXV.
Contemporary full glazed and marbled calf binding. Smooth decorated spine. Havana morocco title-label. 2 corners bumped, one trimmed. Rubbing, particularly to edges. Scattered browning. A reasonably good copy.
A tale set in an imaginary country in South America between two peoples, the moon-worshipping Amazons, and the sun-worshipping Solinians. The story begins with the abduction by the Amazons of the prince of the Solinians. It is a marvelous tale, in the tradition of oriental tales of the period, including fairies and magic and a love story. The author presents in his epistle his work as a masterpiece, a work "as beautiful and as useful as that one"; lightness and humor are indeed never far from the narrative.
Ex libris Eroticis Piero Lorenrroni (nude woman reclining with putti).

LA FONTAINE Jean de
Contes et nouvelles en vers
N. n., Amsterdam [Paris] 1762, in-8 (12 x 18,5 cm)., xiv (2) 268 pp et (2) viij (2) 306 pp.(4), 2 volumes, contemporary morocco
The so-called Fermiers Généraux edition, using the editions of 1685 and 1696 for the text and adding tales by d'Autreau and de Vergier, present in the 1718 edition.
This edition was of 2,000 copies on vergé de Hollande paper, the present copy one of the rare copies in contemporary morocco. This copy is probably of the first issue, bearing in mind the quality of the engravings and a fleuron error on p. 240 of vol. 1, later corrected.
The work has 80 proof illustrations by Eisen, engraved by the foremost engravers of the time (Aliamet, Baquoy, Choffard, Delafosse, Flipart, Le Mire, Leveau, de Longueuil and Ouvrier), two frontispiece portraits (one of La Fontaine by Hyacinthe Rigaud and another of Eisen by Vispré, engraved by Ficquet), as well as six vignettes by Coffard, of which two to title, two hors-texte at the head of each volume and two at the head of the first tale in each volume; and 53 tailpieces.
This edition was printed at the expense of the Fermiers Généraux and is therefore known as the “Fermiers Généraux edition.” It stands out thanks to the high quality of its printing and the remarkable illustrations by Eisen (1720-1778), who made this work not only his own masterpiece, but unquestionably one of the masterpieces of 18th century illustrated book production.
Contemporary red morocco, the spines with gilt fillets and fleurons (stars), the covers with a triple frame of gilt fillets, gilt tooling to edge of covers, narrow interior gilt dentelle framing the marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. A few insignificant spots to the plates in the second volume.
This copy has a few inversions in the order of the plates in volume one, due to binder error: 257-258, index leaf, 261-262, 259-260, 265-266, 263-264, blank, 267-268.
The engravings Cas of Conscience and the Devil of Papefiguière are in the uncovered state, as are those of the Lunettes and Rossignol. The engraving of Féronde is in its pre-hat state, the plate of the Other Imitation of Anacréon in its pre-arrow state, while that of the Ailing Alix has no ornaments on the curtains, like the plate of the Remedy.
Brunet notes that the plates contained nude elements, which were then hidden by alterations to the two plates.
A very attractive copy in a rare contemporary red morocco binding.

Factitious collection of several editions by the same publisher at different dates comprising the author's works. The first 4 volumes dated 1762 bring together the tales and miscellaneous works. The 2 volumes numbered 5 and 6 are the Memoirs of the Count of Grammont, dated 1760 and with the same device as on the title pages of the first 4 volumes. The seventh volume contains miscellaneous works dated 1776, the only volume bearing an address and place (Le Jay in Paris).
Contemporary bindings in full glazed blonde marbled calf. Smooth spines decorated with acorn tools. Red morocco title labels, and black morocco volume labels (that of volume II in green morocco may have changed color). Tail headcap torn on volume I. Wormholes at tail of volume II; similarly, worming at tail of volume III and on the first compartment, with losses. A wormhole at tail of volume IV. 3 corners bumped on volume I. Rubbing. Generally fresh, leaves sometimes slightly yellowed.
Count Hamilton left one of the most appreciated novels of the 18th century, the Memoirs of Count Grammont, which were later praised and rehabilitated by Etiemble. He also left a collection of marvelous and oriental tales in the taste of his time, which only circulated in manuscripts, then were published in 1730. Here is what Laharpe wrote about the Memoirs: "Of all frivolous books, it is the most agreeable and ingenious; it is the work of a light and refined spirit, accustomed in the corruption of courts to know no other vice than the ridiculous, to cover the worst morals with a veneer of elegance, to relate everything to pleasure and gaiety. There is something of Voiture's tone, but infinitely perfected. The art of recounting small things, in a way to make them worth much, is in its perfection."

New edition. Date of edition according to the catalogue given by the Publisher's Notice. Engraved title.
In original wrappers, under contemporary marbled paper. Unlettered spine. Paper lacking at headcaps. 2 small tears on the upper cover at top margin. Corners turned down.
Story of Queen Argentine, in China, ugly but with a nature devoted to pleasure. She meets Osaco whom a fairy's curse prevents from fulfilling his desire when a woman pleases him, then Prince Valicar whom an enchantment keeps sleeping and whom only a queen can awaken... The tale is a pretext for the author to make observations on Parisian customs.

New edition, after the first published in 1765, expanded with a third volume appearing here for the first time.
Contemporary full brown marbled calf bindings. Smooth spine decorated. Red morocco title and volume labels. One corner slightly bumped. Some rubbing. Handsome copy.
For many years La Dixmerie would supply the Mercure with his tales almost free of charge after Marmontel's departure, and most of the 24 titles in this collection appeared there. They belong to all genres of tales: marvelous, oriental, moralist and historical. The author explains in the preface his use of the epithet "philosophical" added to his tales, mocking this term applied at the time to everything and anything, and which he used because it was fashionable and because all his tales could serve as a pretext for moralizing. One can distinguish a talent for lightness and satire.

Reprint by the same publisher of the first edition of 1701, illustrated with a frontispiece and 100 half-page figures by Romain de Hooghe and retouched by Picart le Romain. Rare.
Late 18th century binding (possibly later) in full red Russia leather. Foreign binding, perhaps Russian. Spine with raised bands decorated with compartmented tulip tools. Gilt title and volume label. Head and foot rolls. Decorative border on covers. All edges gilt. Headcap of volume 2 partly worn. Corners slightly bumped. A tear to the lower joint of volume 2. Despite minor defects, handsome and uncommon binding, the set in good condition and well-printed.
Les Cent Nouvelles nouvelles is the first collection of French novellas, commissioned by the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Good, to whom it is dedicated and who received it in 1462. It brings together one hundred very free tales by authors from the Burgundian court, satirical and ribald in spirit, particularly targeting women and the clergy. Pierre Champion attributes its authorship to Philippe Pot, although 36 different storytellers can be identified. Their model of inspiration is clearly Boccaccio's Decameron.
Along with La Fontaine's Contes, this represents Romain de Hooghe's finest work, who captured the spirit of each tale in a lively manner, full of fantasy and humor.

Rare first edition printed on strong laid paper.
Half blue calf bindings with corners, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets forming triple compartments and large Romantic motifs stamped in gold, gilt fillet on covers, some rubbing, pastedowns and endpapers lined with marbled paper, contemporary binding.
Work illustrated with a frontispiece by Barrois in volume I and a frontispiece drawn and engraved by Langlois du-Pont-de-l'Arche in volume II.

First collected edition; two additional volumes would be added in a new collected edition in 1749.
Contemporary full blonde calf binding. Spine with five raised bands richly decorated with gilt compartments and fleurons, with a camel morocco title label. Blind fillet and corner fleurons framing the boards. Gilt roll on edges and headcaps. All edges red. Title page lightly browned at outer margin, same for the last leaf. A small corner lack on page 103 of the first part.
Antoine Hamilton is primarily the author of the Mémoires du comte de Grammont, which Etiemble (author of the anthology of 18th-century authors in the Pléiade collection and rediscoverer of 18th-century authors like Crébillon fils) considers one of the masterpieces of the period. His tales were also appreciated, such as Fleur d'épine or Le bélier. Despite the work accomplished by Etiemble, and the complete rehabilitation of Crébillon fils, Hamilton remains fully to be rediscovered.

First edition of the translation and abridgment by the Marquis de Paulmy and Contant d'Orville.
Armorial copy of the Rohan Chabot family, certainly, given the date of the edition, of Louis-Antoine de Rohan-Chabot, known as the Chevalier de Rohan. 2 mascles and two chabot fish crowned in the corners. We know that the library of Cardinal de Rohan (famous!) bore mascles on the spine as a stamp.
Contemporary full glazed blonde calf bindings. Smooth spine decorated. Title label and volume label in brown morocco. 3 scratches on the upper cover of volume II, without consequence. Cracking of upper joints with very slight leather loss. Fine copy.
Le chevalier du soleil is a translation of the Spanish chivalric romance by Diego Orthunez de Calahorra, the first part of which appeared in 1555; the later sequels, second and third parts, are not by the author. Interesting preface by the Marquis de Paulmy, famous medievalist of the time, who affirms that the Amadis cycle is a sequel to the Chevalier du soleil. A table of contents allows one to trace the chronology of each character. The Marquis de Paulmy and his colleague Contant d'Orville did not merely translate Le chevalier du soleil; they compiled not only the sequels to the Histoire du chevalier du soleil, but also the last 21 Amadis romances, and the Roman des romans by Duverdier, which allows one to follow the destiny of all the characters of Spanish romance chivalry across two books. More strange seems the introduction of music in scores and songs by Philidor and Grétry celebrating chivalry, testimony to the 18th century's perception of romance chivalry.

Illustrated edition with 3 out-of-text engravings.
Publisher's signed romantic black cloth binding by Lenègre, smooth spine richly decorated with gilt and polychrome ornamentation, covers with frames of fillets and arabesques in blind, front cover enhanced with gilt and polychrome architectural decoration, large gilt and polychrome ornament on lower cover, edges gilt.
Some stains on covers, small lacks of cloth at foot, occasional foxing.
Handsome copy of this collection of moral tales in its romantic cloth binding.

The first edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Half caramel shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with double blind-stamped compartments, black shagreen title-label, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Signed and inscribed by Alexandre Chatrian to his friend Ludovic Bouyon.
Bookplate of the dedicatee pasted on a pastedown.
Some minor foxing.

New edition, illustrated with 9 lovely hand-colored sepia lithographs hors-texte.
Publisher's polychrome dark blue boards. Large decorative plate on the upper cover in red, gold, blue and cream. Smooth spine decorated with two polychrome plates. A polychrome central medallion stamped on the lower cover. Spine lightened. A pale dampstain in the upper margin; some scattered foxing on well-white paper. Handsome copy.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

First edition of which there were no large paper copies.
Autograph inscription from Georges Dumézil.
A good copy.

New edition.
Contemporary full green sheep bindings, smooth spines faded, decorated with gilt fillets, friezes and fleurons, headcaps damaged with lacks at tail and rubbed at head, gilt roulettes almost faded on headcaps, quintuple gilt fillet frames on covers, corners slightly bumped, gilt tools at head and tail of leading edges, laurel leaves and "Pension Fayollat" gilt on front covers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, contemporary bindings.
Work illustrated with hors-texte engravings including 2 frontispieces.
Foxing.

New edition.
Half black shagreen bindings, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets, black paper boards with some surface wear, tears to corners and edges.
Foxing, light dampstaining affecting the foot of the entire text block of the first volume.

First edition printed in a small number of copies.
Spots to covers, internal foxing and dampstains.
Rare.

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on Rives, deluxe copy.
Full havana shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands set with black fillets, small and light marginal stains on the front cover, original wrappers preserved.
Handsome copy.

New, more complete edition of Hamilton's works.
Miscellaneous works: Letters and epistles. Volume I: The Ram, poems. Volume II: Thorn Blossom; songs. Volume III: The Four Facardins; poems.
Each tale has its own title page.
Contemporary full marbled blonde calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title and volume labels. Head slightly worn. Rubbing. 2 corners slightly bumped. A good copy.
Besides being the author of the famous Memoirs of the Count of Grammont, Hamilton wrote several tales that were much appreciated in their time and are usually included in the anthology of 18th-century tales.

Edition with original color illustrations by Joseph Hémard, one of 1100 numbered copies on tinted vellum, the only printing with 65 Annam.
Handsome copy.

Edition printed on laid paper.
Bradel bindings in full red cloth, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets at foot, brown sheep title and volume labels showing traces of rubbing and small lacks, contemporary bindings.
Work illustrated with a frontispiece and 21 vignettes, some engraved by Champollion.

Edition with some parts in first edition and printed in a small number of copies on laid paper.
Half mint green morocco binding with corners, spine with five raised bands set with gilt dots decorated with double gilt compartments and adorned with gilt floral motifs, double gilt fillets framing the marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, top edge gilt, bookplate pasted to verso of front board.
Original bio-bibliographical note by Octave Uzanne.
Work illustrated with plates.
Some minor foxing, mainly marginal.

New edition of the French translation established by A. Bordot.
Half fir-green shagreen bindings, spines with four raised bands decorated with double blind-stamped compartments enhanced with gilt typographical motifs, quintuple fillets and cartouches framing the green paper boards, moiré paper endpapers and pastedowns, all edges gilt, contemporary bindings. Work illustrated with Hadamard's lithographs printed in two tones.
Some minor foxing.

First edition.
Half red sheep binding, smooth spine faded, decorated with romantic gilt and blind decorative motifs, rubbing traces on the joints, one slightly cracked at head, marbled paper boards, corners slightly bumped, edges rubbed, headcap detached, contemporary romantic binding.
Foxing, manuscript dedication from a former owner as a gift.
Rare.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Half chocolate shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands showing minor rubbing, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Autograph inscription by André Theuriet.

First edition, one of 10 copies on Hollande paper, the only large paper copies.
Jansenist red morocco binding by Marius Michel, spine in five compartments, date to foot, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, red morocco frame to pastedowns with seven gilt fillets, covers preserved, all edges gilt.
This copy is enriched with two autograph letters by the author of 3 and 2 pages length respectively.
A fine copy in a superb binding by Marius Michel.
Provenance : collection of Marius Michel with his ex libris pasted onto one of the endpapers.

New edition.
Half chocolate sheep binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets showing minor traces of rubbing, one slight tear skillfully restored at the foot of a joint, marbled paper boards, traces of rubbing on edges, modest contemporary binding.
Gift inscription in place of bookplate on first endpaper, some foxing.

Certainly erroneous mention of 28th edition, the 1824 edition itself being noted as 25th. Illustrated with 28 out-of-text plates in the taste of the late 18th century, unsigned. The first edition and the following ones contained only 7 figures. The first edition of this work seems to date from 1694.
Contemporary full marbled calf binding. Smooth spine decorated with 5 fleurons and frame roulettes. Red morocco title label. Upper headcap partly missing, same for the tail headcap. 2 corners bumped. Rubbing. Crack at head to upper joint.
This book by Pomey, 17th century author, was translated by Andrew Tooke. It contains an index of names of all the deities of mythology. The reading is interesting in more ways than one, Pomey explaining the meaning of mythological allegories; we thus learn that Bacchus would be Moses. The plates represent the Gods and deities, accompanied by medals.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

First edition. Contemporary half sheep binding in dark green, spine with four raised bands, corners slightly bumped.
Printed stamp of the Leconte de Lisle library as bookplate.
Some light foxing.

First edition on laid paper, with only 56 deluxe copies printed.
Handsome copy.

First edition, one of 275 numbered copies on strong tinted paper, the only issue with 25 deluxe copies.
Handsome copy despite rare worming lightly affecting the first leaves.

First edition, one of 950 numbered copies on Turner paper, ours unnumbered.
Signed autograph inscription by Jean Renaud.

First edition, no deluxe copies mentioned.
Signed and inscribed by the author.
Covers slightly and marginally soiled, handsome interior condition.

First edition.
Two small tears and losses at head and foot of spine, handsome interior condition despite occasional foxing.

The first edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Rare and handsome copy.

Edition with original illustrations by Pierre Leroy and printed in 520 copies on Rives laid paper.
A small lack to foot of spine, spine and covers marginally sunned, handsome interior condition.
Copy complete with its slipcase split at head and with some tears.

First edition of which no deluxe copies are mentioned.
Bradel binding in full mouse-grey boards, smooth spine, date at foot, small marginal discoloration stains on the first cover, original wrappers preserved, worming on the endpapers.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Work illustrated with 30 pen drawings.
Preface by Camille Gagnon.
Light foxing to boards.

First edition of which there were no deluxe copies.
Illustrated wrappers, handsome copy.

Edition illustrated with colored and black illustrations by Louis Morin.
Publisher's full navy cardboard binding, smooth spine, illustrated front cover with minor scuffing of no importance, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Corner lack to head of half-title page.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Publisher's binding in full boards, spine partially faded but not seriously, handsome interior condition.
Work illustrated by Jean Gay.
Handsome copy complete with its wraparound band.

First edition, one of the service de presse (advance) copies.
Illustrated cover, handsome copy despite a slight marginal crease at the foot of the back cover.

First French edition, one of 37 numbered copies on Hollande paper, deluxe issue.
Minimal worming of no consequence affecting some deckled edges as well as the first endpaper, otherwise a handsome full-margined copy.

Second edition revised and enlarged.
Curious autograph inscription signed by the author.
Lacking at head and foot of spine, joints partly cracked, some lacks affecting the cover boards, interior fresh. Very rare.

New edition with illustrations from nature by H. Magron.
Covers replaced with plain wrappers, lacking spine.
Rare.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Illustrated cover with central roundel.
Spine sunned, handsome interior condition.

First edition.
The two Gallic schools: Orpheus and Pythagoras, Orpheus in Greece, ancient opinions on the world and the immortality of the soul, how to understand Rabelais...
A handsome and rare copy.

First edition on ordinary paper, fanciful statement of one thousand copies.
Fine nearly full-page autograph inscription by the author.

New edition, one of the rare copies printed on Holland paper, of which no mention is made.
Work illustrated with a frontispiece drawn by L.E. Fournier.
Front endpaper lightly and partially shadowed, otherwise handsome copy.

First edition published in a small number of copies.
Tiny corner lack at head of first cover, some light foxing at head of certain pages.
Rare.

First edition.

Work illustrated by Vogel.

Spine sunned, handsome interior condition.

First edition printed for the benefit of 'a charitable cause'.
Foxing to covers and endpapers, handsome interior condition.
Rare.

First edition.
Spine slightly faded, tears repaired to joints, one joint cracked, handsome interior condition.
Rare.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint from 'Revue des traditions populaires'.
Lacks to spine, first cover detached and marginally sunned, second cover lacking, handsome interior condition.
Autograph inscription from Emmanuel Cosquin.
Rare.

New edition.

First edition.
Authorities in the East, in Albania, Hanifa, two negresses...
Rare and handsome copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint.
Work complete with its folding map.
Some light foxing.
Rare.

First edition printed in a small number of copies on laid paper.
A small corner loss to rear cover, otherwise a handsome copy.
Rare.

New edition, one of numbered copies, the only printing.
Preface by Andé Breton.