Rarest Books (Untraceables)

Rare first edition of this manual on film development.
Illustrated with 54 figures in the text and 6 folding plates at rear, containing 107 interest­ing samples of films negatives and celluloid.

With a frontispiece photographic portrait of Charles Pathé.

Skilfully restored brown half sheepskin pub­lisher's binding, smooth spine decorated with golden arabesques, small gaps filled at head of spine, marbled endpapers and past­edowns.

"In the early years of the twentieth century, the largest film production company was the Société Pathé Frères (Pathé Brothers Com­pany). Founded in 1897, the company was at its height in 1920s when it unveiled the first home movie projector, the Pathé Baby. [Le Film vierge Pathé] is one of the company's first publications explaining the secrets of processing 'virgin' film. Plates offer incredi­ble images of the mass production of thou­sands of silent movies, including the first newsreels, sports films, and animation. 107 examples of actual celluloid color film have been mounted in each volume." (Princeton University Library, Julie L. Mellby)

First edition, one of 20 numbered cop­ies on hollande, the only deluxe issue (grand papier) after 10 copies on japon.

Bound in gray half morocco in panels, smooth spine, gilt date at foot, abstract decorative paper boards, black onion­skin pastedowns and flyleaves, original wrappers preserved, pastedown book­plate, top deckled edge gilt, binding signed Boichot.
Small tears with small lacks of paper to the margin of an endpaper and on the front cover.
The work is dedicated to Paul Verlaine who wrote the preface "which was a way of advertising to gay readers" (Gra­ham Robb, Homosexual Love in the Nineteenth Century, p. 210).

Precious signed and inscribed copy to Catulle Mendès who will go on to write six years later "the first descrip­tion of a male homosexual orgasm" (Graham Robb) in his novel La Maison de la Vieille.

This novel, although still tinged with a moralistic, guilt-ridden view of ho­mosexuality, features the first gay sex scene in a French novel. It takes place near the Opera, in a palatial Turkish bath house, one of Paris' most famous cruis­ing spots at the time when the influence of the Arabian Nights and the prospect of hedonistic pleasures were all the rage: "In this overheated atmosphere, Jacques savors the pleasures of body reflection and massage. Then comes the 'unpleasant brusqueness of the shower' before entering the steam bath, where several bodies lie naked and immod­est. Suddenly, a young man of twenty appears with 'an aristocratic bearing, a blond head, the fat, bulging chest of the Capitoline Antinous statue'. It was love at first sight. Jacques looks out for him, follows him 'panting' and thus succumbs to 'unnatural vice'" (François Buot, Gay Paris, Une histoire du Paris interlope entre 1900 et 1940).
Neil Bartlett even suggests Oscar Wil­de might have read the novel based on the plea he wrote to the Home Secretary from Reading Gaol, which features a similar description of his erotomania (Paul Hallam, The Book of Sodom, 1993).

This deluxe copy is exceptionally in­scribed to Catulle Mendès, who also pi­oneered the writing of novels centered around gay and lesbian protagonists.

Provenance: library of Comte René Philipon, specialist in occult sciences, collector, entomologist and patron of the arts, with his pastedown bookplate featuring the Rosicrucian symbol of the Phoenix rising from the ashes.
An Annotated Bibliography of Homosexual­ity, II, 6694.

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on pure laid paper, the only large paper copies.

Autograph presentation inscription dated and signed by Charles de Gaulle: "Pour J. Emery, bien cordialement ! C. de Gaulle. 25.2.61."

A fine and rare large paper copy with autograph presentation inscription signed by Charles de Gaulle.

First edition, one of 75 numbered copies on surfine colored paper.
Work illustrated with 3 aquatints by Mimi Parent.
One scratch with three light stains on the first cover.
Handsome copy.
Precious and surrealist autograph inscription signed by José Pierre to Marie Cermínová Toyen: "A Toyen, les violons monégasques fabriqués secrètement dans les presbytères en partant de l'anémone de mer, José." (To Toyen, the Monégasque violins secretly manufactured in presbyteries starting from the sea anemone, José.)
Signatures of José Pierre and Mimi Parent below the justification page.

Autograph letter dated and signed by Ginger Rogers, addressed to the renowned Swiss collector Claude Armand, 20 lines penned in blue felt-tip from New York,

Folding marks from mailing, with a light paperclip impression to the upper left corner of the letter; original envelope included.

The celebrated American actress and dancer expresses her gratitude to her admirer for his previous letter, in which he requested a signed photograph that she is unfortunately unable to send, being away from her home in Eagle Point, Oregon, and currently in New York: "Your most gracious letter is in my hands and i cannot tell you how delighted its make me to read of your affection for my work..."

Ginger Rogers is clearly touched by Claude Armand’s warm letter: "Thank you so much for your good lettre. I shall keep it, always with warm good wishes."

Very rare first edition printed in 25 numbered copies, ours being the unique copy printed on vellum and bearing No. 1, a deluxe copy.

Printed proof stamp on the half-title page: "E. Capiomont & Cie imprimeurs. 37, rue de Seine, Paris 30Janvier 188. Epreuve"

Full chocolate brown morocco binding, spine very slightly faded with four raised bands, gilt date and gilt "épreuves" notation at foot of spine, gilt roulettes on headcaps, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, frame of six gilt fillets on pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, double gilt fillets on leading edges, bookplate pasted on one pastedown, slipcase with chocolate brown morocco borders, marbled paper boards, grey felt lining, magnificent binding signed by R. Aussourd.

Provenance: from the prestigious library of the great bibliophile Doctor Lucien-Graux with his bookplate pasted on one pastedown.

Very rare and handsome deluxe copy perfectly executed by René Aussourd.

First and complete edition in 7 issues of this review founded and directed by Emmanuel Berl and Pierre Drieu la Rochelle, one of the rare copies on Madagascar paper of which no mention is made.

Bound in half red morocco-grained shagreen with corners, spine with five raised bands set with black fillets, some very light traces of rubbing on spine, date and place gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns of moiré-effect and gilt paper, top edge gilt, contemporary binding signed by Lagadec, elected best craftsman of France in 1927.

Manuscript signature of Emmanuel Berl at foot of the last page of the fifth issue.

First edition, with all the features of first issue copies, including the misprint “Sénart” on the dedication leaf.

Contemporary plum-coloured 3/4 morocco binding signed by Georges Huser, spines with five raised bands, numerously ruled in blind, with a gilt floral tool at centres, dates in gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, top edges gilt, bookplates on each front pastedown. Complete with the publisher’s catalogue at the end of the first volume.

A very handsome copy, elegantly bound by Georges Huser, with the rare original wrappers preserved.

First edition, limited to 1,100 copies, divided into four fictitious editions within the same year, in order to create the illusion of commercial success. These were subsequently reissued with a new title-page bearing an edition statement and the author’s name, together with a volume designation on the half-titles (cf. Clouzot). Our copy carries the designation “third edition.” Contemporary bookplate traces on the upper pastedowns. Expert restorations to headcaps and joints, with a tiny loss at the foot of the lower joint of vol. I. A clean copy, entirely free of foxing.

Contemporary half chocolate calf bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets and romantic fleurons with gilt Gothic motifs, marbled paper boards, pebbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, strictly contemporary bindings.

The title-pages are illustrated with two wood-engraved vignettes after Tony Johannot by Poiret, showing Esmeralda offering water to Quasimodo (vol. I) and L’Amende honorable (vol. II).

A fine copy, in handsome period bindings and entirely without foxing, a state of preservation very seldom encountered. “This first edition, in fine condition, is the rarest of all the author’s works; it enjoyed worldwide renown, and is among the most difficult to obtain from the Romantic period” (Carteret).

First edition, one of 100 numbered copies on hollande paper, deluxe issue (only the first volume numbered).
Each volume includes a historical introduction by Philippe De Gaulle.
Ex-libris pasted to the front of each volume.
A very fine copy with wide margins, complete in twelve volumes of this important work, commencing in 1905 and concluding in April 1969.

Very rare typographic edition published one year after the facsimile edition from the Montfaucon Research Center and without Sophie Podolski's consent.

This is why this edition was withdrawn from sale; it is illustrated with drawings and includes a preface by Philippe Sollers.

Spine and boards slightly and marginally lightened, otherwise a rare and handsome copy.
 

First edition, one of 9 numbered copies on Japon, only deluxe issue aside from 35 copies on pur fil, and a few on colored paper.
Small restorations to spine-ends.
Illustrated with 20 photographs, including 7 photographs by Man Ray, 4 by Brassaï, one each by Dora Maar, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Rogi André, as well as artworks by Max Ernst, and the statue of a "female character" by Giacometti, in which the writer saw "the very emanation of the desire to love and to be loved in search of its real human object, in its painful ignorance".


 

Exhibition catalogue listing 66 paintings by Félix Vallotton exhibited at the Druet gallery, 20, rue Royale in Paris, from 22 April to 3 May 1929.
Light worming to the first cover, otherwise a handsome copy.
Catalogue illustrated with 7 photographic reproductions of works by Félix Vallotton.

First edition of this complete suite of 18 numbered intaglio plates enhanced in colour, on 'J. Honig & Zoonen' laid paper, depicting 72 merchants accompanied by captions beneath each figure.
First printing, subsequent editions will feature individually numbered figures surrounded by a border.

Bound in half sienna morocco with corners, smooth spine, title stamped in gilt throughout, tiger patterned paper boards, combed paper endpapers and flyleaves, first cover retained, gilt head.
 
Extremely rare and the earliest known suite of prints depicting itinerant merchants and pedlars in Spain. Each figure is accompanied by the profession or advertisement shouted by the vendor in Castilian dialect.

First edition printed in small numbers.
Traces of horizontal folds on the first cover, otherwise a nice copy.

Signed by Charles-Louis-Augustin Letellier at the top of first cover.

First edition.
Half blue morocco shagreen, smooth spine, gilt date at foot of spine, marbled paper boards, contemporary binding.
Exceptionally inscribed by Emile Zola to the playwright and opera librettist Ludovic Halévy, with the autograph signatures of Guy de Maupassant, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Léon Hennique, Paul Alexis and Henri Céard on the first flyleaf.
Provenances: from the libraries of Ludovic Halévy and Marcel Lecomte, with their bookplates on front pastedown.
Our copy also includes, on a flyleaf, an autograph note by Ludovic Halévy: "See a letter by Guy de Maupassant at the end of the volume. L.H. Inscribed by the six authors of the volume. Ludovic Halévy." (Voir une lettre de Guy de Maupassant à la fin du volume. L.H. Envoi autographe des six auteurs du volume. Ludovic Halévy).
The reproduction of the famous letter sent by Guy de Maupassant to Halévy in 1880 is pasted onto six additional leaves at the end of the volume. It bears Halévy's penned note at the beginning and end of the letter: "Cette lettre est de 1880 / 1880." (Cette lettre est de 1880 / 1880). 

First edition. Illustrated with a lithograph showing sections and views of the Tain-Tournon bridge project, then under construction.
3/4 marbled roan binding, spine framed and decorated in gilt, red morocco title-piece, marbled paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and flyleaves. Spine, spine-ends and corners rubbed, contemporary binding signed by Stroobants.

Extremely rare pamphlet by Seguin on a prototype suspension bridge built over the Galore river at Saint-Vallier in Isère. It served as an experimental construction for the Tain-Tournon bridge, the world's first large suspension bridge invented by Seguin using metal wires.

First edition printed in 36 copies with a frontispiece portrait of the author, one of 30 numbered copies on vellum, the only issue after 1 Japan and 5 Holland paper copies.

Admirably printed, this extremely rare bibliophilic object is particularly precious for its complementarity with the first edition of Voyage au bout de la nuit.

Handsome copy presented in a full beige cloth chemise (with light dampstaining at foot) which appears to be the publisher's slipcase.

Bookplate affixed to verso of front cover.

Second edition with some parts in first edition (with 5 added tales), Félix Vallotton's illustrations in first issue, one of 20 numbered copies on japon, only deluxe issue.
Bradel binding, brown 3/4 cloth, smooth spine with floral motif stamped in gilt at center, twice ruled in gilt at foot, slightly chafed morocco title-label, marbled paper boards, original covers and spine preserved, contemporary binding signed Carayon.
Small clear stains to the top edge of first board, one corner slightly rubbed, a spot of foxing at foot of the first few pages. 
Illustrated with 50 drawings by Félix Vallotton.

Rare and handsome copy housed in a contemporary binding by Carayon.  

First edition, with no mention of deluxe paper copies.
Half red marbled sheep binding, spine faded with four raised bands decorated with a gilt floral motif, light rubbing to the bands, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges, front cover preserved, modest contemporary binding.
Rare signed and inscribed copy by the author Colette Andris to Jean Blavet.
Novelist, music-hall performer and actress, a forgotten and short-lived muse of the Roaring Twenties music-hall, Colette Andris (the pseudonym of Pauline Toutey) managed to write three novels between 1929 and 1935, with a lot of autobiographical elements. She would die in the prime of life the following year. Born into an academic family, she quickly gave up the administrative and teaching careers that awaited her in order to become a nude dancer and, like her heroine Miss Nocturne, to perform in the Parisian music halls.