Women by every genre—and every gender

First edition, with no deluxe copies issued.

A fine copy, complete with the publisher's promotional wraparound band.

Signed presentation inscription by Virginie Despentes on the title page.

Rare first edition comprising a fine series of 40 two-tone lithographs by Yuko Watanabe depicting Japanese types, scenes of traditional life, costumes, and more: Ronin, hara-kiri, samurai, the attack on Shogun Nobunaga, a geisha’s visit, young women paying a call, a game of go...

Not in Colas, nor Hiler & Hiler; lacking from the Bn; not in Nipponalia or Cordier. Wenckstern, I, p. 228 (gives the Yokohama address, undated, and mentions two volumes, the second—of which no trace could be found—containing 25 plates).

Bound in full beige cloth, smooth spine without lettering, lithograph mounted on the upper cover; twentieth-century binding.

Minor tears affecting three...

Autograph letter signed by George Sand, addressed to her friend Stéphanie Bourjot, daughter of Étienne Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire. Four pages written in blue ink on a folded bifolium bearing George Sand’s monogram. Fold marks as usual.
 
This letter was partially published in Correspondance, vol. XIV, no. 7846.
A beautiful and partly unpublished letter in which George Sand discusses Marie Pape-Carpantier’s book and the education of her young maid, Marie Caillaud : « It is an excellent book, which I use to teach my young maid to read. She is extraordinarily intelligent, and this book opens her mind to all sorts of...

First edition, with an autograph letter signed by Louise Colet bound in, 3 pages on a bifolium mounted on a stub at the head of the volume. A few small foxing spots, a very pale marginal dampstain affecting the last leaves.
Half black morocco binding with corners, spine with five raised bands framed by blind double fillets, date at the foot, marbled paper sides, vat-made paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved and mounted on a stub (small corner losses restored), elegant binding signed Patrice Goy.
Rare presentation copy to the marquise de Boissy, Teresa Guiccioli who was the mistress of Louise Colet's husband (!) and...

A substantially cropped print bearing the same penciled number on the back of our photograph (11214), is in the Reutlinger archives at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Album Reutlinger de portraits divers vol. 53, p.3). We have been unable to find any other examples of this photograph in other public collections. A similar photograph belatedly dedicated to Maurice Chevalier went on sale in 2008.

A beautiful, sultry shot of...

Edition of wich no leading copies exists.
Binding of the editor in full black fabric.
Iconography.
Slips slightly warped in margins, the book that had stayed in a damp place previously, otherwise nice copy.

Rare autograph signed Kenzo Takada Gilles Brochard.

First edition following the unobtainable mimeographed version produced by the author.
Inevitable minor wear along the edges of the covers and spine, restoration to the upper left corner of the front cover, newspaper clipping laid in. Barnes & Noble price sticker affixed to the front cover.
Commentary by Paul Krassner.
 
This incendiary pamphlet, issued by the marginal and modest Olympia Press, newly re-established in New York, was printed in only a small number of copies.
Gender discrimination, hate speech and incitement to genocide, a violent and unrepentant attempted murder of one of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century, the advocacy of...

New edition.
Contemporary binding in half green shagreen, spine in four compartments set with gilt stippling, gilt fillets and gilt fleurons in the corner pieces, multiple blind tooled frames on the boards, white iridescent paper endpapers, all edges gilt.
Some leaves shorter in the bottom margin.

Handwritten inscription signed by George Sand on the first endpaper: “à mon bon ami Edmond Plauchut. G. Sand".

Today the only outsider to the family buried in the cemetery of the Nohant house, is Lucien-Joseph-Edmond Plau
chut (1824-1909) who began an epistolary relationship with George Sand in the autumn of 1848 when he was a voluntary expatriate after...

First edition with 25 full-page photographs.
Green cloth publisher's binding. Copy complete with its dust jacket, with very slight tears, and traces of wear to the margins.
Rare autograph signature of Maria Callas on the title page.

First edition, one of the review copies.

Dampstaining and a restoration to the spine, scuffing to the upper edge of the front wrapper, paper browned.

Our copy is enriched with two autograph letters signed by Hélène Bessette to a literary critic at Le Figaro, probably Claude Mauriac, concerning her recently published novel "La tour".

In the first letter, dated 30 April 1959, Hélène Bessette asks her correspondent to write a review of La Tour.

In the second, dated 13 May, the author expresses her pleasant surprise at having read in Le Figaro that her novel had attracted her correspondent's attention, while taking issue...

First edition of the French translation, one of the review copies.

Complete with its illustrated dust jacket, which has a few small marginal tears and is partially faded on the rear panel.

Rare dated and signed presentation inscription, in French, from Iris Murdoch to the writer, publisher and literary critic Christian Giudicelli.

First edition, false statement of ninth edition, no deluxe issue printed.

Small marginal tears without significance to the soiled boards.

Presentation copy signed by feminist activist Yvonne Netter of her important essay on the emancipation of women and their right to vote.

First edition, one of the few copies printed on Japan paper.

A fine copy.

First edition, one of the review copies.

Signed presentation inscription from Violette Leduc to Claude Couffon, a specialist in and translator of the leading Spanish-language writers of the second half of the twentieth century: "... après un chaleureux entretien et mon souvenir intact de son article pour ce livre..."

Autograph card signed and dated by Marguerite Yourcenar, 12 lines in black ink written on both sides, addressed to Jane Bathori.

The ink has slightly faded.

With the original manuscript envelope addressed to Jane Bathori.

"6-III-54,

Dear Madam, I thought of you this morning as I was passing through your neighbourhood, and was reminded of the charming welcome you gave me last month. I did not have the time to try to call on you, but these flowers will at least convey my warm remembrance and friendly regards. Marguerite Yourcenar."

Jane Bathori was a French mezzo-soprano, choir director, teacher, theatre...

First edition.

Beige half half contemporary bindings, flat spines, elaborate gilt tooling beneath the black calf title labels, volume numbering stamped at foot, upper joint worn on vol. I, rubbing to edges, corners and boards, headband loose on vol. I, combed paper pastedowns with small loss to lower board of vol. I, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, all edges marbled.

First edition of the debut novel by English feminist and abolitionist Harriet Martineau, a pioneering work in raising public awareness of gender equality and public health.

This handsomely bound copy once formed part of the library of her contemporary Lady Tyrconnel at...

First edition, one of the press service copies.

Spine sunned and lightly soiled.

Exceptional and highly desirable signed autograph presentation inscription from Louis de Vilmorin to her lover, the French sport shooter, businessman and politician Jean de Beaumont: "A Jean de Beaumont T(endrement) F(idèlement) T(on) A(imée), (the calligraphic capital letters enclosing the remainder of each word) Louise". 20 June 1960. I am leaving for Switzerland today. I shall be staying in Geneva with Sacha de Manziarly. If by any chance you should happen to pass through... Afterwards you will find me with the André family from 23 July until 10 August...

First edition, one of 350 numbered copies on alfa paper reserved for the press.

Spine slightly cocked.

A touching and highly desirable signed autograph inscription from Louise de Vilmorin to her lover, the French sports shooter, businessman and politician Jean de Beaumont: "à mon Jean chéri que j'aime toujours davantage sa mendiante de baisers. Louise", enhanced with a drawing of a four-leaf clover enclosing the name Louise.

First edition, illustrated with drawings by the author.

Publisher’s binding in full white boards, smooth spine, illustrated front cover, copy complete with its original insertion slip.

Amusing autograph inscription signed by Claire Brétécher to a friend named Richard: "A Richard baisers maniaco-dépressifs. Claire."

Very rare first edition, with second edition statement on title page.

Bradel binding in half blue-grey percaline, smooth spine decorated with a central gilt fleuron, double gilt fillet at tail, title label lacking, cat's-eye paper boards, original wrappers preserved with angular losses and discolouration, corners slightly rubbed, period binding.

Foxing, front wrapper and first free endpaper clumsily restored, small tears repaired on the first three leaves.

Rare presentation copy inscribed by Louise Michel: "... à de méchants amis que l'on aime quand même et toujours. LMichel." [to...

Autograph postcard, dated and signed by Louise de Vilmorin, addressed to her friend Frédéric Fresco with wishes for the festive season.

The recto of the card depicts Louise de Vilmorin's house in Verrières.

The postcard is embellished with a large hand-drawn four-leaf clover framing her message, from which her signature emerges.

Autograph card signed, dated 18 November 1984, 12 lines in blue ballpoint pen, addressed to her friend the woman of letters Christiane Baroche, in which she discusses her latest work "Plaisirs amers" and the friendship binding the two women writers.

Autograph envelope addressed to Christiane Baroche enclosed.

A fine and affectionate letter of thanks, written six days after the announcement of the Prix Renaudot awarded to Ernaux for La Place:

« Merci Christiane de ta lettre qui m'a fait très chaud au coeur, car les moments de "gloire" sont aussi ceux qu'on a envie de traverser avec les gens qu'on aime bien. Je t'embrasse. Annie. »

...

Rare first edition.

Small tears at the head and foot of the spine, a few angular losses to the partially soiled covers, foxing.

First edition of this poetry collection, prepared posthumously by the author's former husband, Ted Hughes. Our copy is complete with its unclipped dust jacket.

Publisher's blue percaline in Bradel binding, smooth spine lettered in silver, with the title, author's name and publisher's imprint.

Lower headcap very slightly bumped, minimal wear to corners. To the dust jacket, upper headcap with a very slight split, and a faint...

Autograph card signed, dated 25 April 1987, 17 lines in black ballpoint pen, addressed to her friend, the woman of letters Christiane Baroche, in which she lavishes praise on her latest work entitled "L'hiver de beauté".

With the original envelope.

"Ma chère Christiane,

après tout, je me console : celui qui a fauché "L'Hiver de Beauté" a eu du nez, il a passé de bons moments, avec ta superbe Isabelle, ta non moins acide et volontaire Queria. Tu as réussi un très beau livre dans une langue que je trouve de plus en plus rigoureuse, la construction est remarquable et "fluent" comme on dit en anglais, c'est très naturellement qu'on passe de l'une...

Autograph signed postcard, 12 lines in black ballpoint pen, addressed to her friend, the woman of letters Christiane Baroche, in which she expresses her complete intellectual affinity with her.

The recto of the postcard features a reproduction of the painting "Trompe l'oeil" by Cornelis Gysbrechts.

"Ma chère Christiane,

merci ! Ce petit prix a surtout le mérite de grossir ma cagnotte pour la maison de mes rêves, enfin, un peu : 5000 F. Mais je suis très contente. Je voulais te dire depuis les vacances de Pâques combien j'avais eu le plaisir à écouter ta voix fraternelle dans ton recueil de "Rimes intérieures". J'aime ce que tu aimes, je...

New edition, partly original as revised and expanded.

Vertical creasing to the upper cover, a pleasant copy.

Illustrated with a photographic portrait of the author as frontispiece, together with three further plates.

Scarce pamphlet issued by the relief committee for political prisoners of the Russian penal camps in Grenoble.

First edition for which no deluxe paper copies were issued.

Spine slightly sunned with small losses at head and foot, a slight marginal loss and a transverse crease to the lower cover.

A rare copy of Alexandra David-Néel's second work.

First edition.
Publisher’s full brown grained sheepskin binding, orange top edge, smooth spine ruled in gilt.
Richly illustrated.
Copy complete with its dust jacket, acetate wrapper and soft slipcase.
Acetate wrapper slightly yellowed.

New edition, one of 26 numbered copies on Montval paper, the head of the edition.

A pleasing copy.

Fine autograph inscription signed by Colette to Mr P.A. Crozier: "... en souvenir de maint envoi de beaux fruits ; n'est-ce pas dire que je gagne à l'échange ? Les fruits de mon jardin sont de sec papier... Colette."

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

A pleasant copy.

Valuable signed autograph inscription from Susan Sontag to her friend Sonia Rykiel: "pour Sonia avec mes amitiés Susan Sontag 26 septembre 1995 Paris."

Autograph letter signed “ta merre famme Babeuf” by Marie-Anne Babeuf, addressed to her son Émile. 3 pages on a bifolium.

An exceedingly rare and unpublished letter written from prison by Marie-Anne Victoire Babeuf (née Langlet), a revolutionary and wife of the celebrated leader of the Conspiracy of Equals, Gracchus Babeuf.

This appeal from a modest chambermaid turned political activist dates precisely from a period of her life about which almost nothing is...

First edition, limited to 59 numbered copies on Arches vellum, signed in pink pencil by André Masson beneath the limitation statement.
Rare and fine copy.
Illustrated with two original etchings by André Masson, printed full-bleed and issued hors texte.

First edition.
Some foxing to spine and boards.

Precious dated and signed autograph inscription from Irène Delmas, president of the National Association of Former Female Deportees and Prisoners of the Resistance (ADIR): "A monsieur Massin avec l'amitié et la reconnaissance des Anciennes Déportées de la Résistance. IRDelmas Présidente de l'ADIR. Paris 13 Novembre 1957." (To Mr. Massin with the friendship and gratitude of the Former Female Deportees of the Resistance. IRDelmas President of ADIR. Paris 13 November 1957.)

Our copy is exceptionally enhanced with the signatures of several members of the editorial committee of the Association of...

First edition of the French translation established by Emmanuelle de Lesseps.
Handsome and very rare copy.
With a presentation by Christiane Rochefort.

Gender discrimination, hate speech and calls for genocide, violent action with a furious, premeditated and unrepentant murder attempt on one of the most famous artists of the 20th century, promotion of violent anarchy with great scatological laughter, programmed elimination or humiliation of half the human race...
 
In her misandrist pamphlet, Scum manifesto ("Society for Cutting Up Men"), Valerie Solanas shows no empathy, leaves no room for moderation or reconciliation, and grants no exception to her project of...