First editions and first illustrated editions of literature classics from 15th to 18th century in contemporary bindings

Sixth edition with some parts in first edition. It contains 54 new remarks compared to previous editions.

Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Rubbing. The last endpaper has been pasted down over the privilege. 3 wormholes on the spine.

Fifth edition, published at the same time as the quarto edition. The first edition dates from 1650.

Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Ornamented spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Lower joint partly split. Relatively invisible restorations to headcaps.

The work contains the letters and various poems of the author. Voiture (1597-1648) was throughout his life a gallant and courtier, brilliant in the salons and playing games. His epistolary talent earned him the distinction of making prose fashionable in France for a long time, and his poetry excels in the mannerist and precious tone, even though he knows how to be trivial when necessary. He is an essential figure of the literary scene of the early 17th century, a true Molière character.

New edition, the first of which appears to have been published by the same publisher in 1599.

Contemporary full calf binding. Attractively ornamented spine with raised bands, featuring a central tool of two interlaced Cs. Red morocco title label. Edges gilt. A one-centimeter lack to the last compartment, and split with small lack to foot headcap, first blank endpaper partly detached. Rubbing. Foxing.

Edition established by Henri Estienne the younger and published by Paul Estienne, his son, who practiced his printing trade from 1599 to 1526. This bilingual edition includes, besides the works of Pindar, the Greek poets: Anacreon, Sappho...

New edition from La collection des classiques français, illustrated with a portrait and a folding map of Spain. Fine edition with classical typography and wide margins.

Full glazed wine-red calf bindings, sky blue title and volume labels, smooth spines richly decorated with cathedral tools and rolls, boards stamped in blind with a large central monastic medallion, a blind border frieze and a second in gilt, boards with slight worm damage, marbled edges.

Magnificent romantic binding by a great binder of the period.

It should be noted that the preface by the Comte de Neufchâteau, academician, is actually by Victor Hugo (then aged 16); the count found it so remarkably written that he published it as is. Furthermore, all the footnotes are also by Victor Hugo.

Fine copy in a magnificent contemporary romantic binding signed by Vogel.

Second edition after the original of 1766, published by the same publisher.

Half emerald morocco binding from the mid-19th century. Spine with raised bands decorated with 5 flowers and fillets.

The work is a libertine entertainment on elegance and fashion in novelistic form; it is the story of an elegant man and his tribulations in society.

The first edition was published in 1578 in Geneva. Brunet II, 1076: 'Cet ouvrage piquant a été édité à Genève, en 1578, et non à Paris ; selon plusieurs bibliographes. L'auteur y a prodigué son immense érudition, mais en même temps s'y est permis certaines plaisanteries un peu hardies, qui lui attirèrent une verte semonse du conseil de Genève, par suite de laquelle il jugea prudent de s'absenter... Il en existe deux autres d'Anvers, 1579 et 1583, in 16, qui ne sont guère moins rares que la première, et dont le prix est assez élevé.' ["This piquant work was published in Geneva, in 1578, and not in Paris; according to several bibliographers. The author lavished his immense erudition upon it, but at the same time permitted himself certain rather bold jokes, which brought him a sharp rebuke from the Geneva council, as a result of which he judged it prudent to absent himself... There exist two others from Antwerp, 1579 and 1583, in 16mo, which are hardly less rare than the first, and whose price is quite high."]
Full calf binding mid-19th century. Ornate spine with raised bands, in the style of a 17th-century binding. Rubbing. Missing the lower right corner of leaf 97 with loss of a few letters from the last word.
Satirical dialogues, mocking court behaviors, fashion in dress and language (the fashion of pronouncing French words in the Italian manner for example, or linguistic conventions about titles). Henri Estienne conceals himself under the name of Jean Franchet. The drollery and mockery are often pushed quite far, and the whole reads with the greatest delight. The two dialogues are preceded by poems addressed to courtiers no less droll and satirical.

Rare first edition of this literary hoax, spuriously attributed by the translator to Cadmus of Miletus in a lengthy explanatory preface. Illustrated with a frontispiece after Cochin.
Contemporary full blond calf binding. Spine gilt-tooled between raised bands. Red morocco title label. Headcap partly worn and upper joint split at the head. Surface abrasions to the boards.

The first edition was published in 1565, also in Venice. Printer's device on the title page. Printed in italics.
Full speckled brown paper boards, early 19th century. Red morocco title label. Fillets. Rubbing to headcaps and boards.

Elzevier edition of these tragedies by Seneca with the highly esteemed notes by the English grammarian Thomas Farnaby (or Farnabie). The first edition with Farnaby's notes is that of London, 1613. Brunet V, 286. Illustrated with an engraved title-frontispiece.

Contemporary full navy blue morocco binding, raised spine decorated in grotesque style (rolls composed of lozenges within circles), sawtooth fillet border and wave roll border on covers, gilt edges, interior fillet.

Very handsome antique morocco binding.

New edition after the original of 1709. Red and black title pages.
Contemporary full calf binding, decorated raised spine. Red morocco title label. Upper headcap worn. Rubbing. Corners slightly bumped.

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

First edition. A frontispiece-portrait by Gabriel de Saint-Aubin.
Full marbled calf binding. Smooth spine decorated. Red morocco title-label. Gilt fillets framing the boards. Fine Louis XV binding. Good copy.
The historical eulogy, which extends to p. 70, continues with the thoughts and witticisms of Saint-Foix. Saint Foix served until age 36 with the musketeers, and was famous for his duels. He was royal historiographer and playwright. His most celebrated work remains the Historical Essays on Paris.
Engraved armorial bookplate, the arms are those of the de Bréda family. Motto: Dominus protector vitae mea a quo trepidabo.
Label beneath the bookplate: Former library of the château du Plessis-Brion, owned by the de Bréda family in the 19th century.

We thank Mr. Jérôme-Paul Carré for the identification of the bookplate.