Antique illustrated books and works illustrated with woodcuts, etchings, engravings, drawings from 16th to 18th centuries

First edition of this translation by Moutonnet de Clairfonds, and first issue of the illustration, which comprises a frontispiece, 12 headpieces and 13 tailpieces by Eisen, engraved by Massard and Duclos. Title page in red and black.
Full red morocco binding, late 19th century, signed Pickering. Jansenist spine with raised bands. Wide inner decorative border. Edges gilt. Small brown stains on upper cover. Despite the minor defects noted, a very fine copy.
Cohen rightly cites this work as "one of the most elegantly illustrated books of the 18th century"; Eisen's contribution is indeed delicate and inspired, and the headpiece engravings are superbly executed.

The finest and most complete edition of Regnard, when it properly contains the fifth and sixth volumes, printed in small numbers (as Cohen indicates), and which are rarely found together with the first four.
It is illustrated with a portrait of the author by Rigaud engraved by Tardieu and 11 fine figures by Moreau and Marillier, engraved by Delignon, Duponchel, etc. The remarks and prefaces are by Garnier.
Contemporary full tree calf binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with 4 stars and fillets. Red morocco title and volume labels. Framing fillet on covers. Lacking at foot of volume 1 and at head of volume 3. Joints of volume 2 cracked. Despite some defects, quite a handsome set.
Volume 1 is dedicated to travel narratives, volumes 2 to 4 to theater, and volumes 5 and 6 to Italian theater. This carefully produced edition, with fine printing and quality engravings, joins the great successes of editions produced by the Imprimerie de Monsieur (Racine, Corneille).

First edition, magnificently illustrated with a frontispiece by Cochin, engraved by Saint-Aubin, a title vignette by the same, 59 large tailpieces and headpieces (designed and engraved by Saint-Aubin) explained and deciphered at the beginning of the work, and 179 figures hors-texte each presenting an engraved stone (engraved by Saint-Aubin). Fine printing on deluxe Holland paper.

Full black morocco-grained shagreen binding ca 1850. Smooth spine with flat raised bands decorated with fillets and roulettes on the bands. Triple-ruled frames on boards with corner fleurons. Marbled edges. Light rubbing to headcaps, corners. Paper lacking to margin of one leaf in volume I. Some leaves browned. Pale angular dampstain on 3 leaves of volume I. Handsome copy, with wide margins. 

Fifth edition statement for the first volume, and second edition for the second. The first volume was first published in 1727, with a sequel added in 1738. It is illustrated with a frontispiece by Scottin (placed at the head of the second volume and dated 1738), two title vignettes, 51 headpieces by Kent and Wooton in the first volume and 16 large figures by Gravelot for volume II.
Later full calf binding. Spine ca. 1800, decorated with cold-stamped fillets and roulettes. The flamed calf boards have been added. Rubbing. One corner trimmed. One corner restored. 2 small lacks to headcaps.

New edition, after the complete original of 1647. Illustrated with a title-frontispiece by Delin, engraved by Laan, a title vignette, a frontispiece and 5 folding plates unsigned.
Full flexible vellum binding. Smooth spine with title in black ink. Endpapers detached. Title-frontispiece trimmed short with a slight lack to the right edge. Similarly, the title page shows a slight lack to the right margin, as does the frontispiece. Plate 5 has been partially backed with old paper. Leaf 201 restored in margin and some leaves frayed in right margin, over 1 cm.
The first Dutch pastoral novel, L'arcadie hollandaise enjoyed great success in its country. The edition was accomplished by a famous professor from Amsterdam (Caspar Barleus) at the author's request, who accompanied the text with numerous commentaries and notes on Holland.

New edition, illustrated with 32 figures by Punt and a title vignette repeated on all 4 volumes. Title pages in red and black. This appears to be the first edition to be fully illustrated, as previous editions presented only four frontispieces, however it should be noted that the figures bear the date 1742. The mention of third edition refers only to Dutch editions and is therefore not significant. Translation by Abbé Prévost and Aubert de la Chesnaye des Bois.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title and volume labels. Head of volume I split at head. A lack at head of volume II. A lack to the upper joint at foot of volume I. Tailpiece partly missing on volume III. Corners slightly bumped. Rubbing. Scattered foxing.
Pamela was a veritable sensation in the literary world and achieved resounding success throughout Europe. Its principal merit is undoubtedly having given birth not only to the epistolary novel (Rousseau) but to Fielding who produced two satirical sequels: The Adventures of Joseph Andrews and Tom Jones. We know that Diderot was unstinting in his praise of this novel. Pamela is a novel of manners and a sentimental novel whose impact on 18th-century literature is indelible and enduring. It is often considered the first bourgeois novel of manners, and this shift of the action's setting from aristocracy to bourgeoisie had an enormous impact.

French first edition translated (and arranged) by Jean Serré de Rieux; illustrated with 9 figures including a frontispiece by Humblot, engraved by Baquoy. Not in Cohen (Livres à gravures du XVIIIe).
Contemporary full calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Head of spine weakened. Lacks at each joint at head and tail. Rubbing and scuffing to lower board particularly with lack at the joint of the fourth compartment. One tear p.97 in lower margin with lack. Corners slightly bumped.
Marini is a 17th century writer who belongs to the last wave of Italian chivalric romances. The novel features the prince of Babylon, knight of death, and the princess of Babylon, Zélinde, his sister, with whom he is passionately in love. Unable to possess her, he swears to kill anyone who might possess her. The narrative is written in a hyperbolic and poetic style, inspired by 16th century models, but decidedly more narrative, and more direct and tightened in its plot (which may perhaps be due to the translator's intervention).

Statement of new edition, considerably expanded. Several volumes were indeed added to this edition, in addition to the illustrations. Illustrated with a portrait by Monet as frontispiece to volume I and 4 figures by Meon. Volume II: 4 figures by Meon. Volume III: 10 figures by Monnet. Very fine illustration, careful and refined. Remarkably executed edition.
Contemporary glazed blonde calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Garnet morocco title label and red morocco volume labels (with roulettes). Roulette at tail and headcap. Triple fillet frame on boards. Upper joint fragile at tail of volume I; this volume also has a small tear with loss at tail. A loss of one cm at head of volume IV. Lower joint of volume III split at tail (three wormholes along this joint). A tear with loss to the head compartment of volume VI. Headcap of volume VII fragile at head. One corner bumped on volume VII. Despite these defects, handsome set with desirable appearance.
Although one cannot truthfully qualify Palissot's literary output as important, he was undoubtedly a major figure in the literary life of his time; thus the various plays, notes, remarks, letters that frame each comedy (the edition is very rich from this point of view) are remarkable regarding the literary life of the second half of the 18th century, notably concerning the famous quarrel of the philosophers which Palissot initiated, attacking them outrageously in his eponymous play (undoubtedly poorly conceived from a dramaturgical standpoint, but excellent in its writing, each mockery hitting its mark).
Besides the theater and the poem La Dunciade, the volumes contain the Mémoires littéraires (dictionary of literary figures), the correspondence with Voltaire (he was his protégé at the beginning of his career), the critiques of his contemporaries (Freron, Piron, Duclos...). One will discover with pleasure the critiques of his contemporaries on his own plays. Palissot was undoubtedly a social climber, with an incredible talent for controversy and mockery, and equally for flattery; this edition of his works retains the greatest interest for the world of Letters of the second part of the 18th century.

First collected edition, illustrated with a frontispiece portrait (engraved by de Launay after Bérel) and 20 figures by Marillier engraved by Delvaux, de Ghendt, Croutelle, Patas, Langlois jeune, de Monchy, de Launay. Volumes 11 and 12 comprise the author's posthumous works and bear volume numbers 1 and 2 on the title page. A third volume of these posthumous works would appear in 1800.
Contemporary full speckled calf. Smooth spine decorated with urn tools and stars; roulettes. Framing frieze on boards. Morocco title and volume labels in black. Headcaps of volumes 1, 4, 5, 8, 11 and 12 worn or partially worn. Foot caps of volumes 1, 2, 4, 6, likewise. Title and volume labels of volume 4 largely missing. Half of the title label of volume 7 is also absent. Headcap of volume 11 partially torn.
The Count of Tressan did much, through his adaptations, for the rehabilitation of the Middle Ages and Renaissance literature (that inherited from the 15th century). It is clear that at the end of the 18th century, these works would have been unreadable to the public. This interest in the Middle Ages would fully emerge with Romanticism, the Empire having brought antiquity back into fashion.
Here is the content of the first 10 volumes, the last two being composed of various works (letters, essays...): vols. 1-2. Free translation of Amadis of Gaul, vols. 1-2 -- vol. 3. Free translation of Amadis of Gaul, vol. 3. Extract from Orlando Innamorato by Matheo-Maria Boyardo, Count of Scandiano -- vols. 4-6. Orlando Furioso, heroic poem by Ariosto. vols. 7-10. Body of extracts from chivalric romances: 7. Preliminary discourse. Tristan of Léonois. Artus of Brittany. Flores and Blanche-Fleur. Cléomades and Claremonde. Romance of the Rose. Pierre of Provence and beautiful Maguelone. 8. The flower of battles. Huon of Bordeaux. Guérin of Montglave. 9. Dom Ursino the Navarin. Little Jehan of Saintré. Gerard of Nevers. 10. Research on the origin of novels invented before the Christian era. History of Rigda and Regner Lodbrog. Zélie, or The ingenue

First printing of this illustrated edition whose translation by Abbé Desfontaines was first published in 1729. One frontispiece, 5 figures for volume I and 6 for volume II, including the plate entitled Conclusion which is often lacking, and 10 title headpieces. The plates are unsigned. A handsome edition, well printed.

Contemporary full marbled glazed calf binding. Smooth spine decorated (grape cluster tools). Red morocco title and volume labels. Triple fillet frame on boards. All edges gilt. 2 corners slightly bumped. Handsome copy.

L'Histoire Ethiopique is undoubtedly, along with L'âne d'or by Apuleius, the most famous of the Latin and Greek novels, and it is the only one to be the origin of the adventure novel; the plot is simple, two lovers whom life's vicissitudes will constantly separate; the book accumulates twists of fate and gave birth to abundant literature, especially in the 18th century.

19th-century engraved armorial bookplate of Baron de Fleury; manuscript ownership inscription of Jules Bobin at the top of the first endpaper.

First edition, rare, of this collection of witticisms and funny stories published as a "supplement" to a reprint of the famous Les Délices, ou Discours joyeux et récréatifs by Verboquet, and since reprinted in its wake, "although it is probably not by the same author" according to Paul Lacroix (PL. Jacob, Enigmes et découvertes bibliographiques).
Full cream parchment-covered cardboard Bradel binding, modern. Black sheep title-label. Foxing. A pale dampstain in the upper margin. A black stain in the lower margin of leaf 2.
Very rare and amusing testimony to popular humor and the art of facetious anecdote.

First edition (the 1766 edition being a fictitious statement for 1770) illustrated with 25 calligraphic plates, of which the last three are only the different alphabets, Samaritan, Arabic... likewise the three preceding plates are not engraved plates (floral capital letters). Of note on p. 40 is a large vignette representing an abecedary in a circle whose center is a star. The leaf following the title is also an engraved plate, it is the dedication to the king, with his portrait in a medallion, a succession of loops forming the figure and the decoration. We have been unable to determine if this first edition contained the author's portrait found in the 1770 editions, which moreover possess notable differences from the first edition.
Only one copy at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France from 1768, none in French catalogues. The British Library holds a copy of the 1766 edition (1770) and another of the 1768 edition.
Contemporary full vellum binding, limp. Smooth spine with handwritten title along spine, faded and barely legible. Some stains on covers. A pale yellow dampstain on the title page, having browned the leaf margins.
The work is not only an exposition of the art of writing, but also a linguistic and phonetic treatise on the Spanish language, with provincial differences...
Libros Antiguos Puvill. Barcelona label.

New illustrated edition of these Romances. One frontispiece and 13 unsigned figures, and 44 pages of engraved music. Printed on heavy laid paper.
Contemporary full tree-calf binding. Smooth spine decorated with arabesques and fleurons. Triple fillet border on covers. All edges gilt. Handsome copy. Light rubbing to corners and joints.
Berquin's poetry enjoyed immense success, and was consequently qualified as popular, while it perfectly reflects European literature of the late 18th century, and one sometimes feels the first Romanticism coming from Germany and England. Some poems are dark and theatrical, full of Gothic reminiscences: « Sous la tour du château s'ouvre une enceinte affreuse/ Où jamais n'a percé le jour/ Les flots d'une vapeur infecte et ténébreuse/ Inondent cet impur séjour. » (Under the castle tower opens a dreadful enclosure/ Where daylight has never pierced/ The waves of an infected and dark vapor/ Flood this impure dwelling.) After devoting himself to poetry, Berquin (1747-1791) was the first French author to specialize in children's literature. The music pages are by Cousin-Jacques, a columnist of the period. On the endpaper, manuscript gift inscription: A Claire de Caperoy.

Second edition, the first having appeared in 1767. Two frontispieces, one by Cochin, the second by Pierre Delin, and two headpieces engraved by Choffart. Some copies, at the request of the purchaser who could commission them, contained 50 engravings. These copies appear very rare.
Half brown marbled sheep binding, mid-19th century. Spine with raised bands decorated with roulettes on the bands and roulettes at the headcaps. Red shagreen title label and black shagreen volume label. Head caps fragile, with small lacks. Rubbing. The copy has been interleaved with numerous leaves, most of which remained blank, but some contain annotations.