Drawings, Inks & Watercolors

Exceptional album comprising 54 original caricatures, some captioned, executed in India ink, pencil, and watercolour (including three small pencil sketches on loose leaves), together with several blank leaves.

This entertaining and highly personal album, evidently compiled by an amateur artist, appears to chronicle the various adventures and misadventures of a small cast of recurring characters, all seemingly connected in one way or another with the French Embassy to the Ottoman Porte, as suggested by a piece of official letterhead inserted between two leaves.

Contemporary full ivory vellum with yapped edges, smooth spine ruled in red, a restored split at the head of the spine, red fillets framing the boards, some marking to the covers, comb-marbled endpapers, red edges.

The album also includes one autograph letter signed in black ink, embellished with marginal caricatures, addressed to Mr H. Fournier and opening with "Cher Washington n°2".

The recipient of this satirical, illustrated letter appears to be the diplomat Hugues Marie Henri Fournier (1821–1898), appointed ambassador to Constantinople in 1877.

The adventures of the small group, identified by captions in black pencil, seem to begin in Florence in September 1872 and continue on to Rome.

The album includes, among other scenes, a watercolour depicting the Temple of Vesta.

In December 1872, according to an ink caption, the group—comprising the Vicomtes Bresson, de Mareuil, d'Hauterive, and d'Hérisson—is caricatured in Rome: at the theatre, on the Capitoline Hill, on horseback, and so forth.

A panoramic watercolour likewise satirises the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and its protagonists.

Also portrayed in pencil alongside Fournier are General de Castelbajac and the Baron de Talleyrand.

The album further contains a fine pencil portrait of Khalil Bey.

The renowned Ottoman diplomat and collector, born in Cairo in 1831 and deceased in Istanbul in 1879, had indeed returned to Constantinople in 1872, after his ambassadorship in Vienna (1868), to marry the Egyptian princess Nazli Fazl. In addition to his role in the Crimean War, he is remembered for his celebrated art collection which, sold at auction in 1868, included works by Courbet (among them L'Origine du monde), Ingres, Delacroix, and others.

The Comte d'Osmond and Alfred de Courtois are likewise caricatured.

The album also features a view titled Pointe imaginaire du sérail and a watercolour depicting a game of lawn tennis.

A unique ensemble.

New edition and the first printing of Jacques Tardi’s illustrations.
Publisher’s full white boards, smooth spine.
A handsome copy.
Presentation inscription, dated and signed by Jacques Tardi to Joëlle Passani, enriched with an original black-felt drawing depicting, in a small vignette, a sorrowful-faced Bardamu.
 

First edition illustrated with wood engravings in the text by Gavarni, Daumier, D'Aubigny...
Bradel binding in full beige percaline, smooth spine with a black paper label, front cover decorated with an oil painting after the frontispiece, signed lower right "A. Dangleterre d'après document d'époque". Headcaps and joints skillfully restored.
A rare publication on Paris under Louis-Philippe. The work proceeds by subjects and articles: the wet-nurses’ office, flower sellers, baths, streetlamps, pavements, theatre outings, beards and moustaches, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Opera Ball, the auctioneers’ hall, lorettes and courtesans (Alexandre Dumas), restaurants and cheap eateries, the pawnshop, Monographie de la presse parisienne (Balzac), Jockey Club, etc.
"A very important work, remarkable for the fine gathering of writers and artists of the Romantic period who contributed to it." Carteret (Le trésor du bibliophile romantique et moderne).

Two original unpublished drawings by fashion designer Manfred Thierry Mugler on post-it notes in black ink, red, blue, beige, and yellow felt-tip pens and white correction fluid. Numerous mentions in English by the designer around the drawings depicting the front and back of an extravagant dress (which to our knowledge has never been made). Top corner of the first drawing backed with a small piece of tape.
The very body-hugging front of the dress is torn at the chest ("double breasted tuxedo wriped [sic]"). The blonde model wears a mask ("wolf ? Mask, lace eventually ?") similar to the famous "Mouche" sunglasses created by Mugler for his "insects" 1997 spring-summer collection, or the incredible masks designed for Lady Gaga.
The second drawing of the back of the dress shows a real trompe-l'oeil: Manfred notes to paint a portrait of Kim Kardashian ("KIM FACE") on the back of the model ("tattoo or photo hand paint") with black hair ("black dark hair") ; the revealed bottom and flared hips of the model depicting the ample bosom of "Kim". Uncovered backs are not new to Mugler who had already created a dress revealing the model's posterior decorated with a triple strand of pearls in his 1995-96 ready-to-wear fall-winter collection for the 20-year anniversary of his label.
Manfred designed this dress for his muse Kim Kardashian: "I love extreme personalities, they exist and they correspond to what I want to express. [...] I've always been looking for all kinds of beauty. Whatever bodies I perfect, they also exist without my intervention, but I oversize them, I adjust the waist, the shoulders, the whole silhouette. Kim Kardashian is a perfect example; she is a callipygous beauty, an eternal, almost ancient feminine ideal." ("Conversation between Manfred T. Mugler and Thierry-Maxime Loriot" catalog of the exhibition Thierry Mulger. Couturissime. at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, 2022)
In 2002, Manfred Thierry Mugler chose to retire from the fashion industry to focus entirely on his two passions: photography and entertainment. His fashion collaborations with celebrities became very scarce and carefully selected: first with Beyoncé, for whom he made every costume of her "I Am... World Tour" (2009), then with Kim Kardashian who inspired several outfits including a very tight and now iconic jumpsuit for the Met Gala in 2019 or a space cowgirl Halloween party costume in 2021.
Manfred Thierry Mugler's original designs are extremely rare, as T.-M. Loriot points out in the same catalog of his retrospective: "Your archives are highly prized, rarely loaned and even less exhibited"
Extremely rare and unique drawing by the brilliant designer, made for the sculptural Kim Kardashian - one of his "super glamorous warriors”

Clear pictures upon request

First edition, one of 25 copies on handmade laid paper, numbered and justified by the publisher, the only deluxe issue.
 
Bradel binding in half chocolate-brown morocco with corners, smooth spine, gilt date at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, illustrated wrappers by Manuel Orazi and backstrip preserved.
Work illustrated with 136 black and colour drawings, in- and out-of-text, by Georges Bottini.
 
Bookplate mounted.
 
Our copy is enriched with a full-page original drawing, signed by Georges Bottini and heightened in black ink, depicting Jacques Beaudarmon wearing a bowler hat and conversing with the « môme ». This drawing appears as a woodcut illustration on page 133.
 
The drawing is inscribed by Georges Bottini to M. Casanove « en grande sympathie ».
 
Very rare deluxe copy of Jean Lorrain’s masterpiece.

Edition illustrated with 16 original watercolours by Auguste Leroux, engraved on copper by Delzers and Feltesse, one of 90 numbered copies on Imperial Japan paper.
Bound in navy blue half morocco with corners, spine with four raised bands decorated with gilt pointillé and triple gilt panels with typographic motifs, gilt date at foot, gilt fillet borders on marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt edges, contemporary binding signed by Bernasconi. 
As stated in the justification of the print run for the copies on Imperial Japan paper, our copy is complete with its two suites: one in colour with remarques and the other in colour.
In addition, our copy is exceptionally enriched with 2 original drawings by Auguste Leroux, one heightened with watercolour, signed with his initials and placed at the beginning of the volume, just after the justification of the print run. 
A fine copy, perfectly bound and enriched with two original drawings.

First edition printed in 130 copies, all nominative and numbered, on Rives vellum.
Full chocolate-brown morocco binding, spine with four double raised bands framed by black fillets extending onto the covers, gilt date at foot, gilt rolls on the caps, endpapers and pastedowns of hand-made paper, quintuple gilt fillet borders on the pastedowns, double gilt fillets on the board edges, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.
Illustrated with a frontispiece, 15 plates and 6 vignettes by Georges Leroux engraved on copper by Raoul Serres.
This copy is supplemented, at the end of the volume, with a suite of the 22 illustrations together with the printed menu for the dinner of 30 June 1930 of the Société bibliophilique des "Cent centraux bibliophiles".
In addition, the work includes, mounted on a tab, four original preparatory sketches in black pencil and, following them, an original drawing by Georges Leroux, dated, signed, and executed for the representation of the menu of the dinner of 30 June 1930 held by the "Cent centraux bibliophiles".
Manuscript signatures of Rosny aîné and Raoul Serres on the verso of the original menu drawing.
A very handsome copy accompanied by five original drawings by Georges Leroux, finely bound in full morocco.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies signed and justified by Frans de Geetere, reserved for the friends of La Marie-Jeanne, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.
As stated in the limitation, our copy is complete with a manuscript leaf from the work and an original drawing by the author depicting two reclining nude women, signed by him.
A desirable copy, complete with its rare promotional wraparound band: "le livre qu'aucun éditeur n'a osé publier".

Five compositions in Indian ink signed and dated 1923 by George Barbier on a leaf of thick paper. Traces of paper pasted down at the four corners on the back, a few very faint traces of previous pencil inscriptions on the front.

An exceptional ink drawing by the eminent fashion illustrator George Barbier for the “Elegances” section of the newspaper La Vie Parisienne, featuring four silhouettes at the height of 1920s fashion, with boyish haircuts, dressed in flowing, low-waisted tube dresses or wrapped in luxurious furs.

Autograph letter signed by Jacques Mesrine, dated Wednesday 29 December 1976,  addressed to Jeanne Schneider, his love interest of the time. She smuggled out of prison the manuscript of his famous autobiography L'Instinct de mort. 66 lines in blue ink on two pages of a leaf. In the top left-hand corner of the letter, Jacques Mesrine has drawn a bouquet of flowers in multicoloured felt-tip pens. Usual horizontal fold, small tear to the fold in the right-hand margin.
Jacques Mesrine, who was in Fleury-Mérogis prison at the time, was delighted to receive so much proof of love and friendship in the many letters he received from his friends and family.
He, in turn, replied to all his correspondents, and in particular to Madame Panco, who had shown great kindness towards Jeanne Schneider: "I'm going to send my best wishes to Madame Panco, as I do every year... because I haven't forgotten what this woman has done for you... she is a “woman of respect” and a very human person... There are some in the administration (it's rare)'.
The indomitable Mesrine is full of tenderness and delicacy for Jeanne Schneider: ‘I've made you a little bouquet of flowers... to make up for being so unpleasant with you at the moment', but he has no wish in the world to change and submit to anyone's wishes: "What do you want, I'm becoming an old fart with a bloody temper... but I am as I am and have no intention of changing... or else I wouldn't be me any more. I'll tell you one thing, my angel... whether my book works or not... I don't give a damn... there's no way I'm going to start from scratch to make it sweeter."
Public Enemy No. 1 was outraged by the way he was treated by the prison administration after the publication of his polemical book ‘L'instinct de mort' (The Death Instinct ): "In France, the truth is frightening. At the moment I don't go out for a walk. ... I'm in my cell 24 hours a day. The reform! What do you expect me to do in this stupid courtyard in such cold weather? But I'm in great shape! "
He doesn't despair of being released or regaining his freedom soon, much to the dismay of all those who prefer to see him locked up: "I'm going to have to apply for a leave of... 10 years. but if that day comes... how many people are going to shit their pants... a lot of loudmouths who take advantage of the fact that I'm caged up to play the ‘pimp' but I'm free... there are no more ‘pimps'. it's nice to dream...'.
But he also talks about how happy he'll be to see his sweetheart again very soon, even if his condition as a prisoner is weighing on him and enraging him all the more: "I hope we'll finally be able to smile again, I'm going to be the real adorable little guy... well, almost! I love you, sweetheart... but this imprisonment is driving me crazy, I feel so powerless in the face of bullshit! "

A rare and beautiful letter from Jacques Mesrine in which he shows his intense affection for his girlfriend and his strong resentment of the prison system.

Original drawing in graphite and blue and pink colored pencils signed by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, on a sheet of watermarked paper "Navarre". Horizontal fold.

One of Saint-Exupéry's quirky characters in a suit and bow tie, spawn from the baroque and overflowing imagination of the Little Prince's author. The writer-aviator-artist very rarely signed his graphic works.




 
 
 

Original drawing with graphite, blue and pink colored pencils signed by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, on a sheet of watermarked paper “Navarre”. Hor­izontal fold, pencil annotation in the upper left margin, very small loss of paper in the lower right margin.

A remarkable caricature signed by Saint-Exupéry, akin to a cartoon character. The writer-aviator-artist very rarely signed his graphic works.

Original signed drawing in pencil and pink crayon by Antoine de Saint-Ex­upéry, on “Navarre” watermarked paper. Horizontal fold, annotation in pencil in upper left-hand corner, min­ute tears in lower margin.

Precious drawing signed by Saint-Exupéry – the writer-artist very rarely signed his graphic works – of a caricature character, sharing some of the writer's own features.

First edition, one of 8 numbered copies on Chinese paper, the deluxe issue.
Bound in full red morocco, smooth spine, spine and boards decorated with a geometric design of black and gilt fillets representing interlaced mountain peaks in zigzag pattern, endpapers and pastedowns illustrated with an original lithograph signed in pencil by Germaine de Coster, following endpapers of red paper, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt; a very elegant contemporary binding signed by Hélène Dumas and Germaine de Coster.
This copy is further enriched with an original charcoal portrait of Jean Giono, signed by Robert Joël and mounted on a stub after the front wrapper.
A copy of the deluxe issue, magnificently bound in full morocco with a geometric design by Hélène Dumas, and with lithographed endpapers by Germaine de Coster.

Autograph letter dated and signed by Roger Martin du Gard, written from his estate in Bellême, Normandy, to his interior architect; 24 lines in black ink and pencil.

Roger Martin du Gard expresses growing impatience over the sale of a property: "Il faudra remuer ciel et enfer, pour aboutir !"

He outlines his plans for the renovation of the dining room and offers a few remarks: "mais ce n'est pas encore au point dans ma caboche..."

Hence the original pencil and red crayon sketch on the verso, illustrating his vision for the proposed alterations to the dining room.

Original felt-tip drawing signed by Uderzo, accompanied by René Goscinny's signature in blue ink. Half a page on the verso of the final leaf of a three-page typescript stapled with a metal clip.
Some minor fold marks, without consequence.
A round and cheerful portrait of Obelix, drawn by his creator and inscribed “pour Anne Sophie avec toute notre amitié”, enriched with René Goscinny’s signature, on the verso of television script pages from a show featuring Uderzo and Goscinny as guests.

Unpublished and signed autograph score by Camille Saint-Saëns. Two pages of handwritten music for solo voice and piano, on an oblong bifolium with twenty staves. Autograph inscription on the first page signed by Saint-Saëns, with his signature and date ("Nov. 1870") appearing again on the second page.
Trace of vertical fold, with a tiny tear along the fold, a small marginal tear on 1 cm of the first page, without damage to the manuscript.

An exceptional unpublished autograph manuscript of a Persian melody for voice and piano, composed by Camille Saint-Saëns during the Siege of Paris in November 1870, enriched with a autograph inscription: 'A Geneviève Bréton / Hommage de respectueux dévouement' [To Geneviève Bréton / In homage with respectful devotion], signed and dated on the second page 'Nov 1870 C. Saint Saëns'.

 
The lyrics of the piece were directly inspired by its dedicatee, the fiancée of the painter and tenor Henri Regnault, 'the most musical of all the painters' (Saint-Saëns, École buissonnière), (translation by Edwin Gile Rich), who was the first performer of several other Mélodies persanes.
 

"It's war!" we shouted that night, over and over again. The terrible word brought us bad luck... It was 1913: the following year, we were packing our kits again. This time, for real. And not all the guests came back." p. 335

First edition, one of only 6 copies printed on Hollande, this being copy no. 1 of the deluxe issue.
Bound in navy blue morocco backed boards with corners, spine very lightly sunned with raised bands, gilt date at foot, marbled paper-covered boards and endpapers, edges untrimmed, top edge gilt, covers and spine preserved. Binding signed Lavaux.
A fine copy with wide margins, attractively bound.
Bookplate pasted to a flyleaf.
The author's own copy, profusely extra-illustrated, of this magnificent Montmartre chronicle. Tipped in is an original ink portrait of Roland Dorgelès by Gus Bofa, humorously captioned: "Monsieur Roland Dorgelès dans son uniforme de rédacteur à la petite semaine"

Alongside two original photographs, one depicting the famous Montmartre figure Francisque Poulbot in his Guignol theatre (Agence Rol, 1910), and the other a very rare photograph of the legendary “Fête des Dernières Cartouches” organised by Poulbot on 23 May 1913. We have located only one other known image of this event. The photograph shows the merry band of participants at Poulbot’s place on rue de l’Orient, dressed as soldiers from the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. The celebration, which created quite a stir, is recounted by Dorgelès in this book: