Fin de siècle & Belle Époque: history from 1870 to 1914, industrialization, colonial expansion and early 20th century society

First edition abundantly illustrated with wood engravings in text and plates.

Publisher's gilt red percale beveled binding signed Engel at tail. Smooth spine richly decorated with various ornaments inlaid in black. Large special plate with the arms of the city of Paris framed by 2 nude victories, 2 medals. Wide frieze of Greek keys and decorative border. Second board with succession of black frames. Brown endpapers. Gilt edges. Rubbing to headcaps, corners. Scattered foxing.
Handsome copy, quite solid and uniform, with sharp gilding.
Beyond the classic presentation of the exhibition, with its pavilions and the "wonders" of the Trocadero, this publication includ

First edition, an ordinary paper copy.
Contemporary green half shagreen, marbled paper boards, spine with five raised bands and gilt flowers, speckled edges.
With the autograph signatures of every author of the "Médan group" involved in the writing of this famous collection of short stories: Guy de Maupassant, Emile Zola, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Léon Hennique, Paul Alexis and Henri Céard on the first endpaper.
A very good and rare copy in a strictly contemporary binding.

First edition of 30 copies printed on Japon paper of this offprint of L'Artiste for November 1890.
Contemporary Bradel binding of beige paper boards, ex-libris to pastedown.
Autograph inscription signed from Paul Verlaine to Edmond Bonnaffé on the justification of printing at end: “Exemplaire de Monsieur E. Bonnaffé. P. Verlaine [Monsieur E. Bonnaffé's copy. P. Verlaine]”. Edmond Bonnaffé (1825-1903) was a wealthy collector and noted historian of art, very close to the artistic movements of the age.
These pages by Verlaine are a critical review of the book by Roger Marx of the same name (Paris, 1890). In it, the poet discusses the great names in Art Nouv

First edition.
Contemporary red cloth Bradel binding by Pierson, spine with gilt floral motif, date and double gilt fillet to foot, black shagreen title label.
A little light spotting, principally affecting the first and final few leaves.
Ex libris of Adolphe Racot on inside upper cover.
Concerning Victor Hugo, Alfred de Musset, George Sand, François-René de Chateaubriand, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas fils, and so on…

Autograph inscription from Emile Zola to Adolphe Racot.

Second edition on ordinary paper.

Bradel binding in half orange cloth, smooth spine very slightly faded decorated with gilt floral motif, double gilt fillet at foot, chocolate shagreen title label, marbled paper boards, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.

Precious signed autograph inscription from Octave Mirbeau to Jean Ajalbert.

Provenance: library of Jean Ajalbert with his Japanese-style bookplate in the style of the Nabis, wood engraved in a very small number, signed with a monogram, probably that of Félicien Rops.