Classical and modern plays, comedies, dramas, tragedies, performing arts

Second edition with some parts in first edition as expanded with two new pieces: "L'occasion" and "Le carrosse du Saint Sacrement".

Half red straight-grained morocco binding with corners signed Blanchetière at the top of the first endpaper. Smooth spine decorated with a large mirror tool and roulettes. Separating fillets on the boards. Very fresh copy, uncut, however some brown spots on Le carrosse du saint sacrement.

Very handsome copy.

Provenance: from the library of Jacques Crépineau, famous collector of Romantic books, with his bookplate. Theater historian and director of the Michodière theater.

This is Prosper Mérimée's first work composed

Second collective first edition, with continuous pagination, containing for the first time Phèdre, the Discours prononcé à l'Académie françoise à la réception de Messieurs de Corneille et de Bergeret and the Idylle sur la paix.(Brunet, IV, 1077). Work illustrated with 12 figures including 2 frontispieces, most signed by François Chauveau; the frontispiece of the first volume engraved by Le Brun. 
Edition shared between Barbin, Denys Thierry and Pierre Trabouillet.
Full midnight blue morocco binding from the late 19th century signed at the foot of the pastedown Thibaron-Joly (Former worker of Trautz, Thibaron partnered with the gilder Joly in 1874). Spine with raised bands decorated.

Original drawing signed in blue felt-tip pen and heightened with red, blue and yellow colored pencils, by Carlo Rim depicting the theater director André Antoine, in a three-piece suit with the rosette of the Légion d'honneur pinned to his jacket. 
The drawing is captioned in blue felt-tip pen "André Antoine".
Carlo Rim was a Provençal writer, author of "Ma belle Marseille", a caricaturist, a filmmaker and was notably the friend of Fernandel, Raimu and Marcel Pagnol but also of Max Jacob and André Salmon whom he met in Sanary.

Affectionate autograph note signed by Armand Salacrou, on a card with letterhead of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers, 6 lines written in black ink.
"Mon cher Carlo,
Tu dis que je suis une tête ? ! Et si tu me prêtais tes jambes pour que nous partions, le coup, tous les deux, se reposer à la campagne ? Je t'aime bien. Armand Salacrou." ["My dear Carlo,
You say I'm a brain? ! And what if you lent me your legs so we could both take off together to rest in the countryside? I'm fond of you. Armand Salacrou."]

Edition illustrated with original miniaturist illustrations by Jean Gradassi, one of 2851 numbered copies on Lana handmade laid paper.

Publisher's full brown stamped leather bindings, spines with five raised bands very slightly faded, spines and covers decorated with gilt and brown stamped ornamental motifs, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, top edges gilt, slipcases with brown leather edges, marbled paper boards.

Handsome complete set in 12 volumes.