Antique books, popular show posters, music-hall programs, puppets, magic books, clowns, street performers

First edition, complete in 23 instalments, of the second series of this magic periodical (cf. Fechner, p. 503).

Text in two columns; each instalment, richly illustrated, comprises between 12 and 16 pages (20 for the final one).

Contemporary half-sheep bindings: the first volume in brown, the second in tan, the spines with four raised bands tooled with gilt ornaments, moiré-patterned paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges; one original wrapper preserved. Bindings from the period, though mismatched in tone between the two volumes.

Complete collection of the second series of this Swiss periodical, whose first publication appeared in 1941–42 as the...

Near-complete run of this scarce bi-monthly magic periodical.

Profusely illustrated (lacking only issues 1, 4 and 5 for the year 1947), Robelly having voluntarily ceased publication after issue 121.

Contemporary half sheep bindings in shades of fawn, brown or beige, spines with four raised bands gilt-tooled with floral ornaments, most spines faded or discoloured, a few minor rubs to some spines, marbled paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges; modest period bindings.

Robert Rouet, known as Robelly (1894–1975), was something of the historiographer of the "magician’s" profession, assembling a remarkable body of information and documentation.

At...

New edition illustrated with 2 photographic plates outside the text, with statement of print run.

Half cloth Bradel binding in burgundy, smooth spine, original illustrated and stained front cover preserved, marbled paper boards, modern binding.

Some marginal foxing.

The work is signed Chevalier X, the pseudonym of Captain Martin. Autograph inscription dated and signed by Captain Martin to Hardy (Jean Tardy, 1902–1987, the renowned illusionist): "A mon ami Hardy pour son grand succès du Casino du 12 mars 1929 Alger. Chevalier X alias Martin."

Autograph letter signed by Charles Baudelaire, addressed to Antoine Arondel, written in black ink on a single sheet of blue paper.
Folds typical of mailing; minor losses expertly restored without affecting the text; a small tear on the signature discreetly repaired. This letter is transcribed in Correspondance I of Baudelaire (Pléiade, p. 277) and dated by Claude Pichois to May 1854.
In it, Baudelaire sends theatre tickets to his art dealer Antoine Arondel — a notorious and unscrupulous character who exploited the poet’s boundless taste for fine arts...

Second illustrated edition, with 68 wood engravings within the text.

The first leaf bears, on its verso, a few lines of music (the recto is blank). On the final leaf, the same score reveals, when folded, lines of writing: "Les notes musicales qui servent de Frontispice à cet Ouvrage, ressemblent parfaitement au Discours & à la Musique ci-dessus. C'est la manière de plier le papier qui fait paraître l'un & disparaître l'autre" (cf. Fechner, p. 152).

Paris: Chez l'Auteur, Granger, Bailly, Lesclapart, Hardouin & Gattey, Varin, Lagrange [Printed by Veuve Hérissant], 1786. Octavo (in-8), 2 ff. n. ch., pp. [v] to xix, 328 pp., 1 folding unnumbered leaf in accordion format, 68...

First edition (a reprint was issued in 1963) of one of the two major works by Marcel Sarrazin, known as Vassal, now considered one of the leading French-speaking 'mentalists'—a modern term borrowed from English (cf. Fechner, p. 554). Only 2 copies listed in the CCF (BnF and Sainte-Geneviève).

Small stains to the lower right corner of the title page, otherwise a well-preserved copy.

Contemporary half tawny sheep binding, spine with four raised bands and gilt fleurons, minor rubbing to spine, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original front wrapper preserved, sprinkled edges, very slight rubbing to corners.

Illustrated with in-text figures after...

Rare complete suite of Gavarni’s eighteen lithographs for Les Maris vengés, published in Paris by Aubert in 1837-1838, here expanded to twenty-one sheets by the presence of three plates in two states; the second state is coloured, while the third of these plates also appears in two differently hand-coloured impressions. Eight lithographs are therefore hand-coloured in all.

To complete the series, the collector had to use, for plates nos. 13, 14 and 16, the impressions published in Le...

Autograph letter signed by the painter Eugène Delacroix to his friend Baron Félix Feuillet de Conches, master of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Charles X and Louis-Philippe. One page in black ink on a folded sheet, with the autograph address on the verso. Traces of seal and postal stamps dated October 7.

The painter writes to his friend Feuillet de Conches, a distinguished man of letters whose works were well received, and who also amassed an elegant collection of art and autographs in his apartment on the rue Neuve-des-Mathurins, the address of this very letter.

A charming and witty missive, in...

Rare first edition, illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, two copper-engraved plates, and twenty-five woodcut figures in the text (cf. Rosenthal, Bibliotheca Magica et Pneumatica, 8648, which records only an edition of 1788).

A few light spots of foxing; two dampstains affecting some leaves.

Contemporary half tan calf, the smooth spine faded and decorated with gilt rolls, fillets and floral tools, gilt initials at the foot; some rubbing and two small black stains to the spine; marbled boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges.

A new edition, published anonymously, of the French translation.

Half black cloth binding with corners, spine without lettering, rubbed with small losses to the cloth at the joints, marbled paper boards, soiled original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.

This rare Strasbourg printing escaped Sabin. It is in fact an adaptation of Struggles and Triumphs, the autobiography of the remarkable Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810–1891), first published by him in 1869.

Widely regarded as the father of the modern circus, Barnum was also a consummate master of spectacle and publicity. His conquest of Europe, accompanied by “General” Tom Thumb, measuring just 63 cm in...

Rare first edition illustrated with a frontispiece, an engraved title, two intaglio-engraved plates, and 25 woodcut figures in the text (cf. Rosenthal, Bibliotheca Magica et Pneumatica, 8648, which records only a 1788 edition).

Contemporary full marbled calf, spine with five raised bands richly gilt and panelled, gilt rolls to the spine ends partially rubbed, dark green calf lettering-piece, a few rubs to the spine and joints, gilt fillets to the edges partially faded, corners bumped, red edges.

L'armoire volante is a film directed by Carlo Rim who was also its screenwriter and dialogue writer; the main roles were played by Fernandel, Berthe Bovy and Pauline Carton.
Set of 97 original photographs, silver gelatin prints of the period, in three different formats: 11x8.5, 18x13.5cm and 23.5x18.5cm depicting scenes from the filming of the movie.
The set is presented in a cardboard box from the Crumière establishments with manuscript notations by Carlo Rim on the first cover and one edge.

Set of 38 original photographs, silver gelatin prints of the period, in 24x30cm format depicting scenes from the filming of the movie.
Le mort en fuite is a film by André Berthomieu, assisted by André Zwobada with Carlo Rim as dialogue writer and adapter; the main roles were played by Michel Simon, Jules Berry and Marie Glory.

20 full-page lithographs in black by Gustave Doré, in second state.
Red half oblong Bradel-style cloth binding, smooth spine, black morocco title label, marbled paper boards, beige paper endpapers and flyleaves, corners slightly dulled.

Paris, Gueffier, 1769-1770. Four octavo volumes.

First edition of this major eighteenth-century classic of scientific recreations, illustrated with 72 folding plates, 68 of them finely coloured by hand at the time of publication, together with a folding table. Four further plates listing the prices of recreational apparatus sold by Guyot accompany the first three volumes. The first two volumes appeared in 1769 and the remaining two in 1770.

Contemporary full polished tan calf, smooth spines elegantly decorated with gilt floral tools and fillets, red morocco lettering-pieces...