First editions and luxury copies: gastronomy, sport, hunting, heraldry, music-hall, antique games

Ledger of wine sales for shipment kept by a Beaune wine-trading house, 63 leaves (124 pp.) written in ink, followed by 26 blank leaves. The entries span the years 1787-1795, followed by a few pages dated 1809 containing draft letters, often sent from Koblenz, relating to delivery, probably drafted by intermediaries.

A rare order book from a wine-trading house, probably the Patriarche, constituting one of the earliest surviving records of their trading activity. This unpublished, first-hand source fills gaps in our knowledge of the house's early years, shedding light on export routes and the prices charged for the various appellations and vintages.

Limp...

A rare first edition, of which no subsequent reprint exists, complete with all his Neo-Latin poems, chiefly composed in Rome. The volume also contains two Greek poems at ff. 60 and 62, together with a poem which inspired the celebrated sonnet Happy he who like Ulysses.

Modern binding in full limp vellum, smooth spine, red edges, white pastedowns and endleaves.

Some defects within: discreet restoration to inner margin of title verso; small tear without loss at foot of ff. 2-3; dampstaining to lower margin of ff. 25-28 and 45-48; minimal marginal defect to f. 44, not affecting...

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...

First edition of the French translation prepared by Michel Vaucaire, who would later write the lyrics to the famous song Non, je ne regrette rien, singed by Édith Piaf. One of the rare named copies printed on japon. 

Vertical creasing to spine, minor corner losses to spine and boards, traces of erasure to first two leaves, as issued.

Illustrated with 9 black-and-white photographs, including one on the cover.

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...

First edition of the first of Augustin Sageret’s (1763–1851) two memoirs on cucurbits. Sageret was a pioneer in plant hybridization, particularly through his experiments with melons.

Only two copies of this edition are recorded in the CCF (Muséum and Lyon). Extracted from the Mémoires de la Société royale et centrale d’agriculture, year 1825. Pritzel 7969. Oberlé, Fastes, 708.

Half green long-grain morocco binding, spine faded and slightly darkened, decorated with gilt and black double fillets and blind-stamped floral tools, gilt rolls at head and tail, gilt date at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, marbled edges, modern binding.

Some foxing...

First edition, illustrated with in-text vignettes (cf. Vicaire 733; Bitting 391; Cagle 273; NUC: only 2 copies listed. Not in Oberlé, "Fastes").

At the CCF, copies only at the BnF and Sainte-Geneviève.

Contemporary half green sheep binding, spine darkened and faded, decorated with triple blind fillets, marbled paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges.

"Une des particularités de ce traité culinaire, c'est qu'il est 'dédié à la Sainte Vierge, mère de Dieu'" [Vicaire].

Another distinctive feature is that the work, divided into 1,187 paragraphs, exemplifies a scientific method and clarity worthy of a publication by Baillière.

First edition of this album of caricatures by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi which he numbered and initialed (copy no. 36). Printed “in small numbers” (Bartholdi Museum), with only six located in institutions (Colmar Museum, BnF, Harvard, UPenn, NYPL, Rutgers University).

Publisher’s blue cloth binding, flat spine gilt-lettered lengthwise, upper board numerously framed in black, anchors and stars stamped in black at the corners, title and date gilt-stamped; lower board numerously framed in black, black stars at the corners and a central anchor, red edges. Slight rubbing to joints, faint...

Complete set of 115 copper-engraved plates with an additional plate (116 plates), all printed on either laid or wove paper, all hand-colored with watercolor. Two entirely different plates 39 follow each other, in first issue: "Les Titus et les cache-folies" was published in the 1817 and 1822 sets, and the other "La Politicomanie" appeared in 1827. This is the most complete series, which also includes the 11 new plates published from 1818 to 1822, numbered 105 to 115.

According to Vicaire, the plates were probably all printed between 1801 and 1822, and only the text preceding the plates was reprinted in 1827.

3/4 long-grained cherry half-morocco...

Edition of wich no leading copies exists.
Binding of the editor in full black fabric.
Iconography.
Slips slightly warped in margins, the book that had stayed in a damp place previously, otherwise nice copy.

Rare autograph signed Kenzo Takada Gilles Brochard.

First edition, profusely illustrated with in-text figures.

Contemporary red half shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt fillets and triple gilt compartments, gilt initials at the foot of the spine, some rubbing to the bands, boards framed with blind-stamped fillets, marbled endpapers and pastedowns. A binding of the period.

A rare and appealing copy.

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...

First edition in French, one of 1,000 numbered copies on Annonay rag paper, the only deluxe paper copies.

Illustrated with numerous photographs. Preface by Maurice Herzog. Foreword by the Duke of Edinburgh.

Publisher’s full flexible boards binding. Lacking slipcase, spine sunned with minor tears at head and foot.

Rare and handsome autograph inscription, dated and signed by General John Hunt: "A M. Robert Moch vous témoignant notre reconnaissance de nous avoir préparé la trace jusqu'au sommet du signal de l'Iséran le 3 janvier - et pour vous exprimer nos regrets de ne pas l'avoir suivie ! John Hunt...

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...

The rare first edition, illustrated with 100 in-text figures of medals, each showing obverse and reverse. Of the three parts that were to appear successively, only this one was published, Le Menestrier's death having put an end to this work. The work was not even put on sale; the author only distributed a few copies around him. It is therefore very rare to come across this edition. The 1642 edition entitled Medales illustrées des anciens Empereurs et Impératrices de Rome is the same work to which the publisher Paillot added the Médailles des impératrices from a manuscript he had purchased from the heirs. Jean-Baptiste Le Menestrier, antiquarian, should not be confused with the heraldist...

First edition, illustrated with several reproductions, including a photograph of Genss's library as frontispiece. One of two hundred numbered copies, signed by Julius Genss on the limitation leaf. Only three copies on WorldCat (UCL, Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Bremen and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin).

Grey laid paper wrappers, title label mounted to the front cover. Weak stitching, minor soiling to the covers, light corner creasing to the covers and leaves.

A rare copy printed in small numbers of the autobiography of an esteemed Estonian book collector. The provenance of his vast collection, first pillaged by the Nazis, is being actively...

First edition.

Illustrated; a very good copy.

Publisher's full blue cloth, smooth spine, complete with its illustrated dust jacket, with tiny tears and, in places, minor losses, of no consequence.

Manuscript signature of Jackie Stewart, three-time Formula One World Champion, on a free endpaper.

First American edition.

Publisher's original brown paper-covered boards, flat spine, spine ends and corners lightly rubbed, complete with its illustrated dust jacket showing a few minor closed tears.

Profusely illustrated throughout.

An exceptionally important presentation copy inscribed Paul Bocuse to Lionel Poilâne: "A monsieur Poilane avec toutes mes amitiés gourmandes. Paul Bocuse 1978." [with all my gourmand sympathies]

First edition, one of the press service copies, no deluxe paper copies issued.

A dampstain to the lower edge of one textblock edge.

Precious signed autograph inscription from Casamayor: "à Jean Paul Sartre au nom de la réalité concrète avec la fidélité de Casamayor."

First edition of the English translation, published in the same year as the first edition (in German). OCLC records only 8 copies in public libraries.

Original sewn wrappers with a pasted vignette to the upper cover, the title in English and Chinese surrounded by representations of chess pieces. Covers with sunned margins, small marginal tears at the spine folds.

Profusely illustrated with 80 in-text examples of chess games, as well as a photograph depicting monks engaged in a game of chess.

An exceptionally rare treatise on Chinese chess, published in Peking in 1937 by the only German-language publishing house in China before the Second World...

First edition.

Binding inspired by Seventeenth century Cambridge panelled boards, spine with five raised bands framed by double fillets in blind, boards framed by double fillets in blind, outer corners of central frame decorated with small fleurons tools in blind, decorated roll inside central frame, decorated roll in blind on edges, all edges gilt, a corner and edge and lower spine-end slightly rubbed, some chafing on boards, a small hole p. 8 affecting part of a letter.

Very scarce first editions of

First edition, no copy recorded in the CCF.

Modern bradel binding in full burgundy cloth, spine ruled in gilt.

First leaf restored to the right margin with an adhesive repair, some light foxing, dampstain to the upper margin of the opening leaves.

A native of the Briançonnais (Villeneuve-la-Salle), like many booksellers who settled beyond the Alps, Yves Gravier established himself in Genoa in the second half of the eighteenth century, first in partnership with Louis Fantin, and subsequently on his own.

His parents Jean, Thomas and Simon Gravier were likewise active in Italy (Thomas in Rome itself).

In 1839, the firm was placed into liquidation.

First edition illustrated with 1 plate printed outside the text (graph), cf. Vicaire 85. Frère I 96.

Bradel binding in full pebble-grained paper boards, smooth spine, black oasis leather title label, original wrappers preserved though spotted, modern binding.

Scattered foxing.

Bergasse, a learned lawyer and no less distinguished magistrate, born in Lyon on 22 September 1792, died in Paris on 6 July 1853. A member of the Académie de Rouen, of which he served as president, he enriched the proceedings of that Society with several interesting memoirs" [Frère].

The present work provides valuable information on the economic condition of the butchery trade of wide...

First edition, illustrated with full-page 65 plates.

Occasional light foxing.

Blue morocco half-binding, spine with five raised bands ruled and decorated in gilt with gilt floral tools, marbled boards, marbled endpapers, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt; bookplate on front pastedown.

A handsome copy in an attractive binding.

First edition describing 1,539 entries.

Bound in modern brown half shagreen over marbled paper boards, smooth spine lettered in blind, corners rubbed, bookplate pasted to the front pastedown; a modest modern binding.

Occasional light foxing.

Provenance: copy from the library of the Canadian bookseller G. S. Terence Cavanagh (1923–2005), also librarian of the Trent Collection, with his bookplate pasted to the front pastedown.

First edition.

Bradel binding in modern paper-covered boards of grey-blue stock, smooth spine lettered in black, original wrappers preserved; binding signed Laurenchet.

Label of the fishing library of M. Albert Petit pasted to the upper cover, no. 100.

The species are described in French, with their Latin and Greek names.

Stamp of the Société d'Acclimatation on the title-page.

New edition, partly original, revised and enlarged (cf. Vicaire 56; Bitting 231; Oberlé, Fastes, 466).

Contemporary-style half tan sheep, smooth spine decorated with gilt and blind fillets and blind-stamped ornaments, black shagreen lettering-piece, marbled paper boards, modern binding.

A few instances of foxing. 

The author of this work, born in Grasse in 1767 and died in 1839, was appointed physician to Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples, in 1806.

His dictionary is a mine of highly valuable information on food products from throughout the world, with historical, literary, anecdotal, scientific, gastronomic, and medical entries. It also...

First edition of Joseph Pitton de Tournefort’s (1656-1708) seminal work, illustrated with three repeated engraved frontispiece titles by Cornelis Vermeulen depicting the Jardin du Roi, 451 botanical plates drawn by Claude Aubriet - who would later accompany the author on his journey to the Levant - and 5 text vignettes. Dedicatory epistle to King Louis XIV.

Three volumes bound in contemporary polished marbled calf. Raised-band spines decorated with the cipher of Louis XIV in four compartments, embellished with fleurs-de-lis, stars and botanical ornaments; red morocco lettering and numbering pieces, likewise...

First edition of this complete suite of 18 numbered intaglio plates enhanced in colour, on 'J. Honig & Zoonen' laid paper, depicting 72 merchants accompanied by captions beneath each figure.
First printing, subsequent editions will feature individually numbered figures surrounded by a border.

Bound in half sienna morocco with corners, smooth spine, title stamped in gilt throughout, tiger patterned paper boards, combed paper endpapers and flyleaves, first cover retained, gilt head.
 
Extremely rare and the earliest known suite of prints depicting itinerant merchants and pedlars in Spain. Each figure is...

Set of 52 original plates, etched and enhanced with watercolours at the time, numbered 1 to 52, mounted in pairs under mats.
 
Leaves in red half calf slipcase (early 20th century), red shagreen boards.
The plates vary in size (10.8 x 17.6 cm to 28.1 x 18.8 cm) and paper stock, as was often the case with La Mésangère's publications. Unbound engraved title on a bifolium, printed separately, absent from most copies. It is replaced here by its identical reprint by Gosselin (1893-1903), on antique watermarked paper and bears the publisher's 'G' mark, characteristic of this reprint a century later. All the plates, however, are in their first edition, without the G...

2 frontispieces and 12 numbered engravings bound at rear of the second volume.
Small lack of paper to upper right corner and marginal restoration to the first volume's title page. Minor foxing, a light halo to the right margin of each of the 12 engravings at rear of the second volume.
Red half morocco binding, smooth spines with arabesques motifs in gilt, marbled paper boards, snags and rubbing to boards and edges, corners bent.
The book was first published as The Universal Cook in London in 1792; its fourth edition was translated into French...

First edition. 262 engravings in the text representing the main assembled pieces of cuisine, pastry and ice creams.

Publisher's binding in full red grained cloth. Smooth spine decorated with a large black fleuron. Gilt title. Frame ornaments on the boards and a central vignette. Small lack of cloth to the upper joint at foot. Some soiling and traces of rubbing, but good copy with some scattered foxing.
One of the most important treatises on pastry-making of the 19th century. Sought after for its impressive plates. Garlin, famous chef from Tonnerre was first his father's pupil before training himself in embassies and various establishments. Le pâtissier moderne...

First edition, rare, illustrated with 5 folding plates at the end.
Contemporary full marbled brown calf binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt tooling. Beige morocco title-piece. One corner trimmed, the others rubbed. A tiny 2 mm tear at head of spine. A small worm gallery in the lower margin from the title-page to p. 24, slight at the beginning, widening and then fading out. A good, rather clean copy.
Red stamp on half-title and title-page, with the arms: Bibliothèque Chapuys-Montlaville

Complete run of the first twenty years of the newspaper Libération, founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre, Serge July, Philippe Gavi, Bernard Lallement and Jean-Claude Vernier.

6,200 issues in pristine condition (never opened).

This unique collection comprises 6,200 issues of Libération in impeccable condition (never opened), and is absolutely complete – including all the “numéros zéros”, promotional issues, special reports, thematic supplements (including the entire series of the celebrated “Sandwich” issues), and the commemorative twentieth anniversary album – from Monday 5 February 1973 to Monday 3 January 1994.  
The collection...