First editions, fine papers and deluxe printings of French and foreign literature, 16th to 21st century

First edition of the French translation, one of 45 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only large-paper copies.

Preface by Joseph Kessel.

A rare and very fine copy.

First edition, with all the first printing points (price of $5.95 at the upper right corner of the front inner flap of the dust jacket, "First printing" stated at the head of the copyright page).

Publisher's full burgundy cloth, smooth spine, complete with the illustrated dust jacket, showing light rubbing and some tears to the corners, not serious.

A pleasing copy of this work, masterfully adapted for the screen by Richard Brooks in 1967, starring Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, John Forsythe and Paul Stewart.

First edition; no large paper copies were issued.

A crease with a small tear to the lower right corner of the front cover, light foxing to the last endpaper.

A rare and attractive copy.

Preface by Léopold Sédar Senghor.
Provenance: from the library of Claude Mozis, with his African-inspired bookplate on the inside front cover.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on vélin pur fil paper, the deluxe issue.

A rare and attractive copy, illustrated with drawings on plates.

First edition of the French translation, one of 50 numbered copies on alfama marais paper, the only large-paper copies.

Preface by André Maurois.

A vertical crease mark to the lower cover, a few faint and insignificant spots to the edges; a rare and attractive copy.

First edition, one of 109 numbered copies on Lafuma Navarre laid paper, reimposed in quarto tellière format, forming the deluxe issue (tirage de tête).

Half aubergine morocco with corners, spine with four raised bands outlined with black fillets, gilt date at foot, marbled paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt. Binding signed by Semet & Plumelle.

An attractive and handsomely bound copy of this work, awarded the Prix Goncourt in 1926.

First edition of Le Parnasse contemporain, a rare complete set of all three series, published in 1866, 1869-1871 and 1876, featuring works by some one hundred poets, most of them previously unpublished.

The first series includes the first printing of several poems from Charles Baudelaire's Nouvelles fleurs du mal, in the fifth instalment, which is devoted entirely to him: Epigraphe pour un livre condamné - Madrigal triste - L'avertisseur - Le rebelle - Bien loin d'ici - Recueillement - Le gouffre - Les plaintes d'un Icare, together with some of the poems published in the...

First edition, one of the numbered copies on alfa paper.
Half navy blue shagreen with corners, spine with five raised bands (slightly faded), moiré-effect paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, contemporary binding signed by Caffin, binder in rue Saint-Lazare, Paris.

Some light foxing, mainly affecting the edges.

First edition, illustrated with drawings by Pierre Joubert.

Spine lightly sunned, with minor rubbing to the joints.

Autograph inscription signed by Pierre Joubert to Henri Le Roy, enhanced with an original blue ballpoint pen drawing of a smiling scout's face.

New collected edition, following the first complete edition published in 1682. It is illustrated with a portrait and 33 plates (one frontispiece to each play) by Punt; these captioned plates are reductions of Boucher's quarto plates, which first appeared in the celebrated deluxe edition of 1734. Punt's charming plates are dated 1738 or 1739. Title pages printed in red and black.

This edition appears to be the first to use the reduced Boucher plates. It also follows the famous quarto edition by only a year, and is rather well printed. These reduced plates were reused in several later editions, notably that of 1765, which includes Voltaire's notes. The Life of Molière runs to some...

First edition, one of 103 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only large-paper copies apart from 6 hors commerce copies on Holland paper.
Preface by Henri Pourrat.

A monogrammed roundel pasted to the upper right corner of an endpaper, serving as a bookplate.
A fine and rare copy.

First edition, one of 13 numbered copies on vélin d'Arches, the deluxe issue after a single copy on Japon.

A pleasant copy.

First edition of Verfall und Wiederaufbau der Kultur, the first part of Albert Schweitzer's Kulturphilosophie.

Publisher's Bradel binding in cream half cloth, author and title lettered lengthwise on spine, blue-green paper boards, author and title printed on upper cover. Binding sunned and lightly soiled, a few leaves with creased corners. One passage marked out and accompanied by pencil drawings.

Signed and dated autograph inscription from Albert Schweitzer to Isidor Philipp on the front free endpaper: "A I. Philipp avec mes bonnes pensées Albert Schweitzer Sept 1923".

First edition, with no copies printed on large paper, one of the review copies.

Spine faded, as is usually the case.

A rare copy.

First edition, with no copies printed on large paper.

Spine slightly creased, a stain to the top edge extending into the margins of several leaves.

Complete with the original publisher's insert.

Rare and important dated and signed autograph inscription from Tchicaya U Tam'si to Jacques Duchateau.

Provenance: from the library of Claude Mozis, with his African-themed bookplate on the verso of the front wrapper.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Bradel binding in bottle-green half morocco, smooth spine darkened and showing signs of rubbing, date gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, original wrappers and spine preserved.

First edition, one of the press copies.

Bradel binding in full marbled paper, smooth spine slightly faded, caramel shagreen title label, covers and spine preserved.

First edition, one of 330 numbered copies on Holland paper.

Light foxing to the endpapers.
A fine copy, the blue wrappers unfaded.

First edition, one of only 6 copies numbered in Roman numerals on Holland paper, this copy being No. I, the only deluxe copies issued.

Endpapers partially darkened.

A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, limited to 195 numbered copies on pur fil paper, each printed with the name of its recipient.

A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, illustrated with a photographic reproduction of Mistinguett alongside the writer Maurice Verne.
Publisher's original boards, somewhat soiled, spine missing.

Signed autograph inscription from Mistinguett to Jean Henri Guilhaumet, in purple ink, on the half-title page: "A Jean Henri Guilhaumet ma sympathie Mistinguett".

First edition, one of the numbered copies printed on alfa paper.
A very good copy.

First edition, one of an unspecified number of copies printed on China paper, not mentioned in the limitation statement.

Contemporary Bradel-style binding in brown straight-grain half morocco, smooth spine with a few minor scuffs and an incorrect date gilt-stamped at the foot (1895 instead of 1890), comb-marbled paper boards, original wrappers and spine preserved, corners slightly bumped.

Some inevitable foxing to the edges, owing to the nature of the China paper.

First edition, one of the review copies.

Spine slightly faded.
Signed and inscribed by the author to Françoise Giroud.

First edition, one of the copies printed on Japanese paper.

Small tears and minor losses to the corners of the wrappers, which are partially faded along the edges; a tear at the foot of the spine.

Internally in very good condition.

First collected edition, one of 36 numbered copies on Holland paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

A very good copy.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the deluxe issue after 10 copies on Japan paper.

A rare and handsome copy.

First edition of this catalogue, printed in 750 numbered copies on Arches wove paper for the exhibition of Léger's works held at the Galerie Louis Carré from 19 November to 31 December 1954, though the catalogue itself was not published until two years after the retrospective.
Illustrated with original lithographs by Fernand Léger: 6 colour plates, including two double-page spreads, 5 black-and-white plates, and 10 lithographs in the text.
A fine copy.

First edition, one of 32 numbered copies on Holland paper, this being one of 10 reserved for the Porte d'Aude group, the second deluxe issue after 5 copies on Japan paper.

Illustrated with a photographic portrait of Joseph Delteil and a frontispiece by Germaine Caussignac.

Offsetting to the title page and slight fading to the edge of one wrapper. Otherwise a rare and attractive copy.

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies printed on pur fil paper.

A very small, unobtrusive tear without loss to the spine of the outer wrapper, which also shows two small areas of sunning at the head and foot.

An attractive copy retaining its double wrappers.

First trade edition, with a new preface, one of 550 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the only deluxe issue.
Contemporary-style binding in half brown morocco, spine with three broad raised bands, decorated with double gilt-ruled compartments and gilt dotted tooling, very slight rubbing to the joints, marbled paper boards, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

An attractively bound copy.

First edition, containing previously unpublished material, one of 20 numbered copies on Lana wove paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First edition, one of 62 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, the deluxe issue in this format.
Contemporary English binding by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, one of the most celebrated and distinguished London bookbinding firms of the early twentieth century, in olive-green half morocco, uniformly faded smooth spine decorated with gilt dotted lines, rules and floral ornaments, together with black rules, olive-green cloth-effect boards, original green wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, retaining the original deckle edges.

First edition thus, enlarged with previously unpublished posthumous poems and prose writings. One of 45 numbered copies on pur fil paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

A very good copy.

Introduction and appendix by Yves-Gérard Le Dantec.

First edition on ordinary paper, issued after the destruction of the 1923 printing following a dispute between Tzara and the publisher.

A rare and fine copy, complete with its publisher's insert.

Housed in a black half-morocco chemise, smooth spine lettered in palladium, boards covered with paper decorated with abstract motifs, blue paper endleaves; matching slipcase edged in black morocco and covered with paper decorated with abstract motifs. Both by the Boichot bindery.
Double autograph inscription, signed and dated by Tristan Tzara, first to Paul Éluard – « à Paul Éluard. Tristan Tzara. Juillet 1929 » – then, after striking through this initial dedication, to...

First edition on ordinary paper.
Spine sunned, as often.

First edition of the French translation by Bernard Faÿ, for which no deluxe copies were printed. One of the review copies.

Dated and signed autograph inscription from Bernard Faÿ to the Duke Pozzo di Borgo.

First edition, one of 75 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe copies after 45 on pur fil paper.

Minor foxing, chiefly affecting the endpapers and edges.

First edition, one of 250 numbered copies on Japan paper, constituting the deluxe issue.
Fine copy.

First edition, one of 180 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe issue after 40 copies also on pur fil paper.
A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, limited to 350 numbered copies on coated paper, illustrated with 11 collages by Max Ernst.

Spine and edges of boards slightly faded, as often.

A rare and attractive copy of the first book illustrated by Max Ernst in collaboration with the Paris group.

First edition, one of the review copies.

A very good copy, with only slight, inconsequential sunning to the spine.

Signed presentation inscription from Paul Morand to Maurice Clavel: \"... son lecteur très attentif et hebdomadaire...\"

First edition on ordinary paper.

Spine and covers slightly faded along the edges, as is often the case, with a few small stains to the rear cover.

First edition of the French translation and introduction by Pierre Klossowski, one of 43 numbered copies printed on pur fil paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

Contemporary-style binding in black half morocco-grain leather over corner pieces, spine with five raised bands showing slight rubbing, date gilt at foot, boards also showing minor rubbing along the edges, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

First edition, RBH records no copy sold since 1980, complete with its appendices at the end of the volume.  

Half anthracite calf bindings, bordered with blind-tooled rolls, spine with five false raised bands, numerous gilt fillets and rolls forming a border, blind-tooled ornament in the compartments, burgundy calf title-pieces, marbled paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, all edges marbled, unnoticeable repears to joints. The binder omitted to include the imprint page at rear of vol. I and II. 

Illustrated with a folding colour map of Haiti.

Rare copy of this fictionalised biography of Toussaint...

First edition, one of 80 numbered copies printed on Hollande paper.

Spine and edges of boards slightly faded and sunned, as is generally the case.

Illustrated with 5 full-page engravings by Marc Chagall.

First edition of the French translation, one of 46 numbered copies printed on vélin pur fil paper, the only deluxe copies issued.

A pleasing copy.

First edition, with no mention of a deluxe issue.

Contemporary Bradel binding in half almond-green cloth, smooth spine with a gilt ornament and a red morocco title label showing some rubbing, marbled paper boards, original front wrapper preserved. Corners slightly bumped.

Signed autograph inscription from Maurice Leblanc to the theatre director Paul Strozzi.

First edition of the French translation, one of 60 numbered copies on alfa paper, constituting the sole deluxe issue.

A fine copy, complete with its illustrated dust jacket.

First edition.
Contemporary red half morocco. Spine with raised bands, compartments decorated with gilt dentelle borders. Gilt titles. Some rubbing. A few scattered spots of foxing, otherwise a fresh copy on good wove paper.





 

First edition of the French translation, one of 1,040 copies produced to a design by Mario Prassinos. Number 153 of 990.

Publisher's black pictorial boards decorated with geometric patterns. The slightest rubbing, otherwise a very fine copy.

First edition, limited to 1,000 copies, this being one of 950 printed on Outhenin-Chalandre paper.

A fine copy, with a frontispiece map of the Pays d'Ouche region and complete with the publisher's printed publicity slip.

Signed and dated autograph inscription from Jean de La Varende to the bibliophile Maurice Gorrée, dated 1954.

In 1951, the novel was adapted for the screen by Yves Allégret, starring Jean Marais, Françoise Christophe and Jean Debucourt.

First edition, one of 2050 numbered copies on vélin labeur paper.
Publisher's boards after Paul Bonet's original design.
Boards slightly yellowed, as is usual.

The complete trilogy of the "13", in first edition, each volume one of 50 copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe issue (cf. Claude Menguy). The limitation is mistakenly given as printed on "alfa"  halfway down the spine, though the copies are in fact printed on pur fil Lafuma (no copies were issued on alfa). The plain white wrappers were reserved for the large-paper copies; the photographic wrappers were used only for the trade issue.

Rare and handsome copies of each volume of the "13" trilogy, from the limited first issue. With their method of investigation grounded in observation and human behavior, these collections of short stories...

First edition of the French translation by Paule de Beaumont, also of Jean Cocteau's adaptation, one of 100 numbered copies on B.F.K. de Rives paper, the most limited issue.

Spine and covers lightly and marginally faded as usual, otherwise a rare and attractive copy.

First French edition, translated by R. N. Raimbault. One of 100 numbered copies printed on Lafuma Navarre pure wove paper, this copy numbered LXXIV. 

Copy in its original wrappers. In excellent condition.

First edition, one of 1,050 numbered copies on alfama paper.

Publisher's boards after the original design by Mario Prassinos. A tiny sunned area at the head of the spine.

A remarkably fresh copy.

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on "pur-fil" paper, most limited issue.

The book Camus dedicated to his friend René Leynaud. Our copy is housed in a custom black half morocco chemise, handmade striped paper boards, title and author gilt stamped, brown pastedowns, slipcase edged with morocco, handmade striped paper boards, a handsome set signed by Boichot.

Rare and handsome copy.

"La Revue Libre, a clandestine review, published in February 1944 an anonymous Lettre à un Ami allemand. It was by Camus. By Camus, too, was the second letter that appeared at the same date, under the pseudonym Louis Neuville...

First edition, one of the numbered copies on alfa paper.
Spine sunned as is usual, a small dent to one board edge, a small dark mark to the lower part of the front board.
Publisher's binding after an original design by Mario Prassinos.

 

First edition, with the wood-engravings in their first impression: 212 full-page plates by Gavarni (with the exception of the final four, which are by Bertall), together with 800 illustrations in the text by Bertall. Gavarni's satirical wood-engravings, accompanied by captions, form an extraordinary profusion of illustrations, almost anticipating the modern comic strip. Particularly striking is the remarkable variety of typographical ornament, including decorative borders, tailpieces and other embellishments.
Contemporary bindings, circa 1860, in brown straight-grain half morocco over boards with corners. Spines with four false raised bands, gilt-ruled and decorated compartments, gilt...

First edition, one of the review copies.

A \"Collection Goncourt\" bookplate affixed to the centre of a flyleaf.

A very good copy of this novel, winner of the 1961 Prix Goncourt.
Fine signed presentation inscription from Jean Cau to Jean-Louis Bory: \"Pour J.L. Bory ce livre plein d'espoir et de soleil et d'amour en amical hommage.\"

First edition of the French translation, one of 40 numbered copies printed on rag wove paper, the only deluxe issue.

Minor offsetting at the foot of the final blank flyleaf, otherwise a rare and attractive copy.

First edition, printed in a small, numbered edition on alfa paper.

Rare and fine copy.

Signed presentation inscription from Jean de La Varende to the bibliophile Maurice Gorrée.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies printed on imitation Japan paper.

A fine copy.

Signed presentation inscription from Jean de La Varende to the bibliophile Maurice Gorrée.

First edition, one of 135 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

Foreword by Jean Cocteau.

A rare and attractive copy, with full margins.

Dated and signed autograph inscription from Roger Peyrefitte to the bibliophile Maurice Gorrée.

First edition, one of 11 numbered copies on Hollande paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

A rare and attractive copy.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Hollande paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

A rare and attractive copy with full margins.

Three works bound in one volume, comprising one first French translation and two first editions.

Half fawn calf, paste-paper boards, green corners, smooth spine decorated with six gilt bands and three blind-stamped tools, two titles stamped on the spine (that of the Mémoire sur l'université is not present), speckled edges. Some rubbing and soiling to the binding, light foxing.

A curious gathering of two scientific texts, one devoted to the telegraph and the other to optical instruments, together with a polemical pamphlet by the founder of the Collège Stanislas.

First edition, one of 140 numbered copies on Arches pur fil paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

An attractive copy with full margins.

First edition, one of only 11 numbered copies on Hollande paper, constituting the deluxe issue.

A rare and attractive copy, illustrated with two drawings by Jean de La Varende, engraved on wood by H. Cols.

First edition, one of 1,050 numbered copies printed on vélin labeur paper.
Publisher's binding after an original design by Mario Prassinos.
A fine copy.

First edition on ordinary paper, with a press copy punch mark at the foot of the rear wrapper.

Green half morocco with corners, spine faded, smooth spine decorated with gilt arabesques incorporating red morocco onlays, gilt fillet borders to the marbled paper boards, slightly faded at the edges, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, two bookplates affixed to one pastedown. Binding signed by Le Douarin.

Signed autograph inscription from Colette to her friend Andrée Laferté.

Our copy is further enriched with an autograph postcard from Colette to her friend André Laferté, mounted on a stub at the...

First edition on ordinary paper.

Bound in burgundy half morocco, spine with five raised bands outlined in black, boards covered in moiré-effect paper, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, speckled edges.

Signed autograph inscription from André Malraux to Madame Simone Sivry.

First edition on ordinary paper, without edition statement, bearing the correct colophon dated 30 November 1918.

The 128 deluxe paper copies would only be issued six months later, during the summer of 1919.

Light spotting to the margins of the endleaves, small l and a faint dampstain to the title page and following leaves, a bluish stain to the margins of pp. 339-340 inherent to the quality of the paper.

Bound in contemporary half forest-green morocco over corners, spine with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt date at foot, cat’s-eye patterned paper boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed...

First edition, one of 1,000 numbered copies, the only deluxe issue apart from 13 copies on Hollande paper.
Publisher's pictorial boards after an original design by Mario Prassinos.
Spine slightly compressed at head and foot, otherwise a very good copy.

First edition, one of 515 copies printed, of this catalogue published on the occasion of a Surrealist exhibition held at the Galerie Nina Dausset from 7 to 30 October 1948.

Preface by André Breton.

Booklet with an illustrated frontispiece.

Rare and attractive copy.

First edition, one of 1,050 numbered copies on alfa paper.
Two very faint areas of sunning at the head and foot of the spine, otherwise a very good copy.
Publisher's illustrated boards after the original design by Mario Prassinos. 

First edition.

Contemporary red half morocco, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with gilt ornaments, the initials "L.B." gilt at foot, olive-green morocco lettering-piece, marbled-paper boards, marbled endpapers, corners rubbed.

Scattered foxing, some rubbing to spine and boards.

Printed library stamp of Léon Bienvenu on the title-page.

Precious presentation copy inscribed and signed by Emile Zola to the journalist and man of letters Léon Bienvenu, known as Touchatout.

First edition, one of 39 numbered copies on Lafuma Navarre pure rag laid paper, specially printed in quarto tellière format, the deluxe issue after a single copy on Chinese paper.
Contemporary burgundy morocco-backed corners, spine with four raised bands bordered by black fillets, boards covered in geometrically patterned decorative paper, marbled endpapers, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

A rare and handsome copy, attractively bound, of this novel awarded the 1933 Prix Goncourt.

First collected edition, with no deluxe copies issued, this being one of the press copies.

A very good copy.

Fine signed presentation inscription from Jean Cocteau to the writer, art critic and television personality Max-Pol Fouchet: "à Max Pol cette moëlle de mes os. Jean 1956."

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on wove paper, the only deluxe issue.

A fine and rare copy.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Small loss to the lower right corner of the title page.

Contemporary Bradel-style binding in indigo-blue half cloth, smooth spine with brown sheep label, marbled paper boards.

Provenance: from the library of Marcel Allain, co-creator of Fantômas with Pierre Souvestre, with his manuscript bookplate on a paper label pasted to the inside front board.

First edition of the French translation, one of 60 numbered copies on pur fil, head of the print run.

Preface by André Gide.

Rare and appealing copy.

First public edition of this text by Jean Guéhenno, written under the pseudonym Cévennes, one of 60 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, from the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

Deluxe first edition on Oikos paper, limited to 200 copies, this copy being one of 5 presentation copies signed by the publisher and enriched with unpublished documents relating to the discovery of the manuscript.

Swiss binding with exposed stitching, smooth cloth spine, illustrated boards and slipcase.

Original French translation of the last manuscript recovered from a deportee assigned to the Sonderkommandos.

Marcel Nadjary (1917-1971), a Greek Jew from Thessaloniki, deported to Auschwitz in the spring of 1944, was assigned to the Sonderkommando. He wrote a...

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Marais Crèvecoeur paper, issued as part of the publisher’s deluxe limitation.

Spine and boards faintly sunned and toned as usual, with a small spot to the lower outer corner of the front board.

As stated in the limitation, this copy includes its original etching by Jacques Villon, signed in the plate.

First edition of the French translation, one of 26 lettered copies on Lana wove rag paper, issued as part of the tête-de-tirage.

A fine copy.

First edition of the author's third book, with no copies printed on deluxe paper, here a review copy.

Spine very lightly sunned, without seriousness, faint spotting to the board edges.

Rare and desirable presentation copy signed by Patrick Modiano to the woman of letters Christiane Baroche: "Pour Christiane ces boulevards de ceinture avec lesquels elle est bien indulgente. Avec l'amitié de Patrick."