Contes de la bécasse

First edition, no grands papiers (deluxe) copies printed.
Half brown sheepskin, spine with four raised bands framed in blind and dec­orated with gilt floral motifs, some rubbing to the spine, marbled paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and flyleaves, modest contemporary bind­ing.

Rare signed and inscribed copy by Guy de Maupassant to the Baron de Vaux who inspired the character of Bel-Ami: “To Baron de Vaux / his friend / Guy de Maupassant”.

Maupassant and De Vaux knew each other from their time working at the newspaper Gil Blas, where more than half of the short stories in Contes de la bécasse were published. “The baron occupied the first office on the left as you entered. The main piece of furni­ture was the divan. When pretty visitors came to see him, he would ostenta­tiously bolt the door” (Armand Lanoux, Maupassant le Bel-Ami). This scandal­ous character and former cavalry officer wrote sports articles and front-page re­ports for Gil Blas, which he signed “Le Diable boiteux” after Lesage's famous character. In the same year he gifted him this copy of Contes de la bécasse, Maupassant dedicated to De Vaux the short story “Un Sage” published in a December issue of Gil Blas.

The Baron de Vaux was one of the main inspirations for Georges Duroy, the famous character from Bel-Ami: de Vaux “had invented his title and had become an important man on the Boulevard. A specialist in horse riding, shooting and hunting, regular of the Café des Variétés, he was the ‘baron of blackmail', he knew all the scandals in Paris”. He published a short study on weapons, which Guy [de Maupassant] also prefaced. The baron described Maupassant himself as 'first-rate at cane and boxing, tireless in this exercise for which his Herculean muscles are won­derfully suited'” (Armand Lanoux).

A fine token of friendship from Maupas­sant to the “baron of blackmail”, a mem­ber of the colorful and boastful crowd of Gil Blas and model for Bel-Ami.