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

First edition of the French translation prepared by Jacques Schiffrin and André Gide, one of 80 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe paper issue, with a further 45 copies on pure rag.

A rare and fine copy.

First edition, illustrated with in-text and full-page black-and-white and colour drawings by Albert Robida.
Publisher’s original illustrated cloth binding in full green percaline, signed Engel, smooth spine, featuring a large polychrome illustration heightened with gold and palladium by Souze extending across the spine and boards; the original front cover in colour preserved; all edges gilt.
"Ceci qui va suivre sous un titre ambitieux pris simplement comme une étiquette en chiffres, n'est, bien entendu, pas une histoire, ni un tableau, ni un résumé, c'est une série d'esquisses, de croquis à la plume et à la mine de plomb, de portraits familiers de notre Siècle à différentes époques...

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Japan paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

Bound in full burgundy morocco, spine with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt rolls to the headcaps, moiré-effect paper endleaves and doublures, inner boards framed with gilt fillets, dotted tools and corner fleurons, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt on witnesses, double gilt fillets to the turn-ins, slipcase edged in burgundy morocco with sides covered in moiré-effect paper, contemporary signed binding by Vauthrin-Pezet.

A fine, beautifully executed copy.

First edition, for which no deluxe paper issue is recorded.

Brittle paper to the margins of some leaves, resulting in a few small losses.

Signed autograph inscription by Oscar Venceslas de L. Milosz to the poet Pierre André-May : "à mon ami monsieur Pierre André-May avec ma pensée la plus fraternelle et mes sentiments les meilleurs."

First edition, one of 925 numbered copies on Artois vellum, the only issue including a sheet of butcher’s paper in tribute to General de Gaulle, together with 20 hors commerce copies and 75 on Marais paper.

Illustrated with headpieces and tailpieces.
Attractive copy.

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on Vélin de Rives, the only deluxe paper issue.

A fine copy.

First edition, one of 500 copies on wove paper, after 13 copies on Auvergne and 60 on Rives.

Illustrated with four original photomontages.

Exceptionally inscribed by Georges Hugnet on the half-title page to the Dadaist Raoul Hausmann

First edition, one of 60 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the deluxe issue after 30 copies on Japan paper.

Full red morocco binding, spine slightly toned with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt date at foot, minor unobtrusive rubbing to the bands, gilt rolls to the headcaps, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt dentelle frame and double gilt fillet to the inside covers, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt stippling to the edges, top edge gilt.

A fine copy, attractively bound.

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on Japanese vellum, the deluxe issue.

Illustrated with 3 engravings and 1 map.

Brown half shagreen morocco binding with corner pieces; spine with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt date at foot; minor rubbing to the spine; marbled paper sides; marbled endpapers and pastedowns; original wrappers and spine preserved; corners slightly bumped; gilt top edge.

A pleasing copy.

First edition, one of the publisher’s press copies.

Spine slightly creased, minor unobtrusive spotting to the edges.

Signed presentation inscription by Françoise Sagan to Claude Bourdet.

First edition on standard paper.

A fine copy, complete with its promotional band.

Signed autograph inscription by Pascal Quignard to a friend named Nicolas: "A Nicolas en t'embrassant, Pascal."

First edition, printed in a limited run of 70 copies numbered on Montval paper and signed by Georges Hugnet.

Illustrated with a frontispiece etching by Stanley William Hayter.

Two poignant autograph inscriptions signed by Georges Hugnet—one to his father and one to his son—in blue and red pencil: "à Georges Hugnet mon père en souvenir des romans noirs dont il enchanta et peupla mon enfance. Georges Hugnet."; "Et maintenant vingt-ans après, à mon très cher fils Nicolas de la part de son grand-père qui l'aurait bien aimé de tout cœur son papa. G."

First edition on ordinary paper.

Bradel binding in chocolate-brown half shagreen, smooth spine, date gilt at the tail, contemporary leather boards japonisants, embossed and polychrome, decorated with gilded and colorful floral motifs, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and restored spine preserved, later binding.

Exceptional presentation copy signed by Emile Zola: "à Edmond de Goncourt son ami Emile Zola."

Below the presentation inscription, a manuscript gift inscription by Edmond de Goncourt: "Edmond de Goncourt à Pauline Zeller."

First edition, one of the press copies.

A pleasing copy.

Fine signed autograph inscription from René Char: "A Georges Hugnet affectueusement. René Char."

First edition of the French translation prepared by Alexandre Vialatte, one of the complimentary copies.

A manuscript ex-dono erased in the upper right corner of the half-title page, resulting in a small loss of paper.

Signed autograph inscription by Alexandre Vialatte to Albert Thibaudet.

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on pur fil paper, this copy one of five not for sale.

A rare and fine copy.

First edition; one of the press copies.

A pleasing copy.

Signed autograph presentation inscription from Pierre Drieu la Rochelle to Germaine Fiévé.

First edition of Royaume-farfelu, published in Paris by Gallimard (Éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française, 3, rue de Grenelle) in 1928. Limited edition of 572 copies: 13 on Imperial Japan paper, 23 on Pannekoek Dutch laid paper (including 3 hors commerce lettered copies), 486 on Lafuma Navarre wove paper, and 50 hors commerce copies on Alfa paper reserved for reviewers.

This is copy no. IX, one of the thirteen deluxe copies on Imperial Japan paper, the most sought-after of the three deluxe issues. Original printed wrappers, as issued.

The preliminary leaf bears the...

First French edition, translation by Roger Caillois and René L.F. Durand, one of 33 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper issue.

Rare and very fine copy.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on alfa paper, our copy lettered "A" among the 8 hors commerce lettered copies, the only deluxe paper issue.

A tear at the foot of the spine at the level of the sewing supports, otherwise a pleasant wide-margined copy.

Dated and signed autograph presentation by the publisher beneath the print statement: "Affectueusement reservé à mon admirable collaboratrice Suzanne qui est aussi la plus charmante & la plus précieuse des filleules - que dis-je ? la seule filleule qui compte ! Paris 18 octobre 1942."

First edition, for which no copies were issued on deluxe paper, this being one of the publisher’s review copies.

A small tear at the head of the upper cover, a crease at the foot of the lower.

A pleasing copy, complete with its promotional band.

Dated and signed autograph inscription by René Depestre to the writer Christiane Baroche.

First illustrated edition with 19 original lithographs by Miklos Bokor, printed in 175 numbered copies on Arches vellum, this copy being one of the 15 artist’s proofs signed and justified by the artist.

Autograph signatures of Yves Bonnefoy and Miklos Bokor at the colophon.

Signed autograph inscription by Yves Bonnefoy to a couple of close friends.

A fine copy, complete with its chemise and slipcase.

First edition limited to only 250 copies, which were not offered for sale but given to the author's close circle. This former minister under Louis XV composed these essays in 1736, and his son, the Marquis de Paulmy, had them published nearly fifty years later.

Contemporary half brown calf, grained paper boards, spine with five raised bands decorated with five compartments featuring double gilt fillets, red morocco lettering piece, red speckled edges.

First collected edition of Paul Celan’s German translation of the poems of Ossip Mandelstam, whom he deeply admired.

Publisher’s original full white cloth, smooth spine, a copy complete with its dust jacket, which shows a few small tears at the head of the spine.

Valuable dated and signed autograph inscription from Paul Celan to his friend, the poet and translator of his works Lydia Kerr: "Für Lydia Kerr, herzlich, 12.2.1963. Paul Celan."

First edition entirely hand-painted by Jacques Capdeville and printed in 30 numbered copies on vellum, with a small number of hors-commerce copies also issued.

Rare and fine copy, complete with its full flexible paperboard slipcase and with the musical setting of the poem by John Supko, on tracing paper.

Handwritten signatures of Philippe Denis and Jacques Capdeville in the colophon.

An intriguing first edition, complete with its engraved frontispiece of the author by Giovanni Volpato after Domenico Corvi, and its introductory poem by the Abbé Luigi Godard. A copy unrecorded in non-European libraries according to WorldCat.

Contemporary binding of fawn mottled calf, smooth spine divided into five gilt compartments by gilt rolls, brown morocco lettering-piece, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, double gilt fillet on the board edges, blue speckled edges, and shell-pattern marbled pastedowns and endpapers.

The lower cap lacking, some surface...

First edition of the French translation, one of only 34 numbered copies printed on pure vellum paper, the sole deluxe paper issue.

A fine and rare copy.

Folio edition of the Holy Bible illustrated by Gustave Doré in two volumes.
3/4 red calf, spine with five raised bands showing some scuffing, decorated with five blind-stamped panels framed in gilt, gilt roll on the bands and at top and bottom of spine, spine-ends rubbed, spine elaborately decorated with gilt tooling, title and volume number gilt-stamped, marbled paper boards framed in gilt, small losses of paper at upper margin of front board of both volumes, paper lifting at margin of lower cover of volume two, contemporary binding. Some foxing. 
Translated by J.J. Bourassé and P. Janvier.
A handsome edition with numerous monumental woodcuts after drawings by Gustave...

First edition in book form, issued for the centenary of the birth of Pierre Jean Jouve; one of 33 numbered copies on pure wove vellum, the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

Rare first edition of the French translation by Judith Gautier, printed on japon-style paper.
Slight restoration work to spine and a corner of the lower cover, wrappers slightly and marginally soiled as usual.
Illustrated throughout with full-page colour woodcuts by Yamamoto.

First edition, printed in small numbers, of this offprint from the “Journal de la Société des Américanistes”. No deluxe issue printed. Skilful restauration to cover.

Rare presentation copy signed by Claude Lévi-Strauss to Simone de Beauvoir: “Cet humble aspect de la malédiction féminine, en amical hommage de Claude Lévi-Strauss” (“this humble aspect of the feminine curse, in friendly homage”) on the upper cover. This fieldwork study of the Nambikwara from Lévi-Strauss’ 1938 ethnographic expedition directly influenced Beauvoir, who...

New compilation of the celebrated songs by the troubadour from Sète, including "La mauvaise réputation", "Le parapluie", "Le petit cheval", "Le fossoyeur", "Le gorille", "Corne d'auroch", "La chasse aux papillons" and "Hécatombe".
Inevitable creasing and light rubbing along the margins of the record sleeve.

A small ballpoint pen doodle in blue ink on the lower cover.
Autograph signature of Georges Brassens in the lower right margin of the upper cover.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies printed on Edogawa Japan paper, the deluxe issue.

A handsome copy, complete—as with all copies on Japan paper—with the author’s portrait frontispiece by Armand Rassenfosse.

First public edition of this text by Jean Cassou, written under the pseudonym Jean Noir, one of 50 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, from the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First collected edition, one of 13 numbered copies on pur fil paper, our copy being one of 3 hors commerce, the only copies on deluxe paper.

A fine copy.

First edition, one of 330 numbered copies on Arches wove paper.

Minor tears to the head and tail of the spine; a pleasing copy.

With wood-engraved illustrations by François de Marliave, printed in several colours by E. Gasperini.

First edition printed on regular stock.

Small tears to the head and foot of the spine.

Fine presentation inscription, signed by Henri de Montherlant to Georges Bataille.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Holland paper, being the only large paper issue.

Bradel binding with decorative paper featuring red and gold motifs, flat spine, small restorations to spine-ends and joints, brown shagreen title label with a corner skilfully restored, endpapers and pastedowns of blue paper with gilt motifs, soiled soiled covers and spine preserved, gilt top edge on deckle, contemporary binding.

Exceptional and precious presentation copy signed by Claude Farrère: "Pour Max-Anély que j'admire et pour mon ami Segalen. Claude Farrère." [For Max-Anély I admire and for my friend Segalen. Claude Farrère]

Later edition (the first was published three years earlier in 1906).

Bradel binding with marbled paper boards, smooth spine with some parts lacking paper, brown morocco lettering piece with some loss to margis, one joint split, handmade paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, contemporary binding.

Exceptional copy signed and inscribed on a mounted stub by Auguste Gilbert de Voisins to his celebrated writer friend and traveling companion on Chinese roads and rivers: "to Victor Segalen in thanks for speaking to me of the Orient. AGilbert de Voisins." 

Rare and sought-after first edition, first issue, with exceptionally added plates from the first illustrated edition, published that same year. 34 full-page engravings after Demoraine, Gagnier, Staal and engraved by F. Delannoy.

Includes the subscribers’ list and the foreword, which will be removed for the second issue when the remainder of this edition was bought by another publisher, Dion-Lambert. It also features the pagination error in volume two: page 164 instead of 364.

With a scribal letter...

First public edition of this text written under the pseudonym François la Colère, one of 50 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, the deluxe issue.

Rare and fine copy.

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on deluxe paper.

Fine copy preserved in its double wrapper.

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

An agreeable copy preserved under a double wrapper.

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on pure rag paper.

Shadowed endpapers; a small loss at the head of the upper board of the original front cover.

A pleasant copy, preserved in its double wrapper.

First published edition of this text by Pierre Bost, written under the pseudonym Vivarais, one of 50 copies on Madagascar paper, deluxe issue.

Fine copy.

First public edition of this text by Elsa Triolet, written under the pseudonym Laurent Daniel, one of 58 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, the deluxe issue.

Fine copy.

First edition of the French translation, one of 230 numbered copies on alfa paper.
With a preface by Romain Rolland.
A fine copy, the spine very slightly toned.

First edition of the Petits poëmes en prose, later entitled Le Spleen de Paris – Petits poëmes en prose. Second edition of Les Paradis artificiels.

Some foxing, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume.
Contemporary half black shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with gilt tools, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, corners slightly rubbed.
The half-title bears the designation: "Oeuvres complètes". The work was issued separately, either on its own or as the fourth volume of the complete works, the publication of which extended over several...

First edition, one of 45 numbered copies printed on Rajasthan jute paper, the only deluxe issue.

Manuscript signature of Emil Cioran at the colophon.

Spine very slightly faded, of no significance.

Rare and fine copy, complete with the three tantric paintings reproduced hors-texte in colour on cream paper.

Published in the year of the first edition, one of 950 numbered copies on wove paper.
Publisher’s binding after the original design by Paul Bonet.
Attractive copy, complete with its original flexible cardboard slipcase.

First edition, limited to 59 numbered copies on Arches vellum, signed in pink pencil by André Masson beneath the limitation statement.
Rare and fine copy.
Illustrated with two original etchings by André Masson, printed full-bleed and issued hors texte.

First edition, printed in 170 numbered copies on Holland paper, this copy being one of the 100 reserved for Robert J. Godet.

Illustrated with ten burin engravings by Gaston-Louis Roux.

A very good copy, with only a few negligible and faint spots to some leaves.

First edition, one of 85 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only issue following 15 copies on Montval vellum.

A few insignificant spots.

Work illustrated with four original engravings by Suzanne Roger, including a coloured frontispiece.

Manuscript signatures of Tristan Tzara, Suzanne Roger, and Jean Aubier beneath the limitation leaf.

First edition, one of 100 copies printed on antique Montval wove paper, the only issue following 1 copy on old Japan paper, 10 on imperial Japan, and 20 hors commerce.

Work illustrated with 9 original drypoints by Jean Lurçat.

A rare and handsome copy.

Inscribed and signed by Jean Lurçat to Jean Bourgoin.

First edition, one of the 81 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe issue.

A handsome copy.

First edition, one of 65 copies on Arches; our copy is unnumbered but correctly justified "vergé d’Arches" at the foot of the lower cover. One of the only deluxe papers issued.

Two slight sunning marks at head and foot of the spine, which is also lightly pinched at the foot.

A pleasing copy.

First edition printed in 125 numbered copies on B.F.K. de Rives paper, ours being one of the 25 containing the two black etchings by Robert Lagarde, the colour suite, and the additional plate, a deluxe issue.

A few spots to the covers, internally clean and pleasing; copy complete with its publisher’s prospectus.

Each etching and additional plate is signed and justified by Robert Lagarde.

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on “light green paper,” the only deluxe paper issue announced.

Turquoise half morocco binding, smooth spine, date in gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, endpapers, and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt; an elegant contemporary binding signed by G. Gauché.

A very handsome copy, finely bound by Georges Gauché and complete with its publisher's prospectus. 

Signed presentation inscription by René Crevel: "My dear Georges, here, in its finest form: Diderot’s Harpsichord, if you can help him play his music? With all my affection. René" (our own...

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on vélin teinté de rives, the only issue following 40 copies on vélin blanc d'Arches, with an additional suite of the illustrations.

A fine copy.

Illustrated with three etchings by Alberto Giacometti.

Edition partly original, one of 90 numbered copies on hollande paper, the only issue following 10 on japon, 2 on Chapelle and 2 hors-commerce copies. Volume illustrated with 8 woodcuts by Manolo, four of which are full-page.

Manuscript signatures of Manolo and Pierre Reverdy on the colophon.

A...

First edition of the French translation of an episode from the Ramayana. 

Our copy is preserved in its original wrappers, under a temporary blue paper cover with minor losses at the corners. 

Some foxing, mainly affecting the endpapers.

The young orientalist Antoine-Léonard Chézy (1773-1832), influenced by Friedrich Schlegel, had begun teaching himself Sanskrit around 1806, studying original texts alongside their English translations.

In the same year, 1814, he was appointed to the very first chair of Sanskrit in Europe, becoming professor of Sanskrit language and literature at the Collège de France.

First edition of a poetry collection printed in a very small number of copies. 

No copy recorded in the CCF. A single copy held in WorldCat (National Library of Australia).

Light, scattered foxing.

Half brown percaline Bradel binding, smooth spine, date and place gilt at the foot of the spine, marbled paper boards, original wrappers preserved, corners slightly rubbed, contemporary binding.

First edition, one of 247 numbered copies on laid paper, the only issue after 3 copies on deluxe paper.

Only one copy recorded in the CCF (BnF).

Rare copy of the second play written by the Mauritian author Arthur Martial (1899-1951), one of the notable figures of French-language literature on the island.

First edition, printed in a small number of copies.

Foxing, chiefly affecting the wrappers, two restored tears, and small losses at the head and foot of the spine.

No copy listed in the CCF.

WorldCat records only a few copies, in the United States and Australia.

Extremely rare collection of poems by an English Indologist and specialist in Hinduism, well known within the Indo-Mauritian community.

Rare first edition of this work by the author, one of 150 numbered copies on antique paper, the only issue after three deluxe copies.

Some light foxing.

No copies recorded in the CCF. Only three copies listed in WorldCat.

This slender booklet brings together pieces belonging to the earliest poetic experiments of Félix-Conrad Laventure (1902–1995), who was also known for his political career in ministerial, legal, legislative and municipal life (he served as Mayor of Port-Louis and as a minister).

His first verses appeared in 1921 (in Le Mauricien and L'Essor, of which he later became editor, and where in 1924 he published a critical study of...

First edition of this anthology of French poetry compiled by the former French headmistress of an American boarding school, comprising 128 poems by the foremost French poets, from Malherbe to Victor Hugo, which the editor assigned to her pupils during her tenure.

Publisher’s full violet cloth, spine lightly faded, headcaps slightly frayed, upper cover blocked in gilt at centre with a swan, brown endpapers and pastedowns, hinges slightly split.

On the front free endpaper, a violet stamp bearing the name “Consuelo”. This very likely refers to Consuelo Suncin Sandoval (1901–1979), the Salvadoran artist who married Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1931 and was one of the muses of the...

Very scarce first edition of David’s first work, dedicated to Léonville l’Homme and Edgar Janson (cf. Toussaint & Adolphe A. 1411).

Spine lacking; copy cockled.

First edition illustrated with 2 engraved plates of this rare anonymous collection of poems, recently and definitively attributed to the poet from Réunion Antoine de Bertin (1752-1790), and believed to constitute his earliest works (cf. Seth, Poète créoles, 304. Ryckebusch, Bibliographie… Réunion, 750. Conlon 71: 879.)

Contemporary-style half black sheep with corners, spine with five raised bands ruled in blind, comb-marbled paper boards, some rubbing to the covers, corners bumped, modern binding.

They were never included in subsequent editions of his Œuvres complètes.

Bertin alludes to his island in his “Vers à Jeannette. A l'Orient” (p. 68): « …Mais...

Very rare first edition, with the title printed in black, illustrated with 4 copper-engraved plates hors-texte (cf. Gumuchian, 5321.)

Contemporary half brown sheepskin over marbled boards, smooth spine tooled in gilt with fillets and dotted rolls, covers framed with a double gilt rule, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, two corners slightly bumped, speckled edges, period binding.

Expert restorations to the corners and spine ends, spine partially faded with light rubbing, occasional minor foxing.

With a highly interesting preface by the author, in which she explains that she herself directed a puppet theatre.

Brings together the following four adaptations for...

Extremely rare first edition of this poem composed to mark the capture of Ulm (15–20 October 1805), during the Austrian campaign.

No copy recorded in the CCF. 

The only copy we have located is held by the Biblioteca musicale Gaetano Donizetti in Bergamo.

Francesco Zacchiroli (1750–1826), a native of Ferrara, is best known for his Description de la galerie royale de Florence (1783), although he was also a prolific writer of both verse and prose.

Traces of a label to the upper left corner of the front wrapper, a few minor spots of foxing.

Rare first edition of this poem, printed on bluish paper and composed by Tissot in honour of the birth of the King of Rome, the Emperor’s son.

Not in Quérard.

Our copy is preserved in its original wrappers, under a modern marbled paper cover. Not in Quérard. A fine copy.

Rare first edition of d'Alègre’s French translation (cf. Brunet V, 25. Barbier II, 596.)

Contemporary full marbled calf, spine in five raised bands richly gilt in compartments with floral tools, red shagreen lettering-piece, marbled endpapers, gilt fillets to board edges now almost rubbed away, red-speckled edges, contemporary binding.

Restorations to spine and joints, marginal dampstain at the foot of about ten leaves, annotations and a pen drawing on a flyleaf.

This is the second translation of this masterpiece by the Persian poet and philosopher Saadi, one of the great Sufi masters of the thirteenth century.

The first, by André Du Ryer, dates from 1634.

It...

First illustrated edition, featuring at the end of the volume 12 charming hand-coloured copper engravings depicting fashionable hairstyles and costumes (10), as well as furniture (2).

Contemporary binding in half midnight-blue calf, smooth spine decorated with lozenge tools and gilt fillets, gilt tail ornament, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, marbled edges.

The work is also illustrated with a portrait of Bonaparte as a frontispiece and one plate hors-texte.

Foxing, black ink stains to page 81.

This work, intended for an American readership, as stated in the Preface ("L'espèce de journal dont nous offrons ici le premier essai, ne contiendra que rarement...

First edition of this exceedingly rare literary fantasy (cf. Cioranescu, XVIII, 19 432.)

Our copy is preserved in its original temporary marbled paper wrappers, red edges.

A few small tears to the spine, lacking the half-title.

A literary meteoric figure, François-Antoine Chevrier (1721-1762) was chiefly renowned for dipping his pen in vitriol and thereby exposing the flaws and vices of the theatrical world of his time.

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on Arches wove paper.

Our copy is enriched with the autograph signatures of Jacques Prévert — who signed as Jacques Rêve-vert (with the word “vert” highlighted in green) — and of André Pozner, each accompanied by two small drawings: a little cat for Jacques Prévert and a camel’s hump for André Pozner.

A fine copy, complete with its slipcase.

First edition, one of 69 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper copies.

A very handsome copy.

Rare and sought-after first edition.
 
Half-black shagreen binding, spine in four compartments, marbled paper boards, pebbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, contemporary binding.
Some occasional light foxing as usual.
 
Rare copy in strictly contemporary binding.

First edition of the French translation, with false statement of second edition.

Full green cloth Bradel binding, flat spine decorated with a central gilt ornament, beige sheepskin title label, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding signed in blind by Pierson. Some light foxing. 

Very rare presentation copy dated and signed by Ivan Turgenev to Anatole France: "Monsieur Anatole France / hommage de l'auteur / 1876".

Very rare first Polish edition of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract, prepared by Józef Wien and published by a Polish émigré living in exile in Agen, printed on Quillot's presses.

Apparently unrecorded by Dufour; the wrapper is dated 1840.

Front wrapper soiled with small losses at the corners, marginal dampstaining at the beginning of the volume, some foxing. 

First separate edition of Plain Language from Truthful James, which first appeared as an article in The Overland Monthly in September 1870.

Issued as a printed envelope-folder containing nine lithographed caricature plates by John Hull, each accompanied by a poem.

No copy recorded in the CCF.

Small angular tears to the envelope, with some staining to the lower margin.

Originally intended as a fierce satire on the racial prejudice of Irish-American workers against the numerous Chinese immigrants competing for railway construction jobs, the piece was widely misread as mocking the immigrants themselves.

The Jewish writer and poet Francis Brett...

Paris, Louis Janet and later Madame Veuve Louis Janet, from circa 1840 and subsequent years. 17 octavo volumes, 14.8 x 23.7 cm.

A set comprising the ten volumes of the first series and the seven volumes of the second, corresponding to the complete collection as described by Gumuchian. Uniformly bound in contemporary full burgundy calf, the smooth spines faded and decorated with gilt Romantic arabesques, gilt ornamental bands at head and foot, boards framed with double gilt fillets and gilt cornerpieces, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt lines to the board edges. Some corners slightly bumped. Scattered...

First edition, one of the press copies.

Anthracite half-morocco binding, spine with five raised bands, title and author lettered in palladium, boards in grey and black patterned paper, grey paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers bound in, traces of adhesive on the verso of the front wrapper, two small restorations to the inner margin of the rear wrapper, top edge in palladium, binding signed by Boichot.

Presentation copy, inscribed and signed by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to Antoinette de Bergevin under her pen name: "Pour madame Colette Yver en hommage respectueux Antoine de Saint-Exupéry."

"Although the name of the French writer Colette...

Third duodecimo edition, dated the same year as the first edition and, according to McEachern, published in Paris by Duchesne, illustrated with 5 fine plates by Eisen, two in the first volume and one as frontispiece to each of the other volumes. Title-pages printed in red and black. As called for, the first volume has no half-title, unlike the other three volumes. From the watermark "Romanet" "fin", McEachern infers an actual publication date of 1774 or later. The Caillaud mill of the Romanet paper manufactory was, however, active from at least 1760, and editions dated 1762 are known bearing this watermark. We leave this question for specialists to resolve. 

Contemporary...

First edition, with no deluxe copies printed.
Pleasant copy, which is uncommon given the fragility of this book, often handled without care.
Inscribed and signed by Serge Gainsbourg to a recipient named Georges.
 

First edition on ordinary paper.

A fold mark at the foot of the lower cover, otherwise a well-preserved copy.

With a fine signed autograph inscription by Tristan Bernard: "A Charles Cuvillier cette oeuvre capitale qui absorba quinze ans de ma vie. Bien affectueusement Tristan Bernard."

First edition, with no copies printed on deluxe paper.

A pleasant copy.

On the half-title page, autograph inscription signed by Jean-Claude Carrière to the writer, essayist, and pianist Catherine David: "... qui m'ouvrît avec grâce la lourde porte du temps, je m'incline sur son passage avec amitié."

On the front endpaper, autograph inscription signed by Umberto Eco to the same recipient.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Japan paper, the smallest issue of the deluxe edition, along with 20 on Arches.

Spine and covers marginally faded and sunned as usual, with minor paper losses at the flaps.

Illustrated with 8 original lithographs by Georges Annenkoff.

As with all copies from the deluxe issue, this copy includes the complete double suite of illustrations on vellum and on China paper.

Collected edition commissioned by Louis XV following the success of Catilina, containing Crébillon's 9 tragedies and his academic discourses, without Le Triumvirat, which appears only in certain copies. This is the first collected edition of the dramatist's works, published under the author's supervision.

Two volumes bound as one in marbled calf, spine with five raised bands richly decorated with small gilt floral tools, triple gilt fillet border on boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt inner dentelle, red edges. Discreet restorations to the joints, corners, and top spine-end, with some loss to the gilt tooling at...

First edition, one of 38 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe copies issued.

A very handsome copy.