First Editions

First edition on ordinary paper.
A vertical shadow along the entire length of the lower cover, otherwise a very good copy.
Illustrated wrapper with a drawing by Claude Cahun.
Precious signed autograph inscription from the author Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes to André Breton: "... au grand chanteur / à la sirène / au ........ hélas".

First edition on ordinary paper, despite a false statement of third edition.
Handsome autohgraph inscription from Marcel Proust to René Boylesve.
This copy has a chemise and slipcase (with flaps) of half kaki morocco over marbled paper boards, spine very slighlty faded with bibliophilical gilt inscriptions to the foot, lined with liht green paper.
One very pale angular dampstain Mouillure angulaire très pâleto the first leaves.
Provenance : Heilbronn's library, with his ex libris.

René Boylesve découvre l'œuvre de Marcel Proust en 1913, à l'occasion de la parution du premier volume de la Recherche. D'abord dérouté par l'écriture proustienne, il se montre bientôt dithyrambique : « Notre œuvre, à nous, est ruinée par celle-là. Nous avons travaillé en vain. Proust supprime la littérature des cinquante dernières années. » (cité par GERARD-GAILLY Émile, « Note liminaire », dans BOYLESVE René, PROUST Marcel, Quelques échanges et témoignages, 1931, p. 24). Quant à Proust, l'admiration à l'égard de son aîné évoquée dans notre envoi n'est pas feinte ; ainsi quelques mois avant sa mort louait-il les romans de Boylesve, célébrant non seulement un « art en apparence si simple et qui dit tout » mais aussi « un perfectionnement suprême de technique » (PROUST Marcel, Correspondance, t.XX et XXI, 1991, p. 332 et 778).
Les deux hommes n'étaient pas proches mais correspondirent à partir de 1917. En faisant parvenir à Boylesve un exemplaire de ses Pastiches et mélanges, Proust dut le ravir : quand il n'écrivait pas, Boylesve était bibliophile. Ainsi, à propos d'un autre de ses ouvrages, Proust eut cette délicate attention : « J'avais une hésitation en ce qui concerne votre exemplaire. D'habitude, ceux qui sont tirés pour moi sans marque d'édition, sont un peu mieux que les "originales". Cette fois-ci, le "mieux" ne m'apparaît pas ; et comme je suis incapable de distinguer le "pur fil" du reste, je ne sais pas, des deux sortes d'exemplaires, ce qui est préférable. [...] Vous seriez mille fois gentil de me dire ce que vous voulez. C'est parce que je vous sais bibliophile que vous écris à propos d'un livre de moi, chose de peu d'importance [...]. » (PROUST Marcel, op. cit., t.XXII, p. 156-157)

First edition, one of 12 numbered copies on Hollande, the only deluxe issue. 

Complete with the folding map at the end.

Full fawn morocco binding, five raised band spine, date at foot, comb-marbled paper pastedowns framed with a rich gilt roll, comb-marbled endpapers, gilt fillet to headcap, gilt fillet to leading edges, gilt roll to headcaps, original wrappers and spine preserved, all gilt deckled edges, housed in a fawn morocco-edged slipcase. Binding signed by Semet & Plumelle. 

Provenance: From the libraries of Dr André Chauveau, Lucius Wilmerding, and RBL, with their bookplates affixed.

A splendid deluxe copy of exceptional rarity. 

First edition printed on alfa paper.

A small tear at the foot of one joint discreetly restored, a pleasant copy.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Philippe Soupault to René Crevel in pencil.

First edition, one of 500 numbered copies on Featherweight, the only deluxe issue.
Small loss and foxing to the headcap and upper edge, a crease and minor tears to the front cover, endpapers slightly toned without consequence.
Exceptional signed autograph presentation from Benjamin Fondane: « A Jacques Prévert cordialement. B. Fondane. Paris / 3 / 33. »

First edition on ordinary paper, issued after the destruction of the 1923 printing following a dispute between Tzara and the publisher.
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 René Char in September 1934: « à René Char avec toute l'amitié grande de Tristan Tzara ». This second inscription is further embellished with a small drawing by Tzara, a hand pointing with its index finger to Char’s name.

First edition, one of 100 numbered copies on vellum, ours unnumbered, the only deluxe papers after 15 copies on Japon.
Illustrated with a frontispiece drawing by Salvador Dalí.
Precious signed autograph presentation from Paul Eluard to René Char : « Exemplaire de mon ami René Char. Paul Eluard. »

First collective edition, for which no deluxe paper copies were issued, one of the press service copies.
Preface by Louis Aragon.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Louis Aragon to his friend Charles Dobzynski, whose wedding witness he was, along with Elsa Triolet: "A Dob, Louis."

 

First edition on ordinary paper.

Paper slightly toned as usual, with a few insignificant spots on the edges.

Amusing and fine signed autograph presentation inscription from René Fallet to his friend Jean-Jacques Vaure; "Pour J.J. Vaure chantre mou d'Argenteuil 13 amicalemebt. René Fallet 16/11/51. Note de l'auteur : celui qui acceptera qu'on lui prête ce livre est un salaud. Pas tant que Vaure, mais presque."

First edition, one of 20 deluxe copies on Holland paper, the only large-paper issue, reimposed in octavo format (the ordinary edition being in duodecimo).

Cf. Vicaire III, 305-306. Carteret I, 222.

Contemporary full stiff ivory vellum, smooth spine, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

Fine copy.

Bibliographers mention 25 copies, which seems difficult to account for, as the limitation is clearly stated on the verso of the half-title. This procedure was customary for the author (Les Six aventures, 1857, was issued in the same dual printing).

Precious presentation copy inscribed and signed by Maxime Du Camp to the celebrated critic Jules Janin (1804–1874), who later affixed his engraved bookplate to the front endpapers.

First edition of this finely crafted narrative retracing the journey of the author, appointed in December 1854 as First Secretary to the French legation in Persia, under the direction of Prosper Bourée.

Some foxing.

Bound in half bottle-green shagreen, spine with four raised bands decorated with triple gilt compartments, blind-tooled borders on morocco-grained cloth boards, school emblem gilt-stamped at the centre of the upper cover [Lycée de Nevers], marbled endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges, contemporary binding.

The journey was undertaken by sea from Marseille to Bushir, then by caravan to Isfahan and Tehran: Malta, Alexandria, Cairo, Jeddah, Aden, Muscat, Tehran, Isfahan.

First edition on ordinary paper.
Handsome, fine autograph inscription signed by Albert Camus : "à Albert Béguin qui trouvera ici les raisons de mes désaccords avec Esprit, avec mon bien cordial souvenir...[to Albert Bégiun who will find here the reasons for my disagreements with the Spirit, in friendly remembrance…]"
A little light spotting primarily to upper cover and ffep.
Retaining its advertising notice, entitled "Lettres sur la révolte".

First edition, one of the review copies.
Preface by Raymond Queneau.
Rare and appealing copy.

Rare signed autograph presentation from Boris Vian to Marc Bernard.

First edition.
Small corner losses to the boards, clean and appealing interior condition.
Bradel binding in full combed paper, smooth spine with a black morocco label lettered lengthwise, binding signed by Thomas Boichot.

Rare signed autograph inscription by Ferdinand de Lesseps "à mon ami 'chéri' Rousseau".
 

Rare first edition.
Signed autograph inscription by Alexandre Dumas on the half-title, the only leaf left untrimmed by the binder so as to preserve the full dedication.
Several political texts are bound together with it: L'indépendance de la magistrature - Affaire Séguier; Articles publiés dans le journal La Presse et lettres diverses by Emile Ollivier; L'Empire parlementaire est-il possible by Gustave Chaudey; Les décrets du 22 janvier 1852 by M. Reverchon; Défense du droit de propriété by M. Degouve Denuncques; Qu'est-ce donc que la commune?
Half red shagreen binding, smooth spine tooled with gilt fillets, dotted lines, rolls and fleurons, broad black fillets, marbled paper boards, edges rubbed, contemporary binding.

First edition.

Black half morocco binding, spine with four raised bands adorned with gilt dotted fillets and double gilt compartments decorated at the corners, gilt date and the inscription "Ex. de J. Drouet" at the tail, marbled paper boards and endpapers, preserved covers and spine, top edge gilt, binding signed by René Aussourd.
Some minor foxing, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume.

Precious signed and inscribed copy by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet, the great love of his life: ‘To you, my lady. Humble homage. V.'

This copy comes from the library of Pierre Duché, who acquired Juliette Drouet's entire library and commissioned René Aussourd to bind the volumes uniformly, marking each with an identifying inscription at the foot of the spine.

Bookplates pasted on a pastedown and a flyleaf.
In late 1878, after more than forty years together, Victor Hugo and Juliette Drouet finally moved in together at Avenue d'Eylau, in the small town house where the poet would spend his final years. "From that moment on, Juliette's life became little more than an unbroken sorrow, a servitude of every hour. She herself suffered from stomach cancer, knowing she was condemned—to die of hunger!" (Louis Guimbaud, Victor Hugo et Juliette Drouet, Paris, 1927). Despite her illness and severe physical weakness, she remained devotedly at Hugo's side as his caregiver. It was during this time that Bastien Lepage painted a strikingly realistic portrait of her: "From her goddess-like face, once serene and noble, the relentless illness had made a frail human visage, drawn and hollowed, furrowed with wrinkles—each one telling a story of pain." (ibid.)

Religions et religions was published two years before Juliette's death; is was one of the last books Hugo dedicated to the unwavering love of his life. In a final tribute to her lifelong devotion, he later offered her a photograph inscribed: "Fifty years—that is the most beautiful marriage."

Copy from the most intimate source.

First edition, one of 90 copies on Holland paper, ours being one of a few lettered hors commerce copies.
Bradel binding in half brown box, smooth spine, decorated paper boards, brown endpapers and pastedowns, original covers preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed by Goy & Vilaine.
Precious autograph inscription signed by Paul Valéry: « A Victoria Ocampo, - a sus piès de Vd - ce petit rien qu'elle a bien voulu désirer. »
A superb dedication that marks the beginning of the enduring friendship between the two writers, beyond all differences.
At Valéry's death in 1945, Victoria Ocampo would recall their first meeting in December 1928 during a writers’ dinner to which the young Argentine, newly arrived in Paris, had been invited.
A founding moment of their friendship and of the mutual admiration testified by their moving correspondence, it is against the measure of this first impression that Victoria Ocampo described her relationship with the poet and « les sentiments contradictoires que suscitèrent en [elle] la rencontre de l'œuvre et de l'homme qui la conçut : émerveillement, étranglement, admiration, accablement, bonheur. Effets, sur une Sud-Américaine, amoureuse du génie français, d'une des plus grandes intelligences européennes, lorsqu'elle s'en approcha - un peu tremblante - comme d'un feu qui vous attire et vous tient à distance du même coup. »
There is no doubt that Valéry’s impression was no less intense, since he addressed to her, soon after, this humble dedication reminiscent of Victor Hugo’s treasured inscriptions to Juliette Drouet « à vos pieds, Ma Dame ».
As the fallen poet’s epistolary confidante during the harsh years of war, Ocampo would pay him, at his death, a fervent homage « par-delà l'intelligence et la bêtise, par-delà la vie. Avec mon respect, mon culte, ma tendre affection si nouée à l'humain. Avec tout ce qui en moi, tant que je vivrai, ne cessera de le sentir vivant, ne cessera d'être le lieu périssable où son immortalité commence. »
A few small spots of foxing.
A perfectly preserved copy.

First edition printed in 130 copies, all nominative and numbered, on Rives vellum.
Full chocolate-brown morocco binding, spine with four double raised bands framed by black fillets extending onto the covers, gilt date at foot, gilt rolls on the caps, endpapers and pastedowns of hand-made paper, quintuple gilt fillet borders on the pastedowns, double gilt fillets on the board edges, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.
Illustrated with a frontispiece, 15 plates and 6 vignettes by Georges Leroux engraved on copper by Raoul Serres.
This copy is supplemented, at the end of the volume, with a suite of the 22 illustrations together with the printed menu for the dinner of 30 June 1930 of the Société bibliophilique des "Cent centraux bibliophiles".
In addition, the work includes, mounted on a tab, four original preparatory sketches in black pencil and, following them, an original drawing by Georges Leroux, dated, signed, and executed for the representation of the menu of the dinner of 30 June 1930 held by the "Cent centraux bibliophiles".
Manuscript signatures of Rosny aîné and Raoul Serres on the verso of the original menu drawing.
A very handsome copy accompanied by five original drawings by Georges Leroux, finely bound in full morocco.

First edition of the author's second work, one of 10 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe paper issue.
Bound in yellow half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands, gilt date at foot, a small black spot at head of spine, floral and moiré patterned paper boards, pale green paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, gilt edges, bookplate of Gérard Pesme Baron de Saint-Genies pasted on a pastedown, binding signed by Thomas Boichot.
Half-title entirely toned.
A fine copy, handsomely bound.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Work illustrated with wood engravings by Henri Jadoux.

A pleasing copy.

Autograph inscription signed by Sacha Guitry in pencil to Henry Sorensen.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.

A handsome and scarce copy.

Illustrated with full-page color drawings by André François.

Pencil signature by Vincent Pachès at the colophon.

First edition illustrated with 24 original lithographs by René Seyssaud, one of 70 copies printed on pure Arches wove paper, this one being among the first 20 enhanced with an additional suite of lithographs and an original drawing by René Seyssaud, signed in brown pencil.

The additional suite comprises only 8 lithographs, 5 in color and 3 in black and white.

Text by René-Jean and J. Tourette.

A well-preserved copy, complete with its original chemise and slipcase (spine sunned), a few scattered spots of foxing, notably on the covers.

First edition of the French translation by Jean Dutourd, one of 86 numbered copies on pur fil, only grand papier (deluxe) copies. 

First edition, one of 950 copies on Vélin Vidalon signed by André Marchand, the only printing following 49 copies on Vélin d'Arches.

Bound in black morocco-backed boards with corners, smooth spine, gilt fillet borders on cat's eye paper-covered boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, all edges gilt. Slipcase edged in black morocco, marbled paper panels. Binding signed by D. Saporito.

Illustrated with 50 splendid original lithographs by André Marchand, printed by Mourlot.

Featuring previously unpublished texts by Georges Spyridaki, René Lacôte, Georges Hugnet, Gabriel Audisio, Raymond Queneau, David Herbert Lawrence, Pierre Emmanuel, Luc Decaunes, Léon-Marie Brest, Jean Grenier, Antonio Machado, Marie Mauron, Paul Eluard...

A handsome and finely bound copy.

First illustrated edition, featuring 82 drawings by Tiret-Bognet and a color map of the Saint Lawrence River. Publisher's 1890 EX catalogue bound in at rear.
Binding with the two elephants, Lenègre type 3. Rear cover Lenègre type e.
Spine lightly faded, internally clean and well preserved.
In Famille sans nom, Verne recounts the story of a French-Canadian family during the Patriote Rebellion (1837–1838) against British injustice.

First edition of the French translation by Nicolas-Gabriel Vaquette d'Hermilly (1705 or 1710–1778), later revised by La Harpe (Quérard II, 30; Cioranescu, XVIII, 33 926).

Despite its very late date, this was only the second attempt at a French translation of Os Lusiadas (1572), following that of 1735 by Duperron de Castéra, which had failed to convince contemporary readers.

This edition includes 10 copper-engraved plates out of text, and is further enriched with notes and a biography of the author.

Bound in early 19th-century green bottle Russian morocco over pink paper boards, corners reinforced, flat spines with gilt double fillets and black ruling; some surface abrasions to boards, endpapers and pastedowns lightly shadowed at the margins.

Paper restoration to leaves 293–294 of the first volume; leaves 291–292 misbound in the second volume.

First edition.

Contemporary Romantic bindings in half green Empire calf, flat spines slightly faded, richly gilt with Romantic decorative motifs, marbled paper-covered boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns; Romantic period bindings.

A few light spots of foxing; a discolouration mark on a blank endpaper of the first volume.

First edition, of great rarity (cf. Sabin 4182).

Bradel-style binding in full orange paper-covered boards, with a brown shagreen spine label; modern binding.

A very good copy.

A vindication of France’s conduct during the uprising of the British colonies in America.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies signed and justified by Frans de Geetere, reserved for the friends of La Marie-Jeanne, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.
As stated in the limitation, our copy is complete with a manuscript leaf from the work and an original drawing by the author depicting two reclining nude women, signed by him.
A desirable copy, complete with its rare promotional wraparound band: "le livre qu'aucun éditeur n'a osé publier".

The first edition, first printing, numbered in the press, with only 23 large paper copies on Hollande paper.
With a frontispiece portrait of Apollinaire by Picasso.
Discreet restorations to spine.

With a chemise of half red morocco over paper boards by Boichot, spine in six compartments, date to foot of spine, identical paper slipcase with red morocco edging.

 
Rare autograph inscription signed by Guillaume Apollinaire: “for Henri Ghéon whose poetry I am fond of, Guillaume Apollinaire”.
This copy also with five manuscript corrections by Apollinaire on pages 71, 77, 92, 110 and 189.
A good copy with a rare autograph inscription by the poet.

An autograph quatrain in black ink has been mounted on the verso of the frontispiece.

First edition, with a photographic portrait of H.G. Wells as frontispiece to the first volume.

Illustrated throughout.

Some minor foxing, mostly to the edges.

Contemporary black half-shagreen bindings with cornerpieces, spines with three raised bands, gilt-stamped marine anchors at the foot (a few showing some loss), and gilt medallions on the upper boards featuring the ocean liner Normandie with three inlaid red and black shagreen pieces representing its smokestacks; marbled endpapers and pastedowns, with small red dots in the upper corners of the first flyleaves. Bound at the time for the Normandie.

A handsome copy with distinguished provenance.

First collected edition, one of 25 copies printed on Japan paper, the deluxe issue.

Contemporary brown half shagreen binding with corners, spine with five raised bands ruled with gilt dotted lines, adorned with double gilt compartments and decorative motifs, moiré paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt on witnesses.

A handsome copy in an attractive period binding.