First editions and first French translations of great international literary works

First edition of the French translation established by A.J.B. Defauconpret.
Half sheep binding in fir green, smooth spine decorated with gilt triple compartments and ornaments, gilt and blind fillets, minor rubbing to headcaps and joints without significance, marbled paper boards, corners and edges lightly rubbed, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Provenance: from the library of Adolphe Thiers with his manuscript signature as bookplate at the head of an endpaper.
Some minor foxing.
Rare.

First edition of the French translation established by E. Boudot-Lamotte, a Service de Presse (advance) copy.
Fine inscription from the translator.
Spine slightly sunned with two small tears at head and foot.

First edition of the French translation by E. Boudot-Lamotte, a service de presse (advance) copy.
Fine autograph inscription from the translator.
Spine slightly sunned.

First edition in French.
Work illustrated with plates.
Covers marginally and slightly faded without significance, a slight angular lack at the foot of the first cover.
Rare.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Full chocolate paper boards, smooth spine cracked with small losses, joints fragile.
Pale marginal dampstain to head of most pages, foxing.
Rare but in fair condition.

New edition of the American translation established by Arthur Symons.
Publisher's full navy cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt ornamental motifs, first cover bearing the title of the work and the author's name in gilt letters set within gilt interlacing, top edge gilt.
Fine interior condition.

Second edition of the French translation established by Edouard Grenier.
One joint slightly cracked at head and foot, pale dampstain at foot of first cover affecting the two following leaves, small traces of marginal creases on covers, title page and half-title detached.

New edition, revised and expanded. Illustrated with a frontispiece showing various authors in medallions. Printed in double columns.
Contemporary marbled brown calf binding. Smooth spine richly decorated with Greek key and other rolls. Red morocco title-label. Covers decorated with 3 framing rolls. Interior frieze. Tears to the title-label, upper joint and one compartment. Rubbing. One corner slightly bumped. Elegant English binding, despite some flaws.The letters are divided into four books; the first offers extracts from Cicero and Pliny; the second gathers famous personalities from English history; book three contains letters by Pope and his friends; the last book contains correspondence by Laurence Sterne, Lord Chesterfield...
An appendix contains extracts from French letter writers, Madame de Maintenon and Madame de Sévigné.

New edition, revised and enlarged. 2 title vignettes.
Contemporary full marbled havana calf bindings. Smooth spines richly decorated with Greek key and other rolls. Red morocco title label. Boards decorated with 3 enclosing rolls. Interior frieze. 3 corners slightly bumped. Small tears to headcaps. Rubbing. Elegant English binding, despite some flaws.
The extracts are divided into four books or sections: Sacred and moral poetry (Pope, Gray, Dryden...); Didactic and descriptive poetry; Dramas (Shakespeare, Johnson...); Lyrical and sentimental poetry (Milton, Spenser, Tasso, Smith...).

First edition.
Publisher's full cream paper boards, smooth navy spine with gilt title, dust jacket preserved with slight tears and occasional tiny lacks of no significance.
Fine copy complete with its erratum pasted opposite the contents page.

First edition.
Half caramel sheep binding, spine with four raised bands decorated with gilt and blind fillets, gilt frieze at tail, one headcap lacking, marbled paper boards, corners slightly bumped with lacks to marbled paper, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Work illustrated with frontispiece portrait of the author engraved by A. Dean.
Copy almost entirely free from foxing, marginal annotations in pencil.

First edition of the French version, in verse and prose, established by Jean Richepin, one of the rare copies on salmon-colored paper of which no mention is made.
Light lacks to the spine, one joint cracked at foot, tears and small corner lacks to the boards, small lacks to some deckled edges, which is almost inevitable given the fragility of this paper.
Rare full-margined copy.

Sixth edition.
Publisher's burgundy paper boards, smooth spine decorated with gilt ornamental motifs, illustrated covers. Work illustrated with plates.
Autograph inscription from a previous owner offering the work to one of his friends.
Handsome copy.

New edition after the first edition of 1665. Rare.
Contemporary full vellum binding. Smooth spine with handwritten title. Scattered foxing.
Prolific Spanish writer, Francisco Santos (1618-1696), who was a soldier by profession, is famous for his picaresque novels and short stories from which Lesage drew abundantly for Gil Blas and his Diable boiteux. He defends the poor against the rich, and the humble against the wealthy, a typical attitude of the picaresque novel, and reflection of Madrilenian and Spanish society. Most of Santos's works are full of Christian and Catholic morals, and this spirit led to this work which departs from the strict domain of literature, where the author becomes the champion of defending Christian and Catholic doctrine. One finds therein very interesting details about witches and the customs of Madrid.

First edition of the translation, selection and presentation established by M. de Wolffers.
Our copy is complete with the frontispiece on China paper mounted and engraved by Lécurieux.
Spine cracked at head and foot with slight lacks, occasional light foxing, a pale angular dampstain affecting the last leaf.
Rare.

First edition, one of 500 numbered copies on vellum, the only printing along with 12 Japan and 77 vellum copies.
Handsome copy despite small stains to the lower right margin of the first cover.
Autograph inscription signed by Eugène Jolas to Monsieur R. Harlong.

First edition.
Half sheep binding with bronze coloring, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets and friezes showing small stains and traces of rubbing.
Copy almost free from foxing.

First edition in French, one of 250 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe copies.
Bookplate on the endpaper.
Handsome copy.

First edition in French, one of 86 numbered copies on vélin pur fil paper, the only large paper copies.
A fine copy.

First edition of the French translation by Hélène Iswolsky, one of 109 numbered copies on Lafuma Navarre paper in Tellière quarto format, deluxe copy.
Handsome copy.

First edition in French, one of 109 numbered copies on Lafuma Navarre paper and reimposed in Tellière quarto format, deluxe copy.
Handsome copy.

First edition in French, one of 110 numbered copies on Lafuma Navarre paper and reimposed in Tellière quarto format, deluxe copy.
Handsome copy.

First edition of the French translation established by Valéry Larbaud, one of 108 numbered copies on Lafuma Navarre paper, reimposed in Tellière quarto format, deluxe issue.
Handsome copy.

Published the same year as the first edition.
Inscribed by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.
Stains on the first and lower cover.

First edition of the French translation established by Valéry Larbaud, one of 880 numbered copies on laid paper, the only deluxe copies with 120 reset.
Some occasional light foxing.

First edition of the French translation established by Bernard Derosne, no mention is made of deluxe copies.
Occasional light foxing, otherwise handsome copies.

First edition in French, one of the numbered copies on Alfa paper, the only issue.
A handsome copy.

First edition of the adaptation in French by Jean Richepin, one of the copies on red paper.
One joint glued.
Rare.

First edition in French.
A lack affecting a joint, another marginal one affecting upper cover, occasional foxing.

First edition.
Half bottle-green sheep binding, smooth spine decorated with quadruple gilt fillets, spine detached but present.
Freedom of conscience, freedom of the press, divorce, regicide, relations between the spiritual and temporal...

New edition of the French translation established by Léon de Wailly.
Half red sheep binding, spine with four raised bands decorated with blind-tooled compartments, slight marginal tear to front cover, contemporary binding.
Some minor foxing, otherwise a handsome copy.

First edition.
Publisher's grey soft paper boards.
Illustrated with 38 portraits and documents.
Handsome copy.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Half bordeaux shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands, date at foot, front board marginally sunned, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt.
With frontispiece portrait of J. Montalvo, fine interior condition.

First Gallimard edition of the French translation, one of 90 numbered copies on pure laid paper, the only deluxe copies.
Half vellum-style boards with corners, smooth spine, chocolate shagreen title-label, gilt fillet frames on boards, small marginal stains on first cover, covers and spine preserved, contemporary binding.
Fine interior condition.

First edition.
Half olive cloth binding, smooth spine, original wrappers preserved.

First edition.
Cover and spine soiled, foxing.
Rare.

First edition printed in very small numbers on laid paper.
Half sky-blue cloth binding with corners, smooth spine decorated with a gilt fleuron, date at foot, navy shagreen title label, original wrappers preserved, one upper corner very slightly bumped, binding signed by Vermorel.
Rare.

First edition in French translated by L. Barthou, one of the numbered copies from the first impression printed under the press, no mention is made of deluxe copies. Spine sunned with a small lack at foot, otherwise a rare and handsome copy.

First edition, of which no deluxe copies were issued.
Preface by Luigi Pirandello.
Spine slightly faded, small foxing spots on the front cover.
Press cutting included.
Rare.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Work illustrated with a bust of R.M. Rilke by F. Huf.
Handsome copy.

Fifth French edition.
Work illustrated with 45 vignettes by Bayard.
Full red paper boards, smooth spine, arms of the city of Paris on front cover.
Some foxing.

First edition printed in a very small number of copies.
One joint reattached, minor lacks without consequence to the other joint, three tiny marginal lacks to the second cover, some foxing. Rare.

First edition, one of 1500 numbered copies on laid paper, the only issue along with 50 on Japan paper.
Handsome copy.

First edition of the French translation, one of 250 numbered copies on vellum, the only deluxe copies.
A tiny marginal tear to the front cover, handsome copy.

First edition of the French translation, one of 220 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe copies.
Handsome copy.

First edition in French.
About Tolstoy, Lomonosov, Derzhavin, Zhukovsky, Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol...
Minor spotting to boards, otherwise a handsome copy. Rare.

First edition in French, one of the numbered copies on laid paper.
Spine faded with some losses.
Our copy is from the library of Maurice Fombeure who wrote his name in ink as well as a chronological notation on the half-title page.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Work illustrated with 12 plates.
Annotations mostly in pencil on the front free endpaper, otherwise a handsome copy of these very interesting memoirs by the author.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition in French, one of 100 numbered copies on pur fil paper, after only 25 on Japan and 50 on Hollande.
Handsome copy.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition in French by J.N. Charles. one small tear to centre of spine, otherwise a good copy.

First French edition. The first edition of the Italian text dates from 1607. Illustrated with two allegorical frontispieces signed Gr. Huret. Uncommon edition. One copy at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France from 1628, and another at the British Library. Nothing in French and English union catalogues.
Contemporary full vellum binding with overlapping edges. Smooth spine with manuscript title partly illegible. Traces of ties. Scattered pale foxing.
Antonio Maria Spelta (1559-1632) was a writer, scholar and historian from Padua, and it was while recalling Erasmus's Praise of Folly that he wrote this collection composed partly of reflections on madness, and partly on various subjects ranging from astrologers to hunters, including historical anecdotes. The first part tends more towards an eulogy of folly, despite the ever-present satire, while the second part presents a tableau of men and professions prey to madness, whimsy and vanity. Spelta's alert and biting pen perfectly captures the portrait of folly in its every guise. A singular work.

First edition.
Covers illustrated by Leyser.
Spine slightly cracked to head, small stains, not serious, to the lower cover, occasional small foxing.
Rare.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition.

Plain paper cover.

Rare.

First edition.

Plain paper cover.

Rare.

First edition of the French translation, one of 28 numbered copies on pur fil, the only large paper copies.
A very good copy.

Second edition for the two first volumes and first edition for the third one.
Contemporary half calf Romantic bindings, spines slightly faded, joints rubbed, foxing.

First edition.
Half cherry morocco binding with straight grain and corners, smooth spine decorated with gilt roulettes showing minor traces of rubbing at foot, corners slightly bumped, fore-edges rubbed, scratches with slight lacks of marbled paper to boards.
Some minor foxing, handsome interior condition.
Bookplate pasted to verso of front board from the Comtesse de Montebello, a second unidentified bookplate pasted above the first.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition in French, one of 50 numbered copies on Johannot paper, the deluxe issue.
A rare and handsome copy.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.
Rare.

First edition of the French translation, printed on ordinary paper.
The work is illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of Stanislas Przybyszewski by L. Albert Lazard.
Spine lightly sunned with two small lacks at head and foot, worming to first cover.

New edition of the French translation, established by Franz Toussaint, one of 1100 numbered copies on Holland paper.
Half brown shagreen binding with corners, smooth spine slightly faded decorated with gilt floral motifs featuring, as petals, red shagreen incisions, marbled paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, contemporary binding.
Handsome copy.

New edition of the French translation, this one by Franz Toussaint, one of 1000 numbered copies on vellum, the only printing with 50 Japan copies.
Half brown shagreen binding with corners, smooth spine slightly faded decorated with gilt floral motifs featuring, as petals, incisions of red shagreen, marbled paper boards, endpapers and pastedowns, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, contemporary binding.
Work decorated with numerous ornamental borders and initials in two tones by J. Vergély.
Handsome copy.

First edition in French, one of the numbered copies printed at press.
Signed autograph inscription from one of the translators on the endpaper which has a tear not affecting the manuscript dedication.
Spine lightly sunned with a small minor nick.
Rare.

First edition of the French translation established by Jean Cassou, one of 500 numbered copies on alfa paper.
Text preceded by a study on Inigo de Loyola or the triumph of the military spirit by René-Louis Doyon.
Fine copy.

First edition, one of the numbered copies on alfa.
Introduction by Henry Miller.
A good copy.