Edition translated by Defaucompret. Each volume has an engraved title with a vignette and at least 2 steel engravings per work, the animated scenes are by Tony Johannot, the views are English engravings. 28 folding maps heightened in colors, including a large map of Scotland, at the end of the History of Scotland.
Half navy blue shagreen binding, slightly later, ca 1850. Spine with raised bands decorated with gilt compartments and thick and thin fillets, in blind and gilt. Spine uniformly and slightly darkened. Author, volume number and title gilt. Volume 1: trace of dampstain to one corner of p. 300 to the end. Volume 4: broad yellowing on title page to p.30. Volume 7: trace of...
First edition of the French translation by A. J. B. Defauconpret. Illustrated vignette on the title page of each volume, with two illustrations in each volume (60 in total) by Louis Marckl after Noël Bertrand.
Green half shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands elaborately framed in gilt and blind, spine-ends stamped with a gilt rosette bearing cabbalistic signs, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges, contemporary bindings.
Spines slightly lightened, some corners slightly dulled, more pronounced foxing on some volumes, a tear not affecting text to pp. 303-304 of vol. 2, a restored tear and a marginal lack of paper not affecting text to pp...
First edition, on ordinary paper, of the French translation by Boris Vian.
A pleasing copy, considering the poor quality of this post-war paper.
First edition in French, one of the ordinary paper copies.
A pleasant copy despite three small stains to the edges.
Signed presentation copy inscribed by Milan Kundera to Jacques Brenner, conveying his best wishes for 1990.
First French edition, one of 75 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, the deluxe issue.
A rare and handsome copy.
This copy is complete with the original silkscreen by Victor Vasarely, numbered and signed in justification by the artist.
New edition of the French translation first published in the author’s collected works, one of 550 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only issue after 80 copies on Arches wove paper.
Contemporary forest green half morocco over marbled boards, corners, spines lightly sunned with four raised bands, gilt decorative rolls and richly gilt compartments, marbled endpapers, original upper wrappers preserved, top edges gilt.
Illustrated edition with 16 original colour engravings by Emilio Grau Sala, printed in an edition of 350 copies on Rives wove paper.
Spine of the chemise and boards of the slipcase marginally sunned, as is usually the case, boards evenly and lightly toned, a fine copy internally.
First edition.
Beige half half contemporary bindings, flat spines, elaborate gilt tooling beneath the black calf title labels, volume numbering stamped at foot, upper joint worn on vol. I, rubbing to edges, corners and boards, headband loose on vol. I, combed paper pastedowns with small loss to lower board of vol. I, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, all edges marbled.
First edition of the debut novel by English feminist and abolitionist Harriet Martineau, a pioneering work in raising public awareness of gender equality and public health.
This handsomely bound copy once formed part of the library of her contemporary Lady Tyrconnel at...
First French edition, one of 35 numbered copies on pure wove paper, the only deluxe paper issue.
A fine copy.
New edition of Jacques Amyot's French translation, illustrated with charming engravings, one of 50 copies printed on vellum paper.
Contemporary blue half morocco over marbled boards, smooth spine richly tooled in gilt within decorative compartments, gilt date at foot, gilt fillet border to the boards, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, an attractive unsigned binding.
This edition was revised and expanded by Paul-Louis Courier.
New edition of the French translation, one of 1,040 numbered copies printed on alfa paper.
Publisher's boards, bound to the original design by Mario Prassinos.
First French edition, one of the press review copies.
Spine and covers lightly and marginally sunned, as is often the case, with two small chips at the foot of the spine.
Inscribed and signed by Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz to Pierre de Massot.
First edition of the French translation, sixth edition statement.
Contemporary half blue sheepskin binding, spine with four raised bands ruled in black and decorated with gilt floral motifs, gilt initials at foot, cat’s-eye paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
A pleasant copy.
First edition of the French translation, one of the ordinary issue copies, as no deluxe paper copies were produced.
A very good copy.
Signed autograph inscription from Richard Wright to Pierre Descaves.
Edition published in the same year as the first edition, stated 43rd edition.
Autograph inscription dated by Panaït Istrati to Madame S. Ionesco.
First edition of the French translation established by Alexandre Vialatte, one of 50 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper issue.
A handsome copy.
First edition of the French translation, one of 50 numbered copies on vellum, the only deluxe paper copies.
Illustrated wrappers.
A handsome copy.
First edition of the French translation, for which no deluxe paper copies were issued.
A very slight loss to the head of the spine.
A rare and pleasing copy.
First edition of this poetry collection, prepared posthumously by the author's former husband, Ted Hughes. Our copy is complete with its unclipped dust jacket.
Publisher's blue percaline in Bradel binding, smooth spine lettered in silver, with the title, author's name and publisher's imprint.
Lower headcap very slightly bumped, minimal wear to corners. To the dust jacket, upper headcap with a very slight split, and a faint...
First edition of the French translation, one of 21 numbered copies on pur fil paper, deluxe issue.
Bradel binding in half blue percaline, smooth spine, floral motif, date and double gilt fillets at the foot, hazel morocco title label with some scuffing, marbled paper boards, covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, contemporary binding.
The text by Friedrich Sieburg is followed by a letter from Bernard Grasset to the latter.
Fine dated and signed autograph inscription, from London, by Friedrich Sieburg to Monsieur de Fleuriau, then French ambassador in London: "... en le priant de ne voir dans ce livre que l'attrait que la France exerça sur son auteur...
First edition of the French translation.
Contemporary half red shagreen binding, spine with four raised bands tooled with gilt dotted fillets and decorated with double gilt panels featuring a scattered pattern of gilt stars, minor rubbing to the spine, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, speckled edges.
Occasional light foxing.
First edition of the French translation, one of 75 numbered copies on ivory offset paper, our copy one of the few hors commerce copies numbered in pencil by Antoni Tapies, the only deluxe paper issue.
A very small stain to the upper edge, otherwise a fine copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket.
Illustrated.
Handwritten signature of Antoni Tapies at the colophon.
First edition of the French translation, one of 1,000 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only issue with 10 copies on Auvergne paper.
Frontispiece with an original portrait of Blaise Cendrars by Riera, covers illustrated with an original lithograph by Orfeo Tamburi.
Spine and boards slightly and marginally sunned, as usually.
First English edition, published one year after the first edition (American), complete with its illustrated dust jacket with unclipped price.
Publisher's pink-red cloth, title, author's name and publisher's imprint to the spine, all three in gilt.
Headcaps very slightly pushed, faint foxing to the boards, a fine copy. On the dust jacket, spine and boards sunned as is common, discreet wear and stains to the headcaps, boards and corners, marginal browning and a dampstain at the foot to the inside of the jacket.
First edition of the French translation, for which no deluxe paper copies were issued, with the correct "achevé d’imprimer" dated February 1939.
A fine copy, complete with its illustrated dust-jacket, as usual showing only slight rubbing and minor marginal tears, not affecting its overall appearance.
The work is illustrated, facing the title-page, with a map of the south-eastern United States during the Civil War.
First British edition of 1955 (the first edition of 1954 is American), complete with its dark pink dust jacket designed by Lynton Lamb, on which one of the two prizes received by A Fable in 1955 is mentioned: the Pulitzer Prize. This is the work on which William Faulkner laboured longest and which he considered his masterpiece.
Publisher's binding in candy-pink cloth, with title and author's name gilt in a false panel at the head of the spine, and publisher's name gilt at the foot. Galignani...
First edition of the French translation by Eugène Guillevic, printed in 35 copies numbered and signed in the colophon on japon ancien, ours one of the 10 hors commerce lettered copies.
Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by Hélène Iliazd to Claude Nardin in pencil in the colophon.
A rare copy complete with its folders and guards made of various papers, its folded parchment chemise with a large outward flap, and its blue cloth chemise and slipcase.
This first edition, conceived and produced by Hélène Iliazd and Ania Staritsky in memory of Iliazd, contains an unpublished poem by the Russian poet, with his autograph Russian...
First edition, one of 200 copies numbered on wove paper, the only issue after 25 copies on Normandy vellum.
Spine and boards slightly and marginally sunned, without seriousness.
First English edition, printed after the first edition published in Milan in 1959 and the American edition published that same year, on ordinary paper, complete with its original unclipped dust jacket.
Publisher's red cloth binding, title and names of author and publisher to spine in gilt. Manuscript inscription, dated February 1964, on the front free endpaper.
Spine of the dust jacket sunned as is often the case, joints of the front board very slightly split, small tears at the head of the front board and a few minute red offsetting to that same board.
Scattered foxing and light browning to the pastedowns and endpapers.
English reprint of 1955 — the first American edition was published in 1927 and the first English edition in 1928 — on ordinary paper, complete with its original illustrated unclipped dust jacket.
Publisher's binding in light blue cloth, title, author's name and publisher's device stamped in dark blue to spine, title repeated, also in dark blue, to head of upper board.
Spine ends and edges slightly sunned as is often the case, a...
First edition of the French translation, one of the numbered copies reserved for the friends, collaborators and subscribers of "Lettres Nouvelles".
Spine very slightly sunned, a pleasant copy.
First edition of this poetry collection, which was awarded the Cholmondeley Prize on publication, complete with its dust jacket illustrated by Leigh Taylor.
Publisher's binding in brown half-cloth, title, author's name and publisher's device gilt to spine, bronze-coloured glossy paper to boards. To recto of rear endpaper, a manuscript quotation in black pen by a celebrated English poet: "the mind can only repose on the stability of truth... Samuel Johnson."
Later edition.
Publisher's full green cloth binding, smooth spine, copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket which shows a few small tears and minor losses.
The verso of the front panel of the dust jacket shows an angular loss affecting the printed price.
Dated and signed autograph inscription from Richard Wright to Ganan Bocca.
First edition, for which no deluxe paper copies were issued.
A pleasant copy.
Valuable signed autograph inscription from Susan Sontag to her friend Sonia Rykiel: "pour Sonia avec mes amitiés Susan Sontag 26 septembre 1995 Paris."
Copy of the thirteenth printing of the first edition illustrated by the author.
Publisher's full bottle-green binding, smooth spine decorated in black with the title and author's name at the head and the publisher's name at the foot, upper board decorated in black with the title and author's name within a blind-stamped border, complete with its illustrated dust jacket. Author's inscription in blue ink on the first free endpaper, followed by a slightly faded ex-dono on the next: "I hope you will still feel like reading this. Love, Sisi."
Headcaps slightly bumped, losses, folds and tears to the dust jacket.
1865 edition of Goethe's reimagining of Euripides' Iphigenia in Tauris.
Contemporary publisher's plum cloth binding, smooth spine lettered with title and author's name in gilt, blind-stamped decoration on boards.
Spine faded as often, slight loss of cloth at spine ends.
Minor scattered foxing.
First edition of the French translation, one of 100 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, the only deluxe paper issue, our copy justified at the colophon by Raymond Mason as an artist’s copy, the sole large-paper issue.
Illustrated work, with an original engraving by Raymond Mason, signed and justified by him as an artist’s copy as frontispiece.
A scarce and pleasing copy.
First edition of the French translation of the Hao ch iu chuan, a novel by an anonymous author from the Ming period, regarded as one of the most celebrated works of imperial Chinese fiction.
Guillard d'Arcy was one of the pupils of Stanislas Julien.
Minor losses to the head and foot of the spine, a few foxing spots.
First edition of this one-act play. Rama VI (Vajiravudh, 1881-1925) was not only the successor to the celebrated Chulalongkorn (Rama V) on the Siamese throne in 1910; he was also a man of letters who composed numerous works of prose, poetry and drama.
Contemporary full dusky-pink glazed cloth, plain smooth spine, title blocked in gilt within a large architectural border on the upper board.
The author played a major role in the development of modern Thai literature, introducing Western-style theatre to Siamese audiences.
In addition to the thousands of original works he produced in a wide variety of genres, including short stories, novels and political essays, he...
Fourth edition.
A pleasing copy.
Introduction by Harry T. Moore.
Presentation inscription signed by Anaïs Nin to the writer Christiane Baroche: "my friend love, Lawrence and i was the first woman i write abour him. Anaïs Nin."
Autograph letter signed by Thomas Mann, in French and on the headed paper of the Hôtel Regina, 2 place des Pyramides, Paris, addressed to the journalist (Claude Morgan).
10 lines in blue ink on a single leaf, a stain affecting the "14" of 14 May 1951, creases consistent with having been folded for mailing.
"14 Mai 1951
Cher monsieur,
ayant prolongé mon séjour à Paris d'un jour, je vous donnerais avec plaisir une courte interview ce soir à six heures trente. Avec l'expression de mes meilleurs sentiments. Thomas Mann."
First edition.
Original wrappers, complete with its color illustrated dust jacket.
Association copy, signed and inscribed: "A mon cher Georges Hugnet en souvenir de cette petite AMERICA '57 et de son ami Orfeo Tamburi / Paris 8.5.'68" [To my dear Georges Hugnet in remembrance of this little AMERICA '57 and his friend Orfeo Tamburi / Paris 8.5.'68]
Fine copy of this journey through the United States, with 37 illustrations by Tamburini from his travels to New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, New Orleans, Harrisburg, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Providence.
Hugnet and Tamburi collaborated on several artists' books: La Morale à...
First edition, one of the numbered copies on laid paper, the only issue after 1 copy on large Arches vellum, 50 on Japan paper, and 10 hors commerce.
The upper cover slightly and marginally toned; a pleasing copy.
Illustrated with wood engravings by Raoul Dufy.
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.
New edition of the French translation.
Spines slightly sunned, with minor tears at the foot.
Signed in manuscript by Thomas Mann on the endpapers of both volumes.
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 of the French translation by Élisabeth de Bon, gathering in 2 volumes the 4 parts of this anonymous English novel originally printed in 1809, which according to André Marc in his Dictionnaire des romans anciens et modernes of 1819, is the work of Anna Maria Porter, younger sister of the novelist Jane Porter. The Porter sisters, contemporaries of Jane Austen and famous before the Brontës, were close to the Scottish poet Walter Scott.
Contemporary full brown tree sheep...
New edition of the translation by Alain-René Le Sage, revised by Pons-Auguste Alletz, some forty years after its initial publication. Two frontispieces decorate each volume. As we learn from the Avertissement, this classic, which flowed from the pen of the author nicknamed the "Divine Spaniard" by his compatriots, was then, in the 1770s, unknown to a large part of the French youth.
Contemporary binding in full brown tree calf, smooth gilt spine with four compartments separated by traditional and dotted...
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 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.
New edition.
A handsome copy.
Fine inscribed copy, signed by Anaïs Nin to the writer Christiane Baroche: "Christiane Baroche my last novel before I began to edit the diaries and be drowned in them. Perharps because I had arrived at humor and could bear to make the journey backwards. Anaïs Nin."
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 the French translation by Edouard Chavannes of an extract from the Journal of the Peking oriental society.
Contemporary Bradel-style binding in full grey percaline, smooth spine decorated with a gilt fleur-de-lis, double gilt fillet at the foot, cherry shagreen lettering-piece with surface scuffing, partially toned endpapers.
This was the translator’s first scholarly publication devoted to this treatise, which forms the twenty-eighth chapter of the celebrated Shiji (Historical Records) by the first true Chinese historian, Sima Qian (145–86 BCE).
These records constitute the first systematic synthesis of...
New illustrated edition featuring 15 naive woodcuts, including one on the rear cover.
No copies recorded in the CCF (Collective Catalogue of France).
Pleasant and rare copy.
This small illustrated tale, primarily serving as an opportunity to showcase all familiar animals within a single narrative, is part of the "penny books" series—the equivalent of our own chapbooks intended for the most modest audiences.
It is traditionally attributed to the publisher, John Golby Rusher (1784–1877), who took over his father’s printing business (William Rusher) and specialized in children’s literature.
First edition of the French translation (cf. Sabin 26375).
A defence of Catholic principles addressed to a Protestant minister (…) preceded by a notice on the author’s life and virtues. Translated from the English by Prince Augustin Galitzin. Paris, Ch. Douniol [printed by Simon Raçon et Comp.], 1856, 12mo.
Contemporary half navy blue shagreen, spine with four raised bands ruled and panelled in gilt, slight unobtrusive rubbing to the spine, marbled boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Scattered foxing.
A work of religious controversy; the preface offers interesting information regarding Prince Galitzin’s activities in the United States.
Bound after it...
A small book entirely in Chinese, from the series Chinese Spoken Language Readers for Lower Primary Schools.
Printed stamp of the Missions Museum S.J. Kirche "Am Hof" on the rear cover; a manuscript ink annotation at the head of the final page of text.
Numerous black-and-white illustrations within the text and one full-page colour illustration.
A rare and pleasing 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...
A very rare Brescia imprint, dedicated to Prince Eugène and celebrating Napoleon’s successes in the German campaign of 1805.
No copy recorded in the CCF.
A dampstain to the upper right corner of the leaves.
Contemporary cream paper-covered boards, smooth spine without lettering with tears, boards soiled, title within a black frame on the upper board and address likewise on the lower board, tears with losses on the lower board, contemporary binding.
However, dated 26 November of that year, it could not yet include the victory of Austerlitz. Niccolo Bettoni (1770-1842) was a prominent figure of Italian typography at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and...
First edition of the French translation, issued without any large-paper copies.
A handsome copy, complete with its original promotional band: "Calvino et la préhistoire-fiction."
Inscribed, dated, and signed by Italo Calvino to Pascal Pia.
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".
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...
First edition.
Publisher's full cloth-backed pictorial boards, front board with color illustration, pictorial endpapers, a newspaper clipping photograph of the Disney couple pasted on the front pastedown. Minor lacks to the upper cover, corners slightly creased.
Exceptional incribed copy by Walt Disney on the front pastedown: "Best wishes / Walt Disney," below a portrait of him with his wife and their dog.
New edition, partially original as it is augmented with three new stories and the life of the author (previously published in 1744; before this date, editions included only 10 stories).
The false title of the second volume bears the title "Diverse Works," these two volumes, although sold separately, could be placed after the six-volume Don Quixote. The original title "Exemplary Novels" was used concurrently in other editions.
Translation by Abbé Martin de Chassonville. It is illustrated with a portrait of the author engraved by Gentot after Kent, and 13 plates, of which 12 are engraved by Aveline after Folkema, and one by Daudel. The engravings are charming and pleasing, with...
First edition in French, one of 8 numbered copies on Imperial Japan paper, ours being one of 3 hors commerce copies, deluxe printing.
Some foxing to boards and certain deckled edges.
A rare full-margined copy.
