Les œuvres diverses de Monsieur de Cyrano Bergerac

First illustrated collected edition of the works of Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac, with an engraved portrait of the author as frontispiece, repeated in each volume, and eight copper-engraved illustrations by Laurent Scherm. Also with numerous headpieces, tailpieces and initials.

Full brown calf bindings, covers framed with blind-ruled fillets, spines with five raised bands, compartments decorated with gilt fleurons and bands, brown calf title labels, sprinkled edges. Bindings rubbed, corners bumped, joints weakened and partly split, headcaps torn away, some scuffing to the spines, more significant losses to the spine of the second volume, a few leaves slightly soiled.

Manuscript ownership inscription in blue ink to the front pastedown.

This two-volume collection gathers Cyrano’s complete works: his plays, his many letters and, above all, his two early science-fiction novels, illustrated here for the first time by Laurent Scherm. The Histoire comique, contenant les Estats et Empires de la Lune and its companion, the Histoire comique, contenant les Estats et Empires du Soleil, form a double imaginary voyage that pairs the invention of flying machines with libertine satire, and stand as the first utopia written in French.