Writers' testimonies and interviews, autobiographical accounts, literary essays and criticism

First edition. 14 full-page plates including two folding, numerous illustrations in the text, as well as twelve pages of tables with hieroglyphic and Chinese characters.

Beige calf binding, elaborately gilt spine, boards stamped with the arms of the Society of Writers to the Signet. Minor foxing. Spine, corners and spine-ends restored, some wear to spine and boards.

A rare copy of this abundantly illustrated treasure trove of esoteric science, serving as an initiation into the mysteries of Egypt through the study of hieroglyphics.

One of the rarest and most interesting works by Pierre Lacour, a painter, engraver and literary scholar who succeeded his father as professor and director of the Bordeaux School of Painting. Lacour is known for his studies of ancient monuments, Hebrew and ancient languages; only a year before Champollion's deciphering of hieroglyphics, Lacour claims in these pages to find passages from the Bible in Egyptian texts. His study namely suggests a hieroglyphic meaning for the name of Moses.

Provenance: arms of the Society of Writers to the Signet, association of Scottish lawyers founded in the late 16th century. Library shelf label pasted to the flyleaf.

Definitive edition.

Spine slightly sunned and a little cocked, a few spots to the boards.

Signed autograph inscription from Vercors to François Triboudeau.

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, one of 70 numbered copies on Holland paper, deluxe issue after 30 on Japan paper.

A handsome copy.

Illustrated work, with a frontispiece portrait of Joseph Delteil by Mariette Lydis.

New edition, one of 26 numbered copies on Montval paper, the head of the edition.

A pleasing copy.

Fine autograph inscription signed by Colette to Mr P.A. Crozier: "... en souvenir de maint envoi de beaux fruits ; n'est-ce pas dire que je gagne à l'échange ? Les fruits de mon jardin sont de sec papier... Colette."

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Arches wove paper, the only deluxe paper issue.
A fine copy despite a few spots of foxing in the right margin of the first free endpaper.

First edition, one of the numbered copies on alfa paper reserved for the press.

One joint slightly pinched along its length, otherwise a pleasant copy.

Autograph inscription signed by Colette to Michel Corday.

Third edition, one of 200 numbered copies on handmade wove paper, the only large-paper issue. 

Bound in red half-shagreen, spine with five raised bands framed by gilt dotted fillets and gilt double fillets, marbled paper boards, sprinkled top edge, pastedowns and endpapers in marbled paper, original front wrapper preserved, lower edge and fore-edge uncut.

Corners with light wear.

Illustrated.

An attractive copy.

Provenance: Paul Verneyras, who joined the French Resistance in 1940 and became an active member of the Libération-Nord movement, later serving as an MRP municipal councillor for the 6th arrondissement sector of Paris from 1945 to 1947.

New edition.

A pleasing copy.

Rare signed autograph inscription from Philippe Muray to a close acquaintance named Benoît.

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on vélin Rivoli, the only deluxe paper issue.

A very fine copy.

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.

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."

First edition of the French translation, one of 200 numbered copies on white wove paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

Bound in full mouse-grey shagreen, spine with five raised bands ruled in black, covers framed with a single black fillet, endpapers and pastedowns in cat’s-eye patterned paper, wrappers (with a small loss at the foot of the lower cover) and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

A pleasing copy.

New edition, one of 65 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

A fine copy.

First edition, one of 12 copies numbered on Montval laid paper, the deluxe issue.

Light foxing to the upper cover and endpapers, with a small nick to the lower right corner of the rear cover.

First edition, one of 42 numbered copies on alfa paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

Minor, unobtrusive foxing to the foot of the upper cover, otherwise a pleasing copy.

Preface by Thierry Maulnier.

First edition on standard paper.

Spine very slightly sunned, without significance.

Rare signed autograph inscription from Fereydoun Hoveyda to Henri Brunet.

First edition, printed in 300 copies on wove vellum.

Contemporary full caramel calf binding, smooth spine lavishly gilt with decorative tools, upper joint split at the head, upper cap shaved, brown morocco title label, gilt roll tooling to the caps, triple gilt fillet frame with gilt corner fleurons on the boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt roll tooling to the board edges, rubbed corners; binding of the period.

Bookseller’s description label pasted onto a flyleaf, a few pencil annotations in the margins of certain paragraphs, occasional foxing.

New illustrated edition with plates hors-texte.

Bindings in half red shagreen with corners, spines with four raised bands gilt with dotted tooling and decorated with double gilt compartments; some rubbing to the spines; two water stains, to the left margin of the upper board of the first volume and to the right margin of the lower board of the second volume; a few marks to the corners; boards of cat’s-eye paper framed with double gilt fillets; marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

At the head of the first volume, a signed autograph presentation inscription by Lazare-Hippolyte-Sadi Carnot to General Henri Joseph Brugère.

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

Spine and boards very slightly and marginally sunned.

Fine dated and signed autograph inscription by Pierre Bost: "à Jean-Paul Sartre qui a connu le tiroir - et qui a même déjà lu ce livre. Avec l'amitié de Pierre Bost dec.45."

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Renage vellum, the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First in-12 edition, published one year after the exceedingly rare first edition.
Uniform half green shagreen bindings, spines slightly darkened with four raised bands, decorated with blind fillets, gilt titles at the foot of the spines, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, bookplate pasted to the rear pastedown of the first volume.
Minor rubbing to some boards, two small tears at the foot of the boards of the first volume.
An attractive set, virtually free of foxing and preserved in a uniform binding.

First edition printed in 500 copies on rag vellum, numbered and signed by Ferdinand Bac.

A pleasing and scarce copy, with a bookplate and a bibliophile’s label pasted to the verso of the upper cover.

Autograph signed inscription by Ferdinand Bac to Maître Gilbrin in violet ink: "... en souvenir de l'aimable visite à la \"surintendance\" de Compiègne, le nonagénaire Ferdinand Bac mai 1949." enhanced with an original pencil drawing depicting Napoleon III in profile, overlooking the signed inscription.

First edition, one of 16 numbered copies on pur fil, the deluxe issue following 6 copies on Montval paper.

Half hazelnut morocco binding, spine with four raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt panel compartments, date gilt at the foot, sides of cat’s-eye paper, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, bookplate pasted to a pastedown, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, untrimmed, contemporary signed binding by Albinhac.

A fine copy attractively bound.

First edition, one of 35 copies on Holland paper, the limited deluxe issue following 19 on China paper.

A fine copy, with a visiting card tipped in on a blank leaf bearing the manuscript note: "de ton beau-frère, un échantillon des éditions suisses".

Illustrated with headpieces and tailpieces by Marcel North.

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: "à mon très grand / et très estimable ami / Raoul Haussmann / en toute affection / GEORGES HUGNET / le 9 juin 1961", with an original collage signed with his initials and dated ("G.H. 1961").

First edition, one of the 10 numbered and justified copies on japon paper, the only large-paper issue announced.

Contemporary half brown morocco binding in the Bradel style, smooth spine, marbled paper boards, handmade endpapers, bookplate affixed to the front pastedown, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, period binding.

Signed and dated autograph inscription from Jean Puget to his publisher Pierre Briquet: "... en souvenir des jours héroïques..."

Provenance: from the personal library of publisher Pierre Briquet, with his bookplate affixed to the front pastedown.

Exceptionally rare copy featuring the censored passages restored in black ink, likely by the publisher, on pages 92 and 118.

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 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, one of 110 numbered copies on deluxe paper, our copy unnumbered, the only large-paper issue.

With a photographic portrait of Léon Blum as frontispiece.

Some scattered foxing, notably to the edges and endpapers; minor marginal tears to the covers, without significance.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies on alfa paper, our copy not specifically numbered, issued as the only deluxe paper copies.

A few small spots of foxing, mainly affecting the edges and the endpapers, which show two small traces of adhesive paper.

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 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.

Lower headcap missing, some surface rubbing to boards, corners worn, small wormhole at foot of spine, book interior in fine condition.

Light foxing, author's name annotated in brown ink on title page.

The name of the author's intellectual master, Michel de Montaigne, is spelled here, as in the first edition of the Essais, without the 'i'—originally silent before 'gn'; but after all, isn't 'Montagne' one of the highest peaks of French literature?

A new duodecimo edition of the most celebrated work by the writer and historian Charles Pinot Duclos, published in the same year as the first edition. According to the Dictionnaire des ouvrages anonymes et pseudonymes of 1822, "the edition without place of publication, 1751, 12mo, in large type"—the present edition—"should be preferred to that bearing Prault's name, 1751, which contains a dedicatory epistle to the King." (our own translation)

Fine contemporary binding in polished tan calf, spine with five raised bands, highlighted with a gilt roll, decorated with five compartments richly gilt with mascles and ermines, repeated on the boards within a blind fillet border, brown morocco lettering-piece, gilt fillet on boards edges, edges stained red, turn-ins tooled in gilt palmette pattern, oak-leaf patterned pastedowns and endpapers. A copy stamped with the heraldic charges (ermines and mascles) of the Rohan family, or more precisely of the Rohan-Guémené, Rohan-Rochefort, or Rohan-Soubise branches.

Joints slightly split for 2.2 cm and 0.5 cm on upper boards, light rubbing to board edges and corners, three library labels affixed to upper pastedown and verso of front free endpaper. Minor marginal tears to p. 281 and pp. 361-366, author's name annotated in black ink on title page: "Par Mr. Duclos de l'Acad. franç."

Complete and illustrated 1756 edition of naval lieutenant general Duguay-Trouin's memoirs, that were first published posthumously in 1740, in accordance with the author's wishes. In 1730, from the same publisher as our copy, an unauthorized edition prepared by Pierre de Villepontoux revealed Duguay-Trouin's achievements during his lifetime. Manuscript ownership inscription in black ink on the title page.

Contemporary binding in full brown sheep, richly decorated spine with five raised bands, brown morocco lettering piece, gilt roll on the board edges, blue pebbled marbled edges, marbled pastedowns and endpapers.

Headcap damaged, repairs and minor rubbing to the front board, corners bumped.

Half-title expertly repaired on verso, 2.8 cm tear at p. 105 not affecting the text, minor dampstaining toward the end of the volume, brief brown ink annotation on the rear free endpaper.

The work is illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author and 6 folding plates depicting ships, fleets, and naval battles, including a plan of the capture of Rio de Janeiro in 1711.

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.

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 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, for which no copies were issued on deluxe paper.

Spine lightly wrinkled, a small loss at the foot of the lower board; otherwise a pleasing copy.

Signed autograph inscription by Maurice Genevoix.

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

Fine 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, 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.

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 translation)

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on tinted Rives wove, the only issue following 40 copies on Arches wove enhanced with an additional suite of the illustrations.

A fine copy.

Work illustrated with three etchings by Alberto Giacometti.

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 of these important memoirs covering the years 1747 to 1783 (cf. Sabin 39271).

Contemporary full mottled calf, smooth spine gilt with fillets, roulettes and floral tools, some rubbing with small losses of leather at the foot of the upper board, marbled endpapers, gilt fillets to the edges, marbled edges; period binding.

Upper cap and corners restored.

The duc de Lauzun (1747–1793) accompanied the comte de Rochambeau during the French expedition to America; he recounts this campaign in his Mémoires, pp. 339–375.

The editorial history of this publication deserves notice: the original manuscript having not been recovered, the text—issued some twelve times to the present day—was established from copies circulating under the Empire; its authenticity was nevertheless confirmed by Talleyrand.

In the first edition, published in 1822 (the present copy), several passages suggesting a liaison between Marie-Antoinette and Lauzun were removed or altered.

These passages reappeared in 1833, in a parallel printing juxtaposing the expurgated passages with a manuscript version presented as original. It was not until 1858 that the first unexpurgated edition was issued, with a biographical notice by Louis Lacour.

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: Alexandre Pushkin, "Le faux Pierre III", printed in Paris by Plon in 1858 (2 ff.n.ch. and 192 pp.), being the first edition of the French translation by Prince Augustin Galitzin.

First edition illustrated with 24 colour figures mounted within the text.

No copy recorded in the CCFr.

Occasional light foxing.

Publisher’s original full lemon-yellow percaline, smooth spine, upper cover decorated in red, minor spotting to the boards.

Pleasing album devoted to the monuments of ancient China, then undergoing rapid transformation at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The text was set before the Chinese Revolution of 1911 and the Great War.

On the half-title, this copy is enriched with a long dated autograph inscription by the American singer and society figure Tryphosa Bates-Batcheller (1876–1952) to Henry de Galard de Brassac, Prince of Béarn and of Chalais (1874–1947), including an English translation of a Chinese poem by Ssu-K'ung T'u (834–908).

First edition illustrated with 5 plates hors texte (3 portraits and 2 views) and 1 facsimile (cf. Tailliart 184).

Contemporary bindings in fawn half calf, smooth spines gilt with fillets, red shagreen title labels, black shagreen volume labels, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, bindings of the period.

Waterstaining at the end of volumes I and III.

The section relating to Algeria appears in vol. III, chap. V, pp. 127 to 164.

The author stayed in Bône as a divisional officer from December 1837 to 9 February 1838.

These few pages abound in characteristic details concerning the indiscipline of the army, its poor discipline and appearance, the negligence and incompetence of its commander, administrative irregularities, the poor quality of provisions, and the personal expenses imposed on officers.

New edition published under the direction of Victor Cousin and illustrated with 45 folding plates at the end of the volumes.

Full polished calf bindings in light brown, spines evenly darkened with four raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt panels, gilt rolls at head and tail, gilt friezes at the foot of the spines, a few heads of spines slightly trimmed, joints rubbed, black calf lettering and volume labels, gilt fillet and garland borders on the covers, upper boards gilt-stamped at centre with crowned laurel wreaths and the gilt inscription “académie de Paris - Prix du concours général”, moiré silk endpapers and pastedowns in white, all edges gilt, gilt fillets on the board edges, a few corners lightly rubbed, contemporary bindings.

The set includes 45 folding plates: 11 in volume 3, 12 in volume 4, 11 in volume 5, 3 in volumes 6 and 7, 2 in volumes 8 and 9, and 1 in volumes 10 and 11.

Scattered foxing.

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

A very handsome copy.

First edition, one of 25 numbered copies on bouffant vellum paper from the Salzer mills, ours being No. 1, the only deluxe paper issue.
Handsome copy of this work awarded the Grand Prix du Roman of the Académie française. 
 

First edition printed in 36 copies with a frontispiece portrait of the author, one of 30 numbered copies on vellum, the only issue after 1 Japan and 5 Holland paper copies.

Admirably printed, this extremely rare bibliophilic object is particularly precious for its complementarity with the first edition of Voyage au bout de la nuit.

Handsome copy presented in a full beige cloth chemise (with light dampstaining at foot) which appears to be the publisher's slipcase.

Bookplate affixed to verso of front cover.