Fiction works, fables, adventure stories, autofiction, autobiographical novels, epics, sagas, novelistic works

First edition on ordinary paper.
Fine photographic wrappers.
Unavoidable creasing and small losses to the corners of the spine and covers; otherwise a pleasant copy, considering the fragility of this popular edition. Small losses at the head of the leaves in the first gathering, which was poorly cut, with no loss to the text.



 

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...

Edition illustrated by Julien Le Blant with 7 hors-texte etchings and a portrait of the author as frontispiece. Small print run on vellum. Fine engravings engraved by Champollion. Ornaments (initials, headpieces...) by Giacomelli.

Copy with the monogram G. A., unidentified. Interlaced English initials.

Contemporary full tender green morocco binding signed at bottom of front pastedown Bonleu. Smooth spine decorated with a fleuron at head and a special tool, the whole within elegant frames. Triple fillet frame on boards. Monogram at center of upper board. Wide inner decorative border. Top edge gilt. Light traces of rubbing. Spine having turned uniformly to light brown...

First edition, with no deluxe copies issued, bearing the correct July 2010 colophon.

One of the rare first-proof copies bearing the following printed notice on the rear wrapper: "Premières épreuves non corrigées, dont le contenu ne peut en aucun cas être repris ou reproduit, en tout ou partie (y compris de courts extraits), sur tous supports, sans accord préalable et exprès de l'attachée de presse. / Attachée de presse : Soizic Molkhou / tél : 01 40 51 30 36 / [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) / Mise en vente indicative du 8 septembre 2010."*

With a manuscript correction to the printed notice: the words "premières""non" have been struck through, and the...

First edition, with no deluxe copies issued.

Pleasant copy, complete with its publisher's wraparound band.

Fine dated and signed autograph presentation inscription from Pierre Schoendoerffer to Jean-Claude Descoings : "Pour le bon docteur... qui fut médecin en Algérie, pendant cette guerre. (Docteur un des plus beau métier du monde ! L'aile du papillon... mon dernier "petit crabe" - sans tambour ! Amicalement."

First collected edition, one of 110 numbered copies on Lafuma-Navarre laid paper, specially imposed in quarto tellière format, forming the deluxe issue.

Newspaper clipping laid in, causing slight overall offsetting to the first free endpaper; occasional foxing.

Signed autograph inscription by Léon-Paul Fargue: " à Willy Michel que je pensais bien rencontrer un jour ou l'autre. avec amitié..."

First edition, one of the copies from the first issue numbered at the press, with the spurious statement of second edition.
Modern Bradel-style binding in ochre half cloth, smooth spine decorated with a central gilt fleuron and double gilt rule at foot, navy morocco lettering-piece, marbled paper boards.
Signed autograph presentation inscription from Louis Pergaud to Louis Chaffurin.

First edition.
Contemporary Bradel binding in full Empire-green cloth, smooth spine decorated with a gilt fleurion, date and double gilt fillet at foot, black morocco lettering-piece with a small marginal loss, original wrappers preserved, corners very slightly rubbed, without consequence, contemporary binding signed Durvand.

Precious signed presentation copy from Alphonse Daudet to the distinguished historian of the Napoleonic era and fellow member of the Académie française, Frédéric Masson.

Provenance: from the library of Émile Henriot, with his manuscript ex-libris beside the binder's name at the head of an endpaper ; on the facing page appears...

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue after 25 hors commerce copies on Holland paper reserved for the Cercle lyonnais.

Rare and fine copy.

New edition, front and rear pastedowns and free endpapers signed by Gérard Grée.

Publisher's binding with pictorial boards, smooth spine, light rubbing to spine-ends, illustrated endpapers and boards.

Superb original blue pencil portrait of Martine by Marcel Marlier, drawn within the tondo on the first free endpaper, surrounded by his presentation inscription: "For Andrée Alcaraz with all my sympathy. August 86 M. Marlier"

"This eternally well-behaved little girl, forever aged around ten, invented for Éditions Casterman in 1954 by the author Gilbert Delahaye and the illustrator Marcel Marlier, whose pencil stroke has been so...

New edition, limited to 2,200 numbered copies.

Publisher's full-board bindings after the original design by Mario Prassinos.

An attractive complete...

First edition, one of the review copies.

Dampstaining and a restoration to the spine, scuffing to the upper edge of the front wrapper, paper browned.

Our copy is enriched with two autograph letters signed by Hélène Bessette to a literary critic at Le Figaro, probably Claude Mauriac, concerning her recently published novel "La tour".

In the first letter, dated 30 April 1959, Hélène Bessette asks her correspondent to write a review of La Tour.

In the second, dated 13 May, the author expresses her pleasant surprise at having read in Le Figaro that her novel had attracted her correspondent's attention, while taking issue...

Autograph manuscripts, signed, comprising two humorous tales and three poems, written in blue ballpoint pen and violet ink, on both sides of a single sheet of ruled paper.

A few cancellations and ink smudges; minor soiling.

First edition, no deluxe copies issued.

A few minor black specks to the boards, one stain to the lower edge, otherwise a pleasing copy.

Illustrated.

Presentation copy inscribed by Martin Gray: "A Astoria la vie sans amour n'est rien..." [In Astoria life without love amounts to nothing...]

First edition of the French translation established by Georges Guiffrey.

Beige half roan binding, spine with four raised bands framed by black fillets, slight rubbing to the bands, boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

"In 1855, if my memory serves, Georges Guiffrey set about translating Vanity Fair with Thackeray's blessing: the perfection of this version makes it very nearly a masterpiece of nineteenth-century French literature. A critic nevertheless found occasion to take issue with its recent reissue, on the grounds that it had been given no more than a discreet dusting-off. Guiffrey's French strikes him as...

First illustrated edition with fifty-one engravings drawn by Édouard Riou and Henri de Montaut, and engraved by Hildibrand, Dumont, Fournier, Delaville, Pannemaker and Coste. "Bibliothèque d'éducation et de récréation" collection, a thirty-two page publisher's catalogue at the end of the volume.

Binding in brown half-shagreen, boards in red-brown percaline cloth, blind-stamped, spine with four raised bands, gilt compartments and fillets, gilt author and title, pastedowns of moiré-effect paper, gilt edges. Binding very slightly rubbed, a small tear to the vertical edge of the lower board, a few traces of mould to the pastedowns, some foxing to the leaves.

First complete edition.

It is illustrated with two frontispieces, twenty-four full-page engravings, and a folding map of Telemachus's travels. The portrait of Fénelon serving as frontispiece to the first volume is signed Baillieul and Duflos; the second frontispiece, together with the plates, is signed Bonnart fils and Giffart, while the map is drawn by Rousset and engraved by Berey. A few head-pieces, bandeaux, and ornamental initials. 

Bindings in full red morocco signed Chambolle-Duru, richly decorated covers, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt, gilt panels and fleurons between the bands, author, title, volume number, place and date lettered in gilt on...

Illustrated edition with twenty-two copper-engraved vignettes, including one used as frontispiece. A few engraved tailpieces.

Plain wrappers in blue-grey, with manuscript title and date written lengthwise on the spine in ink. Wrappers slightly soiled, with a few creases and tears; scattered foxing and soiling to the leaves.

New edition of this ancient pastoral romance, illustrated with a frontispiece and eight full-page engravings. With several headpieces, decorated initials and tailpieces.

Dark yellow morocco, spine with five raised bands, author, title and date lettered in gilt, gilt fillets to board edges and headcaps, gilt inner dentelle, all edges gilt; tan morocco case by Riviere & Son, spine with five raised bands, author, title and date lettered in gilt, blind-tooled fillets. Raised bands lightly rubbed, with a few scuffs to the slipcase, otherwise a handsome copy.

Mortimer L. Schiff's guilt red morocco bookplate on the front pastedown.

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on Lafuma pure rag paper, this copy one of 15 lettered hors commerce copies, the only deluxe-paper issue.

A rare and fine copy of this work, awarded the Prix Femina in 1971.

First edition, one of 32 numbered copies on Alfama paper.

A rare and fine copy.

The majority of the text in in first edition. One of 45 numbered copies on hollande, the most limited deluxe issue.

Full black morocco binding, flat spine, covers decorated with some hundred inlays of red, orange-red and orange morocco evoking the chromatic variations of a setting sun, white morocco frame on the red suede endleaves and doublures, monogram blind-stamped on one doublure, original wrappers and spine bound in, all edges gilt; matching chemise in half black morocco with flaps, flat spine, date gilt at the foot, marbled paper sides, beige suede lining, matching slipcase edged in black morocco, marbled paper sides, white felt lining, a splendid binding signed and...

First edition, with all the first issue features, including the misprint "Sénart" on the dedication leaf.
Elegant half hazel morocco bindings with corners by Blanchetière, spines with five raised bands, very slightly faded, dates gilt at foot, marbled paper sides, combed paper endleaves and pastedowns, original wrappers bound in, with the original spine preserved for the first volume, top edges gilt.
Complete with the publisher's catalogue at the end of the first volume.

Occasional light foxing.
A handsome and desirable copy, retaining its rare original wrappers and finely bound by Henri Blanchetière.

Illustrated edition with 154 drawings by Jules Férat, engraved by Barbant.
Hetzel publisher's binding in full red percaline, in the "anchor spine" design, with Engel type "i" rear board as identified by Jauzac, original blue endpapers, all edges gilt. 
Spine ends slightly sagging, spine lightly faded, lower left-hand corner of the front board frayed, blue endpapers marginally faded as usual, small black marks to the outer margins of the boards, occasional foxing at the beginning and end of the volume, and a bibliophile's ink stamp in the upper left-hand corner of the front pastedown.
A pleasing copy of this novel, which forms a sequel to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the...

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Japan paper, the deluxe issue.

Spine slightly sunned, otherwise a very good copy.

Preface by Léon Bocquet.

Edition published two months after the first edition; no deluxe-paper copies were issued.

Fine copy complete with its illustrated dust jacket.

Amusing dated and signed presentation inscription from Frédéric Beigbeder to Paul Chauzi: "... ce roman qui coûte 99 francs parce que je le vaux bien ? ..."

In 2007, Jan Kounen adapted the novel for the screen, with Jean Dujardin, Jocelyn Quivrin and Vahina Giocante in the leading roles.

First edition of the French translation; no deluxe-paper copies were issued.

A very good copy.

Signed presentation inscription from Jim Harrison to a woman named Gabrielle.

First edition of the French translation, one of the review copies.

Complete with its illustrated dust jacket, which has a few small marginal tears and is partially faded on the rear panel.

Rare dated and signed presentation inscription, in French, from Iris Murdoch to the writer, publisher and literary critic Christian Giudicelli.

First edition of the French translation, printed in an edition of 90 copies numbered on wove paper and signed by John Crombie and Sheila Bourne.

Illustrated throughout by Sheila Bourne.

A rare and fine copy of this artist's book created by Sheila Bourne and her husband, John Crombie.

First public edition of this foundational text of the intellectual Resistance.

Handwritten ownership inscription recording the volume as a gift, small tears and one snag to the spine, rear cover creased along the right-hand edge.

Later edition published only a few months after the first edition.
An attractive copy of this work, which won the 2001 Prix Goncourt and was adapted for television a few years later.
Dated and signed presentation inscription from Jean-Christophe Rufin to a woman named Muriel, to whom he also wishes a merry Christmas.

First edition of the French translation, one of 210 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue.

Spine and boards lightly faded at the margins, as is often the case.

First edition, one of the review copies.

Signed presentation inscription from Violette Leduc to Claude Couffon, a specialist in and translator of the leading Spanish-language writers of the second half of the twentieth century: "... après un chaleureux entretien et mon souvenir intact de son article pour ce livre..."

First edition, one of 150 numbered copies on Marais wove paper, the only deluxe-paper copies.
Illustrated by Edith Destouches.
A fine copy.

New illustrated edition with 43 drawings by Jules Férat, engraved by Charles Brabant for Les Indes noires; and by Edouard Riou and Jules Férat for the two other titles.

Catalogue CR at end.
Publisher's full polychrome cartonnage by Lenègre, type 3, known as the “Deux Éléphants” binding, on a red ground; headcaps slightly softened, as almost always; upper cover decorated with a plate by A. Souze featuring a fan-shaped design, with the title printed on two lines and no mention of Martin Paz; lower cover of Lenègre type “e”, with central medallion on a black ground; gilt lettering at foot of spine: Hetzel éditeur and A. Lenègre relieur (partly rubbed away).

Some...

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe-paper issue (cf. Claude Menguy).

Endpapers slightly and partially toned.

A rare and attractive copy.

Red-medallion Steamer binding edition (single volume), illustrated with 48 drawings by Léon Benett (40 for the first title and 5 for the second). 

Catalogue FX at end.
Publisher’s full polychrome pictorial boards signed Charles Magnier, headcaps slightly sagging as almost always, upper-cover plaque signed Paul Souze, a few small foxing spots.

A pleasing copy, the binding retaining fine freshness.
Two heirs, one French and one German, divide 500 million francs between them. Each builds a city in keeping with his dreams: the Frenchman an hygienist city, the German a city of steel.

First edition, one of the review copies.

Spine sunned, small losses to the spine and covers, paper brittle in the margins of the leaves.

A fine and rare signed autograph inscription by Roger Nimier, in the purest Hussard manner: "Pour Henry Grave et le Colonel Monier avec les claquements de talons et un arrière goût de rhum blanc du Cavalier Nimier".

Second edition, with a thousand-copy statement.

Spine warped and faded, small tears without consequence to the margins of the covers, a pale dampstain at the foot of the final leaves, occasional foxing.

Rare signed and dated autograph inscription from Joseph Zobel to Madame de Bruycker: "... ce premier reflet de ma province antillaise..."

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, one of 50 numbered copies on ivory laid edition paper, the only deluxe-paper copies.

A rare and fine copy.

Signed autograph inscription from Eric Jourdan to a friend named Guy: "... ce livre qui vient de loin presque à des années lumières, mais que j'accepte tel qu'il est. En signe d'amitié de toujours. éric 19 février 1996."

First edition, one of 100 numbered copies on Lana wove paper, the only deluxe-paper copies.

A small tear at the head of the front panel of the dust jacket.
A pleasing copy.

First edition, with no deluxe-paper copies issued.

A fine copy.

New edition, one of 50 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the only deluxe-paper copies.

A fine copy.

The first edition, published two years earlier, included no deluxe-paper issue.

First issue, illustrated with 28 original burin engravings by Camille Paul Josso, one of 375 copies on vélin de Lana.

Cream wrappers with folded-in flaps, red suede cloth publisher's chemise and slipcase.

Chemise and slipcase somewhat soiled and scratched, corners bumped, a few edges chipped.

First edition, one of 25 copies on Japon. A name copy printed for Delanier, his name inscribed by the publisher in pen, with his signature.

Illustrated with 8 original etchings by Jean-Adrien Mercier in two or three states, with an exceptionally added original pencil drawing by the artist.

Red half-chagrin Bradel binding, flat spine, author and title gilt-lettered on spine, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and flyleaves, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, binding signed M. Godillot.

Corners lightly rubbed, a few faint marks on the leather of the front board, trivial soiling to the...

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 collected edition, one of 30 copies on alfa paper, this copy unnumbered but duly identified as printed on alfa at the foot of the spine and in the limitation statement, the only deluxe-paper copies.
Albert Camus's foreword appears here for the first time.
A pleasant copy.

Edition published in the same year as the first edition, with edition statements in each volume.

Contemporary half brown shagreen bindings, spines with four raised bands ruled in black and decorated with double black compartments featuring gilt central tools, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges; corners rubbed.

Occasional foxing, with minor nicks to the top edge of one volume.

A handsome copy, attractively bound at the time.

First edition, superbly illustrated with 200 full-page plates and 120 in-text vignettes by Grandville. Second-issue printing, with the errors corrected. It may be identified by the fact that, in the first issue, the opening third of the volume was printed on tinted wove paper, whereas this second issue was entirely printed on uniform white paper; the frontispiece no longer bears the title Badigeneographie but instead Des affiches seront, d'après ses ordres....
Publisher's original full green ribbed percaline binding, decorated with special blocking tools commissioned by Hetzel specifically for this edition. Smooth spine stamped with tortoise, butterfly and beetle...

First edition, one of 90 numbered copies on pure wove paper, curiously the smallest deluxe paper issue prior to the 109 reimposed in-quarto tellière copies.
A handsome copy.

First edition, one of 80 numbered copies on Montval paper, the deluxe issue.
A handsome copy with wide margins.

First edition, one of 75 numbered copies on Montval paper, the deluxe issue.
A pleasing wide-margined copy.

First edition, one of 30 numbered copies on Holland paper, the deluxe issue.
Front cover vertically creased.

First edition, one of 45 numbered copies on hollande, most limited deluxe issue.

Contemporary full red morocco, spine with four raised bands framed with black fillets, date gilt at foot, taupe morocco doublures, red silk endleaves, gilt fillets and dots to board edges, all edges gilt, slipcase, an elegant binding signed Favre-Petit-Mermet.

A fine copy, handsomely bound in full morocco with morocco doublures by Favre-Petit-Mermet.

First edition on ordinary paper, with the correct imprint date of 25 September 1951, false "fifth thousand" statement of edition on the title page.
A small restored tear to the margin of the front cover, joints skilfully restored.

Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by Julien Gracq to Madame Renaudon: "...in memory of her smiling kindness amid the work of disasters..."

First edition, one of 56 hors commerce name copies on Saint-Amand, the only deluxe issue with 32 copies on hollande.
A fine copy.

Name copy printed for Kessel's friend Eddy Marnay signed and inscrbied by Joseph Kessel beneath the limitation statement and his name: "... ou le zombie son ami Jef."

Born Edmond Bacri, he was a French lyricist and singer who wrote approximately 4,000 songs, including Les Amants de Paris for Edith Piaf.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Japon paper, the deluxe issue.
Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author by Christian Bérard.
A pleasing copy despite a slight shadow to the spine.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies on alfa paper reserved for the press service.
A few spots of foxing, chiefly affecting the endpapers and edges, small tears to the boards at the edges, a small loss at the foot of the spine, which also shows slight sunning at the head.
Presentation inscription signed by Marguerite Yourcenar to Mr. Van Melle.
 

Illustrated edition featuring 26 original drypoint engravings by Jacques Boullaire, printed in an edition of 200 copies on Rives wove paper.
A pleasing copy.

First edition of this celebrated illustrated issue featuring artwork by Le Barbier, with the plates engraved under his supervision. Engraved frontispiece portrait of the author by Le Mire and 15 finely engraved full-page plates after drawings by Le Barbier. 
Contemporary full glazed red Russia leather binding, attributable to Bozérian l'aîné. Smooth spine tooled with four small concentric ornaments and gilt rules. Gilt fillet border to covers. Wine-coloured tabis silk endpapers. Gilt inner dentelles. All edges gilt. Light rubbing to the binding. Small loss of paper at the upper right corner of the title page in Volume I. Occasional foxing, particularly in the margins of several...

Illustrated edition with 20 original black engravings by Marianne Clouzot, one of 675 copies printed on Lana wove paper.
Slipcase spine sunned, joints rubbed, boards uniformly and lightly toned, internally in very good condition.

Illustrated edition featuring 20 original colour engravings by Marianne Clouzot, issued in a limited edition of 375 copies on Rives wove paper.
Spine of the chemise and boards of the slipcase lightly sunned at the margins, as is usually the case, the boards evenly and lightly toned, a fine copy internally.

Our copy is further enhanced by an original blue ballpoint drawing by Marianne Clouzot depicting the profile of a nun, accompanied by a signed autograph inscription to Etienne Crémieu-Alcan.

Illustrated edition featuring 25 original colour watercolours by Lucien Boucher, printed in an edition of 750 copies on Rives wove paper.
As is usually the case, the chemise spine and the slipcase boards are lightly sunned at the edges, the boards uniformly and lightly toned; a fine copy internally.

Illustrated edition with original colour engravings by Marianne Clouzot, one of 575 copies printed on Rives wove paper.
As is generally the case, the chemise spine and the slipcase boards are lightly sunned, the boards evenly and slightly toned, otherwise a fine copy internally.

Revised and expanded edition, corrected throughout and supplemented with previously unpublished documents, preceded by a biographical notice of the author and followed by notes by Edmond Biré.

Contemporary half red shagreen binding, smooth spine richly decorated with gilt Romantic arabesques, marbled paper boards framed with a gilt fillet, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, signed binding by Flammarion.

Illustrated with 59 etchings engraved by Adolphe Lalauze after the watercolours of Eugène Lami.

A pleasing copy, attractively bound.

New edition, with a spurious seventh edition statement.

Contemporary half brown shagreen over marbled boards, spine with four raised bands, ruled in black and decorated with double black panels enclosing gilt central fleurons, marbled endpapers, sprinkled edges.

Minor wear to the edges, lower corners lightly bumped, a small loss to the upper right corner of the title page.

A handsome copy attractively preserved in its contemporary binding.

Edition issued in the year of the first edition, bearing the fanciful statement of "Fourth Edition."

Contemporary half brown shagreen over marbled boards, spine with four raised bands ruled in black and decorated with double black panel compartments featuring gilt floral tools, marbled endpapers, sprinkled edges, contemporary binding.

Three small nicks to the edges.

A handsome copy attractively bound in a contemporary binding.