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

First edition of a work by an Illuminist author, also a barrister at the Parlement, known for his licentious and libertine writings, including L'Histoire de Dom Bougre, portier des Chartreux. This work was also at one time attributed to Pierre Lambert de Saumery, who published under the pseudonym "de Mirone."

Midnight blue half morocco with corners, spine with five gilt raised bands decorated with compartments richly gilt with arabesques, fillets and small stars, marbled paper boards framed with gilt...

First issue of the 250 wood-engraved compositions by Edmond Morin, one of 150 numbered copies on Holland paper.

The work is further illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author by Léopold Flameng.

Bound in half orange morocco over marbled boards with corners, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and richly tooled with double gilt compartments, covers framed with double gilt fillets, marbled endpapers, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, an elegant binding signed A. Bertrand.

A fine copy, impeccably presented.

Illustrated edition with colour drawings by Chas Laborde, one of the numbered copies printed on wove paper.

A pleasing copy.

On the half-title page, a signed autograph inscription from Colette: "A monsieur F. Porlier. Colette.", Colette having added after Claudine s'en va :  bon vent !

Illustrated edition with colour drawings by Chas Laborde, one of the numbered copies printed on wove paper.

A pleasing copy, notwithstanding a crease mark to the lower right corner of the upper cover.

Fine signed presentation inscription by Colette: "A monsieur F. Porlier ce vieux péché littéraire que je n'aime plus beaucoup. Colette."

Illustrated edition with colour drawings by Chas Laborde, one of the numbered copies printed on wove paper.

A pleasing copy, despite a small tear to the upper right margin of the front free endpaper.

On the page following the title, a fine signed autograph inscription by Colette: "A monsieur F. Porlier. Nantes, février 1933. Colette. J'aime beaucoup "et autres" ! Colette.", Colette having ironically circled the words "et autres" appearing in a paragraph outlining her alleged collaboration with her former husband Willy in the writing of the work.

Illustrated edition with colour drawings by Chas Laborde, one of the numbered copies on wove paper.

A pleasing copy.

Autograph signed inscription by Colette: "A monsieur F. Porlier en souvenir d'une passante. Colette."

Two parts in one volume, printed on hōsho paper and folded in the Japanese style

Two colour-illustrated covers, and 28 superb Japanese colour prints by Kano Motonobu, Kadjita Hanko. All text pages are illustrated with drawings in black.

A very fine artistic publication printed on pure Japanese rag paper with special Japanese folding. The Tokyo publisher is Kané-Mitsou Masao, the printer Shueisha, under the direction of Yamamoto Yeijiro.

Original publisher's binding in half black embossed leather with japanese motifs, illustrated boards depicting figures and animals in colours, long-grain red morocco lettering-piece on the upper board...

First edition, one of the copies printed on alfa paper.

A small split to the spine, a few light foxing spots.

Manuscript signatures of Joseph Kessel and Hélène Iswolsky.

First Gallimard edition, one of 1,050 numbered copies printed on Alfama du Marais paper.

Publisher’s boards bound after the original design by Paul Bonet.

A very fine copy.

New edition.

Illustrated with engravings by Jean Hugo.

A pleasing copy.

Fine signed autograph inscription from Anaïs Nin to the woman of letters Christiane Baroche: "Your poems should be in a book one can keep nearly and read now and then for substance. Anaïs Nin."

First edition on ordinary paper.

Contemporary Bradel binding in red half morocco with corners, smooth spine, date gilt at foot, covers of marbled paper framed with blind fillets, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt; an attractive period binding signed Bernasconi.

Occasional foxing, chiefly affecting the opening leaves.

Signed autograph inscription from Claude Farrère to M. Briquet.

Facing the limitation page, this copy is enriched with an original watercolour signed by Henri Leclerc depicting the heroine of the work leaning against a ship’s bulwark, her suitor standing slightly...

One of the first collected editions of these seven comic novellas, initially printed separately, by the Sieur de Préfontaine, regarded as a first-rate author by Charles Louandre: "without seeking to diminish in any way the merit of Boileau, without disputing his title as legislator of taste, one may say that Charles Sorel, Furetière, Préfontaine, [...] contributed alongside him and before him to cleansing the French Parnassus."

The first edition of one of the short stories contained in this volume...

First edition on ordinary paper with all the features of the first printing. Includes its publisher’s band expertly restored and the publisher’s catalogue at rear.

An exceptionally fresh copy, preserved with its rare red publisher’s band quoting Molly’s phrase “C’est le voyageur solitaire qui va le plus loin” (“he travels farthest who travels alone”, translation by John H. P. Marks) followed by this text on the verso:

 

“One...

First edition on standard paper.

Spine very slightly sunned, without significance.

Rare signed autograph inscription from Fereydoun Hoveyda to Henri Brunet.

New edition, issued two months after the first.

Attractive copy, complete with its illustrated dust jacket.

Some signs of use (dog-eared pages) and pencil annotations by the dedicatee.

Signed autograph inscription from François Cheng to a couple of friends named Claudine and Noël, enhanced with a Chinese ideogram.

New edition, limited to 2,000 numbered copies on Lafuma vellum.

Signed autograph presentation inscription by Henri Barbusse beneath the limitation statement: "A Marcel Granoux fraternellement. Henri Barbusse."

Included are an original photograph of Henri Barbusse (8.9 × 13.8 cm, from the G.L. Manuel Frères studio), showing him full face, together with two typed letters dated 28 April and 2 July 1930, signed by Henri Barbusse, concerning an article he was late in sending and a copy of Le Feu that he promises to inscribe and forward to his correspondent.

The first typed letter also bears two manuscript corrections by Henri...

Illustrated edition with a frontispiece and 19 black vignette illustrations in the text by Marianne Clouzot, one of 675 numbered copies printed on vélin de lana.

Full caramel box binding, smooth spine, the illustrator’s name gilt at the foot, moiré-effect paper endleaves and doublures, cold-ruled fillet frames to the doublures, original covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, slipcase with inner flaps in caramel box with bands, moiré-effect paper sides, the slipcase edged in caramel box with moiré-effect paper panels; binding slightly later, signed Gavallet.

Like the 50 numbered copies printed on Arches paper, our copy exceptionally includes, at the end of the volume, a...

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on vélin de renage, most limited 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, 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 56 numbered copies on Arches laid paper, after only 11 on China paper and 14 on Japan paper.

Bradel binding in half navy blue morocco, smooth spine slightly faded, gilt date at foot, marbled paper sides, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, bookplate pasted to one pastedown, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt.

Upper cover illustrated with a wood engraving by Pierre Lissac.

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe paper issue.

Shadowed endpapers.

Half chocolate-brown morocco binding with corners, smooth spine decorated with gilt panels enhanced with black morocco onlays, gilt date at foot, marbled paper boards, handmade paper endpapers and doublures, original wrappers and spine preserved, bookplate pasted to an endpaper, top edge gilt on untrimmed leaves, an elegant binding signed Pierre-Lucien Martin at the foot of the spine.

A fine, wide-margined copy beautifully bound by Pierre-Lucien Martin, one of the most gifted bookbinders of the second half of the twentieth century.

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.

First edition, for which no deluxe paper issue is recorded.

Brittle paper to the margins of some leaves, resulting in a few small losses.

Signed autograph inscription by Oscar Venceslas de L. Milosz to the poet Pierre André-May : "à mon ami monsieur Pierre André-May avec ma pensée la plus fraternelle et mes sentiments les meilleurs."

First edition, one of 925 numbered copies on Artois vellum, the only issue including a sheet of butcher’s paper in tribute to General de Gaulle, together with 20 hors commerce copies and 75 on Marais paper.

Illustrated with headpieces and tailpieces.
Attractive 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, one of 60 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the deluxe issue after 30 copies on Japan paper.

Full red morocco binding, spine slightly toned with five raised bands ruled in black, gilt date at foot, minor unobtrusive rubbing to the bands, gilt rolls to the headcaps, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt dentelle frame and double gilt fillet to the inside covers, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt stippling to the edges, top edge gilt.

A fine copy, attractively bound.

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

Spine slightly creased, minor unobtrusive spotting to the edges.

Signed presentation inscription by Françoise Sagan to Claude Bourdet.

First edition on standard paper.

A fine copy, complete with its promotional band.

Signed autograph inscription by Pascal Quignard to a friend named Nicolas: "A Nicolas en t'embrassant, Pascal."

First edition of Royaume-farfelu, published in Paris by Gallimard (Éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française, 3, rue de Grenelle) in 1928. Limited edition of 572 copies: 13 on Imperial Japan paper, 23 on Pannekoek Dutch laid paper (including 3 hors commerce lettered copies), 486 on Lafuma Navarre wove paper, and 50 hors commerce copies on Alfa paper reserved for reviewers.

This is copy no. IX, one of the thirteen deluxe copies on Imperial Japan paper, the most sought-after of the three deluxe issues. Original printed wrappers, as issued.

The preliminary leaf bears the...

First French edition, translation by Roger Caillois and René L.F. Durand, one of 33 numbered copies on pur fil, the only deluxe paper issue.

Rare and very fine copy.

Original photograph depicting a sculpted bust of Tristan Bernard, vintage print.

Printed stamp on verso "Universal press agency", some foxing.

Manuscript annotations by Carlo Rim on verso in blue ink: Tristan Bernard-Nicolas Wahl 1934.

Carlo Rim was a Provençal writer, author of "Ma belle Marseille", a caricaturist, and filmmaker who was notably a friend of Fernandel, Raimu and Marcel Pagnol, as well as Max Jacob, Tristan Bernard and André Salmon whom he met in Sanary.

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 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 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.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies printed on Edogawa Japan paper, the deluxe issue.

A handsome copy, complete—as with all copies on Japan paper—with the author’s portrait frontispiece by Armand Rassenfosse.

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."

Edition illustrated with 12 original colour watercolours by Gerda Wegener, printed hors texte, one of 400 numbered copies on Arches laid paper.

Spine and boards faintly sunned at the margins, otherwise a pleasing copy.

First edition, one of 330 numbered copies on Arches wove paper.

Minor tears to the head and tail of the spine; a pleasing copy.

With wood-engraved illustrations by François de Marliave, printed in several colours by E. Gasperini.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Holland paper, being the only large paper issue.

Bradel binding with decorative paper featuring red and gold motifs, flat spine, small restorations to spine-ends and joints, brown shagreen title label with a corner skilfully restored, endpapers and pastedowns of blue paper with gilt motifs, soiled soiled covers and spine preserved, gilt top edge on deckle, contemporary binding.

Exceptional and precious presentation copy signed by Claude Farrère: "Pour Max-Anély que j'admire et pour mon ami Segalen. Claude Farrère." [For Max-Anély I admire and for my friend Segalen. Claude Farrère]

Later edition (the first was published three years earlier in 1906).

Bradel binding with marbled paper boards, smooth spine with some parts lacking paper, brown morocco lettering piece with some loss to margis, one joint split, handmade paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, contemporary binding.

Exceptional copy signed and inscribed on a mounted stub by Auguste Gilbert de Voisins to his celebrated writer friend and traveling companion on Chinese roads and rivers: "to Victor Segalen in thanks for speaking to me of the Orient. AGilbert de Voisins." 

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

A very slight tear, without loss, to the second panel of the double wrapper.

A pleasing copy preserved in its double wrapper.

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on pur fil.

An agreeable copy preserved under a double wrapper.

First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on pure rag paper.

Shadowed endpapers; a small loss at the head of the upper board of the original front cover.

A pleasant copy, preserved in its double wrapper.

Published in the year of the first edition, one of 950 numbered copies on wove paper.
Publisher’s binding after the original design by Paul Bonet.
Attractive copy, complete with its original flexible cardboard slipcase.

First edition, one of 100 copies printed on antique Montval wove paper, the only issue following 1 copy on old Japan paper, 10 on imperial Japan, and 20 hors commerce.

Work illustrated with 9 original drypoints by Jean Lurçat.

A rare and handsome copy.

Inscribed and signed by Jean Lurçat to Jean Bourgoin.

First edition, one of the 81 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe issue.

A handsome copy.

First edition, one of 65 copies on Arches; our copy is unnumbered but correctly justified "vergé d’Arches" at the foot of the lower cover. One of the only deluxe papers issued.

Two slight sunning marks at head and foot of the spine, which is also lightly pinched at the foot.

A pleasing copy.

First edition, for which no large-paper copies were printed; one of the review copies.

A pleasing copy.

Laconic but significant autograph inscription, dated and signed by Annie Ernaux, to Gallimard's esteemed reader, the writer Christiane Baroche: « merci. »

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.

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.

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 comprising a suite of 12 lithographs printed in colour on tinted grounds, numbered 1–12.

This series by the painter and lithographer Charles-Edouard de Beaumont (1821–1888), lithographed by Jaime, addresses the theme of children compelled to work from a very early age, exposed to street trades and itinerant entertainments.

Publisher’s half brown cloth over beige paper-covered boards, title stamped on the upper cover.

Some small tears and rubbing to the cloth spine, light dampstaining to the margins of the boards, occasional foxing, a small black mark to the upper cover.

The suite may be read either romantically or socially; in both cases it...

First edition, one of 70 numbered copies on Arches wove paper.

Our copy is enriched with the autograph signatures of Jacques Prévert — who signed as Jacques Rêve-vert (with the word “vert” highlighted in green) — and of André Pozner, each accompanied by two small drawings: a little cat for Jacques Prévert and a camel’s hump for André Pozner.

A fine copy, complete with its slipcase.

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...

Paris, Louis Janet and later Madame Veuve Louis Janet, from circa 1840 and subsequent years. 17 octavo volumes, 14.8 x 23.7 cm.

A set comprising the ten volumes of the first series and the seven volumes of the second, corresponding to the complete collection as described by Gumuchian. Uniformly bound in contemporary full burgundy calf, the smooth spines faded and decorated with gilt Romantic arabesques, gilt ornamental bands at head and foot, boards framed with double gilt fillets and gilt cornerpieces, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt lines to the board edges. Some corners slightly bumped. Scattered...

First edition, one of the press copies.

Anthracite half-morocco binding, spine with five raised bands, title and author lettered in palladium, boards in grey and black patterned paper, grey paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers bound in, traces of adhesive on the verso of the front wrapper, two small restorations to the inner margin of the rear wrapper, top edge in palladium, binding signed by Boichot.

Presentation copy, inscribed and signed by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to Antoinette de Bergevin under her pen name: "Pour madame Colette Yver en hommage respectueux Antoine de Saint-Exupéry."

"Although the name of the French writer Colette...

First edition, with no deluxe copies printed.
Pleasant copy, which is uncommon given the fragility of this book, often handled without care.
Inscribed and signed by Serge Gainsbourg to a recipient named Georges.
 

First edition, one of 100 copies numbered on pur fil du Marais, the deluxe issue.
A handsome copy, despite a few insignificant foxing spots at the head of the upper cover.

In 1955, the book was splendidly adapted for the screen by Jean Delannoy, starring Jean Gabin, Robert Dalban, Serge Lecointe, Anne Doat and Jimmy Urbain.

First edition on ordinary paper.

A fold mark at the foot of the lower cover, otherwise a well-preserved copy.

With a fine signed autograph inscription by Tristan Bernard: "A Charles Cuvillier cette oeuvre capitale qui absorba quinze ans de ma vie. Bien affectueusement Tristan Bernard."

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Japan paper, the smallest issue of the deluxe edition, along with 20 on Arches.

Spine and covers marginally faded and sunned as usual, with minor paper losses at the flaps.

Illustrated with 8 original lithographs by Georges Annenkoff.

As with all copies from the deluxe issue, this copy includes the complete double suite of illustrations on vellum and on China paper.

First edition, no copies on deluxe paper issued.

Half light brown morocco binding, flat spine with author stamped in gilt and title stamped in gilt lengthwise, gilt date at foot, brown stingray boards framed in morocco, brown suede endpapers and pastedowns, original covers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, elegant binding signed Thomas Boichot.

Manuscript ex-libris in black ink and a slight restoration to the upper right corner of the first...

Illustrated edition by George Roux featuring 12 large chromotypographs, 2 maps, and numerous photographic views.
Publisher’s decorative binding by Hetzel, signed Engel, known as “au globe,” type 4, spine with the lighthouse design, lower cover of Engel type "h" as per Jauzac; all edges gilt.
Headcaps very slightly pushed without consequence, original blue endpapers faintly faded as often, a few occasional spots of foxing.
Les Frères Kip is a detective and adventure novel, likely inspired by a late 19th-century criminal case: the Rorique brothers.
Copy not recorded by Jauzac.

Unique copy printed on vellum and numbered 1, the deluxe issue of this very rare first edition, limited to 25 numbered copies.

Printer's proof stamp on the half-title: "E. Capiomont & Cie imprimeurs. 37, rue de Seine, Paris 30Janvier 188. Epreuve"

Full chocolate-brown morocco, spine very slightly faded with four raised bands, date and the word "Épreuves" lettered in gilt at foot, gilt rolls to headcaps, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, pastedowns framed with six gilt fillets, original wrappers preserved, top edge gilt, double gilt fillets to board edges, bookplate pasted to one pastedown; matching chocolate-brown morocco-edged slipcase with marbled-paper...

First edition, with all the features of first issue copies, including the misprint “Sénart” on the dedication leaf.

Contemporary plum-coloured 3/4 morocco binding signed by Georges Huser, spines with five raised bands, numerously ruled in blind, with a gilt floral tool at centres, dates in gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved, top edges gilt, bookplates on each front pastedown. Complete with the publisher’s catalogue at the end of the first volume.

A very handsome copy, elegantly bound by Georges Huser, with the...

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.

First edition, limited to 1,100 copies, divided into four fictitious editions within the same year, in order to create the illusion of commercial success. These were subsequently reissued with a new title-page bearing an edition statement and the author’s name, together with a volume designation on the half-titles (cf. Clouzot). Our copy carries the designation “third edition.” Contemporary bookplate traces on the upper pastedowns. Expert restorations to headcaps and joints, with a tiny loss at the foot of the lower joint of vol. I. A clean copy, entirely free of foxing.

Contemporary half chocolate calf bindings...

First edition, one of 41 numbered copies on Hollande paper, from the deluxe issue.

Contemporary half black morocco binding, smooth spine, wood-effect paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed, binding signed L. Bergeron. 

A fine copy.

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