Love was always cause for celebration but seldom the wars waged in its name. And yet beware, Valentine: your disciples are undisciplined, for love is plural and loves, singular!
From Gutenberg to Robespierre, explore the golden ages of the book: incunabula, humanist editions, classical authors, Enlightenment philosophers, revolutionary works. A selection of books printed between 1450 and 1789, in first editions and fine period bindings.
Signed books and manuscripts by the author of Green Wheat, Claudine, Sido, La Chatte, The Blue Lantern...
Despite Gutenberg's genius invention, manuscripts will never be erased by the printed word, and solid moveable types are evenly matched by fragile penned letters. Hasty or diligent writing, spidery scrawls or sign of the times.
They are called deluxe papers, limited editions, tirages de têtes or simply first editions. They were printed in small numbers on special paper and carefully preserved, from the very beginning, by the first readers and admirers of these literary geniuses. These copies are the origin of the work and its legacy.
First edition, with no deluxe copies printed; one of the review copies.
Small tears to the spine and along the left edge of the front cover.
Rare signed autograph tribute by Boris Vian on this text.