Signed Books, Presentation Copies

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.
Two angular fold marks on the back cover.
Fine and humorous autograph inscription signed by Erik Orsenna to Bernard Kouchner: "Cher Bernard, la voici, la voilà, la terreur de Jean-Edern, la [comédie française], en deux mots brefs : la studebaker était une jolie voiture et Matignon un beau manège. Avec mon amitié. Le coupeur Erik." (Dear Bernard, here it is, here it is, Jean-Edern's terror, the [French comedy], in two brief words: the Studebaker was a pretty car and Matignon a beautiful riding school. With my friendship. The cutter Erik.)

First edition for which no limited issue printed.
Publisher's original black full cloth binding, smooth spine, illustrated boards.
Some rubbing to the headpieces.
Numerous illustrations.

Precious and rare autograph signed inscription from François Truffaut: "Pour, Georges Pellegrin qui me faisait la courte échelle pour repérer les extérieurs de jules et jim, bien amicalement François Truffaut." ('For Georges Pellegrin, who gave me a leg up to scout the exteriors for Jules et Jim, with warm regards, François Truffaut.')

Georges Pellegrin, along with Robert Bober and Florence Malraux, served as assistant director to François Truffaut on Jules and Jim and Love at Twenty. He also collaborated with Jean-Pierre Melville on Army of Shadows and Le Samouraï, for which he worked as a screenwriter.
 
 

First edition.
Half blue morocco shagreen, smooth spine, gilt date at foot of spine, marbled paper boards, contemporary binding.
Exceptionally inscribed by Emile Zola to the playwright and opera librettist Ludovic Halévy, with the autograph signatures of Guy de Maupassant, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Léon Hennique, Paul Alexis and Henri Céard on the first flyleaf.
Provenances: from the libraries of Ludovic Halévy and Marcel Lecomte, with their bookplates on front pastedown.
Our copy also includes, on a flyleaf, an autograph note by Ludovic Halévy: "See a letter by Guy de Maupassant at the end of the volume. L.H. Inscribed by the six authors of the volume. Ludovic Halévy." (Voir une lettre de Guy de Maupassant à la fin du volume. L.H. Envoi autographe des six auteurs du volume. Ludovic Halévy).
The reproduction of the famous letter sent by Guy de Maupassant to Halévy in 1880 is pasted onto six additional leaves at the end of the volume. It bears Halévy's penned note at the beginning and end of the letter: "Cette lettre est de 1880 / 1880." (Cette lettre est de 1880 / 1880). 

First edition on ordinary paper, with the false statement of “third edition,” complete with the errata bifolium.
Discreet repairs to the spine; a handsome copy as issued.
With a desirable signed presentation from Marcel Proust to the playwright Jacques Darval: “à Monsieur Jacques Darval / Hommage reconnaissant / Marcel Proust.” ["To Monsieur Jacques Darval / With grateful homage / Marcel Proust.”]
Darval, born Louis Valeton, authored several plays and numerous dance revues during the 1920s.

First edition, of which there were no deluxe copies.

Autograph inscription signed by Henri Charrière to journalist and historian Gilbert Guilleminault.

Henri Charrière, known as Papillon, ward of the state and petty criminal, had been sentenced to the penal colony in 1931 for a murder he always denied. More than thirty years later, he recounts his terrible experience in this autobiographical text. He describes the violence, injustice, diseases and escape attempts, crowned by years of exile in South America: « Pure of all contact, his publisher noted, and of all literary ambition, what he writes is "as he tells it to you", you see it, you feel it, you live it [...]. » The book met with immense success before being adapted for cinema with Steve McQueen in the leading role.