Signed books and autograph signatures from great writers, poets, philosophers from 16th to 21st century

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.

 

First edition on ordinary paper.

Contemporary binding in half red morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands framed with black fillets, gilt date on tail, marbled paper boards, bouquet-patterned endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved (small angular restoration to the foot of the first board), gilt head.

Binding signed by Léon Gruel, one of the most renowned bookbinders of the late 19th century.

Le Horla consists of thirteen short stories: Le Horla, Amour, Le Trou, Sauvée, Clochette, Le Marquis de Fumerol, Le Signe, Le Diable, Les Rois, Au bois, Une famille, Joseph, L'Auberge and Le Vagabond.

Precious signed and inscribed copy by Guy de Maupassant: « À monsieur Jules Claretie, cordial hommage. Guy de Maupassant ».  [‘To Mr Jules Claretie, with my warmest regards. Guy de Maupassant']

Autograph inscriptions on the first edition of Le Horla are particularly rare, especially in signed contemporary half-marocco bindings. Only fourteen copies have been recorded by Thierry Selva (Maupassant par les textes).

First edition of the theatrical adaptation.
 
Contemporary binding in red half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands framed by gilt fillets, adorned with double gilt panels and decorative tooling, gilt fillets framing the marbled paper boards, combed paper endpapers and pastedowns, combed edges.
A few stains to the covers, a crisp and clean copy, free of foxing.
 
Signed autograph inscription by George Sand to the actor Fresne : « à monsieur Fresne, souvenirs affectueux. G. Sand. »
Fresne had performed in her play Molière at its premiere at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in 1851. 

First edition, with no mention of deluxe paper copies.
Half red marbled sheep binding, spine faded with four raised bands decorated with a gilt floral motif, light rubbing to the bands, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges, front cover preserved, modest contemporary binding.
Rare signed and inscribed copy by the author Colette Andris to Jean Blavet.
Novelist, music-hall performer and actress, a forgotten and short-lived muse of the Roaring Twenties music-hall, Colette Andris (the pseudonym of Pauline Toutey) managed to write three novels between 1929 and 1935, with a lot of autobiographical elements. She would die in the prime of life the following year. Born into an academic family, she quickly gave up the administrative and teaching careers that awaited her in order to become a nude dancer and, like her heroine Miss Nocturne, to perform in the Parisian music halls.