French Language

First Edition. Paris: Jean Budry & Cie, 1929. In two volumes: La Porte d'Entrée: JAFFA and JAFFA la Belle. Copy no. 321 of the initial 1 - 1000 numbered print run. Photos and full description available on request. Condition generally very good except for water staining to covers (particularly vol.2 extending to FEP, half-title and title pages) and very minor traces of mould close to bindings. Photos are unscathed in both volumes: 449 bandw historic photos in vol.1, plus 370 in vol. 2. : more than 800 photo heliogravures in excellent condition.Reasonable offers considered.

1846. HUGO, Victor. THEATRE COMPLET DE VICTOR HUGO. Paris: Chez l'Editeur de Repertoire Dramatique, 1846. [4] + 32 + 34 + 31 + 30 + 32 + 29 + 62 (mispaginated) + 27 pp. + 7 engraved plates, including frontispiece portrait of Hugo. 8vo., quarter brown morocco with raised bands, gilt rules and ornaments, a.e.g., brown pebbled cloth boards stamped in blind. Tops of boards sunned, spine worn. Moire endpapers have light soil. Ink ownership dated 1868 on blank preceding half title. Light to moderate foxing in the text, plates clean. Plates by Boulanger depict scenes from the plays. Inlcudes: Hernani, Marion de Lorme, Le Roi s'Amuse, Lucrece Borgia, Marie Tudor, Angelo, Ruy Blas, and Les Burgraves. Perhaps the first collection of Hugo's plays, the BNF locates only one copy. (Not in OCLC.) Scarce. Very good overall.

Paris (nd, ca.1894): Societe De Beaux Arts. Limited Edition. Tall Octavo. one of 550 copies, xli pp. preface by Leo Claretie, 249pp., extra-illustrated with double tinted plates with protective tissue guards, exquisitely bound in full red crushed morocco, both boards elaborately decorated in gilt with green onlays while framing a family crest in gilt on upper board, raised bands with compartments lettered and decorated in gilt, full morocco red and blue crushed morocco doublures highly decorated in gilt, silk free endpaper and marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, all others uncut. upper joint professionally repaired and finely done. A very handsome volume.

Paris: E. Michaud, 1843. First Edition. Octavo. half-title, xxix, 188pp., (1)p. table, bound in 3/4 red morocco over marbled paper covered boards, raised bands with compartments uflly gilt decorated in a floral motif, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, ribbon marker. This is an historical play by Hugo, first performed by the Comedie-Francaise on 7 May 1843. (as stated on the verso of the title page) It takes place along the Rhine and features the return of Emperor Barbarossa. A lovely copy.

Paris: Ancienne Maison Michel Levy Freres, Calmann Levy, Editeur, 1880. 12mo. Full page pen & ink drawing with added water-color before title page signed Ulysse-Roy. 6 other black and white illustrations signed in the plate J[ean].Massard tipped in, and two unidentified artist plates between half-title and title page, 256(1) with 12 engraved vignettes by Henry Maigrot. OCLC records a limited edition of 25 copies of this work with the original 12 vignettes on Chine and tipped in as opposed to only vignettes printed above the text. An additional two copies of an unidentified illustrator with tipped in plates between half-title and tile page, although none are included in collation and does not make mention of a color illustration by Ulysse-Roy. The first six chapters of this volume are the result of the first two chapters of the volume entitled: Madame et Monsieur Cardinal (Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal) published in 1872. Bound in 1/2 blue-gray morocco over decorative paper covered boards, spine lettered and… Read More

Paris: Michel Levy Freres, Editeurs, 1872. 12mo. Full page pen & ink drawing with water-color before title page signed Ulysse-Roy. Two other black and white illustrations; one is signed in the plate J[ean].Massard and the other is unidentified, both tipped in between the half-title and title page, with two more black & white illustrations by Massard tipped into the text. 256(1) with the 12 original engraved vignettes by Edmond Morin. The first six chapters of this volume are the result of the first two chapters of the volume entitled: (Madame et Monsieur Cardinal (Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal) published in 1872. OCLC records a limited edition of 25 copies of this work with the original 12 vignettes on Chine and tipped in as opposed to only printed above the text. An additional two copies of an unidentified illustrator with tipped in plates between half-title and tile page, although none are included in collation and does not make mention of a color illustration by Ulysse-Roy. Bound in 1/2 blue-gray morocco… Read More

Berlin: C.F. Henning, 1751. 1st Edition . Very Good. 3.75 x 6 inches (9.5 x 15 cm). Complete in two volumes. Full calf leather bindings, red leather title labels and gilt decoration to spines. Good solid bindings. Volume one has light rippling to the pages and foxing up to page 3, hole to front free endpaper and three small holes to leading blank, Volume II is very clean throughout. Engraved bookplate to front endpapers (Charles Grave Hudson - 1st Baronet Hudson, of Wanlip Hall, Leicestershire.) The first edition of one of Voltaire's most important works, a landmark in the development of historiography, published under the alternative pseudonym M. de Francheville. A very nice example. Overall condition is Very Good. Size: 3.75 x 6 inches (9.5 x 15 cm). Hardback. Printed pages: 12mo. [14], 488, [1] (Errata) + [2], 466, [2] (Errata)

Paris: Thierry, Barbin et Trabouillet, 1697. Very Good. 4 x 6.5 inches (10 x 16.5 cm). Complete eight volume set. Full speckled calf leather bindings. Spines have five raised bands, red morocco title labels, compartments ornately decorated in gilt. Some marking and slight worming to boards. Spines rubbed with slight wear to head and foot. A couple of volumes have slight cracking to joints but all boards are firmly attached. Gilt decorated board edges and turn-ins. All page edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Very tight bindings in excellent overall condition. Clean pages throughout. French language. All 30 plates are present and in first class condition (one plate in Vol. V has been bound in upside down.) A rare and important early edition of Molière's works, reproducing the 1682 first collected edition. An excellent example, complete with all plates and in attractive contemporary bindings. Overall condition is Very Good. Size: 4 x 6.5 inches (10 x 16.5 cm). Hardback. Printed pages: [24] 309… Read More

Paris: Javal and Bordeaux, 1930. Limited Edition. JOUVE, Paul. Illustrated by one of the leading painters in France, this superb work brings Kipling's classic Jungle Book story into the realm of fine 20th century French publishing. Limited edition of 125 copies, bound in snakeskin-style folding case, protected by matching slipcase (some wear), 340 mm x 265 mm, 130 unbound pages as issued, 21 plates, printed on imperial Japan paper, an excellent copy.

Paris: Calmann-Levy, Editeurs, 1930. 3 volumes, Vols. 1-3, published 1930, '31, and '32. #532 of 1500 copies printed. Beautifully rebound in Art Deco quarter purple morocco over marbled paper covered boards, gilt rules and geometric gilt design at backs, top edges gilt, the binding signed Suz. Sabatier. With the Guy Arnaux -designed bookplates of Armand Massard front end page each volume. Armand Massard was the Olympic champion fencing multi-medalist who held the presidency of the French Olympic Committee for 34 years and was also first vice president of the International Olympic Committee. The set Near Fine, small rubs at tips. . First Edition Thus. Quarter- Morocco. Near Fine/No Jacket, As Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Complete set of this fine illustrated collection of the costume of 80 religious orders by Abbot Tiron. Volume 1: 65 plates of civil religious orders with 299 pages of text.Volume 2: 37 plates of civil religious orders with 218 pages of text and 15 plates of military religious orders with 62 pages of text.Survey of the ceremonial robes and habits of monks and nuns of 80 orders including Benedictine, Franciscan, Carmelites, Trappist, Jesuit, etc. Includes crusading orders such as the Knights of Malta, Hospitallers, Templars, Calatrava, Teutonic, etc. Fine handcoloured woodcut plates highlighted with gum arabic by engravers including Albert Doms, L. Markaert, Deley, King, E. Duverger, L. Lisbet, etc.Condition: Bindings solid, plates mostly clean and bright with little spotting.Heavy books, extra shipping charges required.

Roman. Edition définitive illustrée de neuf bois de Maurice Gaudreau. 251 pp. 21x15.5 cm. Les Editions du Vieux Chêne, Montréal, 1935. Edition numérotée, No. 82/500 sur vélin supérieur, portant la signature de l'auteur. En plus, dédicace de l'auteur à la première page blanche.
--- Three-quarter leather+marbled papers. Spine with 4 bands and gilt lettering and decoration. Limited edition in 500 copies, signed by the author. There is also a full-page dedication by the author. Minor occasional foxing and light wear to the edges of the covers. Text and illustrations are unmarked and clean. --- Un homme et son péché fait partie des oeuvres littéraires les plus connues au Québec. Ce récit a fait l'objet de plus d'une dizaine de rééditions. Il a aussi été adapté à la radio, à la télévision, au théâtre, en bandes dessinées et au cinema. L'histoire se passe lors de la colonisation du Nord (la région des Laurentides au Québec vers la fin du XIXe (env. 1885-90), près de… Read More

Early copy of "Esquisse d'un Tableau Historique des Progres de L'Esprit Humain" (Sketch for a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind) Suive de (followed by) "Reflexions Sur L'Esclavage des Negres" (Reflections on the Slavery of Negroes) by Marquis de Condorcet. 1822; Chez Masson et Fils, Libraires; Paris. The book is written entirely in French. Leather covers with decorative gilt borders and gilt decorations on the spine; marbled end papers and marbling on all page edges. With a Table of Contents at the back of the book.Condorcet, who denounced slavery, was a French philosopher and mathematician. His ideas, including support for a liberal economy, free and equal public instruction, constitutional government, and equal rights for women and people of all races, have been said to embody the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment and Enlightenment rationalism. In "Sketch for a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind" (originally published in 1795), he dealt with theoretical thought… Read More

Paris: Paul Morihien, 1947. 1st Edition Limted. Soft cover. Very Good. THE gay 20th century classic, this #151 of 460 copies. Glassine cover missing, remnants on verso rear cover, some separation of front cover from spine fold and minor loss at paper over spine foot. Genet's words have power certainly, but the power of Cocteau's line - wow!

The Hague, Arnout Leers, 1685.. SECOND EDITION 1685 (first published in 1683), French text. Small book, 12mo, approximately 150 x 90 mm, 6 x 3¾ inches, engraved pictorial title page, 6 folding engraved plates, 6 single engraved plates, 74 diagrams in the text, some woodcut initials, pages: [8], 1-525, [16], collation: *4, A-Y12, Z8, bound in contemporary calf, raised bands to spine, old hand lettered paper label, speckled edges. Binding rubbed, small crack at head of upper hinge, armorial bookplate of Thomas Francis Fremantle (British naval officer) on front pastedown, another of Lord Arundell of Wardour on blank facing engraved title, his old ink signature above the bookplate, top margin of engraved title page trimmed, no loss to image, E4 trimmed with loss to running title, the final folding plate is misplaced facing page 1, which has a very small pale stain to lower edge, very small blank corner missing from A5, E5 and F5 (paper flaws). A very good clean tight copy. Blondel (1618-1686) was a… Read More