|
|
French Literature | - 104 items found in your search |
Click on Title to view full description |
| |
|
|
1 |
Album Dramatique. Souvenirs de L'Ancien Theatre Francais. Depuis Bellecour, Lekain, Brizard, Preville, Armand, Auger, Feulie, Paulin, Belmont, Grandval, MMes. Dumesnil, Clairon, Les Deux Sainval, Preville, Hus, Doligny, Bellecour, Fannier, jusqu'a Mole, Larive, Monvel, Vanhove, Fleury, Desessart, Dazincour, Dubazon; MMes Raucourt, Vestris, Contat, Ollivier. Gravures Coloriees. Representant en pied, d'apres les miniatures originales, faites d'apres nature, de Foech, de Basle et de Whirsker, ces different acteurs dans les roles ou ils ont excelle
Paris Corbeil. De Crete. 1820 First edition Half Morocco Very Good
46 intricately hand-colored plates of scenes from French theater. 8vo. 25 by 17 cm. Scarce collection, with no listing found in the major bibliographic sources (Colas, Lipperheide, Hiler), and only six institutional copies located on OCLC. The plates are not merely costume plates, but rather capture dramatic or comedic moments in the plays of the era, from the classics such as "Electra" and "Andromaque" to less lofty popular fare, and it provides a visual record of the most important actors of the day. A surprising number of the pieces depicted, such as the plays of Beaumarchais, remain well-known to our times. Light rubbing to the red morocco on raised spine bands and edges. Half title and title are heavily foxed. Occasional light foxing to the plates, which are otherwise bright and fresh.
Price:
2500.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
2 |
Contes Du Temps Jadis
Paris L'Edition D'Art, H. Piazza 1912 1st Limited Edition Hardcover Fine Brunelleschi, Umberto
Book. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Limited signed first edition, this being #247 of 400. 123, [4] pp. Plus 20 tipped-in color plates illustrated by Brunelleschi. (12 by 9 inches, or 30 by 24 cm.) Umberto Brunelleschi was a brilliant Italian painter, book illustrator and fashion designer, probably best known nowadays for his erotica. Here, though, he applies his bold flair with color and his puissant imagination to fairy tales, and resulting is something truly extraordinary! This material would seem his true calling, for here his sensual proclivities are expressed with none of the lurid excess that one might find in some of his other work. And the images are sheer delight which enchant and arrest the eye. The costuming and elegance of the figures depicted are evocative of dance, and the images surely benefit from Brunelleschi's fashion career. And there is still the languid androgyny that spills forth the erotic sensibility. This, and the immersion in atmospherics, make the pictures also squarely belong to the high Art Nouveau fancy, an association reinforced by the foliate borders, which curiously, have a formal lineality not necessarily affiliated with that fin-de-siecle aesthetic movement. What is most conspicuously Art Nouveau, it should be recognized, is the panache of the whole book production represented here. This is truly a book that in and of itself is artwork. Fairy tales contained herein include "La Belle Aux Cheveux D'Or", "L'Oiseau Bleu", "Gracieuse et Percinet", "L'Adroite Princesse" and "Le Prince Cheri". The original wraps are in this copy bound in half vellum which is laid over marbled boards. There is some light spotting in the upper reaches of the vellum and minor soil spots within, but overall this is a tight, clean copy. The tissue guards are all present and the paper is of a nice thick card stock.
Price:
950.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
3 |
Deck of 49 cards depicting the kings of France
Near Fine
N.d., circa 1800. There is one card for each French monarch, beginning with Pharamond and continuing to Louis XVII who died in 1795. Each card has a numismatic-like portrait followed by a brief biography, generally two or three paragraphs long. The backs of the cards are blank other than a neat ownership inscription of "A. O. Sullivan". The cards measure 10 by 7 cm, or 4 by 2. 75 inches, each. There is some light soilage here and there and light toning throughout. All cards are stiff as they should be and without creasing. There is no box.
Price:
375.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
4 |
Dix Nouvelles Morales et Illustrees Par Les Auteurs et Dessinateurs de la Morale en Images
Paris Chez Aubert Blindstamped cloth Very Good
N.d., circa 1840. 80 pp. With ten color plates. Small 4to, 10 by 6.5 inches, 25 by 17 cm. This book is extremely scarce, and it should be noted that the same title was used with different stories and illustrations than appeared in this version, and also the plates were not always colored. The ten tales contained in this copy are "Les Dix-Neuf Pots de Confitures" by Eugenie Foa, "Les Deux Amies" by T. Castellan, "La Jeune Orgueilleuse" by T. Castellan, "La Bergamote" by Eugenie Foa, "La Femme du Contrebandier" by T. Castellan, "Le Couvent de Sainte-Croix" by T. Castellan, "L'Orpelin de Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde" by Eugenie Foa, "La Muette de Riva-Rocca" by T. Castellan, "Papaya le Creole" by T. Castellan and "L'Enfant Prodigue" by T. Castellan. The green cloth of the blindstamped binding has some soiling. Its gilt remains bright. Light foxing and soiling within. Images of plates generally clean.
Price:
300.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
5 |
Heures du Moyen Age
Paris Gruel & Englemann 1887 First edition Full Morocco Fine
Lavish 19th century rendering of a Book of Hours using bright chromolithography that cogently replicates the exquisite detail, sublimity and sheer miraculousness of the Medieval biblio staple. Each of the 192 plates (including title page) is unique with the high Gothic ornamentation that is usually encountered only under glass at better art museums. Usually the ornament frames Gothic type of the text in French and Latin, but occasionally the framed is instead a miniature painting. Credits for this production are Engelmann, artistic director and chromolithography; painting, Ed. Moreau; actual printing on stone, A. Pralon. Lush silk moire endpapers. Dentelle ornamentation on leather perimeter. All leaves are bright and clean, and the binding is tight. Gilt TEG. Silk ribbon placemark intact. Metal mounts on boards with crown and initials HE and floreate design for clasp stays. A minor scratch of brown morocco on front board and the most minor of shelfwear besides. Book measures 6.5 by 5 inches, or 16 by 13 cm. Other than loss of leather strap clasps, this is about as good as it gets.
Price:
2450.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
7 |
Journal des Meres et Des Enfants Revue de L'Education Nouvelle. 12 Chants pour L'Enfance, en Musique. 12 Tableaux Encyclopediques, Colories. Deuxieme Serie
Paris Journal des Meres et Des Enfants 1850 First Edition Half Morocco Good
Scarce, with no copies located on OCLC. With the unusual format of essentially being two periodicals issued in conjunction with one another, one directed at the children, the other, at the parents. (Think teacher's manual and student's text as a rough corollary.) Although periodical, no other copy found of this or any other issue of this French publication directed at children. 4to. (30 by 20 cm.) The primary interest for most would be the hand-colored two paged plates. While the coloring is not of a high level, the results are most charming, with the showstopper being the plate, "Les Fleurs". Other plate subjects include railroads, ships, hemp production and its products, glassmaking, vegetables, the army (military costume), pig husbandry and its products, weights and measures, mules and their products, dogs. Besides articles that accompany these plates, there are also songs with musical notation interspersed. Large 4to, 12 by 8 inches, 31 by 20 cm. 192, 96, [4] pp. Moderate foxing throughout. The plates are less foxed but heavily toned. The joints have heavy rubbing, and the leather is scuffed.
Price:
500.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
8 |
L'Illustration; Journel Universel
Paris Firmin Didot Freres, Fils & Cie 1857 Tome XXX, July to December, 1857 Hardcover Good Various
Book. Folio - over 12. 440 pages, including index. Oversized, 15 x 10.5 inches. Weekly general interest publication covering art, culture, politics, etc. Many interesting articles on expositions, theater, travel, et. al. Profusely illustrated. Interior in very good condition, with pages age toned but clean, with only occasional stain. One page corner torn with trivial loss of a few words. Binding is tight except for front board and spine loose (inner joint split).
Price:
340.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
9 |
Les Bons Exemples ou Jolies gravures morales et amusantes avec un petit conte pour chaque sujet. Ce petit recueil Dedie aux Enfans des deux Sexes . . .
Paris Chez Lecerf et Chez Blanchard 1830 Fourth Edition Paper pastedown on boards Very Good
A juvenile charmer scarce with hand-colored illustrations. N.d., circa 1830. Oblong, 12 by 18 cm, 7 by 4.75 inches. 22 pp. plus 10 hand-colored plates in addition to allegorical vignette on title. Each of the illustrations accompanies a short story, or anecdote or apercu, that highlights a virtue. In a sense, this is an emblem book intended for children. The virtues, all of which are both titles of the individual pieces and captions to the plates, are Courage, Sobriety, Charity, Diligence, Filial Devotion, Fraternal Love (featured twice), and Modesty. The hand-coloring is delicately and elegantly applied, making this work an outstanding specimen of the genre from the Restoration period (Biedermeier, or Regency period as well). With a neat owner's inscription from 1833. Original paper pastedown boards are heavily soiled and worn but nonetheless survive with their integral qualities intact. Light soiling to the leaves, never disconcerting. A few leaves were cut sloppily, with the resulting margins uneven and the lines of text at a diagonal.
Price:
850.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
11 |
Serie Superieure Aux Armes D'Epinal. Histoires & Scenes Humoristiques. Contes Moraux Merveilleux (No. 19)
Imagerie Pellerin First edition Hardcover Very Good
N.d, circa 1910. (No. 19 of series.) 25 elephantine leaves or plates (15.5 by 12.5 inches, 43 by 33 cm), including title page. Plates 451 to 475 in the series. All with cartoon stories and verses accompanied by color illustrated panels in all kinds of configurations on the page. Sometimes just two different illustrations, sometimes as many as, or even more than, a dozen. Highlights from a purely visual gag, as well as perhaps historical point-of-view, is the plate entitled "De Utilite des Aeroplanes", which pokes fun at the perils of early plane aviation, and another plate that features a flying machine that resembles a grasshopper, but the satire, parody and humor is far-ranging and boundless. Plates are all clean and binding is tight. Boards, with illustrated paper pasted onto board, has considerable wear, soiling and foxing, with some chipping and minor edge loss of the paper. However, the illustration of a bow in a clown outfit is still attractive and indeed, a component in making for a handsome package overall.
Price:
350.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
12 |
Abbe Prevost. Illustrations by Tony Johannot. Noice Historique sur L'Auteur par Jules Janin Histoire de Manon Lescaut et du Chevalier Des Grieux
Paris Ernest Bourdin et Cie. 1839 Full Morocco, with Slipcase Very Good Plus
N.d., 1839. 4to, large paper version and one of ten copies on chine-tiree. 27 by 18 cm, or 10.5 by 7 inches. xii, 344 pp. 90 vignettes and 17 tinted plates. Lovely version of classic morality tale of self-destruction flowing from ill-starred passion between minor young aristocrat and luxury loving Manon who flee to the New World (Louisiana). Basis for two major operas by Massenet and Puccini, through which it is probably better known nowadays. One plate heavily foxed. Otherwise generally clean. Red Morocco is vibrant. Some rubbing on spine bands and extremities. Box has light wear and rubbing along edges but still has structural integrity and makes for a highly attractive package with its inner and outer marbled papers.
Price:
275.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
13 |
Albert Guillaume. Preface de Abel Hermant Etoiles de Mer Album Inedit
Paris H. Simonis Empis First Edition presumed Quarter Morocco Very Good Minus
N.d. circa 1897. Unpaginated, 19 leaves, including title. Somewhat racy color illustrations about going to a beach resort and life at the resort. From the era depicted in Gigi (or just a few years earlier). Scattered light foxing. Overall tight and most of the plates are clean.
Price:
100.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
15 |
Aubrun, Rene-Georges Peladan
Paris E. Sansot et Cie. 1904 Fabric pasted onto boards Good
With bookplate, "Ex Libris Carl Van Vechten". Fabric binding with primitive floral, butterfly and bird pattern that is quite striking and unusual. The book itself is 8vo, 50 pp. with biography, caricatures, bibliography of noted French author. Contributors include Anatole France, Maurice Barres, Paul Verlaine (as an illustrator), Caran D'Ache. Some fabric loss on upper spine. Considerable soiling or darkening of fabric around edges. Title page heavily toned, and because paper was brittle, causing chipping around periphery, it is now laid on card paper which was tipped into book, and thus stabilized. Pages cut unevenly and where pages jut farther out, they tend to have toning.
Price:
90.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
16 |
Bac, illustrator; Preface by Marcel Prevost. Editor: H. Simonis Empis La Femme Intime Album. Absolument Inedit Par Bac
Paris 1894 Half Morocco over Marbled Boards Near Fine
Small folio, measuring 14 by 10.75 inches, 38 by 27 cm. Louche women, in states of semi-undress (usually revealing their breasts partially), and attitudes befitting the boudoir, the bedchamber, the bath. With light-hearted captions, this is fetching fin-de-siecle softcore erotica. Unpaginated, with 26 tinted full-page plates. Original wraps bound in half green morocco over marbled boards. Some rubbing of leather, with surface loss areas near spine. Clean inside.
Price:
325.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
17 |
Baron de Montesquieu The Spirit of Laws. Translated from the French of M. de Secondat (Two Volumes) First American From the Fifth London Edition
Worcester, MA Isaiah Thomas 1802 First Edition Thus Full Leather Good
First American printing of work seminal in the founding of the new nation and the direct progenitor of central concepts expressed in the U.S. Constitution, among which the separation of powers is paramount. The legendary Isaiah Thomas, the publisher, was after Benjamin Franklin the most important American publisher of the eighteenth century. Generally the Isaiah Thomas 1802 edition is not found with both volumes -- the second volume is for some reason easier to come by. This copy is complete, in contemporary leather -- calf. The leather is heavily scuffed and dry and cracked on the spine. The leather of volume 1 is bowed. Starting along joint of vol. 1. Leaves of both volumes are heavily toned, with some chipping of the preliminary blank of vol. 1.
Price:
300.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
|
18 |
Beaumarchais. Aquarelles de H. [Henri] Montassier Le Mariage de Figaro, ou La Folle Journee
Paris Henry Babou 1927 Limited First Edition Half Morocco over decorated paper, with original w Very Good
No. 51 of 525, this being one of 50 copies on papier verge blanc de Hollande, with pochoir plates also on Hollande, and thus a more special copy than the vast majority of the limitation. Bound by Donnelley of Chicago. The watercolors of Montassier were printed with a pochoir process by the master of pochoir, Jean Saude. The pochoir plates and headers (at the beginning of each of the five acts) dazzle with their lucious color. 4to. (29 by 23 cm, 11.5 by 9 inches.) 139, [2] pp. With ten pochoir color plates. Henri Montassier (1880 - 1946) painted in a wide range of genres and was an active contributor to such well-known periodicals as "Le Sourire", "L'Illustration" and "La Baionnette". Jean Saude is unquestionably better known today, in part because he wrote the most authoritative treatise on the pochoir process when its popularity was on the rise. The morocco is rubbed along the joints and is worn in the lower corners, with a few tiny spots of wear elsewhere along the edge. The paper pasted onto the boards features a design of a Centaur, pipes, an urn, each bordered by vines. The paper is sunned or faded somewhat, particularly along the edges. Still, the binding is attractive as a single unit and in all its components. Within, a few pages have light foxing. Otherwise, the paper is luxuriant and impressive. Some offsetting from the pochoirs onto the opposite pages.
Price:
750.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
19 |
Boileau Satire Contre Les Femmes
Paris Gibert Jeune, Librarie D'Amateurs 1944 First Edition Paperback Very Good+ Dubout, Albert
Book. Limited edition, this copy being # 1656 and featuring 29 brightly colored, farcical, racy illustrations of Dubout. Color direction under E. Charpentier. x + 43 pp. Still intact is original wax paper DJ, which has some minor loss and then a fair amount of soilage. Underneath wraps are mostly clean with some light soilage spots. Binding tight, and pages clean. Color as bright as if just issued. Book measures 8 by 5.25 inches. Overall very good to fine.
Price:
135.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
| |
|
20 |
Boylesve, Rene; Illustrations de Rene Lelong Les Nouvelles Lecons d'Amour dans un Parc
Paris Librairie de la Collection des Dix 1930 First edition thus Half Morocco over Marbled Paper on Boards Near Fine
No. 83 of total 301 copies. 4to. 135 pp. Plus 17 color plates with gauzy sensuality to explicit depiction of coitus positions. Very much in the glossy arty vein meant to render a bit of class and piquancy to porn, as was in fashion during the twenties and thirties and especially prevalent in French literature. The aesthetic drew inspiration from powder and crinoline nostalgia for the pre-Revolutionary eighteenth century French court in which flirtation, debauchery and sexual intrigue spiced up the stupefying ritual and monotony of court life, and the illustrations, and not a little the text, emulate the style and mood found in the paintings of Boucher and Fragonard, and this is the time period of the tales contained herein. A beautiful and clean copy. Original wraps bound in gray half morocco. Some shelfwear to the leather. Still a handsome binding, and typically French with its type of gilt ornamentation on the spine.
Price:
400.00 USD
|
|
Add to Shopping Cart |
|
|
|
