//Illustrated books
  • Description: One volume in French flapped cream wrappers, 25.5 x 19.5 cm, lettered “PYBRAC”, in glassine DJ, collated 4to, printed on watermarked Van Gelder laid paper, outer and bottom margins untrimmed, illustrated with 20 in-text drypoints on recto of each 1st and 3rd leaf of 1-10 gatherings, some with tipped-in tissue guards, unbound. This copy lacks the frontispiece, 10 full-page plates, and does not have any enrichment. It is one volume instead of two. Title-page: PYBRAC | ILLUSTRE DE TRENTE POINT SÈCHES | D’UN | ARTISTE INCONNU | PARIS | AUX DÉPENS D’UN AMATEUR | — | M. CM. XXVIII || Limitation: Edition limited to 30 copies, 1 copy unique on Japon Nacré with 30 original sketches, one suite in colour, two suites in black and 5 cancelled plates; 29 copies on Hollande Van Gelder, with one original watercolour, four original sketches, one suite in colour, two suites in black and 5 cancelled plates. This is copy № 8 (but without 11 full-page plates and with no enrichment). For a unique copy of the enriched edition in this collection, see LIB-3065.2022. Collation: π4 (2 blanks, h.t., t.p.), 1-104, χ2 (2 blanks), total 46 leaves. Pagination: [8] 1-78 [2] [4], total 92 pages. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970): № 2279, p. 334, Pia (Enfer):№ 1117, p. 586, Nordmann (I):№ 235; Vokaer № 23, p. 13; Fekete:№ 216. Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist.
  • A three-volume unique copy of Louÿs’s poetical work ‘Pybrac’; edition published in 1928 by Marcel Vertès limited to 30 copies; contains 31 drypoints by Marcel Vertès, incl. frontispiece, nine full-page plates and twenty in-text vignettes; enriched with a volume of three suites of plates (first state b/w on Van Gelder paper, final state b/w on Japon nacré paper, final state hand-coloured on Van Gelder paper) plus 5 refused plates; and with a volume of one original watercolour, five ink drawings, three suites of plates (first state b/w on Van Gelder paper, final state b/w on Japon nacré paper, final state hand-coloured on Van Gelder paper) plus similar 5 refused plates, one b/w plate and one coloured plate, and a drypoint metal plate; two volumes of three are in a slipcase. Same edition in this collection: LIB-2919.2022. Details: (1) The ‘Texte’ volume, collated in-4to, 26 x 20.5 cm bound by Creuzevault (signed inside the front cover, in the bottom) in full tan morocco, blind fillets and a brown strip in the bottom to boards, double gilt fillet and a brown label along the spine, gilt-lettered vertically “PYBRAC | TEXTE”; gilt on black faux marbled endpapers, printed on watermarked Van Gelder Zonen laid paper; collated as follows: [3] blank flyleaves, [1] wrapper ‘PYBRAC’, [5] leaves with pasted original ink drawings on white paper, [1] leaf with pasted original hand-coloured ink drawings on blue paper, [1] drypoint frontispiece, [2] blank leaves, [1] half-title/limitation, [1] t.p., [2] blank leaves, 1-104 (pp. 1-78 [2]), [4] blank leaves plus nine full-page drypoint plates; total 70 leaves. Title-page: PYBRAC | ILLUSTRE DE TRENTE POINT SÈCHES | D’UN | ARTISTE INCONNU | PARIS | AUX DÉPENS D’UN AMATEUR | — | M. CM. XXVIII || Limitation: Edition limited to 30 copies; 1 copy unique on Japon Nacré with 30 original sketches, one suite in colour, two suites in black and 5 cancelled plates; 29 copies on Hollande Van Gelder, with one original watercolour, four original sketches, one suite in colour, two suites in black and 5 cancelled plates. This is copy № 12. (2) The ‘Suites’ volume, 26 x 20.5 cm, uniformly bound in quarter tan morocco over faux marbled paper, blind fillets, horizontal brown strip in the bottom, a vertical brown strip along the border, double gilt fillet and a brown label along the spine, gilt-lettered vertically “PYBRAC | SUITES”; gilt on black faux marbled endpapers; collated as follows: [3] blank flyleaves, three suites of prints: first state on Van Gelder paper, the final state on ‘Japon nacré’ paper, and hand-coloured final state on Van Gelder (31 x 3 = 93 leaves) plus [5] refused plates and [3] blank leaves; total 104 leaves. ‘Texte’ and ‘Suites’ volumes are placed in a faux marbled slipcase. (3) The ‘Suites 2’ volume, 26 x 21.5 cm, bound similarly to the ‘Suites’ volume (quarter morocco), gilt-lettered vertically “PYBRAC | SUITES 2” to spine; front cover with a hollow placement with the drypoint metal plate inside (plate #3), [3] blank wove paper leaves, [1] section title (s.t.) ‘AQUARELLE ORIGINALE’, [1] ink and crayon drawing, [1] s.t. ‘CROQUIS ORIGINAUX’, [5] ink drawings, [1] s.t. ‘PREMIER ÉTAT DES PLANCHES’, [31] plates on Van Gelder, [1] s.t. ‘SUITE EN NOIR SUR JAPON NACRÉ’, [31] plates, s.t. ‘SUITE COLORIÉE A LA MAIN’, [31] plates, [1] s.t. ‘PLANCHES REFUSÉS’, [5] plates, [1] coloured plate #13, [1] uncoloured plate #10, [3] wove paper blank leaves; total 118 leaves. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-70) № 2279 ; Fekete № 216; Nordmann (I) № 235; Vokaer 23. Ref.: honesterotica.com Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist. Henri Creuzevault (French, 1905 – 1971) – bookbinder. Seller's description: [ENRICHI & HORS-COMMERCE NON JUSTIFIÉ] Pierre LOUŸS - Marcel VERTÈS. Pybrac, illustré de trente pointes sèches d’un artiste inconnu. Paris, aux dépens d’un amateur, 1928. 3 volumes in-4 de 79 pages, 98 et 76 feuillets. Le volume contenant le texte est relié d'un plein chagrin havane à dos lisse, une pièce de titre en long et un filet doré à froid en bas (Creuzevault). Les deux autres volumes sont reliés à l'identiques, demi chagrin havane, dos lisse, pièce de titre en long, filets dorés sur le dos et filet doré à froid sur le bas et le long du mors. Le cuivre est placé dans le plat intérieur du volume 3, les suites dans le 2. Les deux premiers volumes sont rassemblés dans un étui. Illustré de 31 gravures originales dont 11 hors-texte par Marcel Vertès pour l’une des premières publications obscènes de Pierre Louÿs. Tirage à 30 exemplaires. La justification indique : "Il a été tiré de ce livre 30 exemplaires : 1 exemplaire unique sur Japon nacré avec trente croquis originaux, une suite en couleur, deux suites en noir et une épreuve des cinq planches refusées ; 29 exemplaires sur grand papier de Hollande Van Gelder avec une aquarelle originale, quatre croquis originaux, une suite en couleur, deux suites en noir et une épreuve des cinq planches refusées.". Exemplaire n°12 (Volume 1 Texte). Cet exemplaire est composé différemment soit : Volume 1, Texte : La couverture conservée, 5 dessins originaux à l'encre, 1 dessin sur papier bleu à l'estompe de couleur, le texte, les gravures in-texte et hors-texte. — Volume 2, Suites : les 31 planches en 3 états (1 en couleur et 2 en noir) et une épreuve des 5 planches refusées. — Volume 3, Suites 2 : 1 cuivre, 1 aquarelle, 5 dessins originaux à l'encre, 2 suites en noir, 1 suite coloriée à la main, 1 épreuve des 5 planches refusées, 1 dessin refusé à l'encre et à l'aquarelle et 1 dessin refusé à l'encre. Dutel précise : « Elle est ornée de 11 gravures originales hors-texte dont un titre et 20 gravures dans le texte par Marcel Vertès qui fut aussi l’éditeur de cet ouvrage. Il s’agit d’une des plus belles et des plus rares productions bibliophiliques de l’artiste. » Et surtout la plus rare… (Dutel 2279, pas à l’Enfer de la BnF).
  • Softcover, collated 8vo, 19.5 x 14.2 cm, French flapped wrappers, lettering to front: MANUEL | DE | CIVILITÉ | POUR LES | PETITES FILLES | À L’USAGE DES | MAISONS D’ÉDUCATION | {checks} ||; printed on BFK Rives wove paper with watermark, with blue vertical and horizontal lines to imitate notebook checkered paper; pp.: [8] [1-15] 16-177 [7]; π4 1-118 124; total 96 leaves (192 pages), incl. those in wrappers. Cardboard double slipcase with vellum spine lettered in black: MANUEL | DE | CIVILITÉ | POUR | LES PETITES | FILLES ||. Title-page: similar to cover, within the frame: MANUEL | DE | CIVILITÉ | POUR LES | PETITES FILLES | À L’USAGE DES | MAISONS D’ÉDUCATION | {checks} || Edition: 1st clandestine limited edition of 600 copies of which 1 copy on papier de chine (№ 1), 15 copies on japon impérial (№№ 2-16), 20 copies on papier de Hollande (№№ 17-36), and 564 copies on vélin de Rives (№№ 37-600) ; this is copy № 473. Enrichment: Accompanied by 5 loose sheets of thin paper blind stamped in the upper-left corner “WHATMAN” with pencil and watercolour drawings, one on both sides, unsigned. Insert two printouts from the previous sellers. Catalogue raisonné: Pia 800/801; Dutel (III) 1916 (indicates 180 pp.). Nordmann II 315 describes copy № 246 illustrated with 86 compositions by Rojankovsky, all signed by Rojan. Later edition, see: LIB-2972.2022. Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970).
  • Description: One volume in cream French flapped wrappers, 28.5 x 19.5 cm, lettered to front in blue, printed on wove paper, [1-8] 9-157 [158] [6 blanks] + 8 plates tipped-in; total 82 leaves, first two and last three blank (total 8 blanks), the first and last leaves in the wrappers. Clandestine pirate edition with 8 collotype reproductions of coloured etchings after André Collot. Some plates with a water stain in the upper left corner, one plate has a long closed tear along the left margin. Compare to the original etchings, these plates look dull. Front wrapper (blue): LA SEMAINE | SECRÈTE | DE SAPHO || Title-page (black): LA SEMAINE | SECRÈTE | DE SAPHO | Illustrée de huit gravures | coloriées à la main | LA CHRONIQUE DES DAMES | CONTEMPORAINES || Limitation: The run of 300 copies printed on vélin de luxe “illustrée de huit gravures avec remarques colorées à la main”. This copy is № 128. Note: According to J.-P. Dutel (1920-1970) № 2385, p. 360, it is a pirate edition, printed in c. 1930. Jean-Pierre does not indicate that the plates are collotype reproductions, however, it is obvious when assessed under a microscope with a magnification of 60. The original edition published in 1929 has a different title-page and is illustrated with hand-coloured etchings, see Dutel (1920-1970) № 2384, p. 360. Contributors: Pascal Pia [Pierre Durand] (French, 1903 – 1979) – author. André Collot (French, 1897 – 1976) – artist.
  • Hardcover volume, 12mo, 125 x 85 mm, two parts in one, bound and gilded by Cuzin and Maillard, respectively, between 1876 and 1881, in crimson crushed morocco with raised bands and gilt lettering to spine, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, gilt dentelle, signed 'Cuzin' to foot of front turn-in and 'Maillard dor.' to rear. Adorned with engraved frontispiece and 12 plates by Elluin after Borel. Text printed on a slightly bluish paper. Title-page: LE | MEURSIUS FRANÇOIS, | OU | ENTRETIENS GALANS | D'ALOYSIA. | ORNÉ | DE FIGURES. | — | TOME PREMIER (SECOND) | — | ✵ | A CYTHERE | — | M. DCC. LXXXII. || Collation: 12mo, π4 (2 blanks) A-Z6 χ1,+ π2 A-S6 (4 blanks) χ1, total 254 leaves; pagination: [8] [1] 2-277 [278 blank], [4] [1] 2-210 [8 blanks], total 508 pages, plus 13 engraved plates, incl. frontispiece. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 240; Eros invaincu 17; Fekete 51; Nordmann (I) 91. Contributors: Nicolas Chorier (French, 1612 – 1692) – author. Antoine Borel (French, 1743 – 1810) – artist. François-Rolland Elluin (French, 1745 – c. 1822) – engraver. Hubert-Martin Cazin (French, 1724 – 1795) – publisher. Francisque Cuzin (French, 1836 – 1890) – bookbinder. Seller’s description: Erotica.- [Chorier (Nicolas)]Le Meursius François, ou Entretiens galans d'Aloysia, 2 parts in 1, half-title to each part, engraved frontispiece and 12 plates [by Elluin after Borel], handsomely bound in crimson crushed morocco by Cuzin, spine with gilt lettering and five raised bands, gilt tooled turn-ins by Maillard, signed 'Cuzin' to foot of front turn-in and 'Maillard dor.' to rear, marbled endpapers, g.e., fractional rubbing to extremities, an excellent copy, 12mo, Cythere [but Paris], [Cazin], 1782.
  • A set of two volumes, one with the text (1) and another with the plates (2), cased in a red ‘romantic’ fitting box of red morocco, lavishly tooled in gilt, c. 1840, more recently adapted to house two books of different size. Vol.1: Hardcover volume, 22.4 x 14 cm, 8vo, bound in half black polished calf (late 19th century) over marbled boards, spine and corners gilt-tooled, raised bands, gilt lozenges in compartments, gilt-lettered red morocco label; marbled endpapers; Francis M. G. Mauleverer armorial bookplate (motto “Deus Providebit”) to front pastedown. Printed on laid paper, Collation: 1 blank, engraved frontis., engraved t.p., A-Cc8 Dd2, 1 blank; pagination:[1] 2-420. Vol. 2: Hardcover volume, 21 x 14 cm, bound in green straight-grain morocco (early 19th century), boards with a roll-tooled palmette border, spine decorated in gilt, blue moiré endpapers, yellow feps, additional blank leaves: 2 in the front and 4 in the back, unpaginated; engraved frontis. and t.p. as in vol. 2, plus 35 plates now attributed to Delcroche printed on India paper, pasted on thicker leaves and bound in numerical order, but pl. 34 after pl. 35; As per Christie’s “The prints, sometimes attributed to de Hooghe, are actually by Delcroche, who illustrated a number of classics in the 1770s and 1780s, including Fanny Hill. AE and ABPC record only three copies of this edition at auction, including the Nordmann and Hayoit copies. Apollinaire Enfer, 277; Dutel A-15; Eros invaincu 16; Foxon Libertine Literature, NY: 1965, p.38; Gay-Lemonnyer I, 10; Pia Enfer, 346.” Contributors: Delcroche (Dutch, 17th century), “artiste hollandaise”, nothing else is known. Dutel and Nordmann attribute the plates to Romeyn de Hooghe (Dutch, 1645 – 1708). Nicolas Chorier (French, 1612 –  1692) – author. Francis M. G. Mauleverer (British, 1918 – 1962) – provenance. Seller’s description: 2 vols in 8vo (215x125 and 204x117 mm), a complete but composite set, the text volume in late 19th c. half black morocco, with corners, gilt spine tooled in gold, the plate volume in a nice early 19th-century green morocco binding, the spine gilt-tooled in compartments, the sides with a roll-tooled palmette border, pale blue moiré style endpapers (hinges repaired). Text vol.: engraved frontispiece, engr. title, pp. 420. Plates vol. comprising: the engraved title, frontispiece, and 35 engraved plates, probably by Delcroche. Both volumes cased in a ‘romantic’ fitting box binding, c. 1840, more recently adapted.
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    Hardcover, 169 x 100 mm, quarter brown sheepskin over speckled paper, flat spine, gilt double fillet bands, crimson morocco label with gilt lettering, printed on French paper watermarked “FIN 1787”; two volumes in one, collated in 12mo. Tome premier: π1 h.t., A8 (A1 t.p., A2,3 Lettre de Sophie au chevalier d'Olzan), B4 C8 D4 E8 F4 G8, H4, I4; pp.: [2] [i-iii] iv-vi, [7] 8-104, plus three plates, p. 24 printed on cream wove paper,  pp. 66, 67 on blue laid paper (or pasted on such). Tome second: A8 (incl. h.t. and t.p.) B4 C8 D4 E8 F4 G8 H4 I8 K4, L4; pp.: [1-5] 6-127 [1 blank]; all three plates printed on cream wove paper; plate marked as p.68 is after p. 64, plate marked p.64 is after p. 68, plate p. 79 is on its place. Plates attributed to Louis Binet. Text is attributed mainly to Comte de Mirabeau; however, Guillaume Apollinaire, in his L’Enfer de la Bibliothèque Nationale (1913), believes that Marquis de Sentilly wrote it. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 709; Dutel I A-988, p. 294. Contributors: Mirabeau, Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de (French, 1749 – 1791) Binet, Louis (French, 1744 – 1800) Seller's description: Deux parties en un volume in-12. 165 x 97 mm. Tome premier: I f. n. ch. faux-titre, 104 pp. y compris le titre avec une vignette gravée, la "Lettre de Sophie au chevalier d'Olzan" qui débute l'ouvrage est paginée en chiffres romains. Tome second: 127 pp. tout compris et 1 p. bl. 6 gravures libres non signées qui sont de Binet. Reliure de l'époque. Demi-basane brune, plats de papier coquille moucheté, dos lisse omé de deux filets dorés répétés, pièce de titre de maroquin rouge, lettres dorées, tranches jaspées. Reliure un peu frottée, coins émoussés. Quelques rousseurs. Rarissime deuxième édition de cet Émile de l'éducation sexuelle enrichie de gravures libres attribuables à Binet.
  • Description: Original cream French flapped wrappers, 27.4 x 20 cm, in a white moiré double slipcase 28.5 x 21.5 cm; collated 4to, gatherings with double-page illustrations collated 6to; printed on thick wove paper watermarked “BFK RIVES”, outer and bottom margins untrimmed; paginated: [2 blanks] [1-8] 9-140 [4] [2 blanks], total 44 pages (besides the blanks in wrappers), illustrated with 12 full-page and 4 in-text drypoint plates by Georges Viglino after pencil drawings by Gaston de Sainte-Croix. Enriched with 16 leaves of plates printed in sepia on Arches teinté paper (watermarked). Title-page (in salmon and black): NOUS | DEUX | ILLUSTRE DE | SEIZE POINTES SÈCHES ORIGINALES | ÉDITIONS DU CYCLAMEN – M CM LVI || Limitation: A print run of 200 copies, of which 2 copies (A and B) on Japon Nacré + one suite of plates on Japon Impérial, 30 copies (№ 1-30) on Rives + one suite of plates on Arches, and 168 copies (№ 31-198) on Rives pur fil. This copy is № 29, on BFK Rives with a suite on Arches. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970) № 2055, p. 282. Contributors: Marcel Valotaire (French, 1889 – 1979) – author Gaston de Sainte-Croix (French, 1904 – 1977) – artist Georges Viglino – engraver/printer (attributed by Dutel). Jacques Vialetay – publisher (attributed by Dutel).
  • Description: Hardcover, 19 x 13 cm, contemporary binding, ¾ carrot morocco with raised bands over patterned cloth, similarly patterned endpapers, original pink wrappers preserved, gilt lettering to spine, Japanese previous owner’s stamp フィリップ (Firippu or Philippe) to verso front endpaper. Title-page: EXAMEN | DE | FLORA | à l’effet d’obtenir | son diplôme de putain | PARIS || Collation/pagination: blank flyleaf, original front wrapper with vignette, [1] blank, original watercolour 13.5 x 11 cm bound in, [2] blank, [3] h.t. / frontispiece, [4] t.p., 5-45 [46] [2] limitation / blank, back wrapper, blank flyleaf, with 14 stencil-coloured photogravures (au pochoir), two of them full-page, incl. frontispiece, after Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan]. Limitation: 15 copies on Japon and 300 copies on Vélin, this is copy № 7. Edition: 1st edition thus, illustrated with 14 coloured photogravures, 2 of them full-page after Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan], enriched with an original watercolour by the same artist. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970): 1532, p. 160 (same copy); honesterotica.com Provenance: J.-P. Dutel Note: J.-P. Dutel dates the edition as “vers 1935”; however, based on the edition of Le théâtre érotique de la rue de la Santé / [illustré par Rojan]. — Paris: s.n., 1932 [LIB-2816.2021] in this collection, which contains some of the same illustrations, we attribute it to 1932. Contributors: Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970) – artist. Louis Protat (French, 1819 – 1881) – author. Illustrations:

    Le théâtre érotique / Original

    Examen de Flora / Original

    Le théâtre érotique / Original

    Le théâtre érotique / Original

    Examen de Flora / Print

    Examen de Flora / Print

    Examen de Flora / Print

    Examen de Flora / Print

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    Two volumes, 133 x 88 mm each, uniformly bound in full tree calf, bordered in gilt garland, board edges and flat spine tooled in gilt, gilt fleurons in compartments, two crimson morocco labels to spine lettered in gilt; marbled endpapers, bookplate “MK” to front pastedown, one binder’s flyleaf in the front and one in the rear. Title-page: MÉMOIRES | DE | SATURNIN, | ÉCRITS PAR LUI-MÊME, | Nouvelle édition, corrigée & augmentée, | avec Figures. | (in rules) PREMIERE PARTIE / SECONDE PATIE [sic]. | {fleuron} | A LONDRES. | | M. DCCLXXXVII. || Collation 18mo: Vol. 1: π2 A-T6 V4 (i.e. 118 leaves); pp.: [4] 1-235 [236 blank], plus 13 plates, incl. frontispiece, extraneous to collation. Vol. 2: π2 A-M6 N4 (i.e. 76 leaves); pp.: [4] [1] 2-151 [152], plus 11 plates, extraneous to collation. Twenty-four plates were executed in etching and burin on copper plate by  François-Rolland Elluin (French, 1745 – 1810) after Antoine Borel (French, 1743 – 1810). Catalogue raisonné: Cohen 431; Dutel I № A-523, p. 166/7 ; Nordmann I № 156 (large 185 x 125 mm) Author: Gervaise de La Touche, Jean-Charles (French, 1715 – 1782) Microphotographs:  
  • NEW
    Two volumes, 132 x 85 mm, uniformly bound in mottled calf, panel bordered with gilt garland, flat spine richly tooled in gilt, gilt lettered black label, blue endpapers, “MK” bookplate to front pastedown, gilt-ruled edges and dentelle inside, all edges gilt, an etching on india paper laid in; text and plates printed on laid paper, with tall ‘s’. Vol. 1: Collation 18mo: A-C-E-G12 B-D-F-H6 I10(I10 blank) (i.e. 82 leaves); pp. [1-5] 6-161 [3], plus 9 plates with tissue guards, extr. to collation; and a flyleaf at the front and at the rear. Title-page: THÉRESE | PHILOSOPHE, | OU | MÉMOIRES | Pour servir à l'Histoire de D. DIRRAG, & | de Mademoiselle ERADICE. | Nouvelle édition, augmentée d'un plus | grand nombre de figures que toutes les | précédentes. | (in rules) TOME PREMIER. | {fleuron} | A LONDRES. | — | M.DCC.LXXXV. || Vol. 2: Collation 18mo: ffl, π2 A-C-E6 B-D12 (D11,12 blank) ffl (i.e. 44 leaves); pp.: [4] [1] 2-80 [4], plus 11 plates with tissue guards, extr. to collation; and a flyleaf at the front and at the rear. Title-page: THÉRESE | PHILOSOPHE, | AVEC | L'HISTOIRE | DE | MME BOIS-LAURIER. | Nouvelle édition, augmentée d'un plus | grand nombre de figures que toutes les | précédentes. | (in rules) TOME SECOND. | A LONDRES. | M.DCC.LXXXV. || Twenty plates were executed in stipple engraving by an unknown engraver after François-Rolland Elluin (French, 1745 – 1810) after Antoine Borel (French, 1743 – 1810). Elluin’s plates are executed in etching and burin, besides: pl. 2 mirror image, pl. 5 and 6 mixed up, pl. 9 here is pl. 19 in the original, pl. 12 here is pl. 9 in the original, pl. 11 is 10, pl. 10 is 11, pl. 13 is p. 12, pl. 16 is pl. 13, pl. 14 does not have clocks, p. 14 corrected by hand to 15 and it is 15 indeed, pl. 17 is pl. 16, pl. 18 is pl. 17, pl. 19 is pl. 18, woman has no hat. The edition is legitimate; however, the plates are pirated copies. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel № 1092, p. 235/6. Contributors: Boyer d'Argens, Jean-Baptiste (French, 1703 – 1771)] Borel, Antoine (French, 1743 – 1810) « Eradice » – Cadière, Marie-Catherine (French, 1709 – ?) « D. Dirrag » – Girard, Jean-Baptiste (French, 1680 – 1733) Laid in sheet — illustration to Thérèse philosopher by Félicien Rops. Microphotographs of certain plates in this edition:  
  • Two volumes, 168 x 106 mm each, uniformly bound in faux mottled calf ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers. Vol. 1: 3 blank leaves of wove paper, 3 blank leaves of laid paper, half-title/blank, blank/frontispiece, ‘engraved’ t.p./blank, both printed on laid paper watermarked “ARCHES A LA | MAIN”; ‘letterpress’ t.p.,/blank, pp.: [1] 2-115 [116 blank], 3 blank leaves of laid paper, 3 blank leaves of wove paper; collated 12mo: π2 A-I6 K4; total 60 leaves plus 16 ‘engraved’ plates, incl. t.p. and frontis. Vol. 2: 3 blank leaves of wove paper, 3 blank leaves of laid paper, half-title/blank, blank/frontispiece, ‘engraved’ t.p./blank, no watermark, ‘letterpress’ t.p.,/blank, pp.: 1-77 [78 blank], 2 blank leaves of laid paper, 3 blank leaves of wove paper; collated 12mo: π2 A-F6 G3; total 41 leaves plus 24 ‘engraved’ plates, incl. t.p. and frontis. Dutel (I): A-1089, p. 325: in-8 (probably by size only, no formula suggested), pagination 115 and 77 as here, 2 frontispieces, 2 engraved titles dated 1873, “et 36 belles gravures de Binet”. Cohen-DeRicci: p. 734 bottom: in-12, no pagination, no formula. "Thérèse" was offered by a French seller user-75d14f4 on the online auction platform CATAWIKI in December 2021. The seller's description of this two-volume set was: "Re-edition, the date of which I was unable to determine. (London, no name, 1782) 2 duodecimo volumes of 115 and 77 pp., very lovely marbled sheepskin pastiche bindings, gilded triple fillets, adorned spines, black title labels. This classic of 18th-century clandestine erotica was written in 1748 by an author who has remained anonymous, attributed at the time to Montigny, which led to his internment in the Bastille. It is now attributed to the Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens. Edition illustrated with 37 very unrestrained figures, engraved in intaglio after Borel, unsigned." I should have paid more attention to the first phase, about the re-edition, but I didn't. After a few bidding rounds, I won the book when the hammer price was 2,200 Euros. On the 28th of December, 2021, I paid for this little beauty $2,760. The book arrived a few days later.  The paper's quality and texture, the watermark, the absence of the platemark, and the lack of embossing on the back (text and plates) made me suspect it was a fake. The pages were absolutely flat to the touch!  I established clear evidence of a high-resolution 'xerox' copy using Celestron Micro Capture Pro micro-photography.  I wrote to the seller and the auction platform, explaining my doubts regarding its authenticity. To prove my point, I include a few micro photos of the "Thérèse" and some books printed at the end of the 18th century. I explained why I considered it a fake and requested a return/refund. After two months of email exchanges, the seller and the platform refused to pay me back. Today is the 2nd anniversary of the purchase. I still have the book. To celebrate my carelessness, I included it in my library to warn fellow book collectors about buying from an unknown dealer via certain online auction platforms. Ref.: Bamber Gascoigne. How to Identify Prints: A Complete Guide to Manual and Mechanical Processes from Woodcut to Ink. — Thames and Hudson, 1995.

    Thérèse philosophe, 1783.

    Late 18th century books

    Books used for comparison: [LIB-2743.2021] Restif de la Bretonne. Les parisiennes, ou XL caractères généraux pris dans les mœurs actuelles, propres à servir à l’instruction des personnes-du-sexe / 4 vol. — Neufchâtel, et Paris: Guillot, 1787. [LIB-3027.2022] [Héliodore d’Emèse]. Amours de Théagènes et Chariclée: Histoire Éthiopique / 2 vol. — Londres [i.e. Paris]: [s.n.], 1743. [LIB-3252.2023] [Nicolas Chorier.] Le Meursius françois, ou entretiens galans d’Aloysia, orné de figures. — Cythere [i.e. Paris: Cazin], 1782. Below is a Xerox copy for comparison.    
  • Softcover volume, 19.5 x 14.3 cm, olive French flapped wrappers, glassine dust cover, printed on laid paper (Hollande), outer and bottom margins untrimmed, some pages uncut; pagination: [2] blank, [i-iv] h.t./limit., t.p./blank, v-viii, 1-196 [197] [5], total 212 pages plus frontispiece; head- and tailpieces and in-text stencil-coloured etchings after Chéripoulos. Title-page (olive and black): LE ROMAN | DE | VIOLETTE | {vignette} | A LA ROYNE DE CYTHÈRE | SODOME | 1920 || Limitation: Cet ouvrage, achevé d'imprimer le cinq Janvier Mil Neuf Cent Vingt à trois cents exemplaires dont vingt-cinq exemplaires sur Japon Impérial contenant chacun un dessin original de Chéripoulos, numérotés de un à vingt-cinq; deux cent soixante-quinze exemplaires sur papier de Hollande, numérotés de vingt-six à trois cents; en plus cinq exemplaires de collaborateurs marqués de A à E. Le présent exemplaire porte le numéro 72. Edition: Printed on the 5th of January 1920 in 305 copies (№№ 1-25 on Japon Impérial, №№ 26-300 on Hollande, A–E for collaborators). Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 2339, p. 350. Contributors: Henriette de Mannoury d'Ectot [Henriette Nicolas Le Blanc] (French 1815 – 1899) Charles Auguste Edelmann [Chéripoulos] (French, 1879 – 1950).  
  • Two volumes in-16o, 16.3 x 10.3 cm, uniformly bound in marbled calf with gilt triple-fillet border, flat spine with gilt lozenges in compartments, two crimson labels with gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, with engraved title, 2 title vignettes, 11 copper plate engravings, incl. title/frontispiece in vol. 1, and 10 headpieces (two of them similar), printed on laid paper. Vol. 1: Livres 1 – 5. Engraved title-page: Cartouche with the title "Les | Amours de | THEAGENES | & | CHARICLÉE", with a Cupid holding a torch on top and a defeated winged dragon at the bottom; Cupid's quivers with bows and arrows beside. Collation: 8vo; a5 (t.p., preface), A-N8 O4 (O4 blank), total 113 leaves plus 6 unsigned engraved plates, incl. engraved title as frontispiece, unsigned; 5 different headpieces, unsigned. Pagination: [i, ii] iii-x, [1] 2-213 [3] (blank), total 226 pages, ils. Vol. 2: Livres 6 – 10. Collation: 8vo; π1 (t.p.), A-M8, total 97 leaves plus 6 unsigned plates, incl. the Conclusion, no frontispiece; 5 headpieces, the headpiece for Livre 7 similar to Livre 4. Pagination: [2] [1] 2-190 [2] (blank), total 194 pages, ils. Letterpress title-page (red and black) in each volume: AMOURS | DE | THEAGÉNES | ET | CHARICLÉE• | HISTOIRE ETHIOPIQUE. | PREMIERE (SECONDE) PARTIE. | {vignette} | A LONDRES, | — | M. DCC. XLIII. || According to Cohen-DeRicci, this is the first anonymous edition with 9 different headpieces; the second edition in the same 1743 was published by Antoine Urban Coustelier (French, 1714 – 1763) in Paris with less provocative headpiece vignettes. The original text belongs to Héliodore d'Emèse, i.e. Heliodorus [Ἡλιόδωρος] (Greek, 3rd – 4th century AD). The earliest translation into French was performed by Jacques Amyot (French, 1513 – 1593) and published by J. Longis in Paris in 1547. The new translation is credited by Lewine to Jean de Montlyard (French/Swiss, 17th century), first published in Paris in 1620. However, most scholars attribute it to Louis François de Fontenu (French, 1667 – 1759), Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (French, 1657 – 1757) or Germain François Poullain de Saint-Foix (French, 1698 – 1776), first published in 1727 by Herman Uytwerf (Dutch, 1698 – 1754) in Amsterdam. Catalogue raisonné : J. Lewine, 236; Cohen-DeRicci, 478. Information about the story can be found here: Aethiopica.  
  • Description: softcover, 25.5 x 16.5 cm, pink French flapped wrappers with black lettering, printed on laid paper watermarked “ARCHES (France)”, with 10 plates (etchings) bound in and 1 plate (coloured etching) laid in, extraneous to collation, with tissue guards; pp.: ffl, [2] h.t., [2] t.p., 1- 151 [152] [4] colophon, blank, ffl; some pages uncut; margins untrimmed. Title-page: UN ÉTÉ A LA | CAMPAGNE | CORRESPONDANCE DE DEUX | JEUNES PARISIENNES RECUEILLIE | PAR UN AUTEUR A LA MODE | ILLUSTRÉE DE DIX EAUX-FORTES | ET D’UNE AQUARELLE ORIGINALE | {blank} |  IMPRIMÉ SOUS LE MANTEAU | ET NE SE VEND NULLE PART | MCMXVIII || Limitation: a print run of 165 copies, of which this is № 129 on Arches à la forme paper. Cat. Raisonné: Dutel III № 2545, p. 397; Honesterotica. Contributors: Gustave Droz (French, 1832 – 1895) – author (presumable) Frans de Geetere (Belgian, 1895 – 1968) – artist/engraver
  • Softcover, 228 x 180 mm, tan French flapped wrappers with red lettering to front[1-4, owner’s glassine dustcover, top edge trimmed, printed on thick wove paper without a watermark; pp.: ffl [1-4 h.t., t.p.] 5-154 [2 blanks] colophon to back ffl recto, plus 12 plates with hand-coloured lithographs, extraneous to collation. Pencil and pigment drawing to h.t. signed “J. D’A” with gift manual inscription “A Monsieur et Madame Chalamel [sic] ce tardif mais sincère souvenir de sympathie”, signed “J et Y D’A.” Etching bookplate to front ffl recto: “EX LIBRIS PIERRE CHALLAMEL | JE FONCE DANS LE BROUILLARD”, signed “J A M” (Jean-Adrien Mercier). The signature J. D’A stands for Jean d’Angers, while Y D’A stands for Jean-Adrien’s wife Yvonne (1902—1999), nicknamed Zizi; they married in 1927. According to J.-P. Dutel, the stated illustrator of this edition, Jean d’Angers is indeed Jean-Adrien Mercier. The text belongs to Gustav Droz and, possibly, Auguste Poulet-Malassis. Limitation: the book was printed for subscribers in 30 copies on Japon Impériale paper (№№ 1-30) and 250 copies on vélin du Marais paper (№№ 31-280). This copy bears № 123 and was presented as a gift by the artist and his wife to Pierre Challamel. Title-page (red and black): POUR SERVIR | A L'HISTOIRE | DE NOS MŒURS | UN ÉTÉ | A LA CAMPAGNE | CORRESPONDANCE DE DEUX JEUNES PARISIENNES | RECUEILLIE PAR UN AUTEUR A LA MODE | MDCCCLXVIII || Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 2546; honesterotica. Provenance: Pierre Challamel (French, 20th century) Contributors: Gustave Droz (French, 1832 – 1895) – author (presumable). Auguste Poulet-Malassis (French, 1825 – 1878) – author (presumable). Jean-Adrien Mercier (French, 1899 – 1995) – artist. Micro photo of the lithography:
    Micro photo of the original drawing:
  • NEW
    A cardboard file 298 x 225 mm made of quarter red cloth over marbled paper, with laces, contains 18 loose chromolithographs approx.190 x 130 mm, 8 vertical and 10 horizontal) in a passepartout 275 x 220 mm (matted) of laid paper with an armorial watermark, with lewd humorous captions on glassine guard tissue attached to each sheet, upper and outer margins uncut. Images signed “–Santippa–36”.Label to front cover lettered Variations Amoureuses | avec 18 gravures en couleurs ||. No title page. It is quite likely that the set exists in only one copy. Description by seller: Album in-folio, 272 x 218 cm. En feuilles, sous chemise cartonnée à lacets de l'éditeur. Les lithographies sont respectivement intitulées : Branlade; Plaisir Champêtre; Justice; Entre Marins ; Cocher; Suce-moi bien ; Encore; Les Joies; Un Marin; On raconte ; Plaisir Divin ; Le Marin; Quand un Gendarme ; soixante et Neuf; Tous les Moyens ; Le Plus Cochon; Le Fantassin; Coup Double. Le peintre Gaston Hoffmann (1883-1977), consacra la majeure partie de son œuvre à l'érotisme et la caricature, en signant ses sujets trop libres sous le pseudonyme de Santippa. Contributor: Gaston Hoffmann [Santippa] (French, 1883 – 1977). Ref: Honesterotica.com provides only 8 images of 18. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III: № 2581:    
  • NEW
    Hardcover, 132 x 86 mm boards, 127 x 78 mm block, full brown mottled calf bordered with triple gilt fillet, flat spine tooled in gilt, gilt fleurons in compartments, black title label with gilt lettering, board edge tooled gilt, gilt dentelle inside, marbled endpapers, “MK” and “EX-LIBRIS • YVES • REFOULÉ” bookplates to front pastedown (the latter by Picart after Georges Leone), block of watermarked laid paper (Van Gilder?), all edges gilt; text with tall ‘s’. Title-page: L'ARETIN | FRANÇOIS, | PAR UN MEMBRE | DE L'ACADÉMIE DES DAMES. | (in rules) J'appelle un Chat, un Chat. / BOILEAU. | {fleuron} | A LONDRES. | | 1787. || Faux-t.p.: LES ÉPICES | DE VÉNUS | OU |PIECES DIVERSES | DU MÊME ACADEMICIEN. | (in rules) Les plus intolérans sont les plus vicieux. / ANONYME. | {fleuron} | A LONDRES. | | 1787. || Collation 18mo: Two ffl at front and two at rear, [a1] h.t./blank, [a2] blank/frontis. stanza, frontispiece plate with guard, [a3] t.p./blank, [a4] advert., [a5] intro/blank; after that the structure is following: recto blank/octave stanza on verso, tissue guard, plate on recto, repeated 17 times, χ1 décima stanza ‘Résumé’ (subtotal 23 leaves unsigned, unpaginated); π2 (h.t., t.p.), A-D6 E3 (subtotal 29 leaves), paginated [4] 1-53 [54], plus one plate with guard oppos. p. 8. The total number is 23+29=52 leaves plus 19 plates with tissue guard each and 4 flyleaves. Plates were executed in etching and burin on copper plates by  François-Rolland Elluin (French, 1745 – 1810) after Antoine Borel (French, 1743 – 1810). Catalogue raisonné: Fekete № 141; Dutel № A-99; Nordmann II №№ 396, 397; Eros invaincu № 3, p. 26; Cohen de Ricci pp. 89/90. Text attributed to: Nogaret, François-Félix (French, 1740 – 1831)