• 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.    
  • FABLES | DE FLORIAN | ILLUSTRÉES | PAR J.-J. GRANDVILLE , | SUIVIES | DE TOBIE ET RUTH , | Poëmes tirés de l'Ecriture Sainte | ET | PRECEDEES D'UNE NOTICE SUR LA VIE ET LES OUVRAGES DE FLORIAN , | PAR P.-J. STAHL. | [Vignette] PARIS. | J.-J. DUBOCHET ET Cie , ÉDITEURS , | 1842. Pagination: ffl, [2 blanks] [i, ii - ht/imp.] [2 - blank/engr. t.p. by Grandville] [iii, iv - t.p./blank] [v] vi-xx; 2 sheets of plates, [3] 4-292, bfl; engraved t.p. + [79] leaves of plates + 5 faux t.p. (total 85 plates) Size: In-8vo, 23.8 x 15 cm. Binding: Orig. blind-stamped navy cloth with gilt Grandville characters to boards and spine. First edition, first printing. Reference: Léopold Carteret (Le trésor du bibliophile. Epoque romantique. 1801-1875 / Livres illustrés du XIXe siècle. – Paris: L. Carteret; imprim. Lahure, 1927). Wood engravers: Adolphe Best (French, 1808 – 1860): 22 plates Louis-Henri Brévière (French, 1797 – 1869): 3 plates Brugnot (French, active 19th century): 7 plates Prosper-Adolphe-Léon Cherrier (French, born 1806): 6 + Tobie et Ruth + vignettes Louis Dujardin (French, 1808 – 1859): 2 plates Monogram GO–> (possibly for Godard) : 1 plate Halley-Hiback (French, 19th century): 1 + vignette Henri-Désiré Porret (French, 1800–1867): 2 + vignette Lacoste père et fils aîné et Auguste-Alexandre Guillaumot (French, 1815 – 1892): 5 plates Quichon (French, 19th century): 10 plates + Tobie et Ruth François Rouget (Belgian, born bef., 1825): 19 + vignette Unsigned or with an illegible signature: 6 plates
  • Engraved title:

    Upper frame: ALMANACH | ICONOLOGIQUE, | OU | DES ARTS | pour l'année | 1764. | Orné de Figures | avec leurs explications | par | M. GRAVELOT. | avec Priv. du Roy | A PARIS

    Lower frame: Chez Lattré Graveur rue S. Jacq. | à la Ville de Bordeaux.

    Under the frame: H. Gravelot del. — L. Legrand sc.

    28 leaves, of them: engraved t.p., engraved frontis., and 12 plates, text engraved. Pages numbered 1-12, and I-XII (incorrectly marked XVI), other unpaginated, unbound tissue guards. Size: 10.6 x 7.2 cm, full polished crimson calf w/veins, triple-ruled in gilt with florets in corners, flat spine, double-ruled in gilt, all edges gilt. Florets in compartments, black title label with gilt lettering “ALM | ICON ||”, peacock marbled endpapers, blue silk ribbon. Approbation dated 15 November 1763, as some plates.

    Catalogue raisonné: Cohen, De Ricci 454.

  • Title : CHARLES VIRMAITRE | LA COMMUNE | A PARIS | 1871 | {cit. 5 lines Emile de Girardin} | PARIS | LIBRAIRIE INTERNATIONALE | A. LACROIX, VERBOECKHOVEN ET Ce, ÉDITEURS | 15 boulevart Montmartre et faubourg Montmartre, 13 | MÉME MAISON A BRUXELLES, A LEIPZIG ET A LIVOURNE | 1871 | DROITS DE TRADUCTION ET DE REPRODUCTION RÉSERVÉS || Pagination : [2] – h.t. / imprint., [2] – t.p. / blank, [2] – dedicatation to Thiers / blank, [2] – table / blank, [1], 2-280; [total 288 pages]. Collation: 18mo; π4 1-1318 1514. Binding: red quarter morocco over red buckram boards, raised bands, gilt lettering, gilt flower lozenges in compartments, marbled endpapers.
  • Collation: Prelims (pp.1-6): Blank leaf, front wrapper (ornamental, gilt and colour): LA NUIT VENITIENNE | FANTASIO | LES CAPRICES DE | MARIANNE | ALFRED DE MUSSET ||, blank leaf, [2] – h.t.: LA | NUIT VENITIENNE ||, [2] – t.p. (ornamental frame, marigold and reseda green): ALFRED DE MUSSET | LA NUIT | VENITIENNE | FANTASIA | LES CAPRICES | DE MARIANNE | ILLUSTRATIONS | DE | U. BRUNELLESCHI | L’EDITION D’ART H.PIAZZA | PARIS ||, [2] – ornamental divisional title: LA NUIT VENITIENNE ||, 7-138 [139/40] – contents / list of ills., [141-2] – limitation / colophon, blank leaf, back wrapper, blank leaf; plus 20 stencil-coloured (au pochoir) plates after gouaches by Umberto Brunelleschi, incl. frontispiece with red-lettered tissue guards; two more divisional titles, three headpieces in black; text printed on heavy wove paper, in an ornamental frame. Edition: 1st; limited to 500 copies on laid paper (papier du Japon) signed by the artist; this copy on wove paper without signatures, without limitation. Printed in Paris on the 10th of November 1913. Binding: 30 x 24 cm, owner’s green bead-grain buckram with a gilt-lettered black label to spine LA NUIT | VENITIENNE, publisher’s wrappers bound in, green and gilt endpapers. Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author. Umberto Brunelleschi (Italian, 1879 – 1949) – artist. L’Edition d’art H. Piazza; Henri Jules Piazza (Italian, 1861 – 1929) – publisher, printer.
  • Title-page: COLETTE WILLY | — | L'ingénue libertine | EAUX-FORTES DE LOUIS ICART | ❧ | ÉDITIONS EXCELSIOR | 27, Quai de la Tournelle | Paris | 1926 || Description: French cream flapped wrappers 33.5 x 26 cm with gilt lettering to front and spine, printed on wove paper (Japon Impérial), [2] blank, [1-4] h.t. / limitation, t.p. / citations, 5-191 [3] colophon, plus 20 plates of coloured etchings and 20 plates of b/w etchings, incl. frontispiece. Edition enriched with an autograph letter signed by Colette tipped in after limitation. Edition: limited to 546 copies of which one (№ UN) is unique, printed on Papier de Chine with original colour drawings, 55 (№ 1-50 + 5 H.C.) on Japon Impérial, 65 (№ 51-100 +15 H.C.) on Hollande van Gelder, and 425 (№ 101-500 + 25 H.C.) on vergé paper BFK Rives. This copy is № 48, enriched with Colette a.l.s. and an extra suite of plates. Printed on December 3, 1926, at Arrault et Cie in Tours. Transcript of a.l.s.: "De deux romans (Minne et Les égarements de Minne) qui ne portèrent pas ma signature, j’en ai fait un seul : l’Ingénue libertine. La première partie trouve encore grâce à mes yeux ; je suis plus sévère pour la deuxième et dernière, [mot rayé] superflue et qui sent le travail. Cette libertine aurait bien dû en rester à l’ingénuité. — Colette" Contributors: Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette [a.k.a. Colette] (French, 1873 – 1954) – author. Henry Gauthier-Villars [a.k.a. Willy] (French, 1859 – 1931) – author. Louis Icart (French, 1888 – 1950) – artist.
  • Description: owner’s quarter green morocco over marbled boards, 21.5 x 16.5 cm, collated 8vo, illustrated with numerous in-text and 5 full-page coloured etchings after drawings by Chas Laborde. Original publisher’s wrappers preserved, enriched with a set of 17 plates in black and white (bound in). Front wrapper (black and red): LÉO LARGUIER | LA POUPÉE | DESSINS DE CHAS LABORDE | {vignette} | COLLECTION | “LA ROSE ET LE LAURIER” | G. BRIFFAUT, Éditeur | 4, RUE DE FURSTENBERG, PARIS || Title-page: LÉO LARGUIER | — | LA POUPÉE | DESSINS DE | CHAS LABORDE | {vignette} | COLLECTION DE | “LA ROSE ET LE LAURIER” | G. BRIFFAUT, Éditeur | 4, RUE DE FURSTENBERG, PARIS (VIe) | M CM XXV || Collation: Three binder’s blanks, 1 front wrapper, 1 blank, 1 h.t./limit., 1 t.p., 1 epigraph, 1-68 74 (last blank), plates within collation, 1 back wrapper, three binder’s blanks, plus 17 leaves of b/w plates. Pagination: not counting wrappers, [6] (h.t., t.p., epigraph) 1-99 [100] [4], ils. Limitation: A print run of 770 copies on April 25, 1925, by Coulouma (Argenteuil) under the direction of H. Barthélemy , of which 10 copies on Japon Impérial (№ 1-10) + one drawing + one b/w suite, 10 copies on Japon Impérial (№ 11-20) + one drawing, 750 copies on Vélin (№ 21-770). This is copy № 1 (on Japon Impérial with b/w suite of plates but without the drawing). Contributors: Léo Larguier (French, 1878 – 1950) – author. Chas Laborde [Charles Laborde] (French, 1886 – 1941) – artist. Georges Briffaut (French, 1886 – 1973) – publisher.
  • 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

  • Description: Softcover, 28.5 x 19.5 cm, printed on laid paper watermarked “VAN GELDER ZONEN”, publisher’s original flapped cream wrappers, bookplate of J.-P. Dutel to first blank leaf, 17 leaves within the wrappers, unpaginated, plus three anonymous gouache plates, frontispiece watercolour to h.t. verso, watercolour vignette and ribbons to t.p., attributed by J.-P. Dutel to Jean Laprade (not found). Front wrapper (no vignette): VERS LIBRES | par | RAYMOND RADIGUET | Champigny | Au Panier Fleuri || Half-title: VERS LIBRES (no vignette) Half-title verso: watercolour vignette, lettered in script at the bottom: “Au ciel des Plages | Virginie….” Title-page (red and black): {ribbon} | VERS LIBRES | par | RAYMOND RADIGUET | {vignette} | Champigny | Au Panier Fleuri | {ribbon} || Edition: Limited edition of 125 copies, of which this is copy № 125. The first edition illustrated by Rojan (Feodor Rojankovsky) [LIB-2830.2021] did not state the paper maker, however, the paper is watermarked Arches. This copy is unique, lacking Rojan’s illustrations and enriched with watercolours and gouaches by anonymous artists. Later edition (1937) in this collection: LIB-2827.2021. Contributors: Raymond Radiguet (French, 1903 –  1923) – author. Description by the seller: RADIGUET Raymond. VERS LIBRES. Champigny. Au Panier Fleuri. [Paris, ca 1935]. In-8 broché. Première édition illustrée de 28 superbes compositions en couleurs par Feodor Rojankovsky dit Rojan. Tirage : 125 ex. sur vélin d’Arches. UN DES 125 EXEMPLAIRES SUR VÉLIN D’ARCHES. Exemplaire unique orné de 2 aquarelles originales dans le texte, non signées mais de Jean Laprade et enrichi de 3 gouaches anonymes hors-texte.
    1935 Rojan 1935 Anonym
  • Description: two volumes, 38.3 x 25.5 cm each, uniformly bound in red morocco, boards decorated in gilt in the style of Luc-Antoine Boyet, with gilt dentelle inside out; spine with raised bands, gilt lettering, gilt in compartments; all edges gilt; marbled endpapers; printed on laid paper, text in the floral frame, engraved frontispiece (after Hyacinthe Rigaud), plates, t.p. vignette with the portrait of Desiderius Erasmus (after Quentin Metsys), head- and tailpieces (total of 40, some repeating) and 2 initials by Bernard Picart, folded portrait of dedicatee Guillelmine Charlotte Princesse de Galles &c &c &c by van Gunst after Kneller. Title-page (red and black, tall ‘s’): OEUVRES | DE | NICOLAS BOILEAU | DESPRÉAUX. | AVEC DES | ÉCLAIRCISSEMENTS | HISTORIQUES, | DONNEZ PAR LUI-MEME. | Nouvelle Edition revuë, corrigée & augmentée de diverses Remarques. | Enrichie de figures gravées par Bernard Picart le Romain. | TOME PREMIER (SECOND). | {vignette} | A AMSTERDAM, | Chez DAVID MORTIER. | — | M DCCXVIII. | AVEC PRIVILEGE. || Vol. 1. Collation: 4to; 1 ffl, a-c4 d1 A-3K4, 3L2, 1ffl; (K3 marked I3). Plates: t.p. vignette, frontispiece, 24 head- and tailpieces, f.t. in a grotesque frame and 6 full-page for ‘Le Lutrin’ in the same frame by Bernard Picart; folded portrait of Guillelmine Charlotte, Princess of Wales by van Gunst after Kneller. Pagination: [4] [i-v] vi-xviii [4] [1] 2-450 [2]. Vol. 2. Collation: 4to; 2 ffl, π2 A-3C4 3D3 2 ffl; (V3 marked T3, 2L4 marked A). Plates: t.p. vignette (same as vol.1) and 7 head- and tailpieces by Bernard Picart. Pagination: [4] [i-iii] iv-vii [viii] [1] 2-370 [2] [20]. Catalogue raisonné: Lewine 72-3; Cohen-De Ricci 165-6. Contributors: Luc-Antoine Boyet (French, fl. 1684 – 1733) – bookbinder. Claude Brossette (French, 1671 – 1743) – author, remarks. André Dacier (French, 1651 – 1722) – author, preface. Nicolas Boileau Despréaux (French, 1636 – 1711) – author. Pieter Stevens van Gunst (Dutch, 1659-1724) – engraver. Sir Godfrey Kneller (British, 1646-1723) – artist. David Mortier (Dutch-British, 1673 – 1728) – publisher. Bernard Picard (French, 1673 – 1733) – artist, engraver. Quentin Massijs [Metsys, Matsys] (Flemish, 1466 – 1530) – artist. Hyacinthe Rigaud [Jacint Rigau-Ros i Serra] (French, 1659 - 1743) – artist. Guillelmine Charlotte, Princess of Wales (Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach) (1683 – 1737) – dedicatee
  • Three volumes, 33 x 26.5 x 7 cm each, uniformly bound in 2/3 vellum over marbled boards, outlined with gilt fillet, brown label with gilt lettering to flat spine with double fillet faux-bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, other untrimmed, publisher’s wrappers preserved, incl. spine; collotype plates with captioned glassine guards; armorial bookplate of Comte Alain de Suzannet to front pastedown in each volume. Two volumes of Première partie, wanting, contain La vie artistique : texte and La vie artistique : planches. Title-page (red and black): JACQUES CALLOT | PAR | J. LIEURE | Introduction de F. Courboin | Conservateur du Cabinet des Estampes à la Bibliothèque Nationale | — | DEUXIÈME PARTIE | CATALOGUE DE L’ŒUVRE GRAVÉ | TOME I (II, III) | — | PARIS | ÉDITIONS DE LA GAZETTE DES BEAUX-ARTS | 106, Boulevard Saint-Germain (6e) | 1924 (1927, 1927) || Vol. 1 (1924): [4] [1] 2-122 [2], wrappers, plates 1-299; printed on September 15, 1924, by André Lesot (Nemours) and D. Jacomet et Cie (Paris). Vol. 2 (1927): [4] [1] 2-106 [2], wrappers, plates 300-652. Vol. 3 (1927): [4] [1] 2-128 [4], wrappers, plates 653-1428; printed on September 5, 1926, by Imprimerie moderne des Beaux-Arts (Bois-Colombes) and D. Jacomet et Cie (Paris). Contributors: Jules Lieure (French, 1866 – 1948) – author. Jacques Callot (French, c. 1592 – 1635) – artist. Gazette des Beaux-Arts (f. 1859) – publisher. François Courboin (French, 1865 – 1926) – author. D. Jacomet et Cie (Paris) – printer. Daniel Jacomet (French, 1894 – 1966) – printer. André Lesot (French, 1874-1951) – printer. Imprimerie moderne des Beaux-Arts (Bois-Colombes) Comte Alain de Suzannet (French, 1882 – 1950) – provenance.
  • Lithography poster on wove paper, 492 x 614 mm; black ink stamp “5036” to reverse, vertical centerfold. Image in frame; under the frame left: "J. B. Gadola, éditeur. Cours de Brosses 1, à LYON."; right: "Lith LAURANT & Cie r. de Bernardins 34, Paris." Title and text below the image. Jean-Baptiste Gadola (French, 1818 – 1870) – publisher.  
  • A two-volume set, published in Paris by P.-J. Hetzel in 1845 and 1846.

    Vol. 1:

    Title: LE | DIABLE A PARIS | — PARIS ET LES PARISIENS — | MŒURS ET COUTUMES, CARACTERES ET PORTRAITS DES HABITANTS DE PARIS, | TABLEAU COMPLET DE LEUR VIE PRIVEE, PUBLIQUE, POLITIQUE, | ARTISTIQUE, LITTERAIRE, INDUSTRIELLE, ETC., ETC. | TEXTE PAR MM. | GEORGE SAND — P.-J. STAHL — LEON GOZLAN — P. PASCAL — FREDERIC SOULIE — CHARLES NODIER | EUGENE BRIFFAULT — S. LAVALETTE — DE BALZAC — TAXILE DELORD — ALPHONSE KARR | MÉRY — A. JUNCETIS — GERARD DE NERVAL — ARSÈNE HOUSSAYE — ALBERT AUBERT — THÉOPHILE GAUTIER | OCTAVE FEUILLET — ALFRED DE MUSSET — FRÉDÉRIC BÉRAT | précédé d’une | HISTOIRE DE PARIS PAR THEOPHILE LAVALLÉE | ILLUSTRATIONS | LES GENS DE PARIS — SERIES DE GRAVURES AVEC LEGENDES | PAR GAVARNI | PARIS COMIQUE — VIGNETTES DE BERTALL | VUES, MONUMENTS, EDIFICES PARTICULIERS, LIEUX CÉLÈBRES ET PRINCIPAUX ASPECTS DE PARIS | PAR CHAMPIN, BERTRAND, D’AUBIGNY, FRANÇAIS. | [DEVICE] | PARIS | PUBLIÉ PAR J. HETZEL, | RUE RICHELIEU, 76 – RUE DE MÉNARS, 10. | 1845 ||

    Pagination: ffl, [2 – h.t. / Paris: Typographie Lacrampe et Comp., Rue Damiette, 2 ; Papeir de la fabrique de sainte-marie] [2 – blank / frontis. ‘Diable’ with lantern standing on map of Paris] [2 – t.p. /blank] [I] II-XXXII, [1] 2-380, bfl. Sheet size: 27.5 x 17.5 cm.

    Collation: 4to; A(4) – D(4), [1(4)] 2(4) – 47(4), 48(2); illustrations: frontispiece, vignette title-page, numerous text engravings and 99 plates.

    Vol. 2: Title: LE | DIABLE A PARIS | — PARIS ET LES PARISIENS — | MŒURS ET COUTUMES, CARACTERES ET PORTRAITS DES HABITANTS DE PARIS, | TABLEAU COMPLET DE LEUR VIE PRIVEE, PUBLIQUE, POLITIQUE, | ARTISTIQUE, LITTERAIRE, INDUSTRIELLE, ETC., ETC. | TEXTE PAR MM. | DE BALZAC — EUGÈNE SUE — GEORGE SAND — P.-J. STAHL — ALPHONSE KARR | HENRY MONNIER — OCTAVE FEUILLET — DE STENDAHL — LEON GOZLAN — S. LAVALETTE — ARMAND MARRAST | LAURENT-JAN —ÉDOUARD OURLIAC — CHARLES DE BOIGNE — ALTAROCHE — EUG. GUINOT | JULES JANIN — EUGENE BRIFFAULT — AUGUSTE BARBIER — MERQUIS DE VARENNES — ALFRED DE MUSSET | CHARLES NODIER — FRÉDÉRIC BÉRAT — A. LEGOYT| précédé d’une | GÉOGRAPHIE DE PARIS PAR THEOPHILE LAVALLÉE | ILLUSTRATIONS | LES GENS DE PARIS — SERIES DE GRAVURES AVEC LEGENDES | PAR GAVARNI | PARIS COMIQUE — PANTHÉON DU DIABLE A PARIS PAR BERTALL | VUES, MONUMENTS, EDIFICES PARTICULIERS, LIEUX CÉLÈBRES ET PRINCIPAUX ASPECTS DE PARIS | PAR CHAMPIN, BERTRAND, D’AUBIGNY, FRANÇAIS. | [DEVICE] | PARIS | PUBLIÉ PAR J. HETZEL, | RUE RICHELIEU, 76 – RUE DE MÉNARS, 10. | 1846 || Pp. : ffl, [2 – h.t. / Paris: Typographie Lacrampe et Comp., Rue Damiette, 2 ; Papeir de la fabrique de sainte-marie] [2 – t.p. /blank] [I] II-LXXX, [1] 2-364, bfl. Sheet size: 27.5 x 17.5 cm. Collation: 4to; A(4) – I(4) – J(4), 1(4), 2(4) – 45(4), 46(2); illustrations: vignette title-page, numerous text engravings and 112 plates.

    Binding: [allegedly Roger de Coverly (British, 1831 — 1914)], 28.2 x 19 cm, ¾ brown calf ruled in gilt, brown marbled boards, nonpareil marbled endpapers, raised and ruled in gilt bands, floral devices and title lettering to spine. AEG. Foxing to flyleaves, tips of corners just a very little rubbed as are the glazed marbled paper boards; endpapers foxed; very occasional light scattered foxing of text.

    Provenance: (1) Armorial bookplate (Ex Libris Sir John Whittaker Ellis, 1st Baronet (1829 – 1912), Lord Mayor of London 1881; (2) Bookplate Ex Libris Robert Frederick Green) dated 1909.

    Reference: L. Carteret (1927) pp. 203-207: the first edition, lacking the publisher's white pictorial wrappers.
  • Four parts bound in two 18mo volumes (1-2 & 3-4), half polished brown calf, dot-ruled, flat spine with gilt bands and lettering, marbled boards, some plates with guard sheets, margins sparkled red. Title-page: LES LIAISONS | DANGEREUSES, | Ou Lettres recueillies dans une | société, et publiées pour l’ins- | truction de quelques autres. | par  C….. de L… | — | J’ai vu les mœurs de mon temps, et j’ai publié | ces Lettres. | J. J. Rous. Préf. De la nouv. Hél. | PREMIÈRE PARTIE. | — | A GENEVE. | 1792. || Vol. 1: Pagination: ffep, blank, [2] – h.t., [i, ii] – t.p. part one, [iii] iv-xxij, [1] 2-245 [246] + 2 plates (p. 26 & p. 75); [1, 2] – h.t., [3, 4] – t.p. part two, [5] 6-233 [234], fep + 2 plates (p. 59 & p. 222). Collation: part 1: a12, A-M18 N5; part 2: A-M18 N9, plus four plates by various engravers after Le Barbier. Vol. 2: Pagination: ffep, blank, [1, 2] – h.t., [3, 4] – t.p. part three, [5] 6-225 [226] + 2 plates (p. 69 & p. 215); [1, 2] – h.t., [3, 4] – t.p. part four, [5] 6-250, fep + 2 plates (p. 25 & p. 201). Collation: part 3: A-M18 N5; part 4: A-N18 O5, plus four plates by various engravers after Le Barbier. Illustrations: After Le Barbier, engravers: Halbou (1), Simonet (1), N. Thomas (2), Dambrun (2), and Delignon (2). In the first illustration (vol. 1, part one, p. 26) Le Barbier signed “Le Barbier Jnv. 1794”, however, the edition was published (anonymously) in 1792. Cohen-De Ricci mentions an edition of 1794 (Paris: Maradan) and 1801 (Genéve) with the same plates. Lewine mentions a reprint of 1794 without naming the publisher. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-De Ricci: 234-5, Ray: p. 79; Lewine: 109-10. Contributors: Choderlos de Laclos, Pierre Ambroise François (French, 1741 – 1803) – author. Le Barbier, Jean-Jacques-François (French, 1738 – 1826) – artist Engravers: Dambrun, Jean (French, 1741 – c. 1808) Delignon, Jean Louis (French, 1755 – 1804) Halbou, Louis Michel (1730 – 1809) Thomas, N. (French, c. 1750 – 1812) Simonet, Jean-Baptiste Blaise (French, 1742 – 1813)
  • Title page: CHARLES VIRMAITRE | PARIS | qui s'efface | {publisher’s device} | PARIS | NOUVELLE LIBRAIRIE PARISIENNE | ALBERT SAVINE, ÉDITEUR | 18, RUE DROUOT, 18 | 1887 | Tous droits réservés. || Collation: Front pictorial wrapper, ffl, π3 1-1712 181, bfl, back wrapper w/publ. advert. Pagination: [6] [1-3] 4-314.
  • Vol. 1: Title: MÉMOIRES | DE | MONSIEUR CLAUDE | CHEF DE LA POLICE DE SURETÉ́ SOUS LE SECOND EMPIRE | {single rule} | PREMIER VOLUME | publisher’s device «JR» in oval} | PARIS | JULES ROUFF ET Cie, ÉDITEURS | 14, CLOITRE SAINT-HONORÉ, 14 | {single rule} || Pagination: [4] – h.t., t.p., [1-3] – engraved t.p. w/portrait, 3-800 [4], in-text and full-page woodcuts; last two leaves (table) has numbered pages 1000 and 1001; the total number of pages 808. Collation: 4to; π2 [1]4 2-1004 Ω2, woodcuts by Quesnel and Ferdinandus, within collation; the total number of leaves 404. Vol. 2: Title: Same but “DEUXIEME VOLUME” Pagination: [4] – h.t., t.p., [801-2] – frontis., 803-2010, [6] – assassinats, [4] – table, in-text and full-page woodcuts; last two leaves (table) has numbered pages 2018 and 2019; the total number of pages 1224. Collation: 4to; π2 101-2524 Ω2, woodcuts by Quesnel and Ferdinandus, within collation; the total number of leaves 612. Binding: Two volumes 28 x 20.5 cm each, uniformly bound in quarter polished brown calf over marbled boards, blind-stamped florets and gilt lettering to spine, marbled endpapers. Contributors: Claude, Antoine (French, 1807 – 1880) – declared author of the text. Labourieu, Théodore (French, 1822 – 1889) – assumed author of the text. Quesnel, Désiré Mathieu (French, 1843 – 1915) – woodcut printmaker. Ferdinandus, Alexandre [Avenet, François] (French, 1850 – 1888) – illustrator. D. Bardin et Cie – printer. Jules Rouff (French, 1846 – 1927) – publisher. Jules Rouff et Cie (Paris, 1873 – 1982) – publisher. Note: Common opinion is that the text was produced by Théodore Labourieu, not by, Antoine Claude. The first edition was published by the same publisher in 10 volumes in wrappers without illustrations, between 1880 and 1883, after the death of Antoine Claude. As stated in WorldCat: “not written or sanctioned by him.” This two-volume edition was published later, with multiple woodcuts.
  • Title-page: DORAT | LES BAISERS | PRÉCÉDÉS | DU MOIS DE MAI | POÈME | COMPOSITIONS ORIGINALES | DE | BRUNELLESCHI | EDDIS | 1947 || Description: 23.3 x 19 cm, French slapped wrappers, sunned and heavy foxed, without a slipcase; [1-6] (h.t. with owner’s inscription / limitation with № 18, t.p., d.t.p.),  7-137 [138] [6] (colophon) plus 23 stencil-coloured (au pochoir) photogravure plates after Umberto Brunelleschi, his head- and tailpieces (total 60 designs). Printed by Gaston Maillet & Cie in Saint-Ouen on April 15, 1947. Photogravure by Deberni and Peignot under direction of R. Perrot. Limitation: 3,000 copies numbered 1 to 3,000 of which 500 copies on Vélin de Luxe (1–500) enriched with two suites of plates, one in colour and one toned, before letters; 2,500 on Vélin de Fabrication Spéciale of which copies numbered 500–1,000 enriched with one suite before letters, and 2,000 copies numbered 1,001–3,000. Besides, there are 200 additional copies numbered with Roman numbers reserved for foreign bibliophiles. This particular copy bears number 18, however, I don’t think it is printed on Vélin de Luxe, whatever it is, and does not have an extra suite of plates. Owner’s inscription pasted to h.t.: A Denise ce livre audacieux | mais qui par son art sait | tout faire pardonner — | Jane Darboy. Provenance: Jane Darboy (French, fl. 1932 – 1948) – a French writer.
  • Title: PARIS | Tel qu'il est Aujourd'hui | OR | PLAN OF PARIS | At the Present day. 1800 | From a Drawing deposited in the Archieves of the National Library at Paris | Menzies sculpt. || Contributor: Menzies, John (British, fl. c. 1792 – 1851) – engraver. Ref: Gallica.