//Laid paper
  • 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, 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.    
  • Hardcover, 19 x 13.8 cm, crimson buckram with tan paper label with lettering to spine; printed on laid paper; pp.: ffl [i-vi] vii-x] 11-184, collation 8vo, 1-118 124, total 92 leaves. Title-page: AMERICAN ENGRAVERS | AND | THEIR WORKS | BY | W. S. BAKER | Collige et inscribe | PHILADELPHIA | GEBBIE & BARRIE PUBLISHERS | 1875 || Motto: Collige et inscribe [Collect and record, lat.] Contributors: William Spohn Baker (American, 1824 – 1897) – author. George Gebbie (American, 1832 – 1892) – publisher. George Barrie (American, 1843 – 1918) – publisher. George R. Bonfield (British-American, 1802 – 1898) – dedicatee.
  • 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.
  • Hardcover volume, collated 18mo, 130 x 85 mm (2 parts in one). Contemporary burgundy morocco outlined with gilt triple fillet, flat spine gilt in compartments, brown morocco label gilt, all edges gilt, gilt dentelle, text printed on slightly blue laid paper with illegible watermark; dark blue endpapers, Tony Fekete (T. F.) bookplate by Wahorn to front pastedown. Frontispiece and 14 engraved plates by Elluin after Borel, with guard tissue. Graphite ms to h.t.: "Figures de Borrel. | Gravées pr. Elluin." Title-page: NOUVELLE TRADUCTION | DE | WOMAN OF PLEASUR, | OU | FILLE DE JOIE. | PAR M. CLELAND, | CONTENANT les Mémoires | de Mademoiselle FANNY, | écrits par elle – même. | AVEC FIGURES | — | PREMIERE (SECONDE) PARTIE. | — | ~ | A LONDRES; | Chez G. FENTON, dans le Strand; | — | M. DCC. LXXVI. || Collation: 18mo throughout A-O12/6, total 126 leaves plus 15 plates, incl. frontispiece. Pagination: separate for each part [1-5] 6-119 [120 blank], [1-3] 4-132, total 252 pages. Provenance: Tony Fekete (Christie’s 2014, № 54, p. 37; Price realized GBP 11,875): “[CLELAND, John (1709-1789).] Nouvelle traduction de Woman of Pleasur [sic] ou Fille de Joie. Contenant les Mémoires de Mademoiselle Fanny, écrits par elle-même. London [but Paris]: G. Fenton [Cazin], 1776. 2 volumes in one, duodecimo (128 x 80 mm). Printed on blue tinted paper. Frontispiece and 14 engraved plates on thick white paper by Elluin after Borel. (Short tear repaired in the margin of one plate, another plate with a faint dampstain touching the facing leaf of text.) Contemporary burgundy morocco, flat spine gilt in compartments, morocco label gilt, covers with a gilt triple fillet border, gilt edges, blue endpapers. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 18TH-CENTURY ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THIS CELEBRATED EROTIC NOVEL. An excellent copy bound in contemporary morocco. It is the second translation into French, but the first to include the exquisite plates by Elluin after Borel. These are some of the best illustrations by this remarkable partnership responsible for a number of important 18th-century libertine texts. Cohen-DeRicci 242-3; Dutel A-407 ; Gay-Lemonnyer II, 304; Pia Enfer, 915.” Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (I) A-407, p. 134; Cohen-DeRicci 242-3; Fekete (Christie's) 54, p. 37. Contributors: John Cleland (British, c. 1709 – 1789). François-Rolland Elluin (French, 1745 – c. 1822) Antoine Borel (French, 1743 – 1810) Hubert-Martin Cazin (French, 1724 – 1795) András Wahorn (Hungarian, b. 1953) Fekete, Tony Laszlo (Hungarian, b. 1972)
  • Publisher’s peach cloth box 555 x 410 mm with coloured lithograph on the lid, autographed with crayons "Le Cirque | 14 LITHOGRAPHIES | DE | {vignette} | Vertes"; in-folio unbound 4 pp. booklet on laid paper watermarked “Marais” and 14 loose leaves of plates on laid paper 520 x 395 mm without a watermark with coloured lithographs signed “Vertes” and numbered “195/250” in pencil; interleaved with tracing paper. Box and plates foxed. Title-page (red and black): LE | CIRQUE | 14 LITHOGRAPHIES DE | VERTÈS | PRÉSENTÉ | PAR | JEAN COCTEAU || Imprint: LES LIVES MERVEILLEUX | MONACO | Il a été tiré de cet album : | 150 Exemplaires, | destinés à | l'Amérique, | distribués bar les soins de | Arthur H. Harlow | de New-York, | & | 100 Exemplaires, | réservés à la France. | 15 Avril 1949 || Limitation: Edition limited to 250 copies (150 for USA, 100 for France); this is copy № 195 printed for France as the American copies marked “Published by Arthur H. Harlow & Co., New York. Seller’s Description: VERTÈS, Marcel (Hungarian-French, 1895-1961). Le Cirque 14 Lithographies de Vertès. Présénte par Jean Cocteau. [Monaco: Les Livres Merveilleux, 1949]. [vi] pp. With all 14 lithographs, each signed by the artist and numbered “195/250”. Text and lithographs 15 ¼ x 20 ½”. In original publisher’s peach cloth box with printed label on lid (box foxed, soiled, lightly worn; lithographs and text foxed). Still, a very good example of this lovely collection, with an introduction by Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). Catalogue Raisonné: Vokaer № 50. Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist. Arthur H. Harlow (American, c. 1877 – 1958) – publisher. Jean Cocteau (French, 1889 – 1963) – author.
  • Softcover, french flapped wrappers, 29 x 19 cm, in glassine dustjacket, text printed on laid paper, pp.: [1-10] 11-256 [8], total 264 pages plus 11 plates out of 12, hand-coloured etchings on wove paper laid in, extraneous to collation. Wrappers detached from the block. Some pages uncut. Below is the missing plate, according to honesterotica.com: Title-page: LES FILLES | DE LOTH | • | et autres poèmes | érotiques | recueillis par le | Vidame de Bozegy | • | A SODOME | — Imprimerie de la Genèse — | 1933 || Edition limited to 500 copies, this is copy № 54. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 1575. Edmond Dardenne Bernard [Vidame de Bozegy] (French, 20th c.) – author. André Collot (French, 1897 – 1976) – artist.
  • Owner’s wrappers, 28 x 21 cm, printed on laid paper, unpaginated, collated ffl, [A, B]4 C-G4, 2 ffl; total 28 leaves plus 5 engraved plates by Allegrini after Mariotti; engraved title-page (Vercruys after Soderini), head- and tailpieces (Gregori after del Moro) and initials. Owner's label to front pastedown: Marc Burdinprêtre.  Title-page (engraved, red and black): IOANNIS BAPTISTAE PASSERI | PISAUREN. NOB. EUGUBINI | DE TRIBUS VASCULIS ETRUSCIS | ENCAUSTICE PICTIS | A CLEMENTE XIIII. | P.O.M. | IN MUSEUM VATICANUM INLATIS | DISSERTATIO. | {VIGNETTE} | FLORENTIAE. MDCCLXXII. | ~ | in Typographia Moückiana. Cum adprobat. || Dedication: ANTIQVARIAE. ERVDITIONIS. PROPAGATORI EXIMIO ABSOLVTISSIMAM . HANC. DISSERTATIONEM CLARISS. PASSERII DE . IMAGINIBVS . ET . SYMBOLIS TRIVM . VASORVM . ETRVSCI . OPERIS QVAE PRINCIPIS. NOSTRI.SANCTISS. ET. SAPIENTISS. LARGITATE IN . VATICANVM . MVSEVM A. SE. CVMVLATISSIME . DITATVM INVE CTA . FVERVNT REGINALDVS.COMES.ANSIDAEVS.PATR.PERVS. M. A. CARD. PRONEPOS DEVOTVS. NOMINI . MAIESTATIQVE . EIVS DEMISSISSIME. Translation: "To the most excellent promoter of antiquities, the most accomplished: This most complete dissertation concerning the images and symbols of three Etruscan vases, which were most abundantly bestowed by our most holy and wise Prince onto the Vatican museum, was composed by the illustrious Passerius. Reginald, Count of Ansidius, true ancestral father, grandson by blood of the Cardinal, devoted most humbly and devoutly to his name and majesty." NoteP.O.M. stands for "Papa Optimo Maximo", which translates to "Father Most Excellent." For a similar vase in this collection, see VO-0098. This vase is attributed to Apulia, ca. 330 BCE. Probably, Passeri was wrong in attributing this type of vessel to Etruscan vase painting, produced from the 7th through the 4th centuries BC. Contributors: Giovanni Battista Passeri (Italian, 1694 – 1780) – author. Francesco Moücke (Italian, fl. 1729 – 1787) – publisher. Pope Clement XIV [Ganganelli, Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio] (Italian, 1705 – 1774) – dedicatee. Artists:  Mauro Soderini (Italian, 1704 – after 1751) Carlo Spiridione Mariotti (Italian, 1726 – 1790) Lorenzo del Moro (Italian, 1677 – 1735) Engravers: Theodor Vercruys [Teodoro Vercruysse] (Dutch, 1678 – 1739) Francesco Allegrini da Gubbio (Italian, 1587 – 1663) Carlo Bartolomeo Gregori (Italian, 1702 – 1759)
  • Two hardcover volumes 22.7 x 18.5 x 4.5 cm, uniformly bound in contemporary vellum with a blind border along the edges, handwritten title to spine, printed on laid paper with watermarks to ffls: “Leonard”, “ISRB”, and the arms of Amsterdam. Vol. 1: SPIEGEL van STAAT | des | VEREENIGDE | NEDERLANDS. | Waar in | De Macht en 't Vry Bestier, | Van yder der Zeven Verbonde PROVINCIEN en haar | byzondere Steeden, | Zo in Rechten als Regeeringen werd ontvouwd. | Aanwyzende | Aan, de In, en Uytheemschen, alle de Hooge en Lage Recht- | banken, Collegien en Ampten, dewelke in de zelve, tot | dienst van den Staat, en het Recht, zyn ingesteld. | Hoe, wanneer en waar, voor de zelve yets te verrichten is. | DOOR | Mr: ROMYN de HOOGHE. | EERSTE DEEL: | {fleuron} | t’ AMSTERDAM, | — | By JAN TEN HOORN, Boekverkooper 1706. Collation: 2ffl, *-**4, A-Z4 2A-Z4 3A-O4 4A-G4 5A-S4 6A-F4, 2ffl, (4G2 marked 3G2), total 372 leaves, plus 8 folded leaves of plates, t.p., and half-page vignette dedication by Romeyn de Hooghe. Pagination: [16], 1-267, 268-270 (marked 468-470) 271-480, [2] 3-55 [56], [2] 3-143 [144], [2] 3-44 [4], total 744 pages, ils. Vol. 2: SPIEGEL van STAAT. | VERVATTENDE | DE MACHT DER | GENERALITEYT. | De Edele Mogende Collegiën, | Hooge Rechtbaken, Steden, Schansen | en Onderhoorigheeden, | Welke van Hoog Mogende af angen. | DOOR | Mr: ROMYN de HOOGHE. | TWEEDE DEEL. | Met Figuuren. | {fleuron} | Te AMSTERDAM, | — | By JAN TEN HOORN, | Boekverkooper, 1707. Collation: 2ffl, *-**4, ***2, A-Z4 2A-T4, (A-Z)4, (2A-V)4 X2, 2ffl, total 352 leaves plus 9 folded leaves of plates, t.p., and half-page vignette dedication by Romeyn de Hooghe. Pagination: [20], 1-335 [336], 1-339 [340] [8], total 704 pages, ils. Contributors: Romeyn de Hooghe (Dutch, 1645 – 1708) Jan ten Hoorn (Dutch, fl. 1671 – 1715)
  • Hardcover volume 28.5 x 19 cm, bound in brown wrinkled buckram with framed gilt lettering and fleurons to front and framed gilt lettering to spine, in a pictorial dust jacket, green and yellow floral diaper endpapers, printed on laid paper, bottom and outer margins untrimmed. Collation: Eight unnumbered pages of text in English, incl. bibliography, plus 45 unnumbered leaves of plates (photomechanical) with captions in French. Facsimile reproduction of the published in ca. 1907-1908 ‘La grande danse macabre des vifs’, which can be loosely translated as ‘The great strange dance of life’ or ‘The great dance of death by the living’. Title-page: THE | SATYRICAL | DRAWINGS OF | MARTIN VAN MAELE | {vignette} | THE CYTHERA PRESS NEW YORK || SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MAURICE FRANÇOIS ALFRED MARTIN VAN MAËLE [MARTIN VAN MAËLE] (FRENCH, 1863 – 1926) (ANONYMOUS). Sweet Seventeen. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1910. ANSON, MARGUERITE. Une Société de flagellantes. — Paris: Charles Carrington. 1902. 31 illustrations by Van Maele and A. Lambrecht. Translation of The Merry Order of St. Bridget. APULEUS, LUCIUS. Les Métamorphoses, ou l’âne d'or. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1905. Translation of The Golden Ass. The same Van Maele plates were probably used by the publisher for his English translation of the same work (Paris, 1904). ARETINO, PIETRO. Les Dialogues. 2 volumes. — Paris: Au Cabinet du Livre. 1927. Only the textual illustrations are by Van Maele. The other plates are by Viset. This is believed to be the Iast book that Van Maele illustrated. DESROIX, JACQUES. La Gynécocratte. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1902.  Translation of Gynecocracy. FRANCE, ANATOLE. Thaïs. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1901. English translation. JUSANGE. PIERRE DE. La Comtesse au foulet. — Paris: Collection des Orties Blanches, s.d. SACHER-MASOCH. La Vénus a la fourrure. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1902. VAN MAELE, MARTIN. La Grande Danse macabre des vifs. — Paris: Charles Carrington, ca. 1907-8. VERLAINE, PAUL. La Trilogie érotique. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1907. Reprinted, Brussels, 1931. The original edition is rare. VILLIOT, JEAN DE. Camille et moi. — Paris: Charles Carrington, 1904. Translation of Frank and I. VILLIOT, JEAN DE. Dix-sept ans. — Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles Parisiens, Charles Carrington, 1905. Translation of Sweet Seventeen. VILLIOT, JEAN DE. La Flagellation amoureuse. — Paris: Charles Carrington. 1904. VILLIOT, JEAN DE. La Flagellation des femmes en Allemagne. — Paris: Charles Carrington. 1901. Translation of Nell in Bridewell. VILLIOT, JEAN DE. Volées de bois vert. — Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles Parisiens, Charles Carrington, 1905. (ANONYMOUS): Flèches de plomb. BAUDELAIRE, CHARLES. Les Fleurs du mal. BERANGER. Chansons érotiques. CHODER LOS DE LACLOS. Les Liaisons dangereuses. — Paris: 1908. GAUTIER, THEOPHILE. Lettre au Président. HARAUCOURT. Légende des sexes. — Paris, 1908. MICHELET, JULES. La Sorcière. — Paris, 1911.
  • Hardcover volume, 24 x 15 cm, bound in quarter parchment over pale blue cloth, paper label to spine, pale blue dust jacket with a paper label, another label bound in at the end, printed on thick laid paper, untrimmed, uncut, pp. [4] blank, [2] blank/advert., [2] h.t./blank, t.p./imprint (riverside press Ltd.), [2] limitation/blank, [2] persons/blank, [1] 2-185 [3], photogravure portrait frontispiece by Emery Walker with captioned tissue guard. Title-page: The SECRET AGENT | A DRAMA IN THREE ACTS | by | JOSEPH CONRAD | LONDON | Privately Printed for Subscribers ONLY BY | T. WERNER LAURIE LTD. | 1923 || Edition: Limited edition of 1,000 copies sighed by the author; this is copy № 12. Catalogue Raisonné: Keating № 79 / p. 169. Seller’s Description: one of 1000 copies signed by the author, photogravure portrait frontispiece by Emery Walker, endpapers lightly browned, original parchment-backed boards, dust-jacket, spine lightly browned with 2 small staining spots, ends a little creased, uncut and unopened, overall an excellent copy, 8vo, 1923. Contributors: Joseph Conrad (Polish-British, 1857 – 1924) – author. Thomas Werner Laurie (British, 1866 – 1944) – publisher. Emery Walker (British, 1851 – 1933) – artist. The Riverside Press Limited (Edinburgh) – printer. First edition: [LIB-2762.2021] Joseph Conrad. The secret agent: a simple tale. — London: Methuen & Co., [1907]
  • 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.
  • Hardcover volume, 8vo, 21.5 x 14.5 cm, bound by Riviere & Son (stamped on fep verso bottom) in full brown calf, boards with triple gilt fillet border and gilt dentelle inside, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, black label with gilt lettering, all margins gilt, blue endpapers, bookplate of Arthur Rau pasted to front pastedown (text: Les hommes sont méchants mais leurs livres sont bons / Arthur Rau; signed: E. H. New – A.D. 1922), traces of removed owner’s label to fep recto; printed on laid paper. Title-page (engraved, in floral frame): LE TEMPLE | DE GNIDE. | Mis en Vers | Par M. Colardeau | {vignette with portrait of Pierre Corneille} | A PARIS | Chez le Jay, Libraire, Rue St. Jacques au dessus de | celle des Mathurins au Grand Corneille || Collation: 2 blanks, h.t., engraved t.p. with a portrait of Pierre Corneille, a8, A-E8 F4 (52 leaves), 2 blanks, plus 7 plates by various engravers after Charles Monnet. Pagination: [i] ii-xvi, [1] 2-88 (104 pp). Ref: MFA (Boston): accession number 37.1747 Catalogue raisonné: Lewine 114, Cohen-DeRicci 245-6. Contributors: Charles Monnet (French, 1732 – after 1808) – artist. Engravers:  Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721 – 1777) Nicolas Delaunay (French, 1739 – 1792) Isidore Stanislas Helman (French, 1743 – 1806) Louis Joseph Masquelier (French, 1741 – 1811) François Denis Née (French, 1735 – 1818) Nicholas Ponce (French, 1746 – 1831) Portrait(s) designed by: Guillaume Voiriot (French, 1713 – 1799) Author: Charles-Pierre Colardeau (French, 1732 – 1776) Publisher: Edmé-Jean Le Jay (French, 1734 – 1795) Bookplate artist: Edmund Hort New (British, 1871 – 1931) Provenance: Arthur Rau (British, 1898 – 1972); his obituary can be found in The Book Collector 1973, vol. 22, n°1, p. 86-89. According to the genealogy service Geni, Arthur Aron Rau was born to Jacob Aryeh Rau and Katharina (Kaethe) Rau, and has a sister Cecilia (Tsipporah) Rosenfelder and a brother Frederick Solomon Rau. He went to Oxford and then joined Maggs Brothers in their Paris establishment. "After some years there, he set up on his own, returning to England at the outbreak of the Second World War to be a schoolmaster for ten years". In 1949 he returned to Paris and retired in 1963, "and his last years he happily spent in Wensleydale...". All he published during his lifetime were two catalogues, Livres Rares Et Anciens. Manuscrits et Autographes. — Paris: Arthur Rau, 1932-3 and Cinquante Tres Beaux Livres Avec Un Appendice. — Paris: Arthur Rau, 1933. He also contributed to The Book Collector.
    Seller’s description: In-8° : [2]-t. gr.-xvi-88 pp. ; 7 h.-t. (qqs rouss.). - Poème d'après le roman de Montesquieu ill. de 7 eaux-fortes par Bacquoy, Delaunay, Née, etc., d'après Charles Monnet. Titre gr. orné d'un portr. de Corneille. Cohen, qui cite un ex. millésimé 1773, signale des ex. avec la date de 1772 ou sans date. - Réf. Cohen 245-246. - Conlon 72:675 (éd. à l'adresse d'Amsterdam et Paris, 1772). - Pas dans Reynaud. - Prov. Arthur Rau (1898-1972), gérant de la librairie Maggs à Paris avant d'ouvrir sa propre librairie en 1932 (ex-libris gr. par E.H. New, 1922 ; réf. BnF). - Traces d'ex-libris décollé à la garde sup.
  • Hardcover volume, 20.4 x 13.1 cm, quarter contemporary calf over modern brown marbled board, printed on laid paper, pp.: [i-v] vi-xii, [13] 14-259 [260] blank; collated 8vo: 1-168 172; total 130 leaves. Title-page: DES | SOCIÉTÉS SECRÈTES | EN ALLEMAGNE, | ET EN D'AUTRES CONTREES; | DE LA SECTE DES ILLUMINÉS DU TRIBUNAL | SECRET, DE L'ASSASSINAT DE KOTZEBUE, ETC. | {two lines in rules} | PARIS, | LIBRAIRIE DE GIDE, FILS, | RUE SAINT–MARC–FEYDEAU, No. 20. | 1819. || Contributors: Vincent Lombard de Langres (French, 1765 – 1830)  – author. Théophile-Étienne Gide (French, 1767 – 1837) – publisher. Seller's description: [LOMBARD DE LANGRES (Vincent)]. Des Sociétés secrètes en Allemagne, et en d'autres contrées. Paris, Gide fils, 1819 ; in 8°, demi basane fauve, dos lisse orné. Reliure de l'époque. Edition originale rare. L'auteur, révolutionnaire, fut ami de Danton et de Barras. Dans son ouvrage anti maçonnique, il dévoile les doctrines des sociétés secrètes, leurs principes, leur influence dans la société. Caillet 6770.  
  • Hardcover, 28.3 x 22.5 cm, two volumes bound in one in full navy crushed morocco by Zaehnsdorf for E. Joseph (signed), border fillet and red and gilt lettering to front, spine with raised bands outlined in gilt, red and gilt lettering in compartments, gilt dentelle, blue moire endpapers, all margins gilt; one of the original wrappers preserved, 14 tissue-guarded colour woodcuts after Alastair; text in black with red titles and initials (hand-set type), and the illustrations printed on watermarked ‘Moirans’ laid paper. Title-page (red and black): Les Liaisons Dangereuses | by | CHODERLOS DE LACLOS | With Illustrations | by | ALASTAIR | THE BLACK SUN PRESS | DEUX RUE CARDINALE | PARIS | MCMXXIX || Limitation: a print run of 1020 copies: 15 on Japon, 1000 on Moirans and 5 NFS; this is copy № 143 (vol. 1) and 303 (vol. 2) Contributors: Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (French, 1741 – 1803) – author. Ernest Christopher Dowson (British, 1867 – 1900) – translator. Alastair [Hans-Henning Baron von Voigt] (German, 1887 – 1969) – artist. Comte Ulric de Civry (French, 1853 – 1935) – dedicatee. Black Sun Press (1927 – 1970) – publishing company. Harry Crosby (American, 1898 – 1929) – publisher. Caresse Crosby [Mary Phelps Jacob] (American, 1892 – 1970) – publisher. Joseph William Zaehnsdorf (Austrian, 1853 – 1930) – bookbinder.        
  • 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
  • Binding: Hardcover, 25.5 x 17.8 x 4.7 cm, collated 4to, ¾ brown crushed morocco, bordered with gilt double fillet, raised bands, gilt fleurons in compartments, gelt lettering, marbled endpapers, top margin gilt; text printed on laid paper; frontis. on wove paper. Title-page: L'OEUVRE | DE | MOREAU LE JEUNE | — | CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ ET DESCRIPTIF | AVEC NOTES ICONOGRAPHIQUES ET BIBLIOGRAPHIQUES | PAR | M.- J.- F. MAHÉRAULT | ANCIEN CONSEILLER D’ÉTAT | ORNÉ D’UN PORTRAIT DE L’AUTEUR PAR LE RAT | ET PRÉCÉDÉ D’UNE NOTICE BIOGRAPHIQUE | PAR | Émile de Najac | {publisher’s device} | PARIS | ADOLPHE LABITTE | LIBRAIRE DE LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE | 4, RUE DE LILLE, 4 | – | 1880 || Collation: ffl, π2 (h.t., t.p.), a4 b2 1-674 682, 4ffl; total 278 leaves within flyleaves plus engraved frontispiece portrait of M.-J.-F. Mahérault by Paul Edme Le Rat w/tissue guard. Pagination: [4] [i] ii-xi [xii blank], [1] 2-538 (with page 538 erroneously numbered 568) [2 colophon/blank]; total 556 pages, ils. Contributors: Jean Michel Moreau [Moreau le Jeune] (French, 1741 – 1814) – artist, character. Marie Joseph François Mahérault (French, (1795 – 1879) – author, text. Comte Émile de Najac (French, 1828 – 1889) – author, biography. Paul-Edme Le Rat (French, 1849 – 1892) – artist, engraver. Adolphe Labitte (French, 1832 – 1882) – publisher. Georges Chamerot (French, 1845 – 1922) – printer.
  • Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni I [歌川豊国] (1769–1825). Pubisher: Enshūya Matabei (遠州屋又兵衛) (c. 1768 – 1881), seal name: Enmata [ 遠又]. Signed: Toyokuni ga [豊国画]. Date-aratame censor seal: 未改, Bunsei 6 (1823). Size: uchiwa-e; 233 x 262 mm. Ref: Israel Goldman. Japanese Prints, Paintings and Books / Catalogue 28, 2022: № 14.