//Laid paper
  • 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.

  • Volume bound by Boichot (signed on front pastedown), 25.3 x 20.2 cm in a 25.9 x 20.3 slipcase, the book and the case uniformly in beige, brown, and blue diaper paper with a navy blue label with gilt lettering to book's spine, top edge gilt, J.-P. Dutel’s bookplate to fep, portfolio cover preserved. Pp.: [1-4] 5-37 [38 blank]; collated 4to, 13 2-54; total 19 leaves (38 pages), plus 12 plates coloured in stencil technique (pochoir), produced after watercolours by Gerda Wegener in c. 1917 on Arches or Whatman laid paper, watermarked. Each illustration bears a small masquerade mask at the bottom as a signature. Text printed on laid paper without a watermark; starting from 2nd gathering, the text printed on recto only; minor traces of water stain to some pages. Title-page (red and black): ALEXANDRE DE VÉRINEAU | Douze Sonnets lascifs | pour accompagner la suite d’aquarelles intitulée | Les Délassements d’Éros | {vignette medallion} | ÉROTOPOLIS | A L’ENSEIGNE DU FAUNE | 1925 || First edition, first printing (incl. plates); clandestine. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel 1356, 1434; Pia 363/4; Noedmann I 310; Fekete 221. Contributors: Louis Perceau (French, 1883 – 1942) – author (see LIB-2633.2021: Guillaume Apollinaire, Fernand Fleuret, Louis Perceau. L'enfer de la Bibliothèque Nationale. — Paris: Mercure de France, 1913). Gerda Wegener (Danish, 1886 – 1940) – artist. Maurice Duflou (French, 1885 – 1951) – publisher. Boichot – bookbinder.
  • GEORGE CRUIKSHANK | A CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ | OF THE WORK EXECUTED | DURING THE YEARS 1806-1877 | WITH COLLATIONS, NOTES, APPROXIMATE VALUES, | FACSIMILES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS | BY | ALBERT M. COHN | Author of A Bibliographical Catalogue of the Printed | Works Illustrated By George Cruikshank, etc. | LONDON |FROM THE OFFICE OF "THE BOOKMAN'S JOURNAL" | 7 HENRIETTA STREET, STRAND, W.C.2 | 1924. Pagination: ffl, [i, ii] – h.t. / Limited edition (122 of 500), [2] – blank / frontis. lith. portrait of G. Cruikshank w/guard, [iii, iv] – t.p. / printed in G.B., [v, vi] – dedicat. / blank, vii-xvi; [1, 2] – f.t. / blank, 3-375, [376] – Imprint., bfl; 31 leaves of plates, some mounted. Binding: size 30 x 24 x 5.5 cm, hardcover, bevelled boards, original brown cloth with gilded lettering to spine. Top edge gilt, other untrimmed; printed on laid paper. To front pastedown: "Ex libris – Fred Robison Heryer" (round, 55 mm, resembles a coin, printed on heavy gold-coloured foil with embossed lettering and an image of a seated man lettered ALEXANDROY in Greek. To back pastedown: Seller's sticker "From the book of J.W.Robinson Co., Seventh & Grand, Los Angeles." J. W. Robinson Co. – a chain of department stores, established by Joseph Winchester Robinson (American, 1846 – 1891). Some Fred Robison Heryer (American, 1907 – 1992) died in Kansas.
  • Title: FLATLAND | A Romance of Many Dimensions | With Illustrations | by the Author, A SQUARE | “fie, fie, how franticly I square may talk!” | NEW AND REVISED EDITION | LONDON | SEELEY & Co., 46, 47 & 48, ESSEX STREET, STRAND | (Late of 54 Fleet Street) | 1884 || Pagination: 2 blank leaves, [2] – h.t. / blank, [2] – t.p. / imprint., [2] – dedication / blank, [ix] x-xvi, [1, 2] f.t. / blank, [3] 4-102, 2 blank leaves; in-text woodcuts. Collation: [A]8 B-H8. Binding: original wrappers in pictorial parchment jacket, printed on laid paper, lower and lateral margins untrimmed. Note: This is the 2nd edition published the same year as the 1st, revised, as stated. I did not compare the two, neither I am planning to acquire the first 1st edition in a foreseeable future. This is a lifetime edition, handled by the Author himself, and that's enough for me to be quite happy.
  • Title: A CONRAD | MEMORIAL LIBRARY | THE COLLECTION OF | GEORGE T. KEATING | {Conrad's portrait in a circle} | 1929 | Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. | Garden City, New York || Pagination: [2] – blanks, [i-vi] vii-xvi, [1-2] 3-448 [449-450], [2] – blanks, [2] – justification (501 copies printed, 425 for sale, this is № 365), verso blank, plus frontispiece – a colour portrait of sitting Mr Conrad from the painting by Walter Tittle with lettered tissue guard; the total number of pages 472; 304 items recordered and described. Binding: 27 x 19.5 cm, bevelled boards, blue cloth, white embossed head portrait of Conrad pasted to front board, spine sunned to green-yellowish, paper label with lettering to spine, top edge gilt, other untrimmed, printed on laid paper; in a black buckram slipcase with a green label to spine. Contributors: Joseph Conrad [Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski] (British-Polish, 1857 – 1924) George Thomas Keating (American, 1892 – 1976) – author Printer: R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company Richard Robert Donnelley (American, 1838 – 1899) Publisher: Doubleday, Doran & Co. Frank Nelson Doubleday (American, 1862 – 1934) George Henry Doran (American, 1869 – 1956) Tittle, Walter (American, 1883 – 1966) – artist (portrait)
  • LA PUCELLE | D'ORLÉANS, | POËME HÉROÏ-COMIQUE, | EN DIX-HUIT CHANTS. |{vignette}| A GENEVE. | M. DCC.LXXXVIII.|| Pagination: engraved frontis., engraved portrait, [1, 2] – t.p. / blank, [3] 4-304; plates: engraved frontispiece, engraved portrait of Jeanne d'Arc and 18 engraved plates (the so-called 'suite anglaise' by Marillier, Clément-Pierre (French, 1740 – 1808) after Duflos, Pierre (French, 1742 – 1816). Publisher: Cazin, Hubert-Martin (French, 1724 – 1795). Modern binding to imitate full mottled calf of the 18th century, gilt double-ruled boards, gilt decorated spine with the crimson label “LA PUCELLE”, AEG, laid paper. Size: 13.3 x 8.7 cm; 18mo. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen, De Ricci 1032 (for 1777 and 1780 editions). J. Lewine p.559 (for 1777 16mo and even 12mo editions). The 'correct' 1st thus edition is called suite anglaise because instead of 'chant number' it's printed 'book number' on top of the pages. This copy is definitely a later pirated edition.
  • 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.  
  • Softcover volume, 17.5 x 11 cm, in-12, brown wrappers without lettering, text printed on laid paper, six plates on India paper barbarously glued in, pp.: fep, [4] (h.t. t.p.), [1-3] 4-182, fep. Title-page (red and black): L’ENFANT | DU | BORDEL | OU | LES AVENTURES DE CHÉRUBIN | – | NOUVELLE ÉDITION | ORNÉE DE SIX GRAVURES SUR ACIER | {fleuron} | Sur l’imprimé de Paris MDCCC | LE MANS | A L’ENSEIGNE DES CITOYENS DU MAINE || Catalogue raisonné: Dutel I: A-325; Pia 395: 222 pages (we have 182 as per Dutel), attributes publication to Poulet-Malassis, 1866. Catalogue Poulet-Malassis & ses amis description: № 82.[PIGAULT-LEBRUN]. L’Enfant du Bordel, ou Les Aventures de Chérubin, nouvelle édition, ornée de six gravures sur acier. Sur l’imprimé de Paris, MDCCC, Le Mans, à l’enseigne des citoyens du Maine. [A. Christiaens, 1875 ?]. In-12, broché. 2 .n.ch., 182 pages, 1 f. blanc, couverture muette en papier vieux orange. Illustré de 6 figures hors-texte sur acier. Bibliographie : G* 553 (40 frs), Dutel A-325. Contributors: Guillaume Charles Antoine Pigault de l'Espinoy [Pigault-Lebrun] (French, 1753 – 1835) – author. Alexis Christiaens (Belgian, d. 1880) – publisher.
  • Title page: PHROSINE | ET | MELIDORE, | POËME | EN QUATRE CHANTS. | A MESSINE, | Et se trouve A Paris, | Chez Le Jay, Libraire, au Grand Corneille, | rue S. Jacques. | M. DCC. LXXII. || Pagination : ffl, [2] – h.t. / blank, [2] t.p. / blank, [1] 2-55 [56 blank], bfl ; 4 copperplate engravings by Nicolas Ponce (French, 1746 – 1831) after Charles Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778), one before each chant. Collation: 8vo; π2 (h.t., t.p. ) A-C8 D4. Binding: 20.5 x 14 cm, full mottled calf, gilt-ruled with triple fillet, flat spine, gilt in compartments, black label with gilt lettering, printed on laid paper, all edges red. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen de Ricci p. 132; J. Lewine: p. 53. Contributors: Nicolas Ponce (French, 1746 – 1831) Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721–1777) Charles-Dominique-Joseph Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778) Pierre-Joseph Bernard [Gentil-Bernard] (French, 1708 – 1775).
  • One volume, 25.8 x 20.7 cm, laid paper 25.2 x 19.5 cm, platemark 13.3 x 7.7 cm, wide margins; bound in calf, ruled in gilt, rebacked, raised bands, blind-stamped flower lozenges in compartments, crimson label with gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, gilt dentelle inside, engraved bookplate to front pastedown: lettered ribbon: “VINCTUS NON VICTUS”, chained Lion Passant in a collar, below “Maurice B. Worms. Title-page: MONUMENS | DU | CULTE SECRET | DES | DAMES ROMAINES , | POUR SERVIR DE SUITE | AUX MONUMENS DE LA VIE PRIVÉE | DES XII CÉSARS. | {VIGNETTE} | A CAPRÉE. | CHEZ SABELLUS. | M. DCC. LXXXIV. || Collation: [A]2 B-G2 2A-Z2 Aa2 Bb1, total 63 leaves, plus engraved title/frontispiece and 50 plates, all unsigned, first and last blanks. Pagination: [i-ii] iii-xxvii [xxviii] 1-98, ils., total 126 pages. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-De Ricci: 475; Lewine: 233; Dutel (1650-1880) № A-729, p. 223; Pia (1978): col. 884-5, pp. 467-8. Author: Pierre-François Hugues d'Hancarville (French, 1719-1805) – author. Provenance: Maurice Benedict Worms (Austrian, 1805 – 1867), son of Benedikt Moses Worms (1769 – 1824) and Schönche Jeannette Rothschild (1771 – 1859), maternal grandson of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744 – 1812), the founder of the House of Rothschild.
  • Description: Publisher’s French flapped wrappers 28.2 x 19.2 cm, lettering to front cover “SCÈNES | DE | PÉRIPATÉTICIENNES | Εις το αφρωδιαζειν αγει | MCMIII”, pp. [1-6] 7-132 [4]. 10 laid-in (unbound) colour plates after André Collot, including the title-page vignette. Text printed on laid paper, plates on wove paper. According to J.-P. Dutel (1920-1970) № 2366, p. 356, this is a pirated reprint with 11 plates of the 1927 or 1935 edition of “Douze douzains de dialogues”, illustrated with 12 hand-coloured etchings after André Collot (№ 1427, 1428, p. 137, ibid.). Limitation of 200 copies seems fake as per Pia, the copy in BNF bears number 262 (Pia № 1213, p. 635; № 359, p. 200). Title-page: SCÈNES DE | PÉRIPATÉTICIENNES (arch) | Εις το αφρωδιαζειν αγει | MCMIII || Pictorial t.p.: {vignette in colour} | Douze douzains de Dialogues | ou | Petites scènes amoureuses | * || (text in fac-simile ms). Limitation: edition is limited to 200 copies of which this is copy № 44. Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. André Collot (French, 1897 – 1976) – artist. See: LIB-2819.2021 in this collection.
  • 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).
  • Title page (with tall “s”): THE | ACCOMPLISHMENT | OF THE | PROPHECIES, | OR THE | Approaching Deliverance of | the CHURCH. | A work, wherein it is proved, that the Papism | is the Antichristian Empire; that that Empire is not far | from its ruin ; that the present persecution may end in | three years and a half. After which, the destruction | of Antichrist shall begin, which shall be finished in the | beginning of the next Age ; and lastly, the Kingdom | of Jesus Christ shall come on the Earth. | — | The second Edition Corrected and Enlarged by almost | a third part, and the explication of all the Visions of the Re- | velation, and of many Chapters concerning mystical Theology. | — | 2 vols. In 1, | — | Written in French by Mr. PETER JURIEU , the present | Minister of the French Church at Rotterdam. And from | this second Edition faithfully Englished. | — | LONDON , Printed in the Year 1687. || Pagination: ffl, [48] 1-271 [272 blank] + 3-99, 200-396, bfl. Note: part 2 starts with page 3, page 99 recto is paginated 200 on verso, instead of 100; total number of pages in part 2, thus, is 294. Collation is uninterrupted. Collation: *-**8 A-S8 + Aa7 Bb-Ss8 Tt4. Note: no leaf Aa1, leaf Tt4 unsigned; 307 leaves total. Binding: Full brown calf, boards ruled blind with double-fillet, flat spine stamped blind with a diaper, double-fillet ruled compartments, black label with gilt lettering. Printed on laid paper, with marginal notes. Yellow sticker to front pastedown G. Batenham, Bookseller, Northgate, Chester. Author: Pierre Jurieu (French, 1637 – 1713). Translator unknown. Publisher unknown.

    English translation of the book:Pierre Jurieu. L'accomplissement des Propheties ou la delivrance prochaine de l'Eglise. —Rotterdam: Acher, 1686.

  • 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.
  • Description: Three volumes 20.5 x 13 cm each, collated 8vo, uniformly bound in quarter calf over marbled boards, with raised bands, gilt in compartments and black and brown gilt-lettered labels to spine; bookplate “Ex libris Jacques Laget” pasted on to front pastedown. Printed on laid paper, with tall “s”. Title-page: L'AN | DEUX MILLE | QUATRE CENT QUARANTE. | Rêve s'il en fût jamais; | SUIVI DE | L'HOMME DE FER, | SONGE. | — | Le présent est gros l’avenir. / Leibnitz. (O utinam !; Le plaisir sans égal seroit de fonder la félicité publique.) | — | NOUVELLE ÉDITION | Avec Figures. | TOME PREMIER (SECOND; TROISIEME). | {device} | — | 1786. || Vol 1: fep a8 A-Z8 2A8; total 201 leaves plus engraved frontispiece by Ghendt after Marillier; pp: ff [i-v] vi-xvi, 1-380 [4]; total 402 pages. Vol. 2: fep π2, A-Z8 2A8 fep; total 196 leaves plus engraved frontispiece by Ghendt after Marillier; pp: [6] 1-381 [5]; total 392 pages. Vol. 3: fep π2, A-T8 V5 fep; total 161 leaves plus engraved frontispiece by Ghendt after Marillier; pp: [6] 1-312 [4]; total 322 pages. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-DeRicci 701; Lewine 353 ProvenanceJacques Laget (French, 1821 – 1884). Contributors: Louis-Sébastien Mercier (French, 1740 – 1814) – author. Clément Pierre Marillier (French, 1740 – 1808) – artist Emmanuel Jean Nepomucène de Ghendt (Flemish, worked in France, 1738 – 1815) – engraver.   See also: LIB-0979.2016 and LIB-2695.2021.
  • 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.