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Thérèse philosophe, 1783. |
Late 18th century books |
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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.
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.
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Шамиссо, Адальбертъ фонъ. Петеръ Шлемиль. Чудесная исторiя. Пер. П.Потемкина. Рис., виньетки и перепет Эмиля Преторiуса по 1-му нѣм. изд. 1814 г. — СПб.: Книгоиздательство "Пантеонъ", 1910. — 107 стр. Отпечатано в типографии акц. о-ва типографск. дела в СПБ (Герольд), 7 рота, 26.
Cardboard binding, 8vo, 20 x 15 cm. Russian translation of Adelbert von Chamisso book Peter Schlemihl, from the German by Peter Potemkine. With illustrations from 1814 original German first edition by Emil Preetorius. [SV: the latest statement seems strange as Emil Preetorius lived from 1883 to 1973]. -
Title page: Text engraved within a vignette with two naked female torses in garlands: Plãs et profilz | des principales villes de | la prouince de L'ISLE DE | FRANCE, auec la carte gene~ | rale & les particulieres de chaf~ | cun gouuernement d'icelles. Below handwritten pencil inscription by a previous owner: "par ... Tassin ... 1634". Size: 17.6 x 23.7 cm, Binding: Italian style, green half-vellum, burgundy morocco title label with vertical gilt lettering to spine, peacock marbled boards. Pagination: Two blank flyleaves in the front and two in the back; 18 numbered engraved plates, including:- Title page
- Table of Contents
- Normandie
- Environs de Paris
- Folding map of Paris – a simplified copy of Mathieu Merian's 1615 perspective plan, with minor updates, notably on the current housing estate of Ile Saint-Louis.
- Paris
- Gouvernment de Soissons
- Soissons
- Gouvernment de Beauvais
- Beauvais
- Gouvernment de Compiègne
- Compiègne
- Gouvernment de Noyon
- Noyon
- Gouvernment de Coussi
- Coussi
- Gouvernment de Senlis
- Senlis
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Title (black and red): ПЕСНЬ | О КРЕСТОВОМ | ПОХОДЕ ПРОТИВ | АЛЬБИГОЙЦЕВ | {device} | Издание подготовили | И.О. БЕЛАВИН, Е.В. МОРОЗОВА | Научно-издательский центр | «Ладомир» | «Наука» | Москва || Frontispiece (black and red): LA CHANSON DE | LA CROISADE | ALBIGEOISE | {device} || Pagination : [1-9] 10-437 [3] ; 79 illustr. on 20 leaves of colour plates between pp. 224/225, inset: folding double-sided map of the Albigensian Crusade43 x 64 cm; print run 2,000 copies. Binding: serial green buckram blind-stamped with a scroll adorned with gold lettering to board and spine. Отв. ред. М. Л. Андреев. Ред. изд-ва Л. А. Сифурова. -
![George Cruikshank. George Cruikshank's Fairy Library. Hop-O'-My Thumb. Jack and the Bean-Stalk. Cinderella. Puss in Boots. — London: George Bell and Sons, 1885. — pp.: [2] blank, [2] first half-title with blank verso, [i-ii] second half-title with blank verso, [2] frontispiece plate with blank recto, [iii-viii] title, colophone, editor's note, list of illustr. [2] title with blank verso, [1] 2-101 [3] blank, 24 plates with protective tissue, unpag. — Colophon: This edition is limited to 500 copies, with India paper impressions. The former editions have been from lithographic transfers. The plates were retouched under Mr. Cruikshank's direction shortly before his death, and have not been used since until now.](https://varshavskycollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LIB-2454.2020-f-1-500x500.jpeg)
Title: GEORGE CRUIKSHANK'S FAIRY LIBRARY. | HOP-O'-MY THUMB. | JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. | CINDERELLA. | PUSS IN BOOTS. | [DEVICE] | LONDON: | GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. Pagination: [2] – blanks, [2] – first half-title with blank verso, [i-ii] – second half-title with blank verso, [2] – blank / frontispiece, [iii-viii] title, colophon, editor's note, list of illustrations, [2] – title with blank verso, [1] 2-101 [3] – blank; 24 plates with protective tissue. Colophon: This edition is limited to 500 copies, with India paper impressions. The former editions have been from lithographic transfers. The plates were retouched under Mr. Cruikshank's direction shortly before his death, and have not been used since until now. Binding: 4to, 22.2 x 17.5 cm, hardcover; 3/4 black calf ruled in gilt, brown calf spine with raised bands decorated in gilt, with gilt title lettering. Green marbled boards and end-papers. Abel E. Berland's bookplate pasted to front pastedown. Professionally rebound, re-backed with the original spine laid down, corners bumped. Catalogue Raisonné: Not in Alan M. Cohen's. As writes the British Library: "George Cruikshank’s [...] illustrations for the first English translation of Grimm’s Fairy Tales were praised widely, but his own rewriting of fairytales was criticised, most prominently by Charles Dickens. This was not due to the quality of the illustrations, but because, in line with his temperance beliefs, Cruikshank rewrote aspects of the fairytales to warn the reader against the evils of alcohol. Thus, for instance, the preparations for Cinderella’s marriage include the court throwing all alcohol in the palace on a bonfire; and in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, the giant is an alcoholic. Dickens, a friend of Cruikshank, was outraged at what he considered to be a betrayal of the essence of fairytales and, in protest, he published an essay in his weekly magazine Household Words entitled ‘Frauds on the Fairies’ in protest (1853)." -
Title: THE NEW LIFE | OF DANTE ALIGHIERI | TRANSLATED BY | DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI | {Publisher's device} | Portland, Maine | THOMAS B. MOSHER | Mdccccv Pagination: Ffl [i-viii] ix-xii [xiii] [xiv blank], [1, 2] 3-97 [98] bfl; frontis. w/guard; Note: “This fourth edition on Van Gelder paper consists of 925 copies”. Binding: Hardcover, 18.2 x 10.2 cm, full brown morocco possibly by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, with embossed design elements, raised bands, gilt lettering to spine, TMG, other untrimmed; printed on laid paper with watermark. -
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. -
![Charles Virmaitre. Paris-police. — Paris: E. Dentu, 1886. — pp.: [2 wrapper], [2 half-title], 2 title] 1-359 [1 blank], back wrapper.](https://varshavskycollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LIB-1130.2016-d-scaled-500x500.jpeg)
Cover: (black and red in red frame) PARIS POLICE | par | Ch. Virmaitre | PARIS | E. DENTU, ÉDITEUR | LIBRAIRE DE LA SOCIÉTÉ DES GENTES DE LETTRES | Palais-Royal, 15-17-19, Galerie d’Orléans | 1886 || Title page: CH. VIRMAITRE | PARIS–POLICE | {publisher’s device} | PARIS | E. DENTU, ÉDITEUR | LIBRAIRE DE LA SOCIÉTÉ DES GENTES DE LETTRES | PALAIS-ROYAL, 15-17-19, GALERIE D’ORLEANS | 1886 | Tous droits réservés. || Pagination : 3 blank leaves, original pictorial wrapper, [4], [1] 2-359 [360 blank], original back wrapper with publisher's advertisement, 3 blank leaves. Collation: 12mo; π2, 1-1912 206. Binding: owner's hardcover, quarter burgundy percaline, marbled boards, brown title label with gilt lettering, gilt double tail ruler, year, and fleuron to spine; original paper wrappers preserved. -
Title: OVID'S | METAMORPHOSES | IN | FIFTEEN BOOKS. | Translated by the most Eminent Hands. | Adorn’d with Sculptures | London: | Printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespeare’s–Head | over-against Katharine-Street in the Strand. | M DCC XVII. || Physical description: Folio, laid paper, engraved title as frontispiece, letterpress title-page, portrait of the dedicatee, the Princess of Wales, engraved by George Vertue (British, 1684 – 1756) after Sir Godfrey Kneller (German, 1646 – 1723), [4] – dedication with headpiece vignette engraved by Elisha Kirkall (British, 1682 – 1742) after Peter Berchet (French, 1659 – 1720 London), [i]-xx – preface, [4] – contents, 1-548; collation: π3 a-f2, B-Zzzzzz2, +15 full-paged engravings, one heading each book; bound in full contemporary tan English calf blind-tooled with a darker panel, raised bands, crimson label with gilt lettering, sprinkled compartments with blind tooling, rebacked, later endpapers, 15 1/4 x 9 1/2 in (39.5 x 26 x 5 cm). Contributors: Author: Ovid (Roman, 43 B.C. – A.D. 17) Translator: Sir Samuel Garth (British, 1661 – 1719) Translator: John Dryden (British, 1631 – 1700) Translator: Joseph Addison (British, 1672 – 1719) Translator: John Gay (British, 1685 – 1732) Dedicatee / Sitter: Caroline Wilhelmina of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Princess of Wales, Queen of England (German-British, 1683 – 1737) Engraver: Elisha Kirkall (British, 1682 – 1742) Artist: Peter Berchet (French-British, 1659 – 1720) Artist: Sir Godfrey Kneller (German, 1646 – 1723) Engraver: George Vertue (British, 1684 – 1756) Engraver: Louis Du Guernier, the younger (French, 1677 – 1716) Engraver: Michael Vandergucht (Flemish, 1660 – 1725) Engraver: Elisha Kirkall (British, 1682 – 1742) Engraver: R. Smith (British, fl. early 18th century) Engraver: Matthys Pool (Dutch, 1670 – c. 1732) Publisher: Jacob Tonson, the Elder (British, 1655 – 1736) -
Vol. 1. Title: SOUVENIRS | D'UN | PRÉFET DE POLICE | PAR | L. ANDRIEUX | TOME PREMIER | {publisher’s device} | PARIS | JULES ROUFF ET Cie, ÉDITEURS | 14, CLOITRE SAINT-HONORÉ, 14 | 1885 || Pagination : [1-7] 8-356. Collation: 18mo; 1-1718 1916. Vol. 2. Title: Similar but TOME DEUXIÈME. Pagination : [1-5] 6-304. Collation: 18mo; 1-1518 176. Binding: Both volumes are uniformly bound in quarter black morocco over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt lettering, peacock endpapers, all edges marbled; extensive foxing. -
Two volumes, 12mo; 14 x 9 cm, uniformly bound in speckled calf with dentelle border in gilt, gilt-stamped spine with two crimson lettered labels, marbled endpapers. Inscription to h.t.: P. Leigh Smith | Moscow | 1921 || Vol. 1: Half-title: MIROIR | DE L'ANCIEN ET DU NOUVEAU | PARIS, | AVEC TREIZE VOYAGES | EN VÉLOCIFÈRES, |DANS SES ENVIRONS. | TOME I. || Title page: MIROIR | DE L'ANCIEN ET DU NOUVEAU | PARIS, | AVEC TREIZE VOYAGES | EN VÉLOCIFÈRES, |DANS SES ENVIRONS. Ouvrage indespensable aus Étrangers et même | aux Parisiens, et qui indique tout ce qu’il faut | connoître et éviter dans cette capitale. | Orné d’un Plan de Paris et de 18 Gravures | {to the right, in single rules} Tels temps, telles mœurs. | Par L. Prudhomme. | Tome I. | PARIS, | PRUDHOMME, fils, rue des Marais, F. B. St.-G. | DEBRAY, rue St. Honoré, barrière des Sergens. | AN XIII. — (1804.) || Pagination: [i-vii] viii-xxxvi, 1-260; total 296 pages + 15 copperplate engravings and 1 folding plan of Paris. Collation: πA-πC6, A-C6, 4-216 224; total 148 leaves + 15 plates + 1 folding. Note: 12mo; πA1 unsigned, A2 unsigned, A–C3 signed A-C5, respectively, 4* unsigned, 9* marked 8*, 18* marked 17*. Vol. 2: Similar half-title and title, TOME II instead of TOME I. Pagination: [4] 1-408; total 412 pages + 3 copperplate engravings. Collation: π2, 1-346; total 206 leaves + 3 plates. -
Publisher’s grey pictorial wrappers with lettering in red: PARIS | Bibliothèque érotique | Gérard Nordmann | Seconde partie | Jeudy 14 et vendredi 15 décembre 2006 | CHRISTIE'S || Red spine with white lettering from top to bottom, multiple illustrations in colour, 27 x 21 cm. Pagination: [1-3] 4-305, 567 lots. The 2nd part of the auction of the library of Gérard Nordmann (Swiss, 1930 – 1992), held by Christie's in Paris on the 14th and 15th of December 2006. The 1st part took place on the 27th of April 2006, see [LIB-2828.2021]. -
Title-page: TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE | CHARLES AND MARY LAMB | — | With an Introduction by | MARTIN ARMSTRONG | {space} | {publisher’s device} | COLLINS | LONDON AND GLASGOW || Pagination: [1-4] 5-256, frontispiece: reproduction of portrait of Charles Lamb. Edition: reprint of 1953 edition (WorldCat); in Collins Classics series. Binding: 18.5 x 11 cm, semi-soft, crimson faux morocco, blind-stamped fillet border, gilt lettering to spine, TEG, slipcase. Contributors: William Shakespeare (English, 1564 – 1616) Mary Ann Lamb (British, 1764 – 1847) – author. Charles Lamb (British, 1775 – 1834) – author. Collins Clear-Type Press & Publisher (London; Glasgow) – printer and publisher. Note: “On the writing desk were two books – identical copies of Lamb’s Tales From Shakespeare. […] — Why did you choose Lamb? — It was the only book I could find in duplicate except Uncle Tom’s Cabin…” Graham Greene. Our Man in Havana. -
One volume 22.3 x 14.4 cm, green buckram, gilt lettering to spine, Brooklyn public library copy with stamps and sticker; [i-iv] v-xi [xii blank], [1-2] 3-144 [4 blank], total 160 pages, 80 leaves; 620 entries + index. Title-page (vertical double-rule, left indent): CHODERLOS de LACLOS | The Man, His Works, and His Critics | An Annotated Bibliography | Colette Verger Michael | {publisher’s device} | GARLAND PUBLISHING INC. • NEW YORK & LONDON | 1982 || Contributors: Michael, Colette Verger (American, b. 1937) Choderlos de Laclos, Pierre Ambroise François (French, 1741 – 1803) – author. Ref.: WorldCat. -
Softcover, in pictorial flapped wrappers, 28 x 21.8 cm, 16 entries, with colour illustrations. Catalogue # 8 of the sales exhibition on March 23-30 2004 in NY; pagination: [1-3] 4-50 [2], ils., some folding. Contributor: Sebastian Izzard -
Description: One volume, 20.6 x 13.7 cm, pictorial glossy paper boards; pp.: [1-6] 7-480 [481] [7 advert.]; total 488 pages, ils. ISBN: 978-5-4448-0627-2. Contributor: Вера Аркадьевна Мильчина [Vera Miltchina] (Russian, b. 1953) -
A book about the history and collections of The Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg during the October revolution of 1917. Hardcover, collated 16mo, 20,7 x 13.5 cm, grey cloth, black and blue lettering to front, blue lettering to spine, blue endpapers; collation: [1]8 2-1616 (total 248 leaves); pp.: [2] 3-493 [3] (total 496 pages) plus frontispiece. 1st edition (lifetime). Title-page: С. ВАРШАВСКИЙ | Б. РЕСТ | БИЛЕТ | НА ВСЮ | ВЕЧНОСТЬ | ПОВЕСТЬ | ОБ ЭРМИТАЖЕ | ЛЕНИЗДАТ • 1978 || Sergei Petrovich Varshavsky [Сергей Петрович Варшавский] (Jewish-Russian, 1906 – 1980). B. Rest [Б. Рест; Юлий Исаакович Шапиро] (Jewish-Russian, fl. 1940 – 1980). Борис Борисович Пиотровский (Russian, 1908 – 1990). -
Hardcover, 26.2 x 20.3 cm, quarter blue cloth over pictorial boards, pictorial endpapers, collated in-8vo, 1-58 64, pp.: [2] 3-87 [88], total 44 leaves with in-text woodcuts plus 8 leaves of colour plates (14 illustrations printed on both sides) and colour frontispiece (blank recto) after Gustave Doré. The story was written by Rudolf Erich Raspe in English and published anonymously in book form in Oxford in 1786 under the title Baron Munchausen's Narrative of his marvellous travels and campaigns in Russia, etc. The French translation from German of Gottfried August Bürger was performed by Théophile Gautier and published by Charles Furne in Paris in 1862 with illustrations after Gustave Doré – 158 wood engravings, including a frontispiece, 1 vignette on the title, 31 full-page plates and 125 vignettes in the text). Korney Chukovsky retold the Raspe story in Russian using the Būrger-Gautier version of the text, changing the order, time, and location of events. In addition, artist Yuri Syrnev (Ю. А. Сырнев) coloured Dore's woodcuts, and the book was born (first edition in 1928). Title-page (black and yellow earth): Э. РАСПЭ | ПРИКЛЮЧЕНИЯ | {vignette} | МЮНХАУЗЕНА | С ИЛЛЮСТРАЦИЯМИ | ГУСТАВА | ДОРЭ | • | ДЛЯ | ДЕТЕЙ | ПЕРЕСКАЗАЛ К.ЧУКОВСКИЙ | • | ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО ДЕТСКОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ | НАРКОМПРОСА РСФСР | Москва 1945 Ленинград || Colophon: Для младшего возраста | РАСКРАСКА ВКЛЕЕК, ТИТУЛ И ОБЛОЖКА | худ. Ю. Сырнева | Издание десятое || Edition: 10th Russian edition thus. Print run: 11,000 copies. Contributors: Rudolf Erich Raspe (German, 1736 – 1794) – author. Korney Chukovsky [Корней Иванович Чуковский, Николай Корнейчуков] (Russian, 1882 – 1969) – translator. Gustave Doré (French, 1832 – 1883) – artist. Юрий Аркадьевич Сырнев (Russian, 1905 – 1943) – artist. Fictional author: Baron Munchausen [Baron Münchhausen] / Karl Friedrich Hieronymus von Münchhausen (German, 1720 – 1797).
