///Illustrated books
  • 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.    
  • A two-volume set in the contemporary full calf, imitating the editorial cloth binding. Vol. 1: SCÈNES | DE LA | VIE PRIVÉE ET PUBLIQUE | DES ANIMAUX | VIGNETTES | PAR GRANDVILLE. | — | ÉTUDES DE MŒURS CONTEMPORAINES | PUBLIÉES | SOUS LA DIRECTION DE M. P. – J. STAHL , | AVEC LA COLLABORATION | DE MESSIEURS | DE BALZAC. – L. BAUDE. – E. DE LA BEDOLLIERE. – P. BERNARD. – J. JANIN. | ED. LEMOINE. – CHARLES NODIER. – GEORGE SAND. | [VIGNETTE] | PARIS. | J. HETZEL ET PAULIN , ÉDITEURS , | RUE DE SEINE-SAINT-GERMAIN , 33. | 1842 Pagination: [2 blanks] [2 - ht. / imprim.] [2 - blank / frontis.] [2 - t.p. / blank] [4] [1] 2-386 [6 - table] [2 blanks], 96 whole-page wood-engravings after Grandville, vignettes within the text including head and tailpieces, together with a frontispiece. VOL. 2: SCÈNES | DE LA | VIE PRIVÉE ET PUBLIQUE | DES ANIMAUX | VIGNETTES | PAR GRANDVILLE. | — | ÉTUDES DE MŒURS CONTEMPORAINES | PUBLIÉES | SOUS LA DIRECTION DE M. P. – J. STAHL , | AVEC LA COLLABORATION | DE | MM. DE BALZAC, – L' HERITIER (DE L' AIN), – ALFRED DE MUSSET – PAUL DE MUSSET, | CHARLES NODIER, – MADAME M. MENESSIER NODIER, – LOUIS VIARDOT. | [VIGNETTE] | PARIS, | J. HETZEL , ÉDITEUR , | RUE DE SEINE-SAINT-GERMAIN , 33. | 1842 Pagination: [2 - ht. / imprim.] [2 - blank / frontis.] [2 - t.p. / blank] [1] 2-390 [6 - table], 105 whole-page wood-engravings after Grandville, vignettes within the text including head and tailpieces, together with a frontispiece. Size: Each volume 27 x 18 cm; In-4to (usually classified as 8vo, however, the numeric signatures provide for gathering in-quarto). Binding: Full burgundy calf, gilt embossed Grandville's characters to boards and spine, lettering to spine, white moire end-papers to vol. 1, and yellow end-papers to vol. 2, all margins gilt. Combination of the 1st and 2nd print-runs of the 1st edition. Ref.: L. Carteret, 1927: pp. 552-558. Wikipedia; Gallica; Hathi Trust. In: British Museum, MET, RISD Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
  • A two-volume set. Vol. 1: LA | HENRIADE, | NOUVELLE ÉDITION | A PARIS | [medallion portrait of Voltaire] | Chez la Veuve Duchesne, Saillant, Desaint, | Panckoucke et Nyon, Libraires. || Pagination: [2] – engraved title with medallion portrait of Voltaire / blank, [i-iii] iv-xl, [1-3] 4-272, 10 plates and 10 vignettes after Eisen by de Longueil. Collation: 8vo; a-b8 c4, A-R8 Vol. 2: LA | HENRIADE, | NOUVELLE ÉDITION. | — | SECONDE PARTIE. |— | [Floral device] | A PARIS, | Chez la Veuve Duchesne, Saillant, Desaint, | Panckoucke et Nyon, Libraires. | — | M. DCC. LXX. Pagination: [1, 2] - t.p. / imprim., 3-316 [4 - table, imprint "De l'Imprimerie de Barbou."] Collation: A-V8. Binding: full brown calf, raised bands with the gilt floral tools in compartments, red and dark brown labels with gilt lettering: title, author, vol. number, and year; printed on laid paper. Wear, marks and rubbing, endpapers, corners and spine repaired/replaced; leaves are generally clean with the odd mark here or there. With frontispiece, 10 vignettes and 10 plates in vol. 1 as called for. Size: 19 x 12.5 cm each volume. Catalogue raisonné.: G. Ray, p. 59; Cohen-de Ricci p. 1026. LIB-2581-1.2020 and LIB-2581-2.2020.
    Illustrated by: Charles Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778) Engraved by: Joseph de Longueil (French, 1730 – 1792) Author: François Marie Arouet de Voltaire (French, 1694 – 1778) Publisher: Veuve Duchesne (Nicolas Bonaventure Duchesne died in 1765) Printer: Joseph Gérard Barbou (French, 1723 – 1790)
  • Engraved title page:
    • In an oval cartouche at the centre, flanked by female personifications of Painting and Poetry, surmounted by an eagle, Mars and Envy chained by Cupid below: HET GULDEN CABINET | VANDE EDEL VRY SCHILDER, CONST | INHOUDENDE | DEN LOF VANDE VERMARSTE | SCHILDERS, | ARCHITECTE, BELDTHOWERS | ENDE PLAETSNYDERS | VAN DESE EEVW | DOOR | CORN: DE BIE NOTS. | TOT | LIER | 1661. ||
    • In lower margin below the image frame: t’Antwerpen gedruckt by Ian Meyssens Constvercooper op de Eyermert inden goude Rexdalder | Abrah. a Diepenbeck delin. — Cornelis Meyssens sculpsit. || Handwritten inscription below: Frederik Verachter
    Letterpress title: HET GULDEN CABINET | VANDE EDEL VRY | SCHILDER – CONST | ontsloten door den lanck ghevvenschten | Vrede tusschen de tvee mach- | tighe Croonen van SPAIGNIEN | EN | VRANCRYCK, | Waer-inne begrepen is den ontstersse- | lijcken loss vande vermaerste | Constminnende Geesten | ENDE | SCHILDERS | Van dese Eeuvv, hier inne meest near het | leven as-gebeldt , verciert met veel ver- | makelijcke Rijmen ende Spreucken. | DOOR | Cornelis de Bie Notaris binnen Lyer. || Pagination: 2 binder’s blank leaves, engraved t.p.,[1, 2] letterpress t.p., 3-585 [586] – approbatie, [2] – colophon / blank, 1 binder’s blank leaf. Collation: Engr. t.p., A-Aaaa4 Bbbb2, plates within a collation.

    Cornelis de Bie. Het Gulden Cabinet. — Antwerp: [J. van Montfort for] Jan Meyssens, 1661 [colophon: 1662]. First edition, quarto, with engraved title, added portrait of De Bie dated 1708 mounted and inserted*, illustrated with 97 full-page engravings of artists, and an engraving of a personification of the city of Rome repeated five times; bound in full contemporary Dutch parchment over boards, tooled in blind, titled on spine; ex libris Frederik Verachter (Dutch, 1797 – 1870), archivist of the Antwerp city library, with pages of notes in his hand, signature to title, and inserted leaf with extra biographical information about one of the 280 artists of the Low Countries profiled and illustrated in this volume; contents good; ex libris Gustave Van Havre (Dutch, 1817 – 1892), with his armorial bookplate inside the front board, 24 x 19.5 x 4.5 cm.

    Catalogue raisonné: J. F. Van Someren (1888) pp. 200-202. * CORNELIUS DE BIE. ÆT. 81. 1708. | Dat Ick op D'aard Niet Anders Ben | Als Stof En Assen Ick Beken: | En Alle Mijnen Arrebeijd | Noch Van Veel Minder Weerdigheijt. || J. C. de Cock delin: — H. F. diamaer Sculpsit Antv: Ref.: Royal Collection Trust. Backer, Jacob de (Flemish, c. 1555 – c. 1585) (artist) Balen, Jan van (Flemish, 1611 – 1654) (artist) Bally, David (Dutch, 1584 – 1657) (artist) Beck, David [Beek] (Dutch, 1621 – 1656) (artist) Bie, Cornelis de (Flemish, 1627 – 1711) (author) Bloemaert, Abraham (Dutch, 1565 – 1658) (artist) Borcht I, Hendrik van der, the Elder (Flemish, 1583 – 1651) (artist) Borcht II, Hendrik van der, the Younger (German 1614 –  1676)  (artist) Bouttats, Frederik, the Elder (Flemish, 1590 – 1661) (attributed to) (engraver) Bramer, Leonard [Leendert] (Dutch, 1596 – 1674) (artist) Bronckhorst, Jan Gerritsz van (Dutch, 1603-1661) (artist) Bylert, Jan van (Dutch, 1603 – 1671) (artist) Caukercken, Cornelis van (Flemish, 1626 – 1680) (engraver) Collin, Richard (Luxembourgish, 1627 – 1698) (engraver) Coques, Gonzales (Flemish, 1614 – 1684) (artist) Cossiers, Joannes (Flemish, 1600 – 1671) (artist) Danckerts de Rij, Peter (Dutch, 1605-1660) (artist) Dipenbeeck, Abraham van (Dutch, 1596 – 1675) (artist) Does, Antony van der (Flemish, 1609 –1680) (engraver) Dyck, Anthony van (Flemish, 1599 – 1641) (artist) François, Pierre (fl. 1643) (artist) Hecke, Jan van den, the Elder (Flemish, 1620 – 1684) (engraver) Heil, Daniel van (Flemish, 1604 – 1664) (artist) Heil, Jan Baptiste van (Flemish, 1609 – 1685) (artist) Heil, Leo van (Flemish, 1605 – c. 1664) (artist) Helt Stockade, Nicolaes van (Dutch, 1614 – 1669) (artist) Hollar, Wenceslaus [Hollar, Václav; Wenzel] ( Bohemian, 1607 – 1677) (artist) Hondius I, Hendrick [de Hondt] (Flemish-Dutch, 1573 – 1650) (artist) Janssens, Cornelis van Ceulen [Johnson, Cornelius] (Flemish-Dutch, 1593-1664) (artist) Jode I, Pieter de, the Elder (1570 – 1634) (engraver) Jordaens, Jacob (Flemish, 1593 – 1678) (artist) Lint, Peter van (Flemish, 1609 – 1690) (artist) Meyssens, Cornelis (Flemish, 1639 – fl.1673) (engraver) Meyssens, Joannes [Johannes, Jan, Jean] (Flemish, 1612 – 1670) Mola, Pier Francesco (Italian, 1612 – 1666) (artist) Monte, Deodat del [Mont, Deodat van der; Delmont, Deodatus] (Flemish, 1582 – 1644) (artist) Montfort, Jan van (fl. c. 1595 – 1644) (printer) Padoanino, Francisco (Italian, 1660) (artist) Poelenburgh, Cornelis van [Poelenburch] (Dutch, 1594 – 1667) (artist) Pontius, Paulus (Flemish, 1603 – 1658) (engraver) Quellinus, Erasmus, the Younger (Flemish, 1607 – 1678) (artist) Reni, Guido (Italian,  1575 – 1642) (artist) Sadeler II, Egidius (Flemish, c.1570 – 1629) (artist) Saftleven, Herman, the Younger (Dutch, 1609 – 1685) (artist) Seghers, Gerard (Flemish, 1591 - 1651) (artist) Snyers, Hendrik (Flemish, 1611 – 1644) (engraver) Soutman, Pieter Claesz (Dutch, 1593/1601 – 1657) (artist) Steen, Franciscus van der (Flemish, 1625 – 1672) (engraver) Teniers, David, the Younger (Flemish, 1610 – 1690) (artist) Venne, Adriaen van de [Adriaen Pietersz] (Dutch, 1589 – 1662) (artist) Voet, Alexander, the Elder (Flemish, 16-8/1613 – 1689) (engraver) Vorsterman, Lucas, the Elder (Flemish, 1595-1675) (engraver) Waumans, Conraed (Flemish, 1619 – 1675) (engraver) Willaerts, Adam (Dutch, 1577 – 1664) (artist)
  • Title page: THE ART OF | MAHLON BLAINE | A Reminiscence | by G. Legman | with a Mahlon Blaine bibliography | compiled by Roland Trenary | {Blaine’s fac-simile} | Peregrine Books | 1982 || Pagination: [1-4] 5-26 + 84 pp. of illustrations, unpaginated. Collation: 13 leaves of text, 40 leaves of b/w plates, and 2 leaves of colour plates, 55 leaves total. Binding: 29 x 22.5 cm; publisher’s black cloth, silver lettering to spine, pictorial endpapers, pictorial dust jacket. Edition: Limited edition of 100 copies (this is №100), signed by Gelman, Trenary, and Arrington. Contributors: Blaine, Mahlon (American, 1894 – 1969) – illustrator. Legman, Gershon (American, 1917 – 1999) – author. Arrington, Robert L. (American, 1984 – 2015) – author, introduction. Trenary, Roland (American) – author, compiler. Peregrine Books (East Lansing, MI) – publisher.
  • Title-page: LES ARTISTES DU LIVRE | MARCEL | VERTÈS | ÉTUDE PAR | ANDRÉ SALMON | LETTRE-PRÉFACE PAR | PAUL MORAND | PORTRAIT PAR | JEAN OBERLÉ | { publisher’s device} | HENRY BABOU, ÉDITEUR | 1, RUE VERNIQUET, PARIS | 1930 || Description: 26.3 x 20.5 cm, French flapped brown wrappers with black and blue lettering, lettering to spine, unbound, [1-2] 1st blank leaf, [3-4] h.t. / limitation, two plates (fac-simile letter and portrait of Vertès), [5-6] t.p. /”Cette monographie…”, 7-39 [40-48], incl. Bibliographie des ouvrages, Table des planches, and colophon – all with in-text illustrations; plus 22 leaves of plates, one on a double-page, all with foxing and marginal browning. Printing: December 1930 by Durcos & Colas in Paris. Edition: the 17th edition in the series “Les artistes du livre’, published under the direction of Marcel Valotaire; print run limited to 700 copies of which 50 on Japon (numbered 1-50) enriched with one original unpublished drypoint, 650 copies on Vélin Blanc from Arches (50-650), and 50 “non-commercial” copies (I-L). This copy is numbered № 473. Contributors: Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist. André Salmon (French, 1881 – 1969) – author. Paul Morand (French, 1888 – 1976) – author. Jean Oberlé (French, 1900 – 1961) – artist. Maitres-imprimeurs Ducros et Colas (Paris) – printer. Henry Babou (Paris) – publisher. Marcel Valotaire (French, 1889 – 1979) – publisher. Other names: Marcel Vertès, Marcel Vertes, Marcell Vértes
  • Description: Two volumes, collated 4to, usually described as 12mo, 16.5 x 10.5 cm each, uniformly bound in full calf, bordered in gilt with a triple-fillet over blind dentelle, flat spine ornamented in gilt with two crimson labels, gilt dentelle inside, blue marbled endpapers with previous owner bookplate to front pastedown in each vol.: "W. E. A. MACDONNELL. | NEW HALL | Co. of Clare.", and a ticket in a blue border “162”. Illustrated by T. Bewick after J. Thurston with frontispiece portrait of Robert Burns, numerous woodcut endpieces and a total of 14 full-page woodcut vignettes throughout. Title-page: THE | POETICAL WORKS | OF | ROBERT BURNS; | WITH HIS LIFE | ORNAMENTED WITH | ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD BY MR. BEWICK | FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS BY MR. THURSTON. | — | IN TWO VOLUMES. | VOL I. (VOL. II.) | — | ALNWICK: | Printed by William Davison. | SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND | AND IRELAND. | – | 1808. || Vol. 1: Collation: π3 (1st blank, engraved frontispiece portrait of R. Burns, t.p.), a2 b-e4, A-Z4, 2A-2E4 (2E)4 (last two blank); total 137 leaves, numerous endpieces and 9 woodcut plates by Thomas Bewick after John Thurston within collation. Pagination: [2 blank] [i-v] 6 (i.e. vi) xlii [43-45] 46-268 (265-268 marked 263–266, respectively, [4 blank]; total 274 pages, of which 6 blank (pagination by Hugo: xlii, 297, 26), full-page plates opposite to pp. 73, 82, 106, 127, 141, 178, 192, 213, 219. Vol. 2: Collation: π5 (1st blank, t.p., 3 leaves of contents), A-B4 (C omitted) D-Z4, 2A-2G4 (2H omitted) 2I2 2K-2M4 2N1 χ2; total 138 leaves, numerous endpieces and 6 woodcut plates by Thomas Bewick after John Thurston within collation. Pagination: [2 blank] [i-iii] iv-xi (v marked vii, viii marked ix), 12-270 (16 marked 17, 76 marked 67, 84 marked 86, 96 marked 90, 112 marked 110, 203-207 marked 205-209, 220-224 marked 222-226), [4 blank]; total 276 pages, of which 6 blank (pagination by Hugo: xii, 320), full-page plates opposite to pp. 11, 40, 70, 191, 221. Catalogue raisonné: Hugo (1866): № 230, v. 1, p. 92-93; according to Hugo, the year 1808 was not stated, the number of pages in each volume is different to my copy. Provenance: Colonel William Edward Armstrong-Macdonnell (Irish, 1858 – 1883) of New Hall, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland (presumed). Contributors: Robert Burns (Scottish, 1759 – 1796) – author. Thomas Bewick (British, 1753 – 1828) – engraver. John Thurston (British, 1774 – 1822) – artist. William Davison (British, 1781 – 1858) – printer/publisher.
  • Description: One volume, 25.5 x 19.8 cm, bound in ochre morocco, raised bands, gilt lettering to spine, gilt fillet inside, marbled endpapers, T.E.G., printed on wove paper watermarked “Lafuma”, original wrappers and spine bound in; in a slipcase 26 x 20 cm. Front wrapper and title-page (red and black): LE MARIAGE | DE | DON QUICHOTTE | PAR | P.-J. TOULET | {publisher’s device} | ILLUSTRATIONS DE | (CHARLES) MARTIN | | LA RENAISSANCE DU LIVRE | PARIS — 78, BOULEVARD SAINT-MICHEL || Collation: two blank leaves, front wrapper, π4 (blank, h.t./limitation, t.p., preface), 1-274, back wrapper, spine, two blank leaves, 112 leaves between the wrappers plus 9 plates extraneous to collation, incl. frontispiece – stencil-coloured photogravures after Charles Martin. Pagination: [8] 1-210 [2] [4], total 224 pages between the wrappers, ils. Limitation: Edition limited to 775 copies, of which 1 copy on Vieux Japon (№ 1), 24 on Japon Imperial (№2-25), and 750 on Vélin Lafuma (№ 26-775). This copy is № 625. Colophon: Printed on November 15, 1922 – text by Coulouma (Argeneuil), director H. Barthélemy, photogravures by Héliogravure de Schutzenberger (Paris), coloured by Charpentier. Contributors: Paul-Jean Toulet (French, 1867 – 1920) – author. Charles Martin (French, 1884 – 1934) – artist. Léon Maurice Schützenberger (French, 1863 – 1950)
  • One volume collated 8vo, 19 x 14 cm, bound in black alligator leather. Front wrapper  (green) / title-page (white): A female figure smoking a pipe next to a beer mug, reclining over an arch ring lettered “…VERSITÉ” (UNI… not shown), her dress ribbon lettered “MUSA STUDIORUM”, holding a book lettered “SCIENTIA”; within the arch « ALMANACH | CROCODILIEN | DÉDIÉ | AUX ÉTUDIANTS BELGES. | BIBLIOTHÈQUE | DE LA JEUNESSE MUSULMANE. »; below lies a book lettered “1856.”, next to it is a smoking skull; three male figures embracing the arch columns. Half-title: ALMANACH CROCODILIEN | POUR | L’ANNÉE BISSEXTILE, MAIS NÉANMOINS DE GRACE | 1856. || Pagination: [1-5] 6-14 [15-41] 42-134 [137] 138, total 136 pages within the wrappers, original publisher's green wrappers preserved, carte de visite ‘Félicien Rops, Étudiant’ and pink invitation card № 129 for ‘Bal des femmes’ on March 19, 1892 at ‘Fête annuelle du Courier Français’ bound in; in-text woodcuts, initials, head- and tail-pieces after Félicien Rops. Bookplate “Ex Libris Marcellus Schlimovich” with motto “Ars naturam adiuvat” on front pastedown. Stamp of the "Sociedad Hebraica Argentina / Coleccion M. Schlimovich / Varios / No. 2-492” to half-title. Pencil inscription to half-title: "Ex. Félicien Rops" – possibly an own copy of the artist. Collation: π2 1-88 92, total 68 leaves within wrappers. Printer: Typ. de J. Vanbuggenhoudt (Bruxelles). Sociedad Hebraica Argentina; Marcelo Schlimovich (Argentine-Jewish, ca. 1880 – 1960) – provenance. Félicien Rops (Belgian, 1833 – 1898) – artist.
  • Single volume, 20 x 13 cm, quarter brown morocco over marbled boards tooled in gilt, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, and gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, printed on wove paper on recto with verso blank, collated 1-48; total 32 leaves, 11 torn off, 47,8 blanks, ; uneven pagination [1] 2-41 [4 blanks], plus engraved title-page and 12 engraved half-page plates with text, uncoloured, by Louis Jaugey (unsigned), one for each month. Title-page (engraved): vignette with lettering "1775. ANNÉE | GALANTE | OU | ETRENNE | A L'AMOUR | CONTES! | Enrichis de Figures | et d'Ariettes. ||" Catalogue raisonné: Dutel I: A-82. Catalogue Poulet-Malassis & ses amis description: № 68. [Auteur inconnu]. Année galante ou Etrenne à l’amour. Contes, enrichis de Figures et d’Ariees. [Vital Puissant, Bruxelles, 1876 ?] 1775. In-8, 3 .n.ch., 29 . imprimés au recto, chirés de 2 à 41, demi-chagrin brun, dos à nerfs orné, let doré sur les mors, tête et tranches jaspées (reliure ancienne). Illustrée de 13 planches dont l’une en frontispice par Louis Jaugey. Les figures sont à mi-page, une pour chaque mois. Contributors: Louis Jaugey (French, fl. 1871 – 1876) – artist. Vital Puissant (Belgian, 1835 – 1878) – publisher.
  • 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.
  • Phaedri, Aug. Liberti Fabularum Aesopiarum libri V / notis illustravit in usum serenissimi principis Nassavii David Hoogstratanus. Accedunt ejusdem opera duo indices, quorum prior est omnium verborum, multo quam antehac locupletior, posterior eorum, quae observatu digna in notis occurunt. — Amstelaedami : Ex Typographia Francisci Halmae, MDCCI [1701]. — pp.: [1] title, [1] (portr.), [32] 160, [84], 18 leaves of plates. Vita Phaedri is written by Johannes Schefferus (February 2, 1621 – March 26, 1679). Appendix fabularum is written by Marquard Gude (Gudius) (1 February 1635 – 26 November 1689). Gaius Julius Phaedrus was a 1st-century CE Roman fabulist and the first versifier of a collection of Aesop's fables into Latin. David van Hoogstraten (Rotterdam, March 14, 1658 - Amsterdam, November 21, 1724), a physician, poet and linguist, annotated the fables and dedicated them to Johan Willem Friso van Oranje-Nassau (14 August 1687 – 14 July 1711). The book was published in Amsterdam by François Halma (Langerak, January 3, 1653 - Leeuwarden, January 13, 1722), a Dutch printer, publisher and bookseller, with a portrait of Prince of Orange-Nassau, engraved by Pieter van Gunst (Dutch, Amsterdam 1659–1724) after Bernard Vaillant (Dutch, Lille 1632–1698 Leyden). The title page was engraved by P. Boutats after Jan Goeree (Dutch, Middelburg 1670–1731 Amsterdam). The edition is adorned throughout with 18 plates, each with 8 médaillons, designed and engraved by Jan van Vianen (Dutch, 1660–1726), and with vignettes, head- and tailpieces, inhabited initials, etc. Contemporary vellum over boards, title in red and back, red edges, 4to, 26 x 20 cm. Seller's description:
    4to, engraved general title, letterpress red & black title page with allegorical engraved vignette. 18 full-page copper-engraved plates by Jan van Vianen, each featuring six circular images, and 38 in-text reproductions, engraved decorative initials, and head- and tailpieces. Phaedrus (15 BC - 50 AD, Italy), was a "Roman fabulist, the first writer to Latinize whole books of fables, producing free versions in the iambic metre of Greek prose fables then circulating under the name of Aesop." (Ency. Brit.). This deluxe edition was specially created for the Prince of Nassau, profusely illustrated with fine engravings. Dibdin spoke highly of it in his Greek and Latin Classics (4th edition): "I have always considered this as a correct and very sumptuous edition. It is ornamented with a great number of small plates, or medallions, in which the subject of the fable is very ably and spiritedly executed.
    Ref.: Metropolitan Museum; Musée Médard      
  • Royal 4to, 29.8 x 23.5 cm, contemporary half brown morocco, marbled boards gilt ruled, spine with gilt-ruled raised bands, gilt title lettering; "William Gore" armorial bookplate to front pastedown. Title page: THE | CHASE. | A | POEM. | BY | WILLIAM SOMERVILLE, | ESQ. | [VIGNETTE] | LONDON : | PRINTED BY W. BULMER AND CO. | Shakespeare Printing Office, | CLEVELAND-ROW. | 1796. Collation: without signatures. — Pagination: [i-v] vi-xv [xvi], [i] ii-vii [viii], [1-5] 6-126; illustrations: engraved title, 4 running titles, 4 headpieces, 4 tailpieces – 13 altogether, all drafted by John Bewick, 12 executed by Thomas Bewick and the last one by Charlton Nesbit. Catalogue Raisonné: Thomas Hugo. The Bewick Collector, vol. 1 (1866):  p. 38, № 94: "The first edition... was printed in royal 4to". John Bewick made all the drawing on the blocks but was not able to execute the engravings himself "because of ill-health. They were engraved by Thomas Bewick, with the exception of the tail-piece at the end of the volume, which was engraved by Nesbit". Thomas Bewick (c. 11 August 1753 – 8 November 1828); John Bewick (1760 – 1795), the younger brother of Thomas, died at the age of 35. Christie's, who sold a similar copy on 29 Oct 2012, provides for the size 2°.  
  • Two-volume set. MÉMOIRES | DE | JACQUES | CASANOVA | DE SEINGALT | 1734 — Extraits — 1755 | COLLIGÉS PAR | RÉNE GROOS | ILLUSTRATIONS | DE | BRUNELLESCHI | {vignette} | GIBERT JEUNE | LIBRAIRIE D’AMATEURS | 61, BOULEVARD DE SAINT-MICHEL, 61 | PARIS || Pagination: [6], 1-345 [346], [8]; frontispiece and 15 colour plates (collotype), b/w tail-pieces and vignettes (offset). MÉMOIRES | DE | JACQUES | CASANOVA | DE SEINGALT | 1755 — Extraits — 1772 | COLLIGÉS PAR | RÉNE GROOS | ILLUSTRATIONS | DE | BRUNELLESCHI | {vignette} | GIBERT JEUNE | LIBRAIRIE D’AMATEURS | 61, BOULEVARD DE SAINT-MICHEL, 61 | PARIS || Pagination: [6] 1-337 [348] [8]; frontispiece and 15 colour plates (collotype), b/w tail-pieces and vignettes (offset). Limited edition, №2507 of 3000. Binding: original tan pictorial wrappers, in a slipcase.  
  • Cover: QUELQUES MÉMOIRES | DE | CASANOVA | Aquarelles originales de Rojankowski (pasted) | {fleuron} | PARIS | — | Javal et Bourdeaux | 1932 || Title: QUELQUES | MÉMOIRES | de | CASANOVA | DE SEINGALT | ÉCRITS PAR LUI-MÊME | — | {fleuron} | PARIS | — | Javal et Bourdeaux | 44 bis, Rue de Villejust || Pagination: ffl [4] – t.p. / blank, h.t. with pasted crayon illustr. / Exemplaire № 660, [1] 2-307 [308 blank] bfl, 10 original watercolours (with glassine paper guards) by Feodor Rojankovsky, extraneous to collation. Binding: Softcover, publisher’s grey wrappers with black and red lettering to front cover and spine; in grey canvas over cardboard folder with purple cloth gilt-lettered spine; grey canvas over cardboard slipcase. Catalogue Raisonné: Not in J.-P. Dutel (his catalogue contains only clandestine editions). Comment by J.-P. Dutel: In this copy of the edition, 20 illustrations by Auguste Leroux were cancelled and replaced with 10 original watercolours by Feodor Rojankovsky. Only one such copy exists.
  • Two-volume large paper edition with 20 plates in two states. Vol. 1 (with plates). Title : CONTES | ET | NOUVELLES EN VERS. | PAR | JEAN DE LA FONTAINE. | — | TOME PREMIER| {vignette “P.P. Choffard 95”} | A PARIS, | DE L’IMPRIMERIE DE P. DIDOT L'AÎNÉ. | L’AN III DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE. | M. DCC. XCV. || Pagination: [2] [i-iv] v-vii [viii], 1-280 [2 table] [2], total 294 pages, ils. Collation: 4to; 1 blank, π43a signed “a”), 1-354 361, 1 blank, total 147 leaves, plus 40 leaves of plates with tissue guards, after Fragonard and others, which represent 20 engravings, each in two states, before and after letters, besides №9 (Le Calendrier des Vieillards by Jean Dambrun after Fragonard), which has two identical copies, both before letters. Vol. 2. (without plates) Title: same, but TOME SECOND. Pagination: [2] [4] 1-334 [2], total 342 pages. Collation: 4to; 1 blank, π2 1-414 423 1 blank, total 167 leaves. Binding:  Two volumes uniformly bound in crimson straight-grain morocco, ruled in gilt, gilt-decorated flat spine with lettering, board edges and turn-ins tooled with gilt dentelles, marbled endpapers, three bookplates to front pastedown, top edge trimmed, 2nd volume partly uncut; text and plates printed on thick Dutch wove paper. Size: volumes: 33.3 x 25.2 cm; leaves: 31.5 x 23.5 cm. Provenance: Bishop, Cortlandt Field (American, 1870 – 1935) – bookplate. Mary S. Collins – bookplate by J. H. Fincken. Robin F. Satinsky (American, 1919 – 2008) – Robin Collection bookplate. Catalogue raisonné: Ray (French): 133-137; Cohen-DeRicci 573-582 ; Lewine : 281-282. CONTRIBUTORS: Jean de La Fontaine (French, 1621–1695) – author. Pierre Didot (French, 1761–1853) – publisher, printer. Artists: Jean-Honoré Fragonard (French, 1732–1806) Jean Baptiste Mallet (French, 1759–1835) Jacques Louis François Touzé (French, 1747–1807) Charles Monnet (French, 1732–after 1808) Engravers: Jacques Aliamet (French, 1726–1788) Jean Dambrun (French, 1741–about 1808) Jean Louis Delignon (French, 1755–about 1804) Jean Baptiste Michel Dupréel (French, active 1787–1817) Louis Michel Halbou (French, 1730–1809) Charles Louis Lingée (French, 1748–1819) Charles Emmanuel Jean Baptiste Patas (French, 1744–1802) Jean Baptiste Simonet (French, 1742–1813) Jean Baptiste Tilliard (French, 1740–1823) Philippe Trière (French, 1756–about 1815) Pierre-Philippe Choffard (French, 1730–1809) – t.p. vignette PLATES (collation order): №8: Fragonard / Trière – La Gageure des trois Commères №1*: Fragonard / Lingée – Joconde №1**: Mallet / Trière – Joconde №2: Fragonard / Delignon – Le Cocu battu et content №3: Fragonard / Tilliard – Le Mari confesseur №4: Fragonard / Dambrun – Le Savetier №5: Fragonard / Lingée – Le Paysan qui avait offensé son Seigneur №9: Fragonard / Dambrun – Le Calendrier des Vieillards №10: Fragonard / Aliamet – A Femme avare galant Escroc №12: Fragonard / Halbou – Le Gascon puni №11: Fragonard / Patas – On ne s’avise jamais de tout №13: Monnet / Tilliard – La Fiancée du roi de Garbe №14: Fragonard / Dupréel – La Coupe enchantée №15: Fragonard / Tilliard – Le Faucon №17: Fragonard / Patas – Le Pâté d’Anguilles №18: Fragonard / Tilliard – Le Magnifique №19: Fragonard / Delignon – La Matrone d’Ephèse №20: Fragonard / Patas – Belphégor №22: Touzé / Simonet – Le Glouton №26: Touzé / Lingée – Le Baiser rendu
  • Title-page: MARCEL AYMÉ | IMAGES DE L'AMOUR | Lithographies | originales | de | Vertès (fac-simile ms) | ÉDITIONS GEORGES GUILLOT | 39 rue de Paradis à Paris || French flapped wrapper in a natural canvas double slipcase with gilt lettering to spine, 34.8 x 27.3 cm. Leaves 33 x 25.5 cm, 4 blanks at the beginning, to the second pair of leaves pasted two autograph letters signed by Marcel Aymé; [1-8] 9-119 [120] [6], last leaf blank, h.t. with inscription "En sincère hommage" signed by both Marcel Aymé and Marcel Vertès; 9 full-page chromolithographs, 6 headpieces and 2 tailpieces by Marcel Vertès, tissue-guards; in-4to, unbound. Printed on October 20, 1957. The edition is limited to 190 copies + 25 not for sale, this is copy № 1, printed on Japon Nacré paper and enriched with three additional suites of lithographs: one on  Japon Nacré, one on Japon ancien, one on Hollande, plus a set of decomposition of one chromolithograph; lacking three original drawings. Contributors: Marcel Aymé (French, 1902 – 1967) – author. Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist. Georges Guillot – publisher. Andrée Koch – designer. Fequet et Baudier – printers, typography. Edmond et Jacques Desjobert – lithographers. Other names: Marcel Vertès, Marcel Vertes, Marcell Vértes
  • Description: Softcover 4to volume 25 x 19.7 cm in publisher’s French flapped tan wrappers, in glassine DJ, lettering to front. Printed on watermarked “Arches” laid paper, margins untrimmed, pages uncut. Illustrated with 24 in-text coloured etchings, and 59 vignettes, initials, and tailpieces engraved on wood by Gilbert Poilliot after Maurice Leroy. Front wrapper: GABRIEL SOULAGES | LE | MALHEUREUX | PETIT | VOYAGE {vertical} | AUX ÉDITIONS DU CHARME || Title-page (red and black): GABRIEL SOULAGES | LE MALHEUREUX | PETIT VOYAGE | Illustrations de MAURICE LEROY | {fleuron} | ÉDITIONS DU CHARME | PARIS – 1942 || Pagination: [1-8] (leaf in wrapper, t.p., dedication, d.t.p.) 9-187 [188] [4] (table, colophon, leaf in wrapper), total 192 pages , incl. in wrappers. Limitation: Limited to 750 copies, 25 copies (№ 1-25) on Vélin d’Arches with the original drawings and several suites of plates, 59 copies (№ 26-84) on Vélin d’Arches with the original drawings and several suites of plates, 100 copies (№ 85-184) on Vélin d’Arches with one suite of woodcuts and one of the etchings, 216 copies (№ 185-400) on Vélin d’Arches without enrichment, 350 copies (401-750) on Vélin des Papeteries Lana (Docelles); besides there are 10 copies numbered I-X for the artist and collaborators. This copy is № 266. Edition made under the direction of Sven Nielsen and Robert Meiffrédy; printed on April 29, 1942, at Dumoulin under the direction of H. Barthélemy. Etchings were printed at La Tradition under the direction of H. Durupt and the artist. Gabriel Soulages (French, 1876 – 1930?) – author. Maurice Leroy (French, 1885 – 1973) – artist. Gilbert Poilliot (French, fl. 1938 – 1952) – wood engraver. Sven Nielsen (Danish, 1901 – 1976) – publisher. Robert Meiffrédy (French, 20th century) – publisher.