//French erotic fiction
  • NEW
    Two volumes, 135 x 85 mm each, uniformly bound in full brown morocco with triple fillet border, flat spine with gilt fleurons and double fillet bands, gilt lettered label, interior dentelle, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt; four volumes in two, collated in 12mo. Vol. 1: pp.: [1-5] 6-100, coll.: 1-86 92;(i.e. 50 leaves); [1-5] 6-130; coll.: 1-106 115 (i.e. 65 leaves); plus two blanks in the front and at the rear, and nine plates, incl. frontispiece. Vol. 2: pp.: [1-5] 6-111 [112 blank], coll.: 14 2-96 104 (i.e. 56 leaves); [4 ht, tp] [1] 2-99 [100 blank], coll.: π2 1-86 92 (i.e. 52 leaves); plus two blanks in the front and at rear, and four plates. Title-page: FÉLICIA, | OU | MES FREDAINES. | {in rules} La faute en est aux Dieux qui me firent si folle.|  TOME PREMIER/ SECOND/ TROISIÉME/ QUATRIÈME. | —•— | A LONDRES | M. DCC. LXXVI. || Catalogue raisonné: Dutel, A-399, p. 132. Contributors: André-Robert Andréa de Nerciat (French, 1739 – 1800) – author.
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    Hardcover, 169 x 100 mm, quarter brown sheepskin over speckled paper, flat spine, gilt double fillet bands, crimson morocco label with gilt lettering, printed on French paper watermarked “FIN 1787”; two volumes in one, collated in 12mo. Tome premier: π1 h.t., A8 (A1 t.p., A2,3 Lettre de Sophie au chevalier d'Olzan), B4 C8 D4 E8 F4 G8, H4, I4; pp.: [2] [i-iii] iv-vi, [7] 8-104, plus three plates, p. 24 printed on cream wove paper,  pp. 66, 67 on blue laid paper (or pasted on such). Tome second: A8 (incl. h.t. and t.p.) B4 C8 D4 E8 F4 G8 H4 I8 K4, L4; pp.: [1-5] 6-127 [1 blank]; all three plates printed on cream wove paper; plate marked as p.68 is after p. 64, plate marked p.64 is after p. 68, plate p. 79 is on its place. Plates attributed to Louis Binet. Text is attributed mainly to Comte de Mirabeau; however, Guillaume Apollinaire, in his L’Enfer de la Bibliothèque Nationale (1913), believes that Marquis de Sentilly wrote it. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 709; Dutel I A-988, p. 294. Contributors: Mirabeau, Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de (French, 1749 – 1791) Binet, Louis (French, 1744 – 1800) Seller's description: Deux parties en un volume in-12. 165 x 97 mm. Tome premier: I f. n. ch. faux-titre, 104 pp. y compris le titre avec une vignette gravée, la "Lettre de Sophie au chevalier d'Olzan" qui débute l'ouvrage est paginée en chiffres romains. Tome second: 127 pp. tout compris et 1 p. bl. 6 gravures libres non signées qui sont de Binet. Reliure de l'époque. Demi-basane brune, plats de papier coquille moucheté, dos lisse omé de deux filets dorés répétés, pièce de titre de maroquin rouge, lettres dorées, tranches jaspées. Reliure un peu frottée, coins émoussés. Quelques rousseurs. Rarissime deuxième édition de cet Émile de l'éducation sexuelle enrichie de gravures libres attribuables à Binet.
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    Hardcover, 188 x 118 mm, brown half-morocco over burgundy faux-chagrin, spine with raised bands and burgundy label with gilt lettering, gilt fleurons in compartments, floral diaper endpapers, collated 8vo:ffl, π2 1-138, ffl, pp. [4] 1-207 [208], plus frontispiece portrait and 8 unnumbered leaves of plates, etchings, one of them hand-coloured; limitation to half-title verso: "Tirage a 300 exemplaires". The title page is loose. Each gathering has 4 'tall' pages (1, 2, 7, 8 - 181 mm) and 4 'short' (3, 4, 5, 6 - 165 mm). Two parts are in one vol., signed and paged continuously; the second part has its own half-title and title pages. "Fin de première partie" at p. 107 (76), part 2 h.t. at 77, part 2 t.p. similar to the main t.p. but in black only at 78. The portrait of Étienne de Jouy was possibly engraved by Charles Monselet (French, 1825 – 1888) after Julien-Léopold Boilly (French, 1796 – 1874). Title-page (red and black): LA GALERIE | DES | FEMMES | COLLECTION INCOMPLÈTE DE HUIT TABLEAUX | RECUEILLIS PAR UN AMATEUR |  L'amour est le roman du cœur | Et le plaisir en est l'histoire. | BEAUMARCHAIS. Folle journ. | — | A HAMBOURG | – | 1799 Compare to Dutel: 8 plates instead of 9; no two-page text “Nous espérions joinder à ce livre une notice…” before Deux mots de préface, the word FIN on p. 207 instead of 203, no table of contents at the end; no imprint Bruxelles. — Imp. de J. H. Briard, rue des Minimes, 51, on the same page as Table, signed 15. Dutel: № A-456, p.148:
    • In-8 (18,4 x 11) de (2 ff.), II, 203 pp., 1 ff. de table, couv. jaune imp. en rouge.
    • Édition publiée à Bruxelles en 1869 par J.-P. Blanche. Elle est ornée de 9 gravures et d'un facsimilé de l'écriture de Monselet, qui n'est pour rien dans ce volume.
    In fine, mention de l'imprimeur Briard.
    • Tirage : 300 exemplaires.
    Pia № 511/2, p.278: pagination 208 as per our copy. Contributors: Étienne de Jouy (French, 1764 – 1846) - author Auguste Brancart (Belgian, 1851 – after 1909) – publisher
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    Book: Hardcover, 187 x 125 mm, modern binding ‘à la Bradel’ by Boichot in full orange morocco with gilt lettering to spine, in a morocco-bordered slipcase with gilt floral arabesque design, similar endpapers; original wrappers preserved; collated in 18mo, pp: [4] 1-441 [3]. Bookplate of Jean-Pierre Dutel to ffl. Fifteen illustrations 181 x 115 mm tipped in after pp. 46, 72, 88, 118, 202, 234, 236, 244, 290, 300, 354, 360, 378, 382, and 390. Front wrapper (red and black): J.-K. HUYSMANS | ~~ | Là-Bas | {publisher’s device} | PARIS | TRESSE & STOCK, ÉDITEURS | 8, 9, 10, Galerie du Théâtre-Français | — | 1891 || Title-page: same as wrapper, in black. Limitation: Il a été tiré de cet ouvrage dix exemplaires sur papier de Hollande et dix exemplaires sur papier du Japon, numérotés à la presse. This copy is not from the limited edition and printed on a regular paper. Printer: Darantiere (Dijon) Illustrations: According to Luc Binet [LIB-3301.2024], “In 2016, the Turin bookseller Roberto Cena put up for sale two full-leather bound albums, one containing watercolours illustrating Huysmans' famous novel, the other the preparatory drawings. The first volume contained 16 plates (sheet 25 x 16.5 cm, drawing 15 x 9.5 cm), i.e. 15 drawings in ink and pencil and one pencil drawing. Each plate is numbered at the top right, in pencil or ink, and captioned in the lower margin. Volume II contained 15 watercolours (sheet 25 x 16 cm, image 15 x 9.5 cm). This is probably a commission from a bibliophile since the chosen format is perfectly compatible with the original edition of Huysmans' text (19 x 13 cm)”. Catalogue raisonné: Luc Binet 2017: X-12, p. 908. Contributors: Huysmans, Joris-Karl (French, 1848 – 1907) – author. Maële, Martin van (French, 1863 – 1926) – artist. Darantiere, Maurice (French, 1882 – 1962) – printer.
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    Hardcover, 255 x 200 mm, ¾ green morocco over marbled boards, gilt lettering to spine with raised bands, grey laid paper endpapers, Serge Golifman’s bookplate pasted to verso, 3 ffl, orig. wrappers, incl spine, preserved; collated: 2 blanks, h.t., t.p., 14 leaves of text; faux t.p. Éloge de la marquise de Beausemblant, 6 leaves of text, colophon (limitation), 2 blanks, 3 ffl, unpaginated, plus 7 leaves of plates, incl. frontispiece. Publisher's wrappers 250 x 190 mm. Title-page (red and black): PAUL MORAND | LES PLAISIRS | RHENANS | orné de sept lithographies originales | et coloriées à la main | DUSSELDORF | Librairie Leocadia || The front wrapper is the same, in black only. Limitation: Cette édition, imprimée pour une Société de Bibliophiles, a été tirée à 107 exemplaires hors commerce, savoir: exemplaires sur vieux japon, numérotés de 1 à 7, et 100 exemplaires sur vélin d'Arches, numérotés de 8 à 107. Les lithographies ont été tirées sur presse à bras et coloriées à la main. Les pierres ont été poncées après tirage. Exemplaire N° 81. [The edition was printed for a bibliophile society in 107 non-commercial copies: 7 copies on “vieux Japon” paper, numbered from 1 to 7, and 100 copies on “Arches Vellum”, numbered from 8 to 107, of which this is copy № 81]. An unauthorized (pirated) edition of two short stories by Paul Morand, initially published in “L’Europe galante” by Éditions Grasset in 1925: Les plaisirs rhénans and Éloge de la marquise de Beausemblant; illustrated with 7 lithographs coloured with crayons after Gaston-Louis Roux, printed by Mme Duchatel; the stones were then destroyed (sanded). According to Pia: « Pour le principe, semble-t-il, Bernard Grasset à qui aucune autorisation d’éditer ainsi ces deux nouvelles n'avait été demandée, déposa une plainte contre X... en contrefaçon. L'enquête judiciaire, si enquête il y eut, n’aboutit pas. Le tirage de l’édition « pirate » avait été si restreint que tous les exemplaires en avaient été vendus sitôt parus. Le coupable, en l’occurrence René Bonnel, ne fut pas inquiété ». Dutel attests: « Un des personnages, subissant une agréable fellation, représenté sur l'une des lithographies, ressemble fort à Paul Morand qui en avait pris ombrage! » Comment by the seller: L’ouvrage est d’autant plus rare que Morand lui-même, mécontent d’une des gravures qui le représente en position intéressante, fit détruire une partie des exemplaires. Resume: While Bernard Grasset opposed the pirated edition on copyright infringement grounds, Paul Morand was enraged by his resemblance to the depicted character; the latter destroyed as many copies of the edition as he could, so only a few still exist. The print run of the "pirate" edition was so limited that all the copies were sold as soon as they were published. Catalogue Raisonné: Dutel III № 2215 (p. 321) ; Pia : № 1056; Nordmann (I) № 281. Contributors: Paul Morand (French, 1888 – 1976) – author Gaston-Louis Roux (French, 1904 – 1988) – artist René Bonnel (French, 18841 – 1975) – publisher Bernard Grasset (French, 1881 – 1955) – publisher  
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    Softcover, 228 x 155 mm, embossed geometrical diaper pink French flapped wrappers with black and orange lettering to front; collated 8vo: 1-108, i.e. 80 leaves, pp.: [4] [1-4] 5-152 [4], plus 12 colour plates; woodcut t.p. vignette, head- and tailpieces in sanguine. Text printed on wove paper watermarked Marais, untrimmed, some leaves uncut; colour illustrations produced by half-tone relief photo reproduction technique and printed on thinner paper without a watermark. Colouring is most probably made by hand. Besides the presence of the platemarks, micro-photo reveals clear signs of the half-tone relief photomechanical reproduction method: Title-page (red and black): SPADDY | COLETTE | OU | LES AMUSEMENTS DE BON TON | ROMAN | {vignette} | A SAINT – CLOUD | AU TEMPLE DE CYTHÈRE || Limitation: CE ROMAN, EDITÉ POUR DES AMATEURS ET | NON MIS DANS LE COMMERCE, A ETÉ TIRÉ | A 250 EXEMPLAIRES, SUR VELIN PUR FIL | DU MARAIS, NUMÉROTÉS A LA PRESSE. | Cet exemplaire porte le No 49 Catalogue Raisonné: Dutel III № 1254: second edition with reproduction plates, published in 1939. The 1st edition with the original plates after Bécat was published in c. 1938. Honesterotica.com:
    Colette, ou les amusements de bon ton (Colette, Good Time Amusements) was an important early commission from Bécat by the master clandestine publisher Maurice Duflou, to complement a text bordering on the outrageous by Johannès Gros…
    Contributors: Spaddy [Johannès Gros] (French, 18.. – 1937) – author Maurice Duflou (French, 1885 – 1947) – publisher Paul-Émile Bécat (French, 1885 – 1960) – artist
  • Softcover, cream French flapped wrappers, 242 x 192 mm, glassine dust jacket, lower and outer margins untrimmed, red lettering to front wrapper CONTES LIBERTINS | DU | DIX-HUITIÈME SIÈCLE; in a double slipcase; 10 full-page colour intaglio prints, incl. frontispiece, and 10 half-page coloured prints after Antoine Calbet; pp.: [1-8] 9-223 [224] [6], total 115 leaves plus ten plates with tissue guards extraneous to collation. Copy enhanced with a full suite of 32 uncoloured intaglio prints, and 12 refused plates: Title-page (red and black): CONTES LIBERTINS | DU DIX-HUITIÈME SIÈCLE | PRÉSENTÉS PAR EDMOND PILON | TRENTE-DEUX ILLUSTRATIONS EN COULEURS | DE | A. CALBET | {fleuron} | PARIS  | LE VASSEUR & Cie, ÉDITEURS | 33, Rue de Fleurus || Limitation: 587 copies, of which 32 on Japon Impérial (№№ 1-32), 65 on Hollande Van Gilder (№№ 33-97), 490 on Velin a la forme de Rives (№№ 98-587). 25 copies were printed on top of this print run for collaborators, numbered in Roman letters. This copy is № 77 on watermarked Van Gilder Zonnen paper. Colophon: LE TEXTE DE CET OUVRAGE A | ÉTÉ IMPRIMÉ SUR LES PRESSES | DE CL. JACOUB ET Cie. |  LES ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAVÉES PAR L. MACCARD, ONT ÉTÉ | TIRÉES EN TAILLE-DOUCE | PAR A. PORCABEUF ET Cie. | ACHEVÉ D'IMPRIMER, A | PARIS, LE 12 OCTOBRE 1936. Table of contents: Histoire de madame Allain – Notice sur le comte de Caylus. Histoire de Cidal Acmet – Notice sur l'abbé Prevost Aline, reine de Golconde – Notice sur le chevalier de Boufflers Cosi-Sancta – notice sur Voltaire. Cécile, Marine et Bellino – Notice sur Casanova de Seingalt Histoire de Babet – Notice sur l'abbé Du Laurens Histoire de Fanny Hill – Notice sur John Cleland. Louise et Thérèse – Notice sur Rétif de La Bretonne Contributors: Pilon, Edmond (French, 1874 – 1945) – compiler Le Vasseur & Cie – publisher Calbet, Antoine (French, 1860 – 1942) – artist Cl. Jacoub et Cie – printer/text Maccard, Louis (French) – engraver Porcabeuf, Alfred (French, 1867 – 1952) – printer/plates Authors: Caylus, Anne Claude de [comte de Caylus] (French, 1692 – 1765) Prévost d'Exiles, Antoine François [Abbé Prévost] (French, 1697 – 1763) Boufflers, Stanislas Jean, chevalier de (French, 1738 – 1815) Voltaire, François Marie Arouet de (French, 1694 – 1778) Casanova, Giacomo Girolamo (Italian, 1725 – 1798) Laurent, Henri-Joseph [Abbé Du Laurens] (French, 1719 – 1793) Cleland, John (British, c. 1709 – 1789) Restif [Retif] de la Bretonne, Nicolas Edmé (French, 1734 – 1806)
  • Softcover, French flapped pictorial wrappers, 240 x 160 mm, translated title: Rape at the boarding school, pp. [1-6] 7-164 [4], 40 black and white illustrations by Garcini. Title-page: D’après un texte de | CERKAN DE SARDAN | VIOL | AU PENSIONNAT | illustrations de | GARCINI ||
  • A softcover volume 18.7 x 12.1 cm, in publisher’s cream wrappers, red lettering in red and green frames to front cover, in glassine dustwrapper, uncut, untrimmed, collated in 8vo: 1-98 104, pp. [1-8] 9-151 [152 blank], plus 6 illustrations reproduced in drypoint after Mario Tauzin's lithographs from the album 'Interdit aux adultes' (see SVE-0547.2024). Front cover : BONNE | A | TOUT | FAIRE Title-page : BONNE | A | TOUT | FAIRE Stated limited edition of 900, strictly for subscribers. According to J.-P. Dutel III 1108 (p.66): published by Éric Losfeld in the late 1950s. Bonne à tout faire is a French idiom = maid-of-all-work Éric Losfeld (Belgian-French, 1922 – 1979) — publisher Mario Tauzin (French, 1909 – 1979) — artist
  • 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).  
  • Softcover, 228 x 180 mm, tan French flapped wrappers with red lettering to front[1-4, owner’s glassine dustcover, top edge trimmed, printed on thick wove paper without a watermark; pp.: ffl [1-4 h.t., t.p.] 5-154 [2 blanks] colophon to back ffl recto, plus 12 plates with hand-coloured lithographs, extraneous to collation. Pencil and pigment drawing to h.t. signed “J. D’A” with gift manual inscription “A Monsieur et Madame Chalamel [sic] ce tardif mais sincère souvenir de sympathie”, signed “J et Y D’A.” Etching bookplate to front ffl recto: “EX LIBRIS PIERRE CHALLAMEL | JE FONCE DANS LE BROUILLARD”, signed “J A M” (Jean-Adrien Mercier). The signature J. D’A stands for Jean d’Angers, while Y D’A stands for Jean-Adrien’s wife Yvonne (1902—1999), nicknamed Zizi; they married in 1927. According to J.-P. Dutel, the stated illustrator of this edition, Jean d’Angers is indeed Jean-Adrien Mercier. The text belongs to Gustav Droz and, possibly, Auguste Poulet-Malassis. Limitation: the book was printed for subscribers in 30 copies on Japon Impériale paper (№№ 1-30) and 250 copies on vélin du Marais paper (№№ 31-280). This copy bears № 123 and was presented as a gift by the artist and his wife to Pierre Challamel. Title-page (red and black): POUR SERVIR | A L'HISTOIRE | DE NOS MŒURS | UN ÉTÉ | A LA CAMPAGNE | CORRESPONDANCE DE DEUX JEUNES PARISIENNES | RECUEILLIE PAR UN AUTEUR A LA MODE | MDCCCLXVIII || Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 2546; honesterotica. Provenance: Pierre Challamel (French, 20th century) Contributors: Gustave Droz (French, 1832 – 1895) – author (presumable). Auguste Poulet-Malassis (French, 1825 – 1878) – author (presumable). Jean-Adrien Mercier (French, 1899 – 1995) – artist. Micro photo of the lithography:
    Micro photo of the original drawing:
  • Softcover, 257 x 168 mm, publisher’s cream French flapped wrappers with red lettering to front in a beige double slipcase, printed on wove paper watermarked “Marais” in italic script; edges untrimmed; pp.: [8] [2] [1] 2-130 [131] [3]; collated 4to as 184, 72 leaves incl. those in the wrappers, plus 9 photomechanical stencil-coloured plates extraneous to collation and 9 b/w headpieces (in-text etchings) after anonymous artist. According to the seller and J.-P. Dutel: “In-8 of 130 pages... Illustrated with 10 full-page in colour and some headbands. Limited edition of 500 copies on vélin du Marais". Title-page (red and black): GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE | LES | ONZE MILLE VERGES | OU | LES AMOURS D'UN HOSPODAR | BRUXELLES | 1942 || Limitation: Il a été tiré de cet ouvrage réservé uniquement aux souscripteurs particuliers 500 exemplaires tous sur vélin du marais. Exemplaire n° 147. Edition: The clandestine edition on vélin de Marais paper limited to 500 copies for subscribers only; this copy is № 147. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 2109. In my copy, similarly to the one of STEVE M., it is only 9 colour plates, while Dutel sites 10. Author: Guillaume Apollinaire (French, 1880 – 1918). Micro photo of a colour plate: Micro photo of an etching:
  • 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 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.
  • Softcover volume, 33 x 26 cm, collated in folio, not bound, in publisher’s French flapped pictorial wrappers, lettering to spine; printed on thick wove Arches paper watermarked “MBM”, upper edge trimmed, owner’s blind stamp to h.t. “Ex Libris Comte Tony de Vibraye”, glassine dust jacket, in a slipcase. Collation: π2 1-262, total 54 leaves, plus 4 leaves in wrappers, plus 10 plates, incl. frontispiece; coloured aquatints after Sylvain Sauvage; coloured etched vignette to front wrapper, gilt woodcut to back wrapper, woodcut title-page and woodcut headpiece after the same. Pp.: [4] [1] 2-102 [2]. Front wrapper (gilt and black): LA NUIT & LE MOMENT | {vignette} | OU | LES MATINÉES DE CYTHÈRE | PAR | MONSIEUR DE CRÉBILLON LE FILS | || Title-page (woodcut): CRÉBILLON LE FILS | | LA NUIT ET LE MOMENT | OU | LES MATINÉES | DE CYTHÈRE | {vignette} | A PARIS | AUX DEPENS D'UN AMATEUR | | M CM XXIV || Limitation: De cette édition il a été tiré un exemplaire unique sur japon impérial comportant dix aquarelles originales, deux cents trente exemplaires sur vélin d' Arches numérotés 1 à 230, dont les dix premiers avec une suite de hors texte sur japon. N° 1 [Print run limited to 230 copies on Arches plus a unique copy on Japon with original watercolours, this is copy № 1 on wove paper]. Seller’s description: La Nuit et le moment ou Les Matinées de Cythère. Paris, Au dépens d'un amateur, 1924. In-4, en feuilles, non rogné, couverture illustrée et étui. Ouvrage illustré de 4 gravures sur bois et de 10 eaux-fortes libres en couleurs hors texte de Sylvain Sauvage. Tirage à 231 exemplaires, celui-ci le n°1 sur vélin d'Arches. Manque la suite de hors texte sur japon. De la bibliothèque du Comte Tony de Vibraye, avec cachet à froid. Dutel, n°2062. Catalogue raisonné: honesterotica.com; Dutel III 2062. Contributors: Claude-Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon [Crébillon fils] (French, 1707 – 1777) – author. Sylvain Sauvage [Félix Roy] (French, 1888 – 1948) – artist. Provenance: Antoine Henri Gaston Hurault de Vibraye [Comte Tony de Vibraye] (French, 1893 – 1951)
  • Two volumes in owner’s uniform so called Jansenist binding by someone Alix (signed in gilt inside), gilt lettering to spine, each in a slipcase. Vol. 1: full crimson morocco 32.5 x 26 x 6.5 cm in a  33.3 x 27 x 7 cm slipcase, cloth endpapers, all edges gilt, publisher’s wrappers preserved, autographed drawing by Vertès to h.t. “à monsieur Willard | bien sympathiquement | Vertès | Paris 1930”. Collation: 3 blanks, front wrapper, 2 blanks, [10] h.t./limit., t.p., art., dedic., person., [2] 3-487 [488 blank], [2] coloph., 3 blanks, spine, 3 blanks; 74 dry-point illustrations by Marcel Vertès within collation; printed on thick wove paper by ‘Arches’ watermarked “Pausole & Vertès”. Title-page (red and black): LES AVENTURES | DU | ROI PAUSOLE | de | PIERRE LOUŸS | {vignette} | AUX DÉPENS D'UN AMATEUR | PARIS, MCMXXX || Limitation: CETTE ÉDITION DU ROMAN | DE |PIERRE LOUŸS | LES AVENTURES DU ROI PAUSOLEA ÉTE COMPOSE EN CARACTÈRE GARAMOND DU CORPS 18 | ET IMPRIMEE SUR VÉLIN A LA FORME DES PAPETERIES | D' ARCHES FILIGRANÉ | PAUSOLE & VERTÈS | ELLE EST ILLUSTRÉE DE SOIXANTE-QUATORZE | POINTES-SÈCHES ORIGINALES | DE | VERTÈS | SON TIRAGE A ÉTÉ STRICTEMENT LIMITÉ A | QUATRE-VINGT-DIX-NEUF EXEMPLAIRES NUMÉROTÉS | DE 1 A 99 ET CONTENANT : | 1° LA SUITE DES CUIVRES AVEC REMAROUES. | 2° UNE SUITE DES 15 PLANCHES REFUSÉES. | IL A ÉTÉ TIRÉ EN OUTRE, POUR L' ARTISTE ET LES COLLABORATEURS, | QUELQUES EXEMPLAIRES NOMINATIFS, DONT DEUX IMPRIMÉS SUR PAPIER | CHIFFE D'AUVERGNE A LA MAIN | EXEMPLAIRE | № 9 || Colophon: Cet ouvrage, établi aux dépens de m. L. Givaudan, a été achevé d'imprimer le quinze novembre mil neuf cent trente, pour le texte, sur les presses de R. Coulouma, maitre imprimeur a Argenteuil, H. Barthélemy, directeur, et pour les pointes-sèches, dans les ateliers de «La Tradition", a Paris. Limited edition of 99 copies, this is copy № 9. Vol. 2: Three-quarters crimson morocco over cloth outlined gilt, 32.7 x 27.8 x 4 cm in a  33.3 x 28.2 x 4.3 cm slipcase, cloth endpapers, all edges gilt, printed on thick wove paper by ‘Arches’ watermarked “Pausole & Vertès”. Collation: 3 blanks, 74 unpaginated leaves of plates (main suite avec remarque), blank, 15 leaves of plates (refusées), t.p./limit., blank, 30 leaves of plates (15 prints in two states each, with and without ‘remarks’) titled Au pays du Roi Pausole, 3 blanks. Title-page (red and black): AU PAYS | DU | ROI PAUSOLE | Quinze cuivres | gravés par un artiste | inconnu | de la suite | du Roi | ❦ | —| TRYPHÈME. MCMXXX. || Limitation: IL A ÉTÉ TIRÉDE CETTE SUITE | DE POINTES-SÈCHES VINGT- | CINQ EXEMPLAIRES SUR VÉ- | LIN A LA FORME DES PAPETE- | RIES ARCHES AU FILIGRANE | DE PAUSOLE. CES SUITES NON | MISES DANS LE COMMERCE | SONT RÉSERVÉES A SA MAJES- | TÉ, AUX REINES PRÉFÉRÉES | PARMI LL. AA. RR. ET A QUEL- | QUES FIDÈLES SERVITEURS. | № 13 || Limited edition of 25 copies, this is copy № 13; Enriched with an original copper plate with one of the illustrations. Marcel Willard (French,  – provenance. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (III) 1057; Nordmann (II) № 307; Vokaer 26. Ref.: honesterotica.com Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist. Léon Givaudan (French, 1875 – 1936) – publisher. Seller's description:Les Aventures du Roi Pausole. Paris, Aux dépens d'un amateur, 1930. 2 volumes in-4, maroquin rouge janséniste, tranches dorée, couverture et dos, emboîtage. Le volume de suites est relié en demi-maroquin rouge. (Alix). Ouvrage illustré de 74 pointes-sèches de Marcel Vertès. Tirage à 99 exemplaires sur vélin d'Arches, comportant la suite des cuivres avec remarque, ainsi qu'une suite des 15 planches refusées. Exemplaire enrichi d'une plaque de cuivre ayant servi à une des illustrations, d'un dessin avec envoi autographe signé de l'artiste sur la page de faux-titre et d'une double suite des 15 pointes-sèches par un artiste inconnu intitulée Au Pays du roi Pausole. Dos légèrement passés.
  • 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.
  • Softcover volume, 23.5 x 15 cm, in tan French flapped wrappers with red lettering to front, collated in-4to, in a tan double slipcase 24 x 15 cm with red lettered label to spine, pp.: [1-12] 13-112 [8], total 120 pages, incl. those within wrappers; printed on thick wove paper watermarked “Lafuma Frères”, 5 full-page and 6 half-page illustrations within collation, incl. frontispiece, guard tissue laid in. Title-page (red and black): LE ROMAN | DE | GODEMICHET | ÉPOPÉE | LIBERTINE | ET VÉCUE | composée par un | DESCENDANT D’HERMES | AMI DES MUSES | ÉMULE DE PRIAPE | et illustrée par un | MAITRE DU GENRE | ÉDITÉ POUR LES | AMIS DE L’AUTEUR | A PARIS EN L’AN DE GRACE | MCMXLVIII || Limited edition 200 + XX, this is copy № 175. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 2336. Jean Reschofsky (French, 1905 – 1998) – artist.