//Sexual behavior and attitudes
  • 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.    
  • Unbound, unpaginated album (28.4 x 19.5 cm) with 24 leaves (12 folded sheets 28 x 38 cm each), printed on thick wove paper, watermarked Vidalon, with text and 31 vignettes, some pages foxed. Publisher’s original flapped cream wrappers, lettering to front: Raymond Radiguet | Vers Libres | {vignette} || Half-title:Vers Libres” on a ribbon covering a stick, garland, and flute. Title: Raymond Radiguet | Vers Libres | {vignette} | NOGENT | AU PANIER FLEURI || Illustrations: Cover vignette, frontispiece, tail- and a headpiece for introduction, and vignettes (total 31 illustrations) undoubtedly attributed Rojan (Feodor Rojankovsky). Poems: Chat perché; Champigny, Les fiancés de treize ans, Saison, Le petit journal, Ébauches, Usée, Jeux innocents, Bains publics, L’autre bouche, Cinématographe. In 1937, the «Jeux innocents» piece was added to the 1935 edition, together with 4 illustrations on top of 27 vignettes in 1935, making it 31. Edition: 1st thus; however, the 1935 edition may be considered the 'real' 1st. Limitation on the last page: the total print run on 250 copies by subscription only, this copy is № 181 from 243 on Vélin de Vidalon (as per Dutel). Illustrations printed in black and stencil-coloured (au pochoir). Catalogue raisonné: Dutel 2593; Nordmann (2): 451. Contributors: Raymond Radiguet (French, 1903 –  1923) – author. Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan; Рожанковский, Фёдор Степанович] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970) – artist.
  • Description: An unbound softcover volume 23.5 x 18 cm collated in 4to, text in fac-simile manuscript printed on Japon Nacre wove paper with untrimmed outer and bottom margins, with 12 laid-in hand-coloured etchings, including the title-page, after André Collot; in red quarter morocco over marbled boards folder with gilt lettering to spine “P. L. | ~ | PETITES | SCÈNES | AMOUREUSES”, in a red faux ostrich leather clamshell box 26.7 x 21 cm. A copy without the limitation page. Title-page: {vignette in colour} | Douze douzains de Dialogues | ou | Petites scènes amoureuses | * || (text in fac-simile ms). Content: (97 dialogues, not 144), similar to Pia: Premier douzain : Dialogues des Filles nues (1, 3, 4, 5, 6) – 5 dialogues; Deuxième douzain : Dialogue[s] des Masturbées (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, [21]) – 9 dialogues; Troisième douzain : Dialogues des Masturbées (25, 26, 27, [28], 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) – 9 dialogues; Quatrième douzain : Dialogues des Lécheuses (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44) – 7 dialogues; Cinquième douzain : Dialogues des Phallophores (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54) – 6 dialogues; Sixième douzain : Dialogues des Goules (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 65 (i.e. 66), 67, 68, 69, 70, 71) – 11 dialogues; Septième douzain : Dialogues des Amoureuses (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, [80]) – 8 dialogues; Huitième douzain : Dialogues des Enculées (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, [95])  – 11 dialogues; Neuvième douzain : Dialogues des Chieuses (97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 104) – 7 dialogues; Dixième douzain : Dialogues des Pisseuses (109, 110, 111, 112, 114) – 5 dialogues; Onzième douzain : Dialogues des Mères (121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132) – 12 dialogues; Douzième douzain : Dialogues des Enfants (134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, [140])  – 7 dialogues. Collation: unpaginated, unbound [1]2 [16]4; total 66 leaves plus 12 plates, incl. t.p. In reality, when compared with another copy of the same book [LIB-3144.2023], the first gathering should have consisted of four leaves: 11 blanks, 12 engraved t.p. / blank, 13 blank / limitation, 14 faux t.p. Premier Douzain Dialogues des Filles nues. Edition: This copy of "calligraphié" Douze douzains de dialogues ou petites scènes amoureuses was most probably published in Paris by Libraire Robert Télin in 1927, 100 copies on Japon Nacre as per Dutel (1920-1970) № 1427. However, per Dutel (1) the title-page lettering is all in capital letters, (2) the illustration printed on p. 545 differs from the one in my copy, (3) the number of leaves is 68, while in my copy it is 66. Another "calligraphié" edition published in c. 1940 (Dutel 1429) is bound and has 80 leaves. Dutel unequivocally attributes the drawings to André Collot. Plates in this copy are similar to the ones in a pirated copy of Scènes de péripatéticiennes / Douze douzains de dialogues [LIB-2961.2022] (Dutel № 2366). According to Pia (1978) № 358, this is a 1927 edition published in Paris by libraire Robert Télin: « 1 f. blanc, 1 f. (justification), 1 f. (titre) et 65 ff. n. ch., plus 11 gravures à l’eau-forte rehaussées de couleurs ». Pia describes the folder and the box (chemise et étui) with lettering to spine almost as in my case: “P. L. | – | Petites | scènes | amoureuses” (lower case). Per Pia, illustrations are after André Collot (French, 1897 – 1976) or Louis Berthomme Saint-André (French, 1905 – 1977). Edition limited to 100 copies numbered I – C. There is no limitation statement in my copy, which may explain why my copy has fewer leaves than per Dutel and Pia. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970) №№ 1427 and 1429, p. 137 and № 2366, p. 356 ; Pia (1978) 358-9, p. 199-200. Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. André Collot (French, 1897 – 1976) – artist.
  • Hardcover volume, 25.2 x 20.5 cm, in a double slipcase 26.3 x 21.5 cm; black boards on cloth spine, front board with pasted photocollage in colour, first leaf thick verge paper different to the rest of the edition; top margin red, text printed on cream laid paper without a watermark and adorned with 14 in-text lithographs in black. A suite of 20 coloured lithographs 245 x 195 mm in the inner slipcase. Plates by Berthomme Saint-André. Pagination: [2] blanks, [3-8] 9-100 [101] blank, [2] colophon, limit. [2] blanks. Title-page (red and black): A. DE M. | GAMIANI | ou | deux nuits d'excès | Édition Réalisée | par les soins | et au profit exclusif des | « Vrais Amateurs Romantiques » | (Groupement de bibliophiles) || Limitation: № 1 – on Tonkin à la forme paper with two sets of plates, on Tonkin and one on Arches, printed in colour and in black, etc.; № 2 – similar but with the earlier state of one suite of plates; №№ 3-52 on Arches verge with plates on Tonkin; №№ 53-127 on Arches verge with plates on the same; №№ 128-227 on Rives with the suites on paper watermarked “Japon”; №№ 228-672 on Rives with the suites on the same; 25 copies marked A-Z of which A-J on Arches vergé and suites on Tonkin, and K-Z on Rives. Altogether 697 copies, of which this is copy № 27. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 1650, p. 187-8; honesterotica.com. with a partially different set of in-text illustrations. Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author. Louis Berthomme Saint-André (French, 1905 – 1977) – artist.
  • Description: Softcover volume 27 x 21.3 cm in publisher’s French flapped cream wrappers, with a vignette and lettered in red within a black frame to front "GAMIANI | OU DEUX NUITS D'EXCÈS". Printed on unmarked wove paper, outer and lower margins untrimmed. Illustrated with full-page frontispiece, 10 headpieces, and 5 smaller woodcuts (one repeated on the front wrapper and on t.p.) by Pierre Aubert after Jean-Gabriel Daragnès [pseud. Jean de Guethary], some with inlaid tissue guards. Copy enriched with one graphite pencil drawing signed "J. de Guethary", tipped in before h.t. Title-page (red and black): GAMIANI | OU DEUX NUITS D'EXCÈS | PAR A. DE M. | Avec | des vignettes | de | JEAN DE GUETHARY | {VIGNETTE} | — | CHEZ UN BOURGEOIS DE PARIS | Rue du Coq Hardi | 1845 || Pagination: [i-vi] (orig. drawing, h.t. / vignette, t.p./limit.) [vii] viii-xx, [1-3] 4-64 [4]; total 88 pages. Limitation: Edition limited to 110 copies. According to Dutel, 110 copies were printed on Japon ancient, 3 on Japon Impérial, and 3 on Whatman. This copy is № 115. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970): № 1630, p. 183; Pia (Enfer) 527, p. 286. Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author. Jean-Gabriel Daragnès (French, 1886 – 1950) – artist, publisher. Pierre Aubert (Swiss, 1910 – 1987) – engraver.
  • Publisher’s wrappers, 21.3 x 14.8 cm, 10 four-leave gatherings, unsigned, pp.: [8] 1-70 [2]; total 40 leaves (80 pages), illustrated with 73 in-text woodcuts in sanguine after Feodor Rojankovsky drawings. [1]4 recto reproduces the author’s handwriting. Unbound. Some foxing to the wrappers, all pages clean. Title-page: Poésies Érotiques | de | Pierre Louys | {vignette} | ROME | 1937 || Print run limited to 311 copies, 230 copies (№№ 71-300) on BFK Rives wove paper (watermarked); of which this is copy № 93. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III 2230. Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970).
  • Description: one volume in French flapped wrappers 25.3 x 19 cm, lettered “MUSSET” to front, 5 gatherings of 4 and one of 6 leaves, 26 leaves total, pp.: [4] [2] 3-43 [44] [4], total 52 pages, incl. those in wrappers, unbound; plus coloured and uncoloured suites of 12 lithographs, in a paper folder; in a cardboard tan slipcase 2.8 x 19.3 cm. Artist unknown, publisher unknown, published at the end of 1940s (per J.-P. Dutel). Illustrations are a loose interpretation of original lithographs by Devéria and Henri Grévedon or Octave Tassaert for the 1833 edition ((1926 re-print LIB-3135.2023). Limitation: Edition limited to 250 copies printed on Vélin Chiffon numbered 1 -250 and 24 copies marked by letters A to Z. This is copy № 246, with two suites of plates, one coloured and one b/w. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970) № 1657, p. 189. Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author.
  • Description: Softcover, French flapped wrappers, 19.7 x 14.5 cm, printed on thick wove paper watermarked “J. PERRIGOT ARCHES MBM”; engraved vignette by Foujita to t.p.; some pages towards the end uncut. Illustrated by ten original watercolours, unsigned. Collation: Pink wrappers, lettered to front, in frame: “P. L. |—| PYBRAC |—| 1927”, 2 blank leaves (one in wrapper), [2] h.t./blank, [2] t.p. in red and black with engraved vignette by Foujita / blank, [2] (Sur la chemise...), [2] f.t. / watercolour on reverse, [5] 6-98 [2 colophon/blank], 2 blank leaves (one in wrapper). Title-page (red and black): PIERRE LOUŸS | PYBRAC | POESIES | {vignette} | CYTHÈRE | AU COQ HARDI || Edition: Limited edition of 105 copies, of which this is copy № 28 on Arches paper, unique as enhanced with 10 colour drawings by an anonymous artist, presumably by Feodor Rojankovsky (dit Rojan), a unique copy. Cat. raisonné: Dutel III № 2278 p. 334; Dutel describes two unique copies of the edition, one with 6 and another with 24 original watercolours by Rojan. Contributors: Pierre Louÿs (French, 1870 – 1925) – author. Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita (Japanese-French, 1886 – 1968) – artist (t.p. vignette). Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970). René Bonnel (French, 1884 – 1975) – publisher. Another unique copy of the same edition illustrated by an anonymous artist in this collection LIB-3061.2022.
  • Unbound, unpaginated album (28.5 x 19.5 cm) with 22 leaves (11 folded sheets 28 x 38 cm each), printed on thick wove paper watermarked Arches with text and 27 vignettes, in a 29 x 20 cm slightly beige slipcase. Publisher’s original flapped cream wrappers, lettering to front over the vignette: VERS LIBRES | par | RAYMOND RADIGUET | Champigny | Au Panier Fleuri || Half-title: VERS LIBRES over a ribbon covering a stick, garland, and flute. TitleVERS LIBRES | par | RAYMOND RADIGUET || {vignette} | Champigny | Au Panier Fleuri || Section titleVERS LIBRES over a vignette of a girl in a hat and with an umbrella on a beach. Illustrations: Cover vignette, frontispiece, tail- and a headpiece for the Note, and vignettes (total 27 illustrations) attributed Rojan (Feodor Rojankovsky). Poems: Chat perché; Champigny, Usée, Les fiancés de treize ans, Saison, Le petit journal, Ébauches, II Cinématographe. Edition: 1st; Limitation on the last page: the total print run of 125 copies, this copy is № 18. Illustrations printed in black and stencil-coloured (au pochoir). Catalogue raisonné: Dutel 2592; Nordmann (2): 450. Dutel counts vignettes as 27, Christie's (Nordmann) as 28. Dutel writes it is printed on vergé de Hollande (laid paper), our copy is as per Nordmann, on wove Arches. No one mentions the slipcase. The number of leaves: 20 per Dutel, 22 per Nordmann. Why Cinématographe numbered II is unclear. Contributors: Raymond Radiguet (French, 1903 –  1923) – author. Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan; Рожанковский, Фёдор Степанович] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970) – artist. Comparison of 1935 and 1937 editions reveals that, as usual, the earlier the better.
    1935 1937
  • Pictorial album 31 x 22.8 cm, bound in quarter red calf over marbled boards with gilt lettering “SCÈNES | DE | LA VIE | PRIVÉE” and gilt ornament to spine; marbled endpapers, flyleaf, blue original wrapper (title-page) lettered SCÈNES | DE LA VIE PRIVÉE. | {vignette} | SIX DESSINS || «Six dessins» struck out, ms inscription beneath “Douze”. Twelve hand-coloured lithographs, some inscribed with letters and/or numbers in reverse, each in a double-rule frame 22 x 16.5 cm, images 18 x 14.5 cm (approx.); series title “Scènes de la vie intime” printed above the frame, image title printed in the lower compartment; ms numbers above the upper-right corner of the frame (state before sequential numbers, ms numbers do not correspond with artist numbering). Flyleaf at the end. Two bookplates to front pastedown: “EX-LIBRIS PAUL GAVAULT” and armorial “IN ROBORE ROBUR | Ex Libris Bourlon de Rouvre”. Content (Roman numerals in parenthesis are publisher's numbers; numerals in italic are Armelhault-Bocher reference numbers):
    1. Titre de la couverture (Title-page) – 2001
    2. (III) Un nid dans les blés (A nest in the wheat) – 2004
    3. (II) Amitié de pension (Friendship in the pension) – 2003
    4. (XI) Bras dessus, bras dessous (Arm up, arm down) – 2012
    5. (I) Causerie (Chat) – 2002
    6. (VI) Prélude (Prelude) – 2007
    7. (IX) Le guet-apens (Ambush) – 2010
    8. (V) Le cabinet noir (The dark chamber) – 2006
    9. (IV) Distraction (Entertainment) – 2005
    10. (X) Leçon de paysage (Landscape lesson) – 2011
    11. (VII) Avant le péché (Before sin) – 2008
    12. (VIII) Après le péché (After sin) – 2009
    13. (XII) La femme du peintre (The painter's wife) – 2013
    Catalogue raisonné: Armelhault-Bocher (2004) p. 478-80, №№ 2001-2013, all marked ‘RRR’ – extremely rare. Ref.: J. Armelhault & E. Bocher. Gavarni: Catalogue raisonné of the graphic work / A revision of the 1873 edition, with essays by Gordon N. Ray and Robert J. Wickenden, and 61 new plates. — San Francisco: Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, 2004 [LIB-1581.2018]. Artist: Paul Gavarni [Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier] (French, 1804 – 1866) Provenance: Charles Bourlon de Rouvre (French, 1850 – 1924) and Paul Armand Marcel Gavault (French, 1866 – 1951).    
  • 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: Original tan French flapped wrappers with black lettering to front, 22.7 x 14.5 cm, unbound, printed in b/w on thick wove unmarked paper with no plate mark (lithography?), collated in-4to, 1-94 102, total 38 leaves (2 leaves under front wrapper, 1 blank/limit., 1 h.t./blank, 1 t.p./blank, 31 leaves of illustrations printed on one side, 1 last blank, 1 under back wrapper); in a green marbled cardboard folder with lettered paper label to spine. Limitation: Edition limited to 200 copies on vélin de Rives, copies №№ 1-30 enriched with one original drawing, another 15 copies marked H. C. and numbered I-XV. This copy lacks the number, marked (handwritten) d’artiste A. C. (or H. C.) Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970) № 2512, p. 388. Contributor: André Collot (French, 1897 – 1976) – artist.
  • Single volume, 16.8 x 11.3 cm, bound in full dark olive crushed morocco by Brany (signed), gilt triple-fillet border to boards, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, gilt-lettered label, gilt dentelle inside, marbled endpapers, all margins gilt, gilt double fillet to boards margin; text printed on laid paper. Bookplate of Maurice Lebarbier de Tinan to fep 45 x 35 mm representing standing satyr with erected penis holding monogram ‘MT’ in his hands with a motto below on a ribbon ‘FAIRE SANS DIRE’. Maurice Lebarbier de Tinan book collection was dispersed via l’hôtel Drouot (Paris) on a sale from March 9 to 12, 1885; a catalogue was published: Catalogue d’un joli choix de livres anciens et modernes, en très belle condition de reliure, composant la bibliothèque de M. L. de T*** [Lebarbier de Tinan] (Paris, Ch. Porquet, 1885, in-8, VIII-140 p., 481 lots).  Collation: π2 (h.t., t.p.) a6 b2 1-1112, total 82 leaves plus 18 engraved plates on wove paper; illustrations include engraved frontispiece and six etchings printed in two versions each, black and red, and one etching (at p. 103) in two states, two colour versions for each state, frontispiece and 3 or 4 plates after Félicien Rops, the others after original lithographs by Devéria and Henri Grévedon or Octave Tassaert for the 1833 edition (re-print of 1926 LIB-3135.2023). Pagination: [4] [i] ii-xvi, [3] 4-141 [3], total 164 pages, ils. Title-page (red and black): GAMIANI | OU | DEUX NUITS D’EXCES | PAR | A D M | AVEC UN EPISODE DE LA VIE DE L’AUTEUR | Extrait des mémoires de la | COMTESSE DE C******** | – | « Hippolyte, cher cœur, que dis-tu ces choses ? » | Femmes damnées, Fleurs du Mal. | — | LESBOS | INSTITUTION MERY — PAVILLON BAUDELAIRE. || Catalogue raisonné: Dutel I: A-464; Bory: 596-605; Pia: 516/7. According to Pia, the print run is limited to 150 copies on laid paper. Ref.: BNF Enfer 419. Fekete (Christie's): 135. Provenance: Maurice Lebarbier de Tinan (French, 1842 – 1918). Contributors: Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author. Félicien Rops (Belgian, 1833 – 1898) – artist. Auguste Poulet-Malassis (French, 1825 – 1878) – publisher. Catalogue Poulet-Malassis & ses amis description: № 5. [Alfred de MUSSET] A D M. Gamiani ou Deux nuits d’excès, avec un épisode de la vie de l’auteur, extrait des mémoires de la comtesse de C********. Lesbos, Institution Méry, Pavillon Baudelaire [A. Poulet-Malassis, 1864]. Illustré de 8 gravures, dont l’une en frontispice, en double état (et quatre états pour la gravure « au singe » de la page 103) de Félicien Rops. Là où Baudelaire soutient Poulet-Malassis quand l’éditeur soutient l’attribution à Musset. Perfectionniste ? Trop cher ? Trop sollicité ? Pas toujours inspiré ? Rops réalisera rarement des suites complètes, ne répondant le plus souvent à la demande de ses commanditaires que par la conception de frontispices. Au verso du faux-titre, Launay voit une justification de 150 exemplaires sur papier vergé, paraphés et numérotés, qui ne figure pas ici. Très bel exemplaire relié par Brany. Provenance : Bibliothèque de Lebarbier de Tinan de Lebarbier de Tinan dont la collection fut dispersée en 1885, justifié par son ex-libris représentant un satyre en érection, portant la devise “Faire sans dire”. Bibliographie : Pia 558, Per 16-8, PC 1299, Lau 285, Enfer 419, Dutel A-464." [LIB-3118.2022]
  • 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:
  • A German translation of de Musset’s “Gamiani ou deux nuits d’excès” illustrated with a reprint title-page and 11 (instead of 16) hand-coloured photogravures after original lithographs by Devéria and Henri Grévedon or Octave Tassaert for 1833 edition, though from the re-drawn stones. Large volume, 40.5 x 31 cm, collated 4to, in black calf with lettering and elaborate gilt border to front and blind border to back, outer and bottom margins uncut, marbled endpapers, text and plates printed on wove paper. The reprint t.p. is different from the original one; in the 1833 edition, the line deux nuits d’excès is waving while here it is straight. Letterpress title-page: ALFRED DE MUSSET | GAMIANI | ODER | ZWEI NÄCHTE DER AUSSCHWEIFUNG || Reprint title-page: Gamiani | OU | DEUX NUITS D’EXCÈS. | {vignette} | Bruxelles | 1833 || Collation: π2 1-74 82, total 32 leaves plus reprint t.p. and 11 plates. Pagination: [4] [1] 2-59 [60], total 64 pages, ils. Limitation: Edition limited to 300 numbered copies, of which this is copy № 32. Contributors: Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author. Karl Spieler (German, 19th/20th century) – author of the foreword and translator. Achille Devéria (French, 1800 – 1857) – artist (attributed). Pierre Louis Henri Grévedon (French, 1776 – 1860) – artist (attributed). Octave Tassaert (French, 1800 – 1874) – artist (attributed). Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1650-1880) № A-460, p. 149; Eros invaincu № 68, p. 171-3.
  • Description: softcover, 25.5 x 16.5 cm, pink French flapped wrappers with black lettering, printed on laid paper watermarked “ARCHES (France)”, with 10 plates (etchings) bound in and 1 plate (coloured etching) laid in, extraneous to collation, with tissue guards; pp.: ffl, [2] h.t., [2] t.p., 1- 151 [152] [4] colophon, blank, ffl; some pages uncut; margins untrimmed. Title-page: UN ÉTÉ A LA | CAMPAGNE | CORRESPONDANCE DE DEUX | JEUNES PARISIENNES RECUEILLIE | PAR UN AUTEUR A LA MODE | ILLUSTRÉE DE DIX EAUX-FORTES | ET D’UNE AQUARELLE ORIGINALE | {blank} |  IMPRIMÉ SOUS LE MANTEAU | ET NE SE VEND NULLE PART | MCMXVIII || Limitation: a print run of 165 copies, of which this is № 129 on Arches à la forme paper. Cat. Raisonné: Dutel III № 2545, p. 397; Honesterotica. Contributors: Gustave Droz (French, 1832 – 1895) – author (presumable) Frans de Geetere (Belgian, 1895 – 1968) – artist/engraver
  • 12 hand-coloured soft-ground etchings by André Collot, unbound, in a paper folder with pink lettering and vignette engraved on wood, with a title-page in black: JEUNESSE | 12 VERNIS MOUS COLORIÉS | tires à exemplaires | réservés aux Amis de l’Artiste | 1933 ||, in a frame. Edition: 1st edition, limited to 60 copies. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel 1920-70: 1786. There is another copy of the same with the cardboard folder SVE-0528.2023.
  • Description: Pictorial album 29.7 x 24 cm, bound in ¾ red morocco over marbled boards with gilt lettering “LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE DES ROMANS” and raised bands to spine; marbled endpapers, two flyleaves, tan original wrapper lettered “La Bibliothèque des Romans. (gothic, arch) | {colour vignette} | UNE VEILLÉE DE JEUNE FILLE. | 1840. || Six hand-coloured lithographs, each in a double-rule border with the series title above it and image title below. Sequential numbers are hand-inscribed within the border in the upper-right corner. Frame 23.5 x 18.3 cm, image 21.5 x 16.5 cm. Three flyleaves at the end. A bookplate to front pastedown: “GERARD NORDMANN EX-LIBRIS”. Content:
    1. Front wrapper (title-page)
    2. SŒUR ANNE (Sister Anne)
    3. LA GRISETTE (The grisette)
    4. LÉONIDE OU LA VIEILLE DE SURÊNE (Léonide or the old lady of Surêne)
    5. LA PUCELLE DE BELLEVILLE (The maid of Belleville)
    6. MON VOISIN RAYMOND (My neighbor Raymond)
    7. LE COCU (The cuckold)
    Catalogue raisonné: Nordmann/Christie’s (I) № 127, p. 86 (Lithographic title and 6 erotic plates, in the Romantic style of Achille Devéria. Original pictorial front wrapper preserved) Provenance: Gérard Nordmann (French, 1930 – 1992). Achille Jacques-Jean-Marie Devéria (French, 1800 – 1857).