Inscribed Books

First edition, one of the review copies.

Some light foxing to the spine and along the edges of the covers, a pleasing copy given the poor quality of the paper.

Inscribed by Raymond Queneau to Dominique Aury.

First edition on ordinary paper.

A moving and appealing copy.

Fine signed autograph presentation inscription from Dominique de Roux to his brother: "Pour mon cher Xavier père et maître des circonvolutions de ce récit. Et sans qui la vie n'aurait aucun sens. Affection fraternelle. Dominique."

First edition on ordinary paper.

Small pale dampstains on the spine.

Inscribed, signed and dated by Maurice Genevoix to Nicole and Philippe Derez.

First edition, for which there was not printed any grand papier (deluxe) copies.
Publisher's binding in full grey cloth.
Illustrations.

Copy complete of its dust jacket illustrated by Jimmy Ernst, the dust jacket being in a poor state with several tears and corners missing.

Very precious handwritten dedication signed by Harriet Janis to Boris Vian: “To Boris Vian with Paris greetings for Rudi Blesh & myself, Harriet Janis. May 1953.”

« Hierbei sollst du meiner gedenken, denn alles habe ich ernstlich gemeint. R. W. »
[At this you shall remember me, for I have meant everything seriously].

First edition, illustrated with 11 double-page folio plates, including 2 plans printed on tracing paper. (Not listed in Hage Chahine.)

The text fascicle is in wrappers and the suite of plates is loose, both housed in the publisher’s original black cloth-backed portfolio with corners, flat spine without lettering, title label centered on the upper board, sand-colored boards showing some stains and scuff marks, with flaps and ties.

On the inside flap of the publisher’s portfolio, autograph inscription signed by Henri Chevrier to Pierre Glénat: "... dans l'espoir de faire un jour sa connaissance sous le soleil der Thèbes..."

First collected edition of which there were no grand papier (deluxe) copies, an advance (service de presse) copy.
A nice copy despite a tiny tear to foot of upper cover.
Rare autograph inscription signed by Robert Desnos to Pierre Berger: " ces feuilles déjà bien vieilles..."

Rare first edition.

A pleasing copy.
Contemporary full black cloth, spine gilt-stamped with a floral tool, double gilt fillet at foot of spine, red shagreen lettering-piece, blue paper endpapers and pastedowns, sprinkled edges, slightly frayed corners, contemporary binding.
Very rare signed and inscribed copy by Georges Gilles de la Tourette: "A mon cher confrère et ami le Dr Diamantberger. Gilles de La Tourette."

Dr. Mayer Saül Diamantberger was assistant physician at the Rothschild Hospital in the 1890s and regarded as one of the pioneers of rheumatology in France.  

Edition of wich no leading copies exists.
Binding of the editor in full black fabric.
Iconography.
Slips slightly warped in margins, the book that had stayed in a damp place previously, otherwise nice copy.

Rare autograph signed Kenzo Takada Gilles Brochard.

First edition, with no mention of deluxe paper copies.
Precious signed autograph inscription from Octave Mirbeau to his friend Jules Renard.
Blue pencil mark by Jules Renard on the front cover.
Our copy is further enriched with Jules Renard's celebrated ex-libris, designed and engraved by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

First edition of the French translation. No grands papiers (deluxe copies) were printed.
Some loss of plastic film on the spine, two light damp-stains on the upper and lower edges.
Signed and dated by Andy Warhol with an original drawing on three pages: verso of the first cover, endpaper and title page.

First edition, one of 25 copies on handmade laid paper, numbered and justified by the publisher, the only deluxe issue.
 
Bradel binding in half chocolate-brown morocco with corners, smooth spine, gilt date at foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, illustrated wrappers by Manuel Orazi and backstrip preserved.
Work illustrated with 136 black and colour drawings, in- and out-of-text, by Georges Bottini.
 
Bookplate mounted.
 
Our copy is enriched with a full-page original drawing, signed by Georges Bottini and heightened in black ink, depicting Jacques Beaudarmon wearing a bowler hat and conversing with the « môme ». This drawing appears as a woodcut illustration on page 133.
 
The drawing is inscribed by Georges Bottini to M. Casanove « en grande sympathie ».
 
Very rare deluxe copy of Jean Lorrain’s masterpiece.

First edition with 46 illustrations by Harry Furniss.
Publisher's binding over flexible paper boards, discreet and light repairs on the
joints, all edges gilt.
Autograph inscription dated and signed by Lewis Carroll to Mrs Cole.

Rare first edition.

Small tears and corner losses to the spine and boards.

Signed autograph inscription from Joseph Louis Trouessart to Sainte-Beuve on the half-title.

Rare first edition.

Spine and boards slightly sunned along the margins.

Dated and signed autograph inscription from C. Martin Saint-Léon to Baron Hulot, Secretary General of the Société de Géographie, on the front free endpaper.

The character and spirit of the Vietnamese as seen from a French perspective.

First edition of the French translation, for which no deluxe copies were issued.
Precious autograph presentation inscription signed by Italo Calvino to his friend, the Argentine photographer José María “Pepe” Fernández.
Our copy is further enriched with an original photograph by Pepe Fernández depicting Italo Calvino leaning on a stack of books.
Signed by the photographer at the foot of the image, with handwritten notes and Pepe Fernández’s stamp on the verso.
Double autograph signature of Pepe Fernández on the front endpaper and the title page as presentation inscriptions, spine faded.

First edition on ordinary paper, with no mention of large paper copies.

Occasional light spotting, a small angular lack to half-title.
Elegant pastiche marbled paper Bradel binding by Thomas Boichot, brown morocco title label, covers preserved.
Handsome autograph inscription signed by the author: "A Guy de Maupassant, son ami [For Guy de Maupassant, his friend]."

First edition on ordinary paper.

A small nick on the spine, slightly split at the foot.
Precious signed autograph inscription from Jean Giraudoux to André Gide: "... avec gratitude..."

First edition, one of 100 numbered copies on alfa, the only grands papiers (deluxe copies) after 5 pur-fil paper.

Bound in half green morocco, paste paper boards, marbled paper endpapers, wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, contemporary binding signed Lucie Weill.
Skilful and discreet repair to the top of a joint.
Illustrated with 6 vignettes by André Derain.

Handsome inscription signed by Antonin Artaud: “à Alice & à Carlo Rim que j'aime beaucoup parce que j'aime dans la vie tout ce qui est nature, franc et sans fard et la vie d'Héliogabale aussi est franche et sans fard et dans la ligne de la grande Nature. Antonin Artaud leur ami.” (“To Alice & Carlo Rim whom I love very much because I love in life all that is nature, frank and unvarnished and the life of Elagabalus is also frank and unvarnished and in line with the great Nature. Antonin Artaud their friend.”)

Edition from the year of the original, stating 78th thousand.
Copy complete with its wraparound band announcing the award of the 1965 Prix Renaudot.
A minute tear without consequence at the foot of one joint.

Autograph inscription signed by Georges Perec to Jean Berthou and his wife.

First edition, consisting of the facsimile of the author’s autograph manuscript.
Publisher’s binding in full white boards, smooth spine, covers illustrated with drawings by Oscar Niemeyer.
A handsome copy, complete with its illustrated dust jacket showing very minor tears and insignificant losses.
Work illustrated with drawings by Oscar Niemeyer.
Rare presentation copy, dated and signed by Oscar Niemeyer to Georges and Alice (Raillard).
Georges Raillard was an art critic and a close friend of Antoni Tàpies and Joan Miró; his wife Alice translated into French the leading Brazilian authors of the second half of the 20th century, such as Jorge Amado.
 

First edition.
Publisher’s full white boards, smooth spine.
A fine copy, complete with its illustrated dust jacket bearing very minor, inconsequential tears.
Illustrated with drawings by Oscar Niemeyer.
Rare signed presentation inscription from Oscar Niemeyer to Henri (Raillard).
 

First edition on ordinary paper.

Paper slightly toned as usual, with a few insignificant spots on the edges.

Amusing and fine signed autograph presentation inscription from René Fallet to his friend Jean-Jacques Vaure; "Pour J.J. Vaure chantre mou d'Argenteuil 13 amicalemebt. René Fallet 16/11/51. Note de l'auteur : celui qui acceptera qu'on lui prête ce livre est un salaud. Pas tant que Vaure, mais presque."

First edition, one of 20 deluxe copies on Holland paper, the only large-paper issue, reimposed in octavo format (the ordinary edition being in duodecimo).

Cf. Vicaire III, 305-306. Carteret I, 222.

Contemporary full stiff ivory vellum, smooth spine, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.

Fine copy.

Bibliographers mention 25 copies, which seems difficult to account for, as the limitation is clearly stated on the verso of the half-title. This procedure was customary for the author (Les Six aventures, 1857, was issued in the same dual printing).

Precious presentation copy inscribed and signed by Maxime Du Camp to the celebrated critic Jules Janin (1804–1874), who later affixed his engraved bookplate to the front endpapers.

Second edition only one month after the first edition.
Spine lightly wrinkled, small signs of folding in the margins of the boards, a light mark on the second board.

Claude Couffon, a French specialist and translator of the major Spanish-speaking writers of the second half of the 20th century, translated Chronicle of a Death Foretold a few years later.
On the last page, below the colophon, Gabriel García Márquez specified an address in Barcelona, that of his famous literary agent for Spain: “c/o Agencia Carmen Ballcells Urgel 241, Barcelona, 11.”

Rightly considered as one of the most important works op the Spanish language, the novel by García Márquez, however, had difficult beginnings after a first refusal by the avant-garde Barcelona publisher Seix Barral: “This novel will not be successful [...], this novel is useless.”
García Márquez sent it from Mexico to the Argentinian publisher Francisco Porrúa who immediately perceived the power of this unknown Colombian writer: “It wasn't a question of getting to the end to find out if the novel could be published. The publication was already decided from the first line, in the first paragraph. I simply understood what any sensible publisher would have understood: that it was an exceptional work.”
Finished printing in May 1967, Cien Años de Soledad appeared in bookshops in June with 8,000 copies selling out in a few days. The second print on 30 June will have the same success, as will the editions that follow week after week. More than half a million copies were sold in three years.

Several copies were later inscribed by Gabriel García Márquez who over the years has become one of the most famous South American writers, translated into 25 languages. However, contemporary autograph inscriptions on the first prints are extremely rare, even more so to one of his French translators who will contribute largely to his international renown.

First edition.
Half beige cloth Bradel binding, flat spine, date at foot, black shagreen title-piece skillfully restored, marbled paper boards, contemporary binding.
Inscribed by Guy de Maupassant to his friend the writer Catulle Mendès.
A fine copy, attractively bound.
Provenance: from the library of Arthur Christian with his bookplates on the front pastedown.

First edition, one of the review copies.
Preface by Raymond Queneau.
Rare and appealing copy.

Rare signed autograph presentation from Boris Vian to Marc Bernard.

First edition with 25 full-page photographs.
Green cloth publisher's binding. Copy complete with its dust jacket, with very slight tears, and traces of wear to the margins.
Rare autograph signature of Maria Callas on the title page.

Edition published the same year as the first. Illustrated with a portrait of the author, three folding plates, a folding map of Longwood house and two folding maps.
Some foxing.

Full black calf bindings, smooth spines with gilt romantic motifs, boards with central motif in blind, boards ruled in gilt, a small restoration to the margin of the first volume's upper board, handmade endpapers and pastedowns, marbled edges, spine-ends ruled in gilt, contemporary romantic bindings.

Rare signed and inscribed copy to a veteran of the Napoleonic wars, on the title page of the first volume: "A Mr. Foucauld, ancien s. [sous] officier de la Grande Armée. Passy 19. 7bre 1840 par le Cte de Las Cases" [To Mr. Foucauld, former second officer of the French Imperial Army. Passy 19. September 1840 by Count de Las Cases]

This inscription by the famous memorialist dates from the year Napoleon's mortal remains were returned to France, a few days before the Belle Poule frigate arrived in St. Helena to collect the coffin. Las Cases inscribed this copy at a turning point in history, as the world was once again turning to the remote island where the Emperor was exiled and buried. A second resurrection was to occur with the triumphant return of the imperial coffin:

"Frozen sky, pure sun. - Oh! shines in history,
Of the mournful imperial triumph torch!
May the people forever keep you in their memory,
Beautiful day like glory,
Cold as the grave" (Le Retour de l'Empereur, Victor Hugo).
The famous compilation of memories and confidences of Napoleon in exile was considered from the beginning to be a true masterpiece which had a lasting effect on Napoleonic legacy. Inscriptions by Las Cases on his most famous work are extremely rare. Las Cases wrote these words to another faithful servant of the Empire, at a time when one of the most important events in Napoleonic history was unfolding: the long voyage of so-called “Mission des cendres”. Las Cases was to be part of this expedition and abandoned due to ill health. He was replaced by his son who had shared his captivity in St Helena and was to publish, like his father, an account of his journey with the Emperor's remains. Las Cases did, however, attend the lavish funeral ceremony at the Invalides, true to his words from the Mémorial: "The heavens blessed my efforts by allowing me to go all the way".

An exceptional copy with a rare meaningful signed autograph inscription, on the iconic work at the origin of Napoleonic mythology, handsomely set in a contemporary binding with Romantic gilt motifs.

First edition, printed in very small numbers, of this offprint from the Bulletins de l'Académie royale de Belgique, 3rd series, vol. IV, no. 12.

No copy in the CCF. A single copy in Worldcat.

Traces of a label and of a distribution stamp in the left margin of the upper cover, a few small spots of foxing.

The physicist Charles Montigny (1819-1890) was director of the science section of the Académie royale des Sciences et Belles-Lettres de Bruxelles, of which he had been a member since 1867.

Inscribed by Charles Montigny to Admiral Ernest Mouchez (1821-1892), a specialist in hydrological and astronomical observations, director of the Paris Observatory from 1878.

First edition, no copies printed on deluxe paper.
Illustrated, a pleasant copy

Precious and very fine autograph inscription, dated and signed by Samuel Mbajum: "Paris, 30 June 2014, au ministre Bernard Kouchner, avec ma sympathie pour votre combat humanitaire, en espérant que vous m'aiderez à plaider le plus largement possible la cause de ces oubliés de l'histoire franco-africaine, et aussi des débats sur la commémoration de la Grande Guerre."

First edition, printed on vellum paper in 260 numbered copies.

Bradel binding in half vellum-style boards, smooth spine, gilt title running lengthwise, gilt fillet framing the marbled paper covers, top edge gilt.

A long orange offset to the margin of the lower cover on the vellum-style board, light orange offsets to the margins of the white endpapers.

Illustrated with 68 plates reproducing drawings by Max Liebermann in facsimile.

This copy retains the two original etchings by Max Liebermann, each signed by him in pencil.

First edition on ordinary paper.

Work illustrated with wood engravings by Henri Jadoux.

A pleasing copy.

Autograph inscription signed by Sacha Guitry in pencil to Henry Sorensen.

First edition, one of 40 numbered copies, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.

A handsome and scarce copy.

Illustrated with full-page color drawings by André François.

Pencil signature by Vincent Pachès at the colophon.

Very rare collection comprising offprints of original editions of articles and reviews first published in the Journal des savants or the Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient.

Bradel binding in green bottle cloth-backed boards, flat spine decorated with a central gilt ornament and double gilt fillet at foot, red morocco title label, marbled paper boards, some original wrappers preserved, modern binding signed Boichot.

Most of the fascicles are by the Indologist Auguste Barth (1834–1916), one of the founders of the École française d'Extrême-Orient, and the originator of Indochinese epigraphy through his studies of Sanskrit inscriptions in Cambodia. He was also a specialist in Indian religions.

The collection includes the following items:

I. Die Religion des Veda, von Hermann Oldenberg. Berlin, Wilhelm Hertz, 1894 (September 1896, 55 pp.).

II. Le pèlerin chinois I-Tsing. Edouard Chavannes: Voyages des pèlerins bouddhistes (...). Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1894 (November 1898, 52 pp.).

III. Le Mahavastu, Sanskrit text published for the first time with introductions and commentary, by E. Senart. 1882–1897 (October 1899, 41 pp.).

IV. Grundriss der indo-arischen Philologie und Altertumskunde, edited by Georg Bühler. Strasbourg, Karl-J. Trübner, 12 fascicles published from 1896 to 1899 (September 1900, 82 pp.).

V. Le Cambodge. Le Royaume actuel, by Etienne Aymonier, Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1900 (August 1901, 17 pp.).

VI. Kaccayana's Pali Grammar, by Satis Chandra Acharya Vidyabhusana, London and Calcutta, 1901 (October 1902, 16 pp.).

VII. Lunet de Lajonquière, Inventaire descriptif des monuments du Cambodge, Paris, Imprimerie nationale, E. Leroux éditeur, 1902 (July 1903, 4 pp.).

VIII. On the Origin and Diffusion of Fables. Francesco Ribezzo: Nuovi studi sulla origine e la propagazione delle favole indo-elleniche comunemente dette esopiche. Napoli, Francesco Giannini, 1901 (January 1904, 29 pp.).

IX. L'École française d'Extrême-Orient (Hanoi, Imprimerie F.-H. Schneider, n.d. [1900], 11 pp.).

X. Stele of Vat Phou, near Bassac (Laos) (1902, 2 unnumbered ff., 6 pp., one folding plate).

XI. The Doublets of the Stele of Say-Fong. Letter to the Director of the École française d'Extrême-Orient (1903, 7 pp.).

XII. FOUCHER (Alfred): Report to the Governor-General of Indochina on the work of the École française d'Extrême-Orient during the year 1901 (1902, 10 pp.). – XIII. LEVI (Sylvain): Chinese Notes on India (1902, 2 unnumbered ff., 10 pp.).

XIV and XV. FINOT (Louis): Notes on Epigraphy (n.d. [1902], and 1903, 36 pp., one unnumbered leaf of errata and 4 photogravure plates).

XVI. SPECHT (Edouard): On the Deciphering of Sindo-Ephthalite Coins (Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 1901, 43 pp.).

Most of the pamphlets bear a signed presentation inscription from the authors to Father Boyer.

First edition describing 1,271 objects, illustrated with 3 full-page line-engraved plates.

Inscribed on the upper cover with a signed autograph presentation from François Lenormant to the eighth Duke of Luynes (1802–1867).

Minor foxing, light creasing to the upper cover.

Very rare first edition of the author's very first work, in which he clearly sought to draw attention during this period of revival of the national stud farms, abolished during the Revolution and officially reinstated in 1806 (see Mennessier de La Lance II, 138).

Contemporary full marbled fawn calf, flat spine richly gilt with garlands, Greek keys, floral tools and geometric motifs, green morocco title labels, gilt rolls on the almost faded caps, gilt ornamental borders on covers, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillet on edges, worn corners, sprinkled edges.

Facing the title page, signed autograph inscription by Louis de Maleden to "Messieurs Talendier et Laforest," in which he mentions the publication of his Plan organique, which appeared in 1805 followed this first work.

Ex-libris label of Waldemar Schwalbe, dated 1937, pasted on the front pastedown.

First edition, one of 300 numbered copies signed and justified by Frans de Geetere, reserved for the friends of La Marie-Jeanne, the only copies printed on deluxe paper.
As stated in the limitation, our copy is complete with a manuscript leaf from the work and an original drawing by the author depicting two reclining nude women, signed by him.
A desirable copy, complete with its rare promotional wraparound band: "le livre qu'aucun éditeur n'a osé publier".

The first edition, first printing, numbered in the press, with only 23 large paper copies on Hollande paper.
With a frontispiece portrait of Apollinaire by Picasso.
Discreet restorations to spine.

With a chemise of half red morocco over paper boards by Boichot, spine in six compartments, date to foot of spine, identical paper slipcase with red morocco edging.

 
Rare autograph inscription signed by Guillaume Apollinaire: “for Henri Ghéon whose poetry I am fond of, Guillaume Apollinaire”.
This copy also with five manuscript corrections by Apollinaire on pages 71, 77, 92, 110 and 189.
A good copy with a rare autograph inscription by the poet.

An autograph quatrain in black ink has been mounted on the verso of the frontispiece.

Very rare first edition (see Ryckebusch 6726).

Only two copies listed in the CCFr: Paris (BnF) and Poitiers.

Unbound copy presented in original grey paper wrappers, handwritten title on the spine (partly missing), some foxing mostly at the beginning and end of the volume.

A staunch advocate for the abolition of slavery, the author structures his study as follows: I. On Slavery. – II. On Emancipation. – III. Essay on the History of the Colonies. – IV. On the Colonial System. – V. Note on Algeria.

This well-documented text is supplemented with statistics and numerous historical observations: "La servitude est un crime et un malheur ; il faut donc l'abolir, et j'ajoute qu'il importe qu'on ne tarde pas à le faire" (chap. II, p. 58).

French economist Michel Gustave Pastoureau Du Puynode was born in 1817 in Les Forges de Verrières (Vienne). Appointed to the Ministry of Justice in 1845, he resigned his post during the Revolution of 1848 and declined the position of Secretary General at the Ministry of the Navy offered to him by Schoelcher. He was one of the principal contributors to the Journal des économistes and a member of the Société d'économie politique until around 1898, the probable year of his death.

A precious copy bearing, at the head of the half-title, a signed autograph inscription by Gustave de Puynode: "A Monsieur le Cte Victor du H[amel], hommage de l'auteur".

Writer and politician Victor Du Hamel (1810–1870) was the author of several novels and was appointed prefect of the Lot in 1849.

A very rare work, offered as is.

First edition with all first printing  features, one of the press copies.

Exceptional presentation copy inscribed by the author to the famous singer Yvette Guilbert, to whom Céline himself sang and offered one of his scandalous compositions, “Katika la putain,” [Katika the Whore] later renamed “À Nœud coulant” [With a Slipknot"] "A madame Yvette Guilbert en témoignage de ma profonde admiration. LFCéline.” 

Beneath Céline's inscription, the actor Fabrice Luchini added: “A Yvette Guilbert in memoriam. FLuchini” ; and on the half-title, actor Jean-François Balmer wrote in turn: “Merci en bon voyage. JFBalmer.”

With pasted-in entry tickets to their respective performances of Voyage au bout de la nuit at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées for Luchini, and at the Théâtre de l’Œuvre for Balmer.

First edition, one of 34 copies printed on Japan paper, this copy being one of 5 not-for-sale copies printed for presentation, a deluxe issue following the unique copy on Japan Imperial.

Illustrated with 9 original wood engravings by Maurice Savin.

Minor loss at foot of spine, occasional light spotting on some deckle edges, a handsome copy with full margins.

As stated in the colophon, our copy includes the additional suite of wood engravings printed on antique Japan paper.

Inscribed and signed by André Spire to Claude Aveline, for whom this copy was printed

First edition, no deluxe copies on fine paper were issued.

Spine and rear cover slightly soiled; a clean and attractive copy internally.

Illustrations.

Valuable signed presentation copy from General Gambiez: "A monsieur J. Debu-Bridel en bien cordial hommage cet envoi de synthèse sur la libération de la Corse cette île qui nous est si chère. Château de Vincennes 26 septembre 1974."

A moving relic of the Resistance and Gaullist legacy.

First edition, no grands papiers (deluxe) copies printed.
Half brown sheepskin, spine with four raised bands framed in blind and dec­orated with gilt floral motifs, some rubbing to the spine, marbled paper boards, marbled paper endpapers and flyleaves, modest contemporary bind­ing.

Rare signed and inscribed copy by Guy de Maupassant to the Baron de Vaux who inspired the character of Bel-Ami: “To Baron de Vaux / his friend / Guy de Maupassant”.

First edition, with no deluxe copies printed.

Publisher's full blue cloth binding, smooth spine, copy complete with its photographic dust jacket, showing minor tears at the head and tail of the spine without loss.

Text by Françoise Dolto, photographs by Alecio de Andrade.

Inscribed and signed by Françoise Dolto and Alecio de Andrade on the front free endpaper.

First edition, illustrated with a folding map bound at the end (cf. Quérard I 529).

Copy preserved in its original plain green wrappers,

uncut, some foxing to the map.

"Tableau des stations géodésiques et astronomiques choisies pour déterminer la mesure de l'arc du parallèle terrestre compris entre les tours de Cordouan et de Fiume, et qui doit s'étendre jusqu'à Orsowa en Transilvanie".

Inscribed and signed by Joseph-François Nicollet on the title-page, addressed to a Monsieur Pouillet.

First edition, printed in a small number of copies on laid paper, extracted from the Journal asiatique; a single copy recorded in the CCF (Strasbourg).

Rare copy preserved in its original blue paper wrappers, as issued.

Traces of a label on the left margin of the front cover, a pleasing copy overall.

Inscribed by Giovanni Antonio Arri on the upper cover to archaeologist Désiré Raoul-Rochette (1789–1854), then a member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.

Rare first edition, privately printed in small numbers, of this offprint from the Recueil des notices et mémoires de la Société archéologique de Constantine, vol. XXIV.

Only two copies recorded in the French collective catalogue (BnF and Lyon).

Vertical crease visible throughout the booklet.

Preserved in its original grey paper wrappers, without lettering, with the title and author's name handwritten in pencil.

A member of the Congregation of the White Fathers, particularly active in North Africa, Alfred-Louis Delattre (1850–1932) was first sent as a missionary to Algeria, later becoming chaplain of the Saint-Louis Church in Carthage, and eventually curator of the archaeological museum in Algiers.

Based on the Byrsa Hill in Carthage, he devoted over fifty years of his life to the exploration of the Carthaginian archaeological site, focusing especially on necropolises and early Christian basilicas. Inscribed, dated and signed by Alfred-Louis Delattre at the head of the first page of text.

First edition of the French translation, illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of Iwakura Tomomi.

Contemporary binding in navy blue long-grain half morocco, flat spine decorated with gilt fillets and blind-stamped fleurons, red morocco lettering-piece running lengthwise, green cloth boards, minor fading and rubbing to covers, original blank wrappers preserved; modern binding.

Iwakura Tomomi (1825–1883) was a prominent figure of the Meiji era, whose influence played a key role in Japan's transformation.

Some handwritten annotations in ink and pencil on a pastedown, and an inscription in ink reading "Trautz (?) Kyoto. Jan 1935" on the endpaper.

Inscribed and signed by Leonardus Johannes Antonius van de Polder to Doctor Kniper, dated December 1922.

Bookplate of R.A. Scoales pasted on a pastedown.

First edition, printed in very limited numbers, of this offprint from the Revue archéologique, illustrated with 12 textual figures and 3 plates; only two copies listed in the CCF (Quai d'Orsay and Strasbourg).

Contemporary Bradel binding in olive green cloth-backed marbled boards, smooth spine with red morocco title label, original wrappers bound in.

Christophe-Edouard Mauss (1829–1914), architect to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was entrusted with several archaeological missions in the East (Thessaloniki, Smyrna, Alexandria), and was later sent by the French government to Jerusalem (1862–1874) to oversee the restoration of the Church of Saint Anne. He also developed a keen interest in ancient metrology, to which he devoted several monographs.

Bound at the end, three additional works by the same author:

• I. Note pour faire suite au tracé du plan de la Mosquée d'Omar, published June–July 1888. Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1889, 6 pp.
• II. Note sur une ancienne chapelle contiguë à la grand'salle des Patriarches et à la rotonde du Saint-Sépulcre à Jérusalem. Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1890, 23 pp., 12 textual illustrations.
• III. L'Église de Saint-Jérémie à Abou-Gosch (Emmaüs of Saint Luke and Castellum of Vespasian), with a study on the stadium in the time of Saint Luke and Flavius Josephus. Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1892, 54 pp., then pp. 55–106, 25 textual figures.
• The first two works bear signed autograph inscriptions from Christophe-Edouard Mauss to the archaeologist Alban-Emmanuel Guillaume-Rey (1837–1916, also known as Guillaume Rey or Emmanuel Rey, though the correct surname is Guillaume-Rey).
• His many travels in Syria made him a most suitable interlocutor for such scholarly exchanges.

First UK edition.

Publisher’s binding in full grey cloth, smooth spine, a fine copy complete with the illustrated dust jacket featuring a photographic portrait of the author by Yousuf Karsh.

Illustrated with maps on the endpapers and pastedowns, and 37 photographs.

Extremely rare inscribed copy signed by the last leader of the Soviet Union to a USSR émigré, the journalist Sam Yossman.