19th-century collection. Beautiful bindings.

-Madame de LA FAYETTE. The Story of Madame Henriette of England, first wife of Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans. Paris, Techener, 1853. Square 16mo, (3)-CXCI pp. on laid paper, title in red and black, frontispiece portrait. 19th-century red morocco, ribbed spine, gilt title, richly decorated panels edged with a double gilt line, triple gilt line framing the covers, double gilt line on the headbands and footbands, gilt interior wheel, gilt edges on marbled paper. [Niedrée] (lower cover very slightly tarnished, very slight foxing on a few pages). Illustrated with an engraved portrait printed on Chinese paper and mounted. A fine copy from the publisher Techener, of the first book he had printed, with this autograph note: “A copy I had bound for myself. The first book I had printed.” A copy with good margins, on shell paper, well bound by Niedrée. 

-HURTREL. Les Aventures romanesques d’un comte d’Artois. Paris, George Hurtrel, 1883. In-16 square, VI-232 pp. Burgundy morocco, ribbed spine, gilt title, date stamped at the bottom, gilt fleur-de-lis in the centre of the panels and at the corners of the covers, double gilt fillet bordering the panels, covers, headbands and footbands, gilt interior roulette, gilt edges, cover and spine preserved [Champs] (spine slightly faded, light stains on the cover). A narrative composed by Alice Hurtrel, based on a 15th-century manuscript, illustrated with figures reproduced by Marie, Nordmann, Baude and Gillot (engravers), Lemercier and Co. (lithographers) and Mouillot after drawings from the BnF, including a frontispiece, headpieces and tailpieces in colour. Printed in an edition of 60 copies on China paper, this one numbered 52 by hand and signed by the author. 

-FONTENELLE. LALANDE. Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, by Fontenelle. Preceded by Astronomy for Ladies, by J. de La Lande. Paris: Janet and Cotelle, 1826. In-8, XVI-396 pp. Sand-coloured calfskin, spine with 4 raised bands, covers decorated with gilt fillets, title label in tan calfskin, blind-stamped fillets and fleurons, double framing on the covers comprising multiple gilt fillets and brown roulette, triple gilt fillet edging the fore-edges, gilt edges [Bauzonnet] (one corner slightly crushed, very slight rubbing to the covers, foxing). New edition expanded with biographical notes and illustrated with 2 plates engraved by Tardieu. A fine copy in an original binding by Bauzonnet. -Les CAQUETS de l’accouchée. Paris, Librairie des bibliophiles, 1888. 8vo, XXX-226 pp. Fawn morocco, ribbed spine, gilt title, decorative panels with small ironwork and edged with a double gilt fillet, gilt roulette and fillet framing on the covers and back covers, gilt ironwork in the corners on the covers, double gilt fillet on the headbands and footbands, gilt edges on the endpapers, cover and spine preserved [Cuzin] (paper of the endpapers and facing pages, slightly browned). A fine illustrated edition of this 17th-century satire, which remains anonymous. With 14 in-text vignettes drawn and etched by Adolphe Lalauze, including 8 headpieces and 6 tailpieces. Limited edition of 215 copies. One of the 170 copies on Holland paper (no. 104), enriched with 2 sets of engravings, including the pure etchings. From the library of the Marquis Robert-l’Espérance Des Acres, Marquis de L’Aigle (1843–1931), Normandy, politician and diplomat, and a keen hound hunter, with his gold-stamped bookplate on a piece of leather. 

-MONTAIGNE. Essays. Paris, Furne, 1831. Large 8vo, XIV-583 pp. 19th-century olive calfskin, spine with 4 faux raised bands decorated with gilt fillets, embossed fleurons, author and title gilt, covers adorned with a large embossed plaque and edged with 4 gilt fillets featuring angular fleurons, gilt roulette on the edges and chases, gilt edges, spine restored [Thouvenin] (spine discoloured to brown, scuffing on the edges, corners and covers, rare foxing). 

-MIGNET. History of the French Revolution, from 1789 to 1814. Paris, Firmin Didot frères, 1836. 2 volumes in-8, 416 pp. and 374 pp. Olive-coloured long-grain half-morocco in the Bradel style with corners, smooth spine, author’s title and volume number gilded, date stamped at the bottom, framing of multiple gilt fillets and a small revolutionary fleur-de-lis, all gilded, gilt fillet on the covers, untrimmed, covers and spine preserved, corners skilfully restored [Carayon] (spine faded, scuffing on the lower edges). New edition of the major work by the historian Mignet, illustrated with 2 engraved portraits of Napoleon and 24 plates after Duplessi-Bertaux. 

-BERNARDIN DE SAINT PIERRE. Paul and Virginie. [followed by] La Chaumière indienne. Paris, Léon Curmer, 1838. 2 parts in 1 vol. large 8vo, LVI–458 pp. running continuously. Publisher’s black half-shagreen, smooth spine decorated with a large iron stamp featuring an oriental motif, gilt title, gilt edges (a few leaves slightly loose, browning at the margins of the plates, a few scattered stains). A magnificent edition; one of the finest works of the Romantic era. Brings together *Paul et Virginie* and *La Chaumière indienne*, preceded by a study by Sainte-Beuve on Bernardin de Saint-Pierre. ‘The jewel of 19th-century illustrated books’ (Brivois). Illustrated with 29 plates on applied China paper, including the frontispiece and numerous vignettes in the text, drawn and then wood-engraved. 7 hors-texte portraits engraved on steel by Cousin, Pelée, Pigeot and Revel after Lafitte, Johannot and Meissonier, and a coloured map of Île de France (Mauritius) engraved by Dyonnet. Vicaire, VII, 42–68. Plum-coloured half-morocco with corners, smooth spine decorated with a mosaic pattern, author and title gilded, date stamped at the tail, gilded head, untrimmed [Canape] (spine faded, very slight rubbing at the joints, a few sporadic foxing spots). Illustrated with 40 compositions by Paul Avril, etched by himself, including the frontispiece and a vignette on the title page. Printed in an edition of 1,000: one of 125 on Japanese paper (no. 129, second paper after 50 other Japanese papers), containing a series of etchings in their final state with the artist’s name in drypoint. Ex-libris label with a monogram surmounted by a ducal or princely crown, late 19th century. 

-CLARETIE. La Canne de M. Michelet, promenades et souvenirs. Paris, L. Conquet, 1886. In-8, IV-236 pp. Red half-morocco with corner pieces, spine with raised bands decorated with a gold dotted pattern, author and title in gold, date stamped at the tail, double gold fillet framing the decorated panels, gold fillet on the covers, gilt head, cover and spine preserved. [Bretault]. First edition of this collection of short stories on the 1870 Revolution. Illustrated with 12 compositions by the painter Paul-Léon Jazet (1848–1918), as separate plates, etchings by Toussaint and a portrait of the author by Burney after Ulmann as a frontispiece. Limited edition of 1,000 copies. One of the 150 limited-edition copies, this one on Japanese paper no. 71 with the publisher’s stamp; contains the portrait and the plates in two states. A fine copy with generous margins (h 228 mm) in a perfect Bretault binding.