Arts & Literature

[BAUDELAIRE] CARJAT, Étienne (1828-1906)

Period albumen print
[Paris, between late 1861 and early 1862]. Wet stamp « Et. Carjat »

Étienne Carjat’s masterpiece, the only known period print

[BAUDELAIRE] FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821-1880)

Autograph letter signed « Gus Flaubert » to Jules Sandeau
Croisset, 26 January [1862], 2 p. in-8 on blue laid paper

« Yesterday I received a letter from Baudelaire inviting me to ask for your voice for his candidacy to the Academy »

[BAUDELAIRE] VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph letter signed twice « Paul Verlaine » to Léon Deschamps
Paris, 23rd August 1892, 3 p. in-12° on bi-folio

« Baudelaire was my dearest fanaticism and is, that is to say, will remain one of my greatest admiration »

[BAUDELAIRE] VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph letter signed « Paul Verlaine » to Léon Deschamps
Paris, 19th October 1890, 1 p. in-8°

« I had accompanied, very young and all obscure as I was, the coffin of Baudelaire »

[CAMUS] CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph letter signed « René Char » to Marianne Oswald
N.p, 15th March, 2 p. in-8°

« Above all, we must talk about Albert and the abyssal emptiness that his disappearance caused. It is up to friendship to bloom this void »

[CHAR] ARAGON, Louis (1897-1982)

Autograph letter signed « Aragon » (draft), to René Char
[Paris, 10th August 1946], 1 p. 1/2 in-4°

« I do not accept to be lectured, I admit even less that it is claimed to be given to Esla. And the Olympian tone of your letter proves to me that if there are some who get lost, it is only in the image of kicking the ass »

[DELACROIX] DEGAS, Edgar (1834-1917)

Autograph letter signed “Degas” to collector Montagnac
Np, 27 June [18]95, 2 pages in-8°

“I pay you as follow: three pastels from me”

[DELACROIX] SAND, George (1804-1876)

Autograph letter signed « G.S. » to Eugène Delacroix
[Paris] Postal mark [23rd December 1841], 1 p. 1/2 in-8°

« I saw your femmes d’Alger »

[DELACROIX] SAND, George (1804-1876)

Autograph letter signed « G.S. » to Eugène Delacroix
[Nohant, 13 August 1843], 4 p. in-8°, autograph address on fourth folio

« I no longer exist, I told you. It’s been three years since I died, having committed suicide voluntarily to prevent myself from dying and not to drag a ridiculous agony »

[DUMAS] FERRIER, Ida (1811-1859)

Autograph letter signed “Ida”
[Between 1840 & 1844] Saturday, 1/2 p. in-12

“I had instructed Alexandre to present them to you, but I believe that he has forgotten my committee”

[FLAUBERT] Paul NADAR (1856-1939)

Late print showing Flaubert in bust
[Paris, c. 1910], cabinet format mounted thick cardboard

Scarce and legendary portrait of Flaubert by Nadar

[HUGO, Victor] Adèle Foucher & Auguste Vacquerie

Period photographs on albumen paper
Adèle Foucher – Auguste Vacquerie

Beautiful original prints from Victor Hugo’s inner circle

[HUGO] Juliette DROUET (1806-1883)

Autograph letter signed « Juliette » to Victor Hugo
N.p, 12 February [1849], 4 pp. in-8°

« I like the violent and expeditious genre »

[HUGO] QUINET, Alexandre (1836-1900)

Original photography of Victor Hugo by Alexandre Quinet
[Veules-les-Roses, c. 1882], 11,8 x 16,4 cm

Victor Hugo’s only period print at Veules-les-Roses, at his friend’s Paul Meurice

[JARRY] QUENEAU, Raymond (1903-1976)

Autograph letter signed « Queneau » [to Michel Arrivé]
N.p, 9th August 1964, 1 p. in 8vo, NRF letterhead

“There is a chance […] so that a carefully drawn up plan by you leads to the realization of a Jarry volume in this honored collection”

[LAMARTINE] LAMARTINE (de), Valentine (1821-1894)

Autograph letter signed « Valentine de Lamartine » to Victor de Laprade
Paris, 31st May 1872, 4 pp. in-8° on mourning paper

« Thank you, thank you for thus satisfying yourself in my work, the last worship that I can still render to the One who has been the Happiness and glory of my life. »

[MANET] DAUDET, Léon (1867-1942)

Autograph manuscript signed « Léon Daudet »
N.p.n.d [Paris, June 1932], 4 pp. large in-4°

« Manet is the beauty of colour, the celebration of the decomposition of light through the prism »

[NAPOLEON] DAVOUT, Louis-Nicolas (1770-1823)

Autograph letter signed « L Davout » to his wife, Aimée Leclerc
Osterode [current Ostróda in Poland], 16 April [1807], 6 p. in-4°

« We do not know here whether the peaceful intentions of our emperor will prevail over the intrigues of our eternal enemies, but in any case we are more able than ever to make them triumph by our arms »

[NERVAL] COLON, Jenny (1808-1842)

Autograph letter signed “Jenny” to her friend Jouslin de la Salle
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-8 embossed to her initials

“Were you able to decipher William’s letter? As for me, I have nothing but one word is that he wanted to leave…”

[NIETZSCHE] VALÉRY, Paul (1871-1945)

Autograph letter (draft) to count Guy de Pourtalès
S.l, “Saturday 16 9^bre [November] [19]29″, 2 p. in-8°

« The eternal return is only music »

[POUGY] GHIKA, George (1884-1945)

Autograph letter signed « Georges Ghika » to Liane de Pougy, princesse Ghika
N.p, 8th june 1923, 1 p. in-8°, blue ink on beige paper

« Encore… »

[POUGY] Tonia Navar (1886-1959)

Set of 7 letters addressed to Liane de Pougy
Various formats [circa 1930’s], 16 pages

“There will be a whole swarm of lovely women around you”

[PROUST] BOYER, Paul (1861-1952)

Original photograph by Paul Boyer
Period albumin print (c. 1891). Carte-de-visite format

Very scarce original photograph of young Marcel Proust

[RIMBAUD] CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph letter signed « René Char » to Marianne Oswald
L’Isle [sur-la-Sorgue], 25 April [19]68, 1 p. 1/4 in-8°

« More than ever I understand Rimbaud to have “gone away”…»

[RIMBAUD] DELAHAYE, Ernest (1853-1930)

Autograph letter signed  “Ernest Delahaye” à Marcel Coulon
Maisons-Laffitte, 8th June 1929, 2 p. in-12, autograph envelope attached

“I will wait « gluttinously », as the man of A Season in Hell would say”

[RIMBAUD] Paul VERLAINE (1844-1896)

Autograph letter signed twice « P Verlaine » and « P.V » to Émile Bally
Paris [1^st June 1894], 3 p. 1/2 in-8° with autograph envelope

« I am there, along with Rimbaud, Valade, d’Hervilly and three or four others »

[RIMBAUD] VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Les Hommes d’Aujourd’hui 
Original edition, n°318, 4 pp. in-4°

Proof copy with autograph corrections by Verlaine

[RIMBAUD] VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph letter signed « Votre P Verlaine » to l’abbé Louis Le Cardonnel
Paris, 9 Feb[ruary] [18]86, 2 p. 1/4 in-8° on mourning paper

« I don’t really know where I’m going, it’s called not living anymore »

[ROPS] DANDOY, Héliodore (1831-1909)

Period albumen print
[Liège, c. July 1893], cabinet format

Precious unpublished portrait of the artist

[RUBINSTEIN, Anton] Julius Cornelius SCHAARWÄCHTER (1847-1904)

Portrait of Anton Rubinstein, vintage albumen print
[Berlin, c. 1847], carte-de-visite format

Elegant portrait of the young Russian composer and prodigy

[SATIE] JACOB, Max (1876-1944)

Autograph letter signed twice to the Salacrou couple
N.p.n.d [4th july 1925], 2 p. in-8°

« Oh! Satie! Nightmare! »

[SCHUMANN, Clara] Fritz LUCKHARDT (1843-1894)

Portrait of Clara Wieck-Schumann, vintage albumen print
[Vienna, c. 1870], carte-de-visite format

Famous portrait of Clara Wieck-Schumann by Fritz Luckhardt

[VALÉRY, Paul] Henri MANUEL (1874-1947)

Portrait of Paul Valéry, period film print
[Paris, c. 20’s], cabinet format

Handsome and scarce portrait of Paul Valéry by Henri Manuel

[VERLAINE] KRANTZ, Eugénie (18–/1897)

Autograph letter signed twice “Eugénie Krantz” to Edmond Lepelletier
Paris, 39 rue Descartes, 8th January 1896, 2 pp. in-12 oblong

Extraordinary first-hand and unpublished testimony on Verlaine’s last moments, the day of his death

[VERLAINE] KRANTZ, Eugénie (18–/1897)

Autograph letter signed several times “Eugénie Krantz” to Edmond Lepelletier
Paris 29th January [1896], 4 p. in-12

Hospitalized a few days after Verlaine’s death and abandoned by all, Eugénie Krantz calls for desperate help

[VERLAINE] MALLARMÉ, Stéphane (1842-1898)

Autograph subscription signed for the attention of Emmanuel Signoret
N.p.n.d [1892], 1 p. in-8°

« Please send me 3 newsletters for 3 subscribers »

[VERLAINE] VANIER, Léon (1847-1896)

Les Hommes d’Aujourd’hui
Original copy from the second edition, 4 pp. in-4°
Librairie Vanier, n°244 – Paris 19 quai St Michel

Famous copy on which Verlaine appears crouching and holding a fancy lyre

[VERLAINE] VERLAINE, Jeanne (18–/18–)

Autograph letter signed “J. Verlaine” to a gentleman (probably Edmond Lepelletier)
Rue Montholon [Paris], circa 1889, 2 pp. in-8

“I would assure you that, when he came to the Broussais hospital to visit Mr. Verlaine, he asked me for a way to sue his publisher Vanier against whom he was extremely irritated.”

[WAGNER] GAUTIER (fils), Théophile (1836-1904)

Autograph letter signed « Théophile Gautier » to Louis Fourcaud
[Paris], 17th Jan[uary] 1886, 1 p. in-8°

« Saint-Saëns and Massenet will be nothing more than fading shadows »

[ZOLA] FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821-1880)


Autograph letter signed « Votre Gve Flaubert » to Emile Zola
[Paris, 17 December 1874], 1 p. in-8°

« Tourgueneff, de Goncourt & Daudet will be at my place on Sunday »

[ZOLA] FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821-1880)

Two autograph letters signed « Gve Flaubert » to Émile Zola
[Croisset, 2th May and 3rd June 1874], 5 pp. in-8°

« Father Faujas is sinister and great – a true director! How well he manipulates the woman, how skillfully he seizes her, taking her by charity, then brutalizing her! »

[ZOLA] FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821-1880)

Autograph letter signed « Votre vieux Gve Flaubert » to Emile Zola
Croisset, Sunday [15 février 1880], 3 p. in-8°

« Nana turns into myth, without ceasing to be real »

[ZOLA] FLAUBERT, Gustave, (1821-1880)

Autograph letter signed « Gus Flaubert » to Émile Zola
[Croisset, 25th July 1876], 3 p. in-8°

« I received yesterday from our young friend Maupassant a very pleasant epistle, and full of the detail of his lust – on a boat, with a fat woman »

[ZÜRN] BELLMER, Hans (1902-1975)

Autograph letter signed « Bellmer » to Marc Duprat
[October 1970 ?], Friday evening, 2 pp. in-8°

« Give Unica your personal impression that I… sincerely regrets having provoked this awful breakup in such a brutal way »

APOLLINAIRE, Guillaume (1880-1918)

Epistolary autograph poem signed « Guillaume Apollinaire », to André Billy
Nîmes, 20th March 1915, 1 p. in-8° on Café Tortoni’s letterhead

« On his beautiful forehead shines a flame / In his hand blooms a twig »

APOLLINAIRE, Guillaume (1880-1918)

First draft manuscript for the poem “Le Voyageur”, from the poem collection Alcools
N.p.n.d [c. 1909-1910], 2 p. in-4to, black ink, multiple corrections

« Deux matelots qui ne s’étaient jamais quittés »

APOLLINAIRE, Jacqueline, born Kolb (1891-1967)

Two autograph letters signed « Jacqueline » to Angelika de Kostrowitsky
[Paris, 4th and 6th January 1918], 2 p. in-8°

« The local major sent him to the hospital where he was trepanned »

ARAGON, Louis (1897-1982)

Autograph manuscript on his vision of poetry
N.p.n.d [50s], 6 pp. in-4°

« However, Arthur Rimbaud… »

ARAGON, Louis (1897-1982)

Autograph letter signed « Aragon » [to Elisabeth de Clermont-Tonnerre]
N.p.n.d, [1950], 1 p. in-4°

« Excuse me, Madam, for not wanting to have lunch with Thomas Mann… »

ARTAUD, Antonin (1896-1948)

Autograph letter signed “Antonin Artaud” to his sister Marie Ange Malausséna
Espalion, 7th April 1946, 2 pages in-8

“You would do me a great service by sending me 4 or 5 tubes”

ARTAUD, Antonin (1896-1948)

Autograph letter signed “Antonin Artaud” to his sister Marie-Ange Malausséna
Espalion, 11th April 1946, 4 pages in-8

“High-dose heroin does not cause addiction when it is of good quality”

ARTAUD, Antonin (1896-1948)

Autograph letter signed « Antonin Artaud » to Adrienne Monnier
Psychiatric Hospital of Ville-Evrard, 4th March 1939, 2 p. in-4° with enveloppe

« This story of look-alikes is as old as centuries, and all the great characters throughout history have found real doubles »

BALLANCHE, Pierre Simon (1776-1847)

Autograph letter signed “Ballanche fils” to a gentleman
Lyon, 29 April 1811, 2 pages in-4

“You probably know a translation of the Telemaque, in Italian verses”

BALZAC (de), Honoré (1799-1850)

Autograph letter signed « de Balzac » to Charles Motte
[Paris], 8 8bre [October 1831], 2 p. in-8°

« Let me add seriously that I offer you my book »

BALZAC (de), Honoré (1799-1850)

Autograph letter signed in the third person « M. de Balzac » to Maurice Schlesinger
N.d.n.p, Sunday [1837], 1/2 p. in-8 with autograph address

“It is absolutely necessary to agree on Gambara”

BARBARA, Monique Serf, dite (1930-1997)

Autograph letter signed « Barbara » to Jean [Poissonnier]
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-8°

« I am silent, struggling in dark dramas »

BARBUSSE, Henri (1873-1935)

Autograph letter signed “Henri Barbusse” to a friend
Villa Célestine, Antibes [September 1919], 1 p. in-4

“I consider it the duty of the man of letters to draw the attention of whom right on the works that are worth it”

BAUDELAIRE, Charles (1821-1867)

Autograph letter signed « C.B. » to his mother, Madame Aupick
[Brussels], « Monday 13th November 1865 », 4 p. in-8°

« I feel forgotten. I am sad. I’m no longer good for anything. I’m bored to death »

BAUDELAIRE, Charles (1821-1867)

Autograph letter signed « Charles » to his mother, Madame Aupick
[Paris], 1^st July 1853, 3 p. in-8°

« What is quite certain is that I no longer want to give anything to chance in my life, and that I claim that the will occupies the full extent of it »

BAUDELAIRE, Charles (1821-1867)

[Second notice on] Pierre Dupont – Corrected proof
[Paris] 6th June 1861 [stamped], 11 p. in-8vo bradel

“The public was so tired of Victor Hugo’s tireless faculties, his indestructible beauties”

BAUDELAIRE, Charles (1821-1867)

Autograph letter signed « Charles Baudelaire » to Alphonse de Calonne
[Paris], 23rd February [18]64, 1 p. in-8° on blue paper

« A heavy work, I assure you, but of which I am quite happy »

BEAUMARCHAIS (de), Pierre-Augustin Caron (1732-1799)

Autograph letter signed « Beaumarchais » to comedian Préville
Paris, 31st March 1784, 2 pp. on bi-folio in-8°

« My play isn’t a big thing ; but seeing it in the theater is the result of four years of fighting »

BEAUVOIR (de), Simone (1908-1986)

Autograph manuscript for her essay Must we burn Sade ?
N.p.n.d [1951], 7 pages in-4 on grid paper

“Sade’s eroticism is no longer just an individual attitude; it is also a challenge for society”

BEAUVOIR (de), Simone (1908-1986)

Autograph manuscript (fragments) accompanied by an autograph letter signed for La Longue Marche – Essai sur la Chine
[Paris, 1956] 15 pages in-4°, with two autograph envelopes

« China is not a political entity; I guess with joy, that it has a sky, its colors, its trees, a flesh »

BELLMER, Hans (1902-1945)

Autograph letter signed « HB » to Joë Bousquet
Revel, Tuesday 11 Sept[ember] 1945, 1 p. in-4° on pink paper

« I write like an articulated doll »

BERGSON, Henri (1859-1941)

Autograph letter signed « H. Bergson » to Michel Georges-Michel
Saint-Cergue, 1st August 1926, 3 pp. in-8°

« There is an uninterrupted current of humour that flows through these pages and is not, it must be admitted, the characteristic of my work »

BERNARD, Émile (1868-1941)

Autograph manuscript signed « Émile Bernard »
N.p.n.d, 10 p. in-4°

« David’s nefarious work being accomplished, Gros had died for art »

BLIXEN, Karen (1885-1962)

Autograph letter signed « Karen Blixen » to Negley Farson
Rungstedlund, Rungsted Kyst, 20.12.1957, 3 pp. in-8°

« The greatest passion of my life has been my love for the Africans! »

BORGES, Jorge Luis (1899-1986)

Autograph card-letter signed with his initials to Ricardo Güiraldes
[Buenos Aires, 7th December 1926], 1 p. small in-8°

« Ya con un pie en el estribo en literales vísperas de empamparme »

BOURDELLE, Antoine (1861-1929)

Autograph letter signed « Bourdelle » to a friend
Paris, 12th April 1920, 2 pp. in-8°

« My technique, learned and supplemented by Rodin, is even inscribed in portraiture »

BOURDELLE, Antoine (1861-1929)

Autograph letter signed « Ant Bourdelle » [to André Fontainas]
Paris, November 1928 [in reality 25th December], 4 pp. in-4°

« The two Beethoven »

BOURDELLE, Antoine (1861-1929)

Autograph letter signed « Bourdelle » to M. Thiebaut-Sissou
Paris, 9th March 1920, 1 p. in-8°

« I won’t be exhibiting at the show, or very little. I am at great work and that alone binds me »

BOUSQUET, Jöe (1897-1950)

6 autograph letters signed, all adressed to Variétés journal
Carcassonne, 1946-1947, 21 pages in-8

Cosmic reality and color, Dubuffet & Bellmer…

BRAQUE, Georges (1882-1963)

Autograph letter signed « Georges Braque », to Daniel Wallard
N.p, 19th February 19[44], 4 p. in-12°

« I will now get back to work, of which I have the violent desire »

BRAQUE, Georges (1882-1963)

Autograph letter signed « G Braque » to a « dear friend »
Paris, 4th June 1943, 2 pp. in-8°

« Nature does not give us the taste for perfection, we can not conceive it better or worse »

CAILLEBOTTE, Gustave (1848-1894)

Autograph letter signed « G Caillebotte » to Claude Monet 
N.p.n.d, Friday [Petit-Gennevilliers, after 1887 ?], 3 pp. in-8°

« I have covered a lot of canvases and wasted a lot of colour »

CAMUS, Albert (1913-1960)

Autograph letter signed « Albert Camus » to Jean-Louis Barrault
N.p, [Paris] Tuesday 6th October 1953

« You see, I’m excited… And not only excited, but also moved, and vaguely proud »

CARROLL, Lewis (1832-1898)

Autograph letter signed « C.L. Dodgson » to Mr Burton
Eastbourne, Aug[ust] 25 [18]77, 2 p. in-12° with pink ink

« I hope you will excuse the liberty… I took a few days ago in making friends with your little daughter »

CASSATT, Mary (1844-1926)

Autograph letter signed « Mary Cassatt » to Achille Segard
Villa Angeletto – Grasse, 14th April [1913], 6 p. in-8° on mourning paper

« And then I wanted to be such a great painter, Titian or Rembrandt, just that… »

CÉLINE, Louis Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph manuscript (fragment) for his novel Nord
S.l.n.d [Meudon, entre 1957 et 1859], 1 p. in-4°

« Et vlang ! referme la lourde ! malades ?.. je crois pas… mais au moins nous voici fixés ! »

CÉLINE, Louis Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph notes on press clipping
[Copenhagen, 28th October 1945], 1 p. large in-4°

« It’s like the good old days of the Gestapo! »

CÉLINE, Louis-Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph letter (fragment ?) [to Robert le Vigan]
N.p.n.d [c. 1955], 1 p.^1/2  in-4°

« Neither Jews, nor blacks, nor whites, nor Indians exist in the face of yellow miscegenation »

CÉLINE, Louis-Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph letter signed « LD » to Jean-Gabriel Daragnès
Copenhagen, 19th March [19]47, 2 p. in-4°

« Everything eventually comes to light »

CÉLINE, Louis-Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph letter signed « LF » to Jean-Gabriel Daragnès
N.p, [Danemark], « le Dimanche » [25th June 1950], 4 p. in-folio

« I think we’re going to get back on a lease with life »

CÉLINE, Louis-Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph letter signed twice, « Des » and « Louis », to his wife Lucette
Københavns Fængsler’s prison, 22nd August 1946, 2 pp. in-4°

« Unfortunately, I no longer have enough years, months to live to puke all that I have swallowed in these months of resentment, humiliation and hatred »

CÉLINE, Louis-Ferdinand (1894-1961)

Autograph letter signed “LFCéline” to his friends Descaves
Copenhagen, 7th July [1947], (c/o Mikkelsen), 2 pages in-folio

“France does not deserve its writers”

CENDRARS, Blaise (1887-1961)

Autograph letter signed « Blaise » to Louis Brun
[Biarritz], 7th January 1933, 2 p. in-4to with envelope

« I’m not writing for an award »

CEZANNE, Paul (1839-1906)

Autograph letter signed « Paul Cézanne » to Octave Mirbeau
Aix [en-Provence], 11th July 1903, 2 pp. in-8°

« I continue to seek, to develop through drawing and color the idea of art that I think I have »

CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph poem signed « René Char »
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-4°

« Dans le berceau conciliant / Ou tu rougis petite aurore »

CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Period film print, inscribed by Char
[L’Isle-sur-Sorgue], 1960, 1 p. in-8°

« A Marianne, son ami proche »

CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph letter signed « René Char » to Marianne Oswald
N.p, 11 January 1950, 1 p. in-4°

« I killed some bastards out of military and civic necessity in 1940-1944 »

CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph letter signed « René Char » [to Marianne Oswald]
L’Isle-sur-Sorgue, 15th Oct[ober] [19]49, 1 p. in-4°

« I’m always ill, having no envy for my books done or to be done. Life is constantly oscillating between fire and dung. »

CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph letter signed « R. Char » to Marianne Oswald
N.p.n.d [1957], 1 p. in-8°

« A selection of my poems will be released by Gallimard at the end of the month »

CHAR, René (1907-1988)

Autograph letter signed « R. Char » to Marianne Oswald
N.p.n.d, 2 p. in-8°

« Read my poems, they are composed for this, but do not ask me to show myself, nor to flaunt my poetic existence »

CHASSERIAU, Théodore (1819-1856)

Autograph letter signed “Thre Chasseriau” to M. Lanthy
Wednesday at noon [14 September 1853], 1 p. in-8 with autograph address

“I am very embarrassed at the moment”

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)

Autograph letter to Laure de Cottens
Paris, 24th March 1835, 4 p. large in-8°

« I still want to go and die out of France »

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)

Autograph letter signed « Chateaubriand » to Laure de Cottens
Paris, 27 December 1832, 4 pp. in-4°

« I hoped to work in peace to my memories and never see again a homeland that is no longer one for me »

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)

Autograph letter signed “Chateaubriand” to a lady
S.l, 4 February 1822, 1 p. 1/4 in-8

“Madam, I will be very happy to take care of the box for London”

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)

Autograph letter signed « Le V^te de Chateaubriand » to Abel
Paris, 29th 7bre [September] 1815, 4 pp. in-8°

« I demanded freedom of thought, which brought Buonaparte’s fury and his new threats to have me shot »

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)

Autograph letter to Léonce de Lavergne
Paris, 6th August 1838, 3 p. 1/2 small in-4° on bifolio

« I walked on this beach where Bonaparte took his last step »

CHAVANNES, Pierre Puvis de (1824-1898)

Autograph letter signed “P. Puvis” to Hippolyte DURAND-TAHIER,
Paris, 6 February 1896, 1 p. in-12

“It is urgent that I speak to you about Berlin”

CHAVANNES, Pierre Puvis de (1824-1898)

Autograph letter signed “P. Puvis” to Edouard Dubufe
Paris, 1890, 1/2 p. in-12

Pneumatic card by Chavannes to Dubufe

CLAUDEL, Paul (1868-1955)

Autograph manuscript signed « Paul Claudel »
N.p, 4th January 1951, 2 p. in-4°

« Joan is tied to her pole which represents faith. She is rooted in an immutable certainty »

CLAUDEL, Paul (1868-1955)

Autograph letter signed « P. Cl. » [to Joseph Desclausais]
W[ashington], 15th March 1933, 3 p. 1/4 large in-8°

« I thought you were theological, and I see that you know less than a 12-year-old »

COCTEAU, Jean (1889-1963)

Two autograph letters signed « Jean Cocteau » to Henri Duvernois
N.p.n.d, c. 1912, 2 p. in-4°

« Not an article about “Dance”. It’s funny! »

COCTEAU, Jean (1889-1963)

Autograph letter signed “Ton Jean” to Marianne
Milly, Monday 20th May [1958], 1 page in-4 adorned with an original drawing

“I have to do a job with Karajan at the Opera House”

COCTEAU, Jean (1889-1963)

Autograph letter signed “Jean C” to Henri Duvernois
[Ville de Monts] Indre-et-Loire, 26 September 1913, 1 p. in-8

“I have a hundred eyes to read Nounette“

COCTEAU, Jean (1889-1963)

Autograph letter signed twice “Jean Cocteau” and “Jean” to Michaël Smithies
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, 3rd June 1956, 6 pages in-8 with autograph envelope

“Art escapes progress”

COLETTE, Sidonie-Gabrielle (1873-1954)

Autograph letter signed « Votre Colette » to the Guillermet
S.l, [15th April 1946], 2 p. in-8°

« If at least my book (L’étoile Vesper) had come out in time, you would have had it for your birthday »

COLETTE, Sidonie-Gabrielle (1873-1954)

Autograph letter signed « Colette de Jouvenel » to Charles Sylvestre
[Paris, 21st March 1922], 1 p. in-4° with envelope

« Apart from my relatives, no one notices that Colette was a saint! »

COLETTE, Sidonie-Gabrielle (1873-1954)

Autograph letter signed « Colette Willy » to Alfred Diard
N.p.n.d (between 1893 and 1906), 1 p. in-8°

« A box of Velvet Soap… »

COLETTE, Sidonie-Gabrielle (1873-1954)

Autograph letter signed « Colette de Jouvenel » to her « dear Sacha »
[Paris, 1923], 2 pp. in-4°

« Ripening Seed will soon be published »

DALÍ, Salvador (1904-198

Original drawings and autograph poem
N.p.n.d [c. 1935], 1 p. in-8° (16 x 20,5 cm)

« I empty my evil »

DAUDET, Alphonse (1840-1897)

Autograph letter signed « Alphonse Daudet » [to Timoléon Ambroy]
[Paris, c. 23rd August 1870], 4 pp. in-12°

« It is a new instinct that is being pushed into me: the patriotic instinct »

DEGAS, Edgar (1834-1917)

Autrograph card-letter signed « Degas » to Albert Bartholomé
[Paris, 16th December 1899], 1 p. in-12

« The Forains come to dine with the young Rouart »

DELACROIX, Eugène (1798-1863)

Autograph letter signed « E. Delacroix » to Félix Guillemardet
[Souillac], 30 8bre [October] 1820, 3 p. 1/2 large in-4°

« Goodbye sketches and studies. I miss you very much »

DELACROIX, Eugène (1798-1863)

Autograph letter signed « E Delacroix » to a unknown recipient
[Paris, 6 rue de Fürstenberg], 15 July 1863

« I am keeping the room and unable to get out »

DELEUZE, Gilles (1925-1995)

First draft autograph manuscript with corrections
N.d.n.p (c. 1985), 1 p. in-4 numbered “8”

“It is probably necessary to go back to Lukács, whose History and Class Consciousness already posed the question of a new subjectivity”

DESBORDES-VALMORE, Marceline (1786-1859)

Autograph poem : « Romance » [Seule au Rendez-vous]
N.p.n.d [after 1833], 1 p. 1/2 in-8° with her initials on top left corner

« Ô menteur ! qui disait sa vie / Nouée au fuseau de mon sort »

DORGELES, Roland (1885-1973)

Autograph letter signed “Roland Dorgeles” to Albert Dubeux
Montsaunes, s.d [le 15 avril]

“You were doing a literature class for future movie stars. They need it damn much!”

DORVAL, Marie (1798-1849)

Autograph letter signed “Marie Dorval” to a doctor friend
20 April 1825, 1 p. ½ in-8

“You seemed to want to see les Enfants d’Edouard“

DORVAL, Marie (1798-1849)

A set of twenty-two autograph letters, of which three are signed, to Alfred de Vigny
[Paris, Reims, Versailles and Rouen], 72 p. in various formats, two autograph envelopes

« All those words in your letter are so many stabs in my heart »

DOSTOEVSKY, Fyodor (1821-1881)

Period albumen portrait by Vezenberg & Co
Saint Petersburg [1879], cdv format

Very scarce portrait of the author of Crime and Punishment

DUMAS (fils), Alexandre (1824-1895)

Autograph letter signed “A Dumas” to an unknown recipient
N.d.n.p [Paris], 5 pages in-8 on two double sheets

“They send me back to my Dame aux camélias, to my cocottes”

DUMAS (père), Alexandre (1802-1870)

Autograph poem signed « Alex Dumas »
N.p.n.d [after 1836], 1 p. in-folio

« Virgin, to whom the chalice of bitter liquor… »

DUMAS (père), Alexandre 1802-1870

Autograph letter signed « A Dumas » to the « Patriarch of Jerusalem »
S.l, 15 April [18]47, 2 p. 1/2 in-8°, with autograph envelope

« It’s only by working 18 hours a day that I can not cope with everyone, but support myself »

ÉLUARD, Paul (1895-1952)

Autograph poem signed « Paul Eluard »
N.p.n.d, 2 p. in-folio on thin green paper

« The eyelid of the sun lowers on your face »

ÉLUARD, Paul (1895-1952)

Autograph poem, in honor of Gabriel Péri
N.p.n.d [after 1945], 1 p. in-folio (30,9 x 20,9 cm)

«  Péri est mort pour ce qui nous fait vivre / Tutoyons-le sa poitrine est trouée »

ÉLUARD, Paul (1895-1952)

Autograph manuscript signed « Paul Eluard »
N.p.n.d [c. May 1943], 6 p. in-8°

« Will I be the one who kills / Or the one who is being killed »

ÉLUARD, Paul (1895-1952)

Autograph manuscript signed « Paul Eluard »
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-4

« Poetry is a reflection of the world. What I say is what I see and I must necessarily find an echo in the hearts of my fellow men »

ÉLUARD, Paul (1895-1952)

Autograph letter signed “Votre Eluard” to Joe Bousquet
[Arosa 4th November 1928], 4 pages in-4, autograph envelope attached

“Day by day, my body eats my head. I can’t wait to leave this place. Too many nerves, too many nightmares”

FLAUBERT, Achille Cléophas (1784-1846)

Autograph letter signed « Flaubert » to Charles Vacquerie
Rouen le 12 X^bre [December] 1838, 1 p. 1/2 in-4° in black ink

« I think at this moment that a bloodletting of the arms is useful to you »

FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821-1880)

Autograph letter signed « Gve Flaubert » to Paule Sandeau
Croisset près Rouen, Sunday [26th August 1860], 1 p. in-8°

« I want to see your pretty eyes, your pretty mouth & and I kiss both of your hands »

FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821-1880)

Autograph letter signed « Gve Flaubert » to Pauline Sandeau
[Croisset], Saturday [16th November 1867], 3 p. in-8° on blue laid paper

« After that one, good evening! I will say goodbye to the bourgeois for the rest of my life »

FOUCAULT, Michel (1926-1984)

Autograph letter signed “M Foucault” to Claude Bonnefoy
N.p, 14th December [1965], 1 page 1/4 in-4

“It was a challenge – it seems to me – to talk about Genet after Sartre”

FRANCE, Anatole (1844-1924)

Autograph letter signed « Anatole Fr. » to Claudius Popelin
Hohwald, 17th April [1882], 1 p. in-8°

« There are pretty ladies »

GAINSBOURG, Serge (1928-1991)

Autograph notes
N.p.n.d [c. 1985-86], 1 p. in-4°

« Navy Blue Leather Glove… »

GAINSBOURG, Serge (1928-1991)

Autograph manuscript
N.p.n.d [c. 1980s], 1/2 p. in-4°

« Jus de truffe… »

GARCÍA LORCA, Federico (1898-1936)

Original drawing titled « Poesia »
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-8° on double folio

Touching drawing of the poet soberly titled « Poesia »

GAUGUIN, Paul (1848-1903)

Autograph letter signed « Paul Gauguin » to a collector
N.p.n.d [Paris, 1st or 2nd November 1893], 1 p. 1/2 in-8°

« The exhibition will be launched on the 9th »

GAUGUIN, Paul (1848-1903)

Autograph letter signed « Paul Gauguin » to Daniel de Monfreid
[Tahiti], November 1895, 3 p. 1/4 p. in-4°

« Every night frenzied girls invade my bed; yesterday I had three to function »

GAUTIER, Théophile (1811-1872)

Autograph poem signed « Théophile Gautier »
[N.p.n.d], 1 p. in-8° in black ink on blue laid paper

« And on the mournful, doleful hill / I see my final dwelling-place »

GENET, Jean (1910-1986)

Fragment of an autograph poem
N.p.n.d [Paris, prison de la Santé – 1943], 1/4 p. in4°

« My quail bundled up, crushed under my fingers »

GENET, Jean (1910-1986)

Autograph manuscript (first draft)
N.p.n.d [1971], 4 p. 1/2 in-4°

« The target remained the same: a Negro who thinks… whose book is the announcement and preparation of a black revolution »

GENEVOIX, Maurice (1890-1980)

Autograph letter signed “Maurice Genevoix” à un confrère
Châteauneuf s/ Loire (Loiret), 24 January 1927, 1 page in-4

“I’m lazy enough to, when I work, only be able to work”

GIACOMETTI, Alberto (1901-1966)

Autograph letter signed « Alberto Giacometti » to David Thompson
Paris, 2th August 1956, 3 p. in-8°

« Because of sculpture I am forced to neglect painting »

GIDE, André (1869-1951)

Autograph letter signed “André Gide” to Muni
[Antibes, 6th July 1949], 1/4 p. in-8, autograph enveloppe attached

“With my smiling tributes and my best memories”

GIDE, André (1869-1951)

Autograph card signed “André Gide” to Michel Levesque
La Souco, 14th February [19]30, 1 page in-12 on the verso of a postcard

“I’ll see if there’s still a copy of Un Esprit non prévenu…”

GIDE, André (1869-1951)

Autograph letter signed “André Gide” to Joseph Billiet
Cuverville, 15th MArch 1919, 2 p. 1/2 in-4

“It is about finding happiness beyond, beyond distress”

GIONO, Jean (1895-1970)

Autograph postcard signed « Jean Giono » to Anna Robin
Manosque, [31st August 1941], 1 p. in-8°

« I owe a great deal of my happiness to you »

GIONO, Jean (1895-1970)

Autograph letter signed « Jean » to Blanche Meyer
[Manosque] Friday evening [fall 1949], 3 p. in-8°

« I remember the sound of rain on the leaves and those great gestures both desperate and loving that the tall trees deploy in the autumn rain »

GONCOURT (de), Edmond (1822-1896)

Autograph letter signed « Edmond de Goncourt » to a lady
N.p, 5 7bre [September] [18]93, 2 p. in-8°

« Jules’ coffin has remained intact, and so there is now, without new digging, a place for Edmond de Goncourt »

GONCOURT (de), Edmond (1822-1896)

Rare photographic portrait of Edmond de Goncourt
Circa 1885, glued on ivory cardboard, 16.5 cm x 10.5 cm

GONCOURT (de), Jules (1830-1870)

Autograph letter signed « J. de Goncourt » to a lady
Château de St Gratien, 29th July  [18]68, 1 p. in-8°

« We are very sensitive to the testimony of affection that you give us »

GUITRY, Sacha (1885-1957)

Autograph letter signed twice « Sacha Guitry » to a gentleman
N.p.n.d «3 in the morning », 1 p. in-4°

« 3 o’clock in the morning – really! »

GUYOTAT, Pierre (1940-2020)

Autograph manuscript
N.p.n.d, 6 p. in-folio

« Jean de la Fontaine: Very handsome boy, very whore »

HUGO, Georges (1868-1925)

A set of seventeen autograph letters signed, accompanied with an original drawing
Guernesey, Paris, Toulon and Lunel, between 1885 and 1917, 41 p. in various formats

« It was during one of those evenings, in the middle of a storm like this, that my grandfather had to write Gilliatt’s battles »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1855)

Autograph letter to Alphonsine Masson
[Marine Terrace, Jersey], 5th August [1855], 4 pp. small in-12°

« And every night I look up there, I make signs of intelligence to the heavenly eyes of the night, and it seems to me that I see her »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Autograph manuscript (copeau)
N.p.n.d [Hauteville-House], 2 p. in-8°

« He comes, and we see the dawn through his pink fingers »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Autograph letter signed “Victor Hugo” to a critic
28 January [1870], H[auteville] H[ouse], [Guernesey], 1 p. in-4

“I dedicate, like Aeschylus, my works to time”

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Autograph draft of a poem fragment
N.p.n.d, [Guernesey, c. 1854], 1 p. in-12° on thin blue paper

« Ils ouvrent cette nuit que nul rayon ne perce / Ils y font brusquement tomber à la renverse / Les pâles cadavres béants ! »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Original photograph by Pierre Petit
Period albumen print (1861). Name card format

The very first photograph of Victor Hugo with a beard

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

“Mini” autograph letter signed « V. » to Émile Allix
H[auteville] H[house], 25th July [1862], 2 p. small in-24° on blue paper

« I’m going to see my Charles in a few days. It will be a deep joy, and I deserve it a little after this heavy work »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Autograph fragments for a satirical poem
S.l.n.d [Guernesey, 1870], two teared strips in-4°

« Brunet was once a clown. He was radiant / Above humans by dint of stupidity »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Draft of an autograph poem
N.p.n.d [Guernesey, 1859], 1 p. in-8° (140 x 145 cm)

« Never mind O traitor! at point-blank range my book shoots you! »

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Autograph letter signed « Victor Hugo » [to Edgar Quinet ?]
H.H., 7th July, 1 p. in-8° on blue laid paper

« I see it in England, alas, narrow and intolerant, and profoundly hostile to progress »

INDY, Vincent d’ (1851-1931)

Autograph letter signed “Vincent d’Indy“, enhanced with autograph CV
Bruxelles, 24th November 1896, 5 p. 1/2 small in-8

“So I’m just sending you a very simple story of organist, timbalier, conductor of hearts, composer…”

INGRES, Jean-Auguste-Dominique (1780-1867)

Autograph letter signed “Ingres” to M. Beroggi
N.d.n.p, Saturday, 1 p. in-12

“Our modest dinner next Monday, with too unworthy accompaniment of a Haydn Sonata”

JACOB, Max (1876-1944)

Autograph letter signed « Max Jacob » to Raymond Trillat
[St Benoît-sur-Loire], 12th September [1942], 2 p. in-4°

« Here daily visits to such an extent that a report was made (denunciation) to the police… »

JACOB, Max (1876-1944)

Autograph letter signed « Max » to Pierre Lagarde
[St Benoît sur Loire], 10th August [19]42, 1 p. in-4°

« I can suffer more from my gossip, my sensual glances, than from the persecution of the Jews »

JACOB, Max (1876-1944)

Autograph letter signed « Max Jacob » to Marcel Thiébaut
Monastère de St Benoît-sur-Loire, 16th May 1924, 2 p. in-8° on bi-folio

« You have exuded the character of my heroes better than I have done myself »

JACOB, Max (1876-1944)

Autograph letter signed « Max Jacob » to Pierre Lagarde
St Benoît [sur Loire], 23rd January [19]40, 1 p. in-4° with envelope

« I suffer to the point of tears and I pray very especially for you »

JARRY, Alfred (1873-1907)

Autograph letter signed « Alfred Jarry » to Alfred Valette 
Laval, 31 janv[ier] [19]07, 4 pp. in-12°

« It’s strange how physical health is intimately linked to the health issue.… phynances »

KAHLO, Frida (1907-1954)

Autograph statement signed « Frida Kahlo »
Mexico, 2nd August 1947, 1/2 p. in-4°, with autograph envelope

A few drawings for a friend…

KEROUAC, Jack (1922-1969)

Typed letter signed twice « Jack » and « Jack Kerouac » to Granville H. Jones
[Northport, New York, 22 November 1960] 2 p. in-4°, with envelope

« It is the only thing too that has made me happy in three years, since the publication of On the Road and the subsequent sickeningness of ‘being famous’ »

LACLOS (de), Pierre Choderlos (1741-1803)

Autograph letter signed « P. Choderlos Laclos » to Condorcet
Paris, 16th June 1793, 2e [an 2] de la République, 1 p 1/4 in-4°

« The long habit of being slandered »

LAMARTINE (de), Alphonse (1790-1869)

Letter signed « Lamartine » to M. Meyer
Paris, 21st May [1842], 1 p. small in-8°

« I have not received the comments on Montesquieu’s Persian letters of which you were kind enough to mention to me »

LAMARTINE (de), Alphonse (1790-1869)

Autograph (draft) letter signed « Lamartine » to Sainte-Beuve
Mâcon, [château de] St Point, 23 Nov[ember] 1836, 4 pp. in-4°

« I steal a few early hours from my nights for our sweet and strong youthful dreams »

LAMARTINE (de), Alphonse (1790-1869)

Autograph letter signed « Al. de Lamartine » to Stéphanie de Virieu
Paris, 14th April 1841, 3 p. 1/2 in-8° on laid paper

« Was he not also my brother, and more than many brothers? »

LAWRENCE, David Herbert (1885-1930)

Autograph letter signed “DH Lawrence” to George Conway
Hôtel Beau Rivage, Bandol, 29th December 1928, 2 p. in-8°, with envelope

« We have lived too long to be shocked by words any more »

LE CORBUSIER, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret dit (1887-1965)

Typed letter signed « Le Corbusier » to Charles Hary
Paris, 18th April 1854, 2 p. in-4°

« I thus conceived and produced the “POÈME de l’ANGLE DROIT”. Five years were devoted to this work, in which I wished to include an order of thoughts.. »

LEVI, Primo (1919-1987)

Set of two letters signed « Primo Levi » to Roland Stragliati
Turin, 19th and 29th June 1980, 8 p. in-4°

« Come le ho scritto, sarebbe piuttosto una clef de serrage »

LISZT, Franz (1811-1886)

Original photograph by Julien Ganz
Period albumen print (1882), cabinet format

Striking and unpublished portrait of the musician

LONDON, Jack (1876-1916)

Autograph letter to Charmian Kittredge
Aboard the S.S. Siberia, 13th January 1904, 4 p. in-8, in english

“What wild dreams I had! And you were in all of them”

LORRAIN, Jean (1855-1906)

Autograph letter signed “Jean Lorrain”, to a friend
Auteuil [no date], 2 pages in-12 oblong

“Would you like to come to Auteuil for lunch?”

LUBICZ-MILOSZ (de), Oscar Vladislas (1877-1939)

Autograph letter signed “Votre Milosz” [to Hugues Fouras
[14th March 1938], 2 pages in-8°

“I am at ease to be able to attach to this fold a final copy of the XVII Poems”

MALLARMÉ, Stéphane (1842-1898)

Autograph card signed « PAPA » to his daughter Geneviève Mallarmé
[Valvins, 12th July 1891], 1 p. in-8°

« The little cookies… »

MALRAUX, André (1901-1976)

Autograph letter signed « André Malraux » to a critic
Np, 30th [1933], 1 page in-8

“I understand, of course, the mistrust that a book about China can inspire”

MALRAUX, André (1901-1976)

Autograph letter signed « And. Malraux » to Ventura García Calderón
Marrakech, 21st April [1952], 2 pages in-8, l’Hôtel de la Mamounia à Marrakech letterhead

“I have long thought that in literature any personal attack is futile”

MASSENET, Jules (1842-1912)

Autograph letter signed « J. Massenet » to Antonin Proust
Bruxelles, Tuesday 13th Xbre [December] 1881

« The first performance of Hérodiade is set for Monday, December 19 »

MASSENET, Jules (1842-1912)

Autograph letter signed « JM » to Constance de Gressy
Brussels, 24 Nov[ember] [18]81, 3 pp. in-8°

« I have never written a more solid work – not a lapse in the effects – it comes out the way I wanted – I am even stunned! »

MASSENET, Jules (1842-1912)

Autograph letter signed « J. Massenet » to a friend
Paris, 18th June [18]79, 1 p. in-8°

« I’m expected in London and I’ll be back in Paris next Friday 27th for the composition competition»

MASSENET, Jules (1842-1912)

Autograph letter signed « J Masse » to Constance de Gressy
Brussels, “Friday 5 pm” [25th November 1881], 3 p. in-8°

« I put so much care into the orchestration – I worked on it so much! »

MAUPASSANT (de), Guy (1850-1893)

Film print on postcard (9 x 11,6 cm)
Handsome portrait of Maupassant in bust

MAUPASSANT (de), Laure (1821-1903)

Autographe card signed « Laure de Maupassant » [to Robert Pinchon]
[Nice, c. 1890 – 1891], 2 pp. in-24°

« It was a happy time, when comedy was played in the house of Etretat… »

MAURIAC, François (1885-1970)

Autograph letter signed « François Mauriac » to Jacques Boulanger
[Paris] 89 rue de la Pompe, 31 Oct[ober] 1920, 1 p. in-12°

« Friends are telling me today about a very kind review you gave of my novel »

MAURIAC, François (1885-1970)

Autograph letter signed « Fr » to priest Jacques Laval
7 February [1938 ?], 4 p. grand in-8°

« My tragedy is to have loved above all sincerity and to have ended up with the lie of my life »

MAURIAC, François (1885-1970)

Autograph letter signed « M » to André Malraux
[Paris, 6th February 1928], 1 p. petit in-8°

« Grasset doesn’t like your novel, and Paulhan admires it very much »

MAURRAS, Charles (1868-1952)

Autograph letter signed « Charles Maurras » to Louis-Xavier de Ricard
S.l, 31st December [1892], 15 p. in-8°, bespoke binding by Michel Kieffer

« I confess that I am anti-Jewish without being anti-Semitic »

MERMOZ, Jean (1901-1936)

Autograph poem
S.l.n.d, 1 p. in-4°

« I was slowly following the path of My Life / Far from the World lost and drowned in Envy »

MIRÓ, Joan (1893-1983)

Autograph letter signed « Joan » to Maria [San Lazzaro]
Folgarolas 9, Barcelona, 23rd December 1955, 1 p. in-4°

« I was awfully busy preparing my next exhibition »

MODIGLIANI, Amedeo (1884-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Modigliani » to art dealer Léopold Zborowski
[Nice, New year’s eve 31th December 1918], 2 pp. in-8°

« I sold all the paintings. Send the money quickly. Champagne flows »

MONET, Claude (1840-1926)

Autograph letter signed « Claude Monet » [to Alice Hoschedé]
N.p.n.d, « Saturday 6h » [c. 1882-1883], 2 p. in-8°

« There is an awful weather here with fog to see nothing and yet I worked »

NADAR JEUNE, Adrien Tournachon (1825-1903)

Autograph letter signed “Adrien” to Alcide-Joseph Lorentz
[Paris], 6 January 1858, 1 p. in-8 à with embossed letterhead

“I have urgent matter to deal with…”

NADAR, Félix Tournachon, dit (1820-1910)

Autograph letter signed « Nadar » to Ernest Vaughan from journal L’Aurore
Marseille, 26 8bre [October] [18]99, 2 page in-12

« And then I no longer see Clemenceau in my Aurore »

NADAR, Félix Tournachon, dit (1820-1910)

Autograph letter signed “Nadar” to a friend
N.p.n.d [Paris, 1857], 1 p. in-8

“I write to you at the Rabelais”

NADAR, Félix Tournachon, dit (1820-1910)

Autograph letter signed on letter-head “Nadar” to Mayor of 8th arrondissement of Paris
Paris, 17 January 1883, 1/2 p. in-8

“Mr. Nadar has the honour to present his respects…”

NERVAL (de), Gérard (1808-1855)

Autograph letter signed « Gérard de Nerval » to actor Pierre Bocage
[Paris], « ce mardi » [19 October 1852], 1 p. in-8°

« It seems to me that the cause is not lost »

OFFENBACH, Jacques (1819-1880)

Autograph letter signed « Jacques Offenbach » to Hortense Schneider
S.l.n.d, « Sunday », 1 p. in-16°

« So tomorrow at 6 h 1/2 Café Riche »

PAGNOL, Marcel (1895-1974)

First draft poetic autograph notes
N.p.n.d, 3 p. in-4° on school paper

« La robe infâme / Fit naître ton émoi / Ainsi ton âme / Ne fut jamais à moi »

PAGNOL, Marcel (1895-1974)

Autograph letter signed « Marcel » to Maurice [Escande]
Paris, 6th June 1967, 1 p. in-4°

« I often can’t animate myself! »

PERET, Benjamin (1899-1959)

Autograph letter signed « Benjamin Peret » to René Alleau
Paris, 12th February 1958, 1 p. in-4

“These failures are inherent to my condition as an independent and revolted intellectual….”

PIAF, Édith (1915-1963)

Autograph letter signed « Pupuce » to Yves Montand
Metz, 5th April 1946, 2 pp. in-4° on the Hôtel de Metz’s letterhead

« When I get on stage, people are screaming and I haven’t sung yet, you can see that my reputation goes a long way… »

PIAF, Édith (1915-1963)

Autograph letter signed « Eydith » to Yves Montand
« Nevers, 16th May 1945 at noon and twenty three minutes », 2 p. 1/2 in-8°

« I love you to death »

PIAF, Édith (1915-1963)

Autograph document signed « Édit Piaf »
[Paris], 23rd May 1956, 1 p. in-8°

Professional qualification : « SINGER »

PIAF, Édith (1915-1963)

Contract signed « Édit Piaf » and « Bruno Coquatrix »
Paris, 29th February 1956, 1 p. 1/2 in-4°

« Mrs. EDITH PIAF will do the entire second part of the show »

PIAF, Édith (1915-1963)

Autograph letter signed « Édit Piaf » to a friend
Paris, 6th June 1946, 1/2 p. in-4° on her letterhead

« I wish you in life to be as happy as I am right now, even with a man who doesn’t love me! »

PICASSO, Pablo (1881-1973)

Autograph letter signed « Picasso » to Max Pellequer
[Château de] Vauvenargues, 24th June 1959, 1 p. in-8° in blue thick pencil

« You just left this morning and I’m already bothering you again »

PICASSO, Pablo (1881-1973)

Autograph letter signed « Votre Picasso » to Max Pellequer
[Château de] Vauvenargues, « the 27.[0]4.[19]59 », 1 p. in-4°

« I’ll write to you later or tomorrow at greater length »

PICASSO, Pablo (1881-1973)

Autograph letter signed « Picasso » to Max Pellequer
[Château de] Vauvenargues, “14.[0]4.[19]61”, 1 p. 1/4 in-4°

« We have been here since yesterday and will be staying for a few days »

PISSARRO, Camille (1830-1903)

Autograph letter signed « C. Pissarro » to Théo Van Rysselberghe
[Bruges, Hôtel du] Singe d’Or, 3rd July [18]94, 2 p. in-8°

« I still have in my ear the sound of the waves and the color of the sea in my eye, you must have had beautiful effects last night »

PISSARRO, Camille (1830-1903)

Autograph letter signed « C. Pissarro » to Noël Clément-Janin
Paris, 19th Feb[ruary] 1892, 1 p. 1/2 in-8°, with envelope

« Turner, Delacroix, Corot, Courbet, Daumier, Jongkind, Manet, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Guillaumin, Sisley, Seurat ! This is our march. »

POTOCKI, Jean (1761-1815)

Autograph letter signed « Jean Potocki » to Firmin Didot
Tulczyn, 1st December [1810], 1 1/4 p. in-4°

« I realize every day that it is difficult to see clearly in science when you are so far from the home of the enlightenment »

PRÉVERT, Jacques (1900-1977)

Autograph letter signed « Jacques » to Claudy Carter
S.l.n.d [Paris, c. 1947], 4 pp. grand in-4°

« I didn’t want you to think I was forgetting you »

PRINCE IMPÉRIAL, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (1856-1879)

Letter signed « Louis-Napoléon » to a gentleman
[Camden Place] Chrislehurst, 22nd March 1872, 1 p. small in-8°

« My only ambition is to be able, with God’s help, to justify the hopes of the young French people of my generation who have not forgotten me »

PROUST, Jeanne WEIL (1849-1905)

[5^th December 1904], original period film print. Round photography (159 mm diameter), mounted on thick paper frame in the photographer’s name.

One of the last portraits of Jeanne Weil Proust, less than a year before her death

PROUST, Marcel (1871-1922)

Original drawing, inscribed to Reynaldo Hahn : « R.H. (Bininuls) »
N.p.n.d [c. 1909 ?], 1 p. in-8° in black ink on laid paper

Precious drawing by the writer, dedicated to his « Bininuls »

PROUST, Marcel (1871-1922)

Autograph letter signed « Marcel Proust » to Marie Scheikévitch
N.p, 17th April 1917, 4 pp. large in-8°

« I came back with nostalgia for Lost Time… »

PROUST, Marcel (1871-1922)

Autograph letter signed « Marcel Proust » to Marie Scheikévitch
[Paris], 16th April 1918, 1 p. in-8°

« I will arrange to see you very soon »

PROUST, Marcel (1871-1922)

Autograph letter signed « Marcel » to Reynaldo Hahn
N.p.n.d « Monday » [7th January 1907], 8 p. in-8° on mourning paper

« If you write to Montesquiou, tell him that the truth is out of his dilemma, in full improbability for those who do not know my life… »

PROUST, Marcel (1871-1922)

Autograph letter signed « Marcel Proust » to Marie Scheikévitch
[Paris], 1st February 1915 (post mark), 4 p. in-8° in black in on laid paper

« In the meantime, I can’t stop thinking about you… »

PSICHARI, Ernest (1883-1914)

Autograph letter signed « Ernest Psichari » to Maurice Reclus
Paris, 11th June 1902, 8 p. in-folio

« My only intention was, I swear, to couple words adrift, with harmony and rarity, as much as possible »

RAVEL, Maurice (1875-1937)

Autograph letter signed « Maurice Ravel » to Maurice Emmanuel
[Montfort-l’Amaury], « 14/10/[19]22 », 4 p. in-8°

« An upward progression of sound »

RENARD, Jules (1864-1910)

Autograph-card letter signed « Jules Renard » [to Georges Moreau]
[Paris], 14th June 1895, 1 p. 1/2 in-12°

« The unpublished chapter of Poil de Carotte… »

RENARD, Jules (1864-1910)

Autograph letter signed « Jules Renard » à Georges Moreau
[Paris], 22nd May 1896, 1 p. in-8° on laid paper

« Would it be nice for you to reproduce… the two drawings form the cover of Vallotton? »

RENOIR, Pierre-Auguste (1841-1919)

Autograph letter signed “Renoir” to Paul Bérard
Naples, Saturday 26th [November 1881], 3 pages in-12

“I have tried it all, painting with gasoline, wax, siccative…”

RIMBAUD, Arthur (1854-1891)

Autograph manuscript signed twice « Rimbaud », to Armand Savouré
Harar, 30 March 1890, 1/2 p. in-4°

Unpublished receipt from Harar intended to Armand Savouré, the last before Rimbaud ceased all activity with him

RIMBAUD, Arthur (1854-1891)

Autograph letter signed « Rimbaud » to his family
Aden, 10th September 1884, 4 pp. in-8° on laid paper

« And since every man is a slave in this miserable fatality »

ROPS, Félicien (1833-1898)

Autograph letter signed « Fély » to Octave Uzanne
[Paris, c. 1890], 1 p. in-12

« My old anti-Semitic blood goes six rounds. We should put on these thieves the yellow collar »

SADE, Donatien-Alphonse-François, Marquis de (1740-1814)

Autograph letter signed “de Sade” to his aunt Gabrielle-Eléonore de Sade
N.p, 22nd April [1790], 3 pp. in-8vo

“My room was searched and I lost everything… precious works, the fruit of fifteen years’ work, I have saved nothing… and all this through the fault of those wretched rascals whom I hope God will one day avenge me”

SAGAN, Françoise (1935-2004)

Autograph letter signed « Françoise Sagan » to « Henri »
Paris, 167 blvd Malesherbes [c. 1950s], 3 pp. in-4°

« I’ll be happy to fail with you »

SAINT-SAENS, Camille (1835-1921)

Autograph letter signed « C. Saint S » [to Louis Gallet]
S.l, 5 February, 2 p. in-4°

« This piece did not amuse me to do »

SAND, George (1804-1876)

Autograph letter signed “GSand” [to Paul Porel]
Nohant, May 28 [18]76, 1 page in-8 in black ink

One of George Sand’s last letters, a few days before her death

SAND, George (1804-1876)

Autograph manuscript signed « G Sand » for her novel Consuelo [fragments]
[Nohant and Paris, between late 1842 and early 1843] 27 p. in-8°

« End of Consuelo »

SARTRE, Jean-Paul (1905-1980)

Autograph preparatory manuscript for Les Mots
N.p.n.d [c. 1953-1955], 1 p. in-4°

« I became someone, an Other »

SARTRE, Jean-Paul (1905-1980)

Autograph manuscript for Le Diable et le Bon Dieu
N.p.n.d [c. 1950], 2 p. in-4° in blue ink

« It’s a hard scream in there… »

SEMPÉ, Jean-Jacques (1932-2022)

Autograph letter signed « Sempé » to Gérard Leman
Paris, 15th January [19]68, 1 p. in-4° with autograph envelope

« I work so slowly… »

SIGNAC, Paul (1863-1935)

Autograph letter signed « P.S. » to Henry van de Velde
N.p.n.d (c. 1911-1912), 1 p. 1/2 in -8°

« Since the death of my dear mother, I have deferred to those who, like her, never do me so much good »

SOUTINE, Chaïm (1893-1943)

Autograph letter signed « Votre Soutine » to Émile Lejeune
Paris, 30th November [19]31, 2 p. in-4°

« It won’t be long before I get back to work »

STAËL (de), Germaine (1766-1817)

Autograph letter to Claire de Duras
N.p.n.d, “Sunday” [after 1815], 1 p. in-12°

« Will you go this evening to visit Mde de la Châtre ? »

STENDHAL, Henri Beyle, dit (1783-1842)

Autograph letter signed « Dubois » to his sister Pauline Périer-Lagrange
[Brunswick], « 29 8^bre [October] 1808 » 5 p. in-4°

« I liked music as an expression of love. It seems to me that none of the women I’ve had have given me such a sweet moment… »

STENDHAL, Henri Beyle, dit (1783-1842)

Autograph letter to his sister, Pauline Périer-Lagrange
N.p, « Sunday », [13rd May 1810], 3 p. 1/4 in-4°

« My days here are filled by a woman, whom I am not in love with, but whom I constantly think about »

STEVENSON, Robert Louis (1850-1894)

Autograph letter signed « Robert Louis Stevenson » to Hubert Smith-Stainer
Edinburgh, [Pitlochry, 6th June 1881], 3 pp. in-8°

« Two or three nights under the stars… »

SUPERVIELLE, Jules (1884-1960)

Period photographic print, signed twice
N.p, 22 Dec[ember] 1952, 23,5 x 17,3 cm

Nice and large autographed print of the writer

TCHAÏKOVSKI, Piotr Ilitch (1840-1893)

Original photography by Alfred Lorens, S. Petersbourg
Period albumen print (1874). Name card format

Superb portrait of the Russian composer

TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (de), Henri (1864-1901)

Autograph letter signed « Your boy H » to his mother Adèle Zoë Tapié de Céleyran
[Villiers-sur-Morin, fall 1886], 4 p. in-12

« I fly from ladder to ladder »

VALÉRY, Paul (1871-1945)

Autograph letter signed « P.V » [à Maurice Noël]
N.p.n.d, « Saturday », 1 p. in-8°

« If Le Figaro finds it too abstract, send it back to me »

VALÉRY, Paul (1871-1945)

Autograph letter signed « Comte Alexandre-Marie de Maleperche » to Noémi Révelin
Cannes [1927 ?], 1 p. in-12°

« I am a poet—very modest indeed, and quite provincial! »

VALÉRY, Paul (1871-1945)

Autograph letter signed « Paul Valéry » to Maurice Noël
N.p.n.d « Wednesday » [6th May 1942 ?], 2 p. in-8°

« I chatted with Gide (in Marseilles) who gave me full powers, before embarking for Tunis »

VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph poem signed « Paul Verlaine »
London, 1873, 1 p. in-8°, on laid paper

« O le feu du ciel sur cette ville de la Bible ! »

VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph letter signed « P. Verlaine » to Armand Gouzien
Paris-Montmartre, [September-October 1871], 2 p. in-8°

« My wife, who is pregnant, was horribly unwell last night and I was on my feet and on my teeth »

VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Original photograph of Paul Verlaine by Otto Wegener
[Paris, 1893], cabinet format (10,8 x 16,8 cm)

Famous portrait of the poet in preparation for his candidacy for the Académie Française

VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph letter signed « P Verlaine » to Jules Rais
[Paris] 39 rue Descartes, 2 January [18]96, 1 p. in-12° on laid paper

« I’m writing to you so little and so badly »

VERLAINE, Paul (1844-1896)

Autograph post-card signed « Votre P. Verlaine » to Jules Rais
[Paris, 16, rue Saint-Victor], 15th March 1895, 1 p. in-8°

« I’m bedridden and can’t move from the bed »

VIGNY (de), Alfred (1797-1863)

Autograph poem signed « Alfred »
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-folio

Nice autograph poem signed from his early years

VOLTAIRE, François-Marie Arouet, dit (1694-1778)

Autograph letter signed « de Voltaire » to George-Conrad Walther
Château de Lunéville, 6th April 1748, 3 p. in-8°

« Forgive a man who is a friend of peace this warmth he puts into preserving it, and this fear he has of seeing his work destroyed »

ZOLA, Alexandrine (1839-1925)

Autograph letter signed « Alexandrine Zola » to Gabriel Thyébaut
[Paris], 7 8bre [octobre] 1906, 8 pp. in-8° à l’encre violette sur papier de deuil

« I always think I die at every step, when I go up to this study in which life has also gone »

ZOLA, Émile (1840-1902)

Autograph letter signed « Emile Zola » to Fernand Desmoulin
Médan, 8th August 1895, 2 pp. in-8°

« I ended up despising the weather, going out in the downpours, which means that I come back soaked, covered in mud »

ZOLA, Emile (1840-1902)

Corrected proofs for his novel The Beast within
Paris, January 1890, 45 proofs printed on recto

« I love you, I will never let anyone hurt you… See, how good it is to be so, one in another ! »

ZOLA, Émile (1840-1902)

Autograph letter signed « Emile Zola » to a colleague
Paris, 12th November [18]93, 1 p. 1/2 in-8°

“When I have finished a book and given it to the public, it no longer exists for me. All my passion collapses”

ZOLA, Émile (1840-1902)

Autograph letter signed « Emile Zola » [to Albert Lacroix]
Paris, 13 Sept[ember] 1867, 2 pp. in-8°

« I’m counting on a horror success »