History & Science

[BARBÈS] De LAVETIER

Original albumen print by de Lavetier
La Haye, 2th August [1869], cdv format

« à Jules Claretie »

[DREYFUS AFFAIR] ZOLA, Emile (1840-1902)

[EINSTEIN] BERGSON, Henri (1859-1941)

Autograph letter signed « Henri Bergson » to Jean Becquerel
Paris, 24 Sept[ember] 1922, 16 pages in-8°

« From the point of view of the theory of Relativity, there is no longer absolute motion or absolute immobility »

[EUGÉNIE de Montijo, Empress] W&D Downey

Portrait of Empress Eugenie by W&D Downey, period albumen print
[London, c. 1871], CDV format

Elegant portrait of the Empress, with a melancholic gaze

[NAPOLEON III] FLAMANT, Louis Emmanuel

Photomontage on period albumen vintage print
N.p.n.d, cabinet format (10 x 13,5 cm)

Famous photomontage depicting the death of Napoleon III, surrounded by his family and loved ones

[NAPOLÉON III] Levitsky – LeJeune

Portrait of Emperor Napoléon III by [Levitsky] LeJeune, period albumen print
[Paris, c. 1865], CDV format

Famous portrait of the emperor, in bust

[POUGY] GHIKA, George (1884-1945)

Autograph letter signed « Georges Ghika » to Liane de Pougy, princess Ghika
N.p, 2nd July 1923, 1. in-4°

« I boast of a privilege »

[PRINCE IMPÉRIAL] BIZOT, Adrien (1848-1929)

Autograph letter signed « Adrien Bizot » to the Prince Impérial
Melun, 20 septembre 1878, 4 p. in-8°

« Sad country, Sad weather! But patience, the sun of Austerlitz is not dead! »

[PRINCE IMPÉRIAL] Elliott & Fry

Portrait of the Prince Impérial by Elliott & Fry
[London, c. 1875], albumen carte-de-visite

Elegant portrait of Prince Imperial, printed in his honor after his tragic death in Southern Africa

[PRINCE IMPÉRIAL] Gösta FLORMAN (1831-1900)

Portrait of the Prince Impérial by Gösta Florman, period albumen print
[Stockholm, 1878], carte-de-visite format

Supere portrait of the Prince Impérial by Gösta Florman

[PRINCE IMPERIAL] H. Marres

Photomontage on period albumen print
N.p.n.d, cabinet format (10 x 13,5 cm)

Extremely rare photomontage depicting the killing of the Prince Imperial by the Zulus, in southern Africa

[SECOND EMPIRE] The imperial family and its private circle

Nineteen period albumen prints
The Imperial Family and its entourage, CDV format

Exceptional gathering of nineteen vintage albumen prints offering a wide panorama of the imperial family, its relatives and supporters

BABEUF, Gracchus (1760-1797)

Autograph letter signed “Babeuf” to his son, Robert Emile Babeuf
Pluviôse [probably handwritten between January 20th and February 8th 1797]

“It is by practising to suffer that one is able to receive with force all the pains of life”

BEAUHARNAIS, Émilie de (1781-1855)

Autograph letter signed “Beauh. De Lavalette” to her cousin Eugène de Beauharnais
S.l, [11] mai [1807], 5 p. in-12

“We were so sad and discouraged by the loss my poor cousin just had that it was impossible for me to have two ideas of my own since the fatal moment”

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

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

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

BERGSON, Henri (1859-1941)

Autograph aphorism signed « H. Bergson »
N.p.n.d, 1/4 p. in-8°

« As soon as we love the best in life, we become indifferent to death »

BERGSON, Henri (1859-1941)

Autograph letter signed « H. Bergson » to a friend
Paris, 2nd March 1920, 3 p. 1/2 in-8°

« I believe that in philosophical matters the imprecise does not count, and that we must be three times sure of what we bring to the public if we want to obtain from it a beginning of consent »

BERNARD, Claude (1813-1878)

Autograph letter signed « Claude Bernard » to Mr Worms
N.p.n.d, 1 p. 1/2 in-12 on laid paper with his embossed initials

« If you can come one of these mornings… bring me your experimental information on cholera »

BILLAUD-VARENNE, Jacques-Nicolas (1756-1819)

Autograph letter signed « Billaud-Varenne » to his colleagues
Sainte-Ménehould, 16th September 1792, 3 p. 1/2 in-4°

« Keep that calm and energy that got you victory in front of the Bastille and the Château des Tuileries »

BLACAS, Duc de (1771-1839)

Autograph letter signed “B”
Prague, 14th March 1835, 4 pages in-8

“What a fateful event that the death of this excellent Emperor”

BONAPARTE, Caroline (1782-1839)

Autograph letter signed “Caroline” to a Prince
[Naples, 15th May 1813], 2 p. grand in-8

“It is cruel to see the disappearance of the people who for 15 years have been attached to the Emperor and have shared all his memories.”

CHARLES X (1757-1836)

Autograph letter signed “Charles Philippe” to Charles de Barentin
Edinburgh, 4th March 1803, 1 p. in-4, address on verso, remains of black wax seal

“I promise myself our usual dispositions to employ you for all that is of interest to the service of the King my brother and mine”

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

Autograph letter signed « Chateaubriand » to Laure de Cottens
Geneva, 12th July 1831, 3 p. in-8°

« It will only take me two hours to get to you »

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 « 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 »

CLEMENCEAU, Georges (1841-1929)

Autograph name card signed “GL” to Michel Alexandre Gaston Tournier
N.d.n.p, 1 p. in-24

“For your good memory”

CLEMENCEAU, Georges (1841-1929)

Autograph novel for his collection of articles Aux Embuscades de la vie
N.p [1903], 10 pp. in-4

“This happiness did not seem to be done for the miserable Jew who until now had been striving in vain to conquer gold”

CLEMENT, Jean-Baptiste (1836-1903)

Autograph manuscript signed « JB Clément »
N.p, dated 23rd April 1869,  4 p. in-8°

« J’en couperai pour cette belle France / Dont j’ai chanté la gloire et les revers »

COMMUNE DE PARIS 1871 – VALECKE, Jules Queval, dit Jules

2 stereoscopic views of Paris during the Commune of 1871
Original photographs, albumen prints 7,7 x 7,4 cm. Mounted on printed Bristols

CONSIDÉRANT, Victor (1808-1893)

Autograph letter signed “V Considérant” tp Mr Berger
Paris [Probably 1848], 2 pages in-8

Rare letter of the philosopher

HUGO, Victor (1802-1885)

Autograph letter signed “Victor H” à Joséphine Trébuchet
Brussels, 19th December [1851], 1 page in-8 on double sheet

“I fought for the right, for the truth, for the righteous, for the people, for France”

LA PEROUSE (de), Jean François (1741-1788)

Autograph letter signed « Laperouse » to Poussielgue
Paris, 18th June 1785, 1 page in-8, address on verso

“I will be gone from Brest…”

LAMARTINE (de), Alphonse (1790-1869)

Letter signed « Lamartine » to Louis de Jacquelot
Paris, 8 9bre [November 1840], 2 p. in-8°

« The serious circumstances in which we found ourselves made me go out… of my usual calm in politics »

LAMENNAIS, Félicité de (1782-1854)

Lettre autographe signée “F. de Lamennais” à M. Lasneau
Paris, 20 juin 1825, 1 page in-8

“Two copies of my Imitation”

LOUIS XVI (1754-1793)

Autograph letter signed “Louis” to a Monsieur
N.d.n.p (1781 before May), 1 page small in-8 on double sheet

“I could give the last orders on Sunday to Mr. Amelot and Mr. Necker, for I wish that the thing would not drag on for too long”

MAO, Zedong (1893-1976)

First edition of the Little Red Book
[Beijing, May 1964], 250 p. in-16° (13,8 x 10 cm)

« Politics is was without blood, while war is politics with blood »

MASARYK, Tomáš (1850-1937)

Autograph letter signed « Masaryk » to a political activist
S.l, 21st December 1893, 2 p. 1/4 in-8°

« If the party turns against me, it opposes the men of confidence, as well as the vote of confidence that was granted to me »

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 letter to his grandparents
Mazamet 31st March [1935], 1 p. ¾ in-4

« I would not have wanted him to precede me in such a disastrous way. That he followed me there later, much later, it would have been in order… »

MONTIJO (de), Impératrice Eugénie (1826-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Farnborough Hill, 17th November 1892, 3 p. in-8° on mourning paper

« Never before have we kissed and armed so much in Europe. As long as it is a guarantee of peace ! »

MONTIJO (de), Impératrice Eugénie (1826-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to French Republic president Patrice de Mac-Mahon
Chislehurst, Camden Place [June 1873], 4 p. in-8

“I am not asking you anything for the future but to respect a past that was the cradle of your glory”

MONTIJO (de), Impératrice Eugénie (1826-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Eugénie », to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Camden Place, Chislehurst, 16th March 1880, 4 p. in-8°, mourning paper

« I hope, upon my return, either to be stronger or no longer need to rely on my strengths »

MONTIJO (de), Impératrice Eugénie (1826-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Camden Place, Chislehurst, 10 10bre [October 1873], 4 p. in-8°, mourning paper

« When you want an unhealthy share of popularity, you don’t know how to absolve or condemn »

MONTIJO (de), Impératrice Eugénie (1826-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Prince’s gate SW [London], 26 November [1881], 5 p. in-8 on mourning paper

« The widow of Napoleon III remains and will remain close to those who died in exile »

MONTIJO (de), Impératrice Eugénie (1826-1920)

Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Camden Place, Chislehurst [January 1873], 8 p. in-8°, mourning paper

« The Emperor’s rapid death has, so to speak, awakened the public conscience. »

NECKER, Jacques (1732-1804)

Letter signed “Necker” to Mrs les Commissaires du Roi au Dept. du Nord
Paris, 27th July 1790, 1 p. in-folio on laid paper

NICOLAS II, Nikolaï Aleksandrovitch Romanov (1868-1918)

Original photograph by Vezenberg – Co. in S. Petersburg
Period albumen print (1896). Business card format

Moving portrait of the Romanov family in 1896

PASTEUR, Louis (1822-1895)

Autograph letter signed « L. Pasteur » to Professor Charles Bouchard
Paris, 19 July 1888, 3 pages in-8 on double sheet

“We have tested his immunity by inoculation on the brain’s surface”

PASTEUR, Louis (1822-1895)

Autograph letter signed twice, « Louis Pasteur » and « LP », to Comtesse Greffulhe
Paris, 20th February 1892, 2 pages squared in-8 on double sheet, Institut Pasteur letterhead.

“Think of the unnameable number of dogs which there would be to vaccinate in Paris !”

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 »

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

Autograph letter signed « Louis Napoléon » to his friend Pierre de Bourgoing
Camden place, 23rd October 1870, 2 p. in-8° on bifolio

« England will never be worth France ! »

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

RICŒUR, Paul (1913-2005)

Three autograph letters signed to Peter Kemp and one autograph manuscript signed
[Paris], between 1970 and 1986, 9 p. in-8° et in-4°, one envelope

« Our son Olivier committed suicide a few days before Easter »

STAËL (de), Germaine (1766-1817)

Autograph letter to Claire de Duras
N.p.n.d, 1 p. in-8°

« Come to my house tonight by going to the ball »

STALIN, Joseph (1878-1953)

Autograph letter signed « J. Stalin » to Marietta Sergeevna Shaginyan
N.p, 20th May 1931, 1 p. in-folio, red ink, in russian

« Just tell me concretely who I need to put pressure on »

TALLIEN, Thérésa Cabarrus, dite Madame (1773-1835)

Autograph letter signed “Princesse de Chimay” to a friend
S.l, 27 May [circa 1816], 2 pages in-8

“by grace by charity by all that you will please my friend be human”

VACHER, Joseph (1869-1898)

Autograph letter signed « Joseph Vacher » to doctor Lacassagne
[Prison of] Belley, le 30 Xbre [December] 1897, 4 p. in-8°

Letter of a serial killer