Les Monstres Sacrés. Portrait d'une pièce en trois actes avec trois dessins de Christian Bérard.
Paris: Gallimard (1950). A fine copy of Cocteau's classic, with three drawings by Berard. One of twenty hors commerce copies. More
Paris: Gallimard (1950). A fine copy of Cocteau's classic, with three drawings by Berard. One of twenty hors commerce copies. More
Paris: Éditions Briant-Robert (1926). 4to. One of Cocteau's more interesting books, consisting of thirty-one line drawings composed while he was undergoing de-toxification for his longtime addiction to opium. The drawings are often surreal images depicting himself, sailors and dream images that are among his best work. Despite the limitation of 500 copies, the book is quite uncommon. One of an edition of 150 numbered copies on Hollande, signed by the author on the colophon. A near fine copy in original wrappers. More
Montpellier: Luis Casinada (1998). A long poem by Cocteau illustrated with four original color gouache illustrations by Karen Thomas. The edition is printed on Japon paper and is limited to only 45 numbered copies, each signed by the artist and editor. A lovely production. Fine in stiff handmade paper wrappers. More
Paris (2000). A collection of previously unpublished photographs and drawings of Cocteau and his friends during the first world war. The text includes letters written during the peiod by Cocteau to his family. Very good in wrappers. More
Montrouge : Draeger frères, 1924. — In-folio. 312: (4 ff. First white), 11 plates, illustrated cover. In sheets, under shirt with jacket adorned with a typographic decoration. Prestigious catalog glorifying the graphic arts industries through a leading collaboration between the printer Draeger, the writer Jean Cocteau and the artist Charles Martin. The text is a treasure trove of typographic presentation and calls out to advertisers to encourage them to have Draeger catalogs edited. It is followed by 11 boards designed by Charles MARTIN (1884-1934) in the purest Art Deco spirit. "This catalog is the perfect celebration, never equaled, of the publishing professions, as well as one of the most prestigious DRAEGER albums" (Forney exhibition 1988, n ° 82). A few spots and pitting on the dust jacket and a few small freckles scattered on the boards. More
Corbeil: Impr. Crété ; Paris : R. Saillard (1937). 190pp. A biographical novel about sailors with gay elements by the author of the controversial Chez les Mauvais Garçons. Very good in wrappers. Inscribed on front endpaper to Georges Lecante of the Academie Francaise, library stamp on endpaper. More
Barcelona: Imprenta Henrich (1904). An exhaustive three volume survey of differences among Latin and Anglo-Saxon countries, with particular emphasis on the author's perception of "decadence." Of interest is a discussion of Oscar Wilde and other controversial individuals. Good in red cloth boards, spine a bit dulled and boards a bit marked. More
Kensington: Cayme Press (1927). Soft cover. Uncommon ediiton of this early nineteenth century poem extolling the virtues of caning schoolboys. Introduction by Yvor Nichols. Printed by Philip Sainsbury, Henry Scott Tuke's nephew. One 450 copies issued. Very good in wrappers that have modest edgewear, penned notation on cover, small chip to rear cover, missing binding thread. More
Argentorati: in aedibus Vuendelini Rihelii (1548). [8], 111, [9] fol. Commines was a philosophical historian and has been called the "first truly modern writer" and a major primary source for 15th century European history. His life was a continuing drama of intrigues involving the royal houses of Burgundy and France, ultimately ending in his employ by Charles VIII of France. His series of memoirs have been hailed for their forthright and often cynical understanding of the dramas of his age. This volume, one of the last in the series, recounts the Italian wars. Very good, early paper wrappers, present but detaching, small chip to front wrapper, pages generally very good with some browning. Uncommon. More
London (1984). Hardcover. 4to. Photo-essays on arbiters of twentieth century taste- from Peggy Guggenheim to Elsie de Wolfe, Robert de Montesquiou, Andy Warhol. Very good photographs. Very good in very good jacket, spine a little sunned. Ooffice. More
Paris (1964). 221pp. Soft cover. The autobiography of the famous French fabric designer, with mention of Poiret, Balenciage, Cocteau, and many others. One of an unknown number of special copies in a blue chiffon binding with pink borders, with a warm inscription by the author to the actor Marc Dantzer (an intimate in Cocteau's circle) on the title page. In addition, there is a special page bound into the book identifying the recipient. Very good in custom faux velvet fabric box. More
London: Ernest Benn (1924). The Rat Trap is a four-act drama by Noël Coward, his 'first really serious attempt at psychological conflict', written when he was only 18. Inscribed by Coward on the front endpaper to Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie, one of the Bright Young Things and doyenne of transatlantic high society (and sister to the Surreast collector Edward James). Very good in blue linen boards, light edge wear, browning to spine label, corner of rear board bumped. More
New York (1950). A group of the short-lived and widely acclaimed magazine of arts and fashion, edited by Fleur Cowles. Included are the following, sold as a group: March (1950) 2 copies; May (1950) 3 copies; June (1950); July (1950) 3 copies. Generally very good, some cover browning, spines intact. More
Englewood: As Stable Publications (1926). The surreal story of a young one-legged character and the bizarre events surrounding an ill-fated union. A copy of the story was given by Crevel to the young George Platt Lynes on his first visit to Paris and he printed the book at his home in New Jersey, before embarking on his career in photography. A very good copy of an uncommon publication, light browning and edge wear, slight water staining at bottom edge. The first English edition of the work was issued by Elysium Press in 1996, with illustrations by Jonathan Hammer. One of 300 copies, this example #176 in original wrappers with drawing by Phelan Gibb. More
Paris: Simon Kra (1926). False mention of "sixth edition on title page. Very good in wrappers, unumbered. More
New York Police Gazette: New York: 1 April (1882). 16pp. 4to. A provocative issue of this early New York tabloid shows four flirting women on the cover, two dressed in male attire, with the headline “they could take care of themselves.” Below the image, the caption reads: “A party of gay girls of New York bohemian circles declare their independence by dispensing with male escorts during the masquerade ball season, and enjoy a period of pleasure unadulterated by masculine restraint.” The Boulton & Park scandal in England (men cross-dressing as women) took place in the 1870s. The paper has been folded in half and there is wear around the edges, with chipping, splits and small areas of loss. There are also some margin annotations inside and the top edge of the paper has not been fully cut. More
New York: Albondocani (1971). An amusing portrait of Firbank, with an Introduction by Mirian Benkovitz. One of 126 numbered copies, printed letterpress on mustard colored Fabriano paper and hand-sewn in wrappers. A fine example. More
A very iconic photograph of the eccentric bohemian, taked at the Capri home of Islay Lyons and Kenneth Macpherson (and Norman Douglas). Cunard sports one of her famed ivory bracelets and creative hair nets. One of a series taken by Lyons at the same luncheon and likely the last time that they spent time together. Vintage photograph from the estate of Islay Lyons. More
Oxford: B.H.Blackwells (1917). The first of the Wheels anthologies, devised by the Sitwells to publish works of young poets (including themselves). Included in this preiere issue are works by Nancy Cunard, Osbert Sitwell, Edith Sitwell, Arnold James, Iris Tree, E.W. Tennant, Sacheverell Sitwell, Victor Tait Perowne and Helen Rootham. Warmly inscribed by Cunard to "Otto" in "1929 or so" and additionally in 1943 ("I would like to consign this to limbo, dear otto- so keep it dark."). Good in yellow boards, a bit of wear to covers with some abrasions, several pages roughly opened. More
East Hampton (2000). The Pulitzer prize winning writer contributes an essay to an exhibition catalog of the work of Matts Gustafson and Ted Muehling. Illustrated. Fine in wrappers. More
Paris: Eugène Renduel, 1835. 2 vols., 8vo. 560 pp. 438 pp. This dark comedic novel was commercially successful when issued and garnered the approval of Balzac ("Mais peut-être, avec autant de talent, étiez-vous tenu de tout savoir ? Le livre est d’une incontestable supériorité, de trop de supériorité même, il sera la lecture favorite de ceux qui dégustent, des hommes d’élite, et ceux-là sont en minorité."). It paints a picture of a "society rotten to the core, a society without faith, without law, without faith, without remorse and without pleasure." The protagonist, Edmond d'Offlize, boasts in a letter to a friend that he can seduce a very rich heiress whose face is so ugly that it would be acceptable "only in the land of the frogs." She is then pursued by d'Offlize and a friend (with whom he may share a romantic relationship) and a great muddle of manners ensues. The Marquis de Custine (1790-1857) was a French aristocrat, perhaps most famous for his travel book, Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia, published in 1839. He was avowedly homosexual and lived openly in Paris with his lover Edward Saint-Barbe, who remained his life companion. Aloys, his anonymously published novel deals explicitly with homosexuality long before such subjects were commonly written about. See Muhlstein, A Taste for Freedom: The Life of Astolphe de Custine. Very good in later black boards, light wear, early signature on endpaper in volume 1. Uncommon. More