This title is an example of a rare book in poor condition, looking at it now I wonder why I purchased it. I have to console myself with the fact that is rare, and although the illustrations are poor, and one is damaged, they are amusing and unusual.
This title is available for trade against my Paris Olympia Press wants.
The description below is by Christophe Bier, from the marvellous “Les Éditions du Couvre-Feu”, published by editions Astarte in 2013, where it can be found on page 139
Au Royaume du Fouet
Jim Galding. Au Royaume du Fouet ou les Maitresses Impitoyables; Les Éditions du Chevet. 31 rue du Caire Paris. s.d. [1937], 208 p.p. with 10 illustration hors-texte, by “Hageby”.
Cover
The Illustrations
Any questions or information about this title please complete a contact form.
As part of my clear out campaign, I discovered this group of erotic woodcuts, tucked away in a cupboard, I have had them for many years, and would like some help to identify what they are from and hopefully who the artist might be. I am fairly confident that they relate to a text, as each image has a title in pencil below it. If you click to enlarge you can see the name on each image. The text is French. These 14 woodcuts are beautifully executed, two have an image on the reverse, one appears to be an early draft of the woodcut on the verso and the other unrelated, for the reverse image and also a small stamp mark that appears on the back of one image I have darkened the exposure to make it clearer. 12 of the images are on a parchment type material, the other 2 on a thick card.
14 woodcut illustrations by an unknown artist.
VERSO of Above
VERSO of Above
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A fragile item purchased cheaply on eBay, worth the money for the illustrations alone, strictly speaking not a flagellation novel but an erotic Lesbian romance, beautifully illustrated by Herric with images of gorgeous girls attired in ribbons and lace and silken underclothes.
Any Questions please leave a comment
More than happy for you to copy images, but please have the courtesy to reference this site if you post them elsewhere.
LE LIBERTINAGE DU RETROUSSE PAR : G. DONVILLE Aux Galants Passe-temps, 1937
In original printed paper wraps (red and black), over plain card covers. Number 733 of a limited edition of 2000 copies, adorned with 16 heliogravures by “Herric” Cheri Hérouard. 252 pp.
Aux Galants Passe-temps, 1937. Couverture rigide rempliee.Edition originale. Grand in-8 de 16,5 cms x 25,5 cms, relié, 252pages. Illustré et complet de ses 16 hors-texte en héliogravure par Herric [Hérouard]. Edition originale d’un roman érotique publié Aux Galants Passe-Temps ,Jean Fort en 1937. Classique du second rayon libertin, célébrant les amours lesbiennes et les fragrances féminines, contant l’initiation voluptueuse d’une jeune orpheline par sa tante lesbienne. Fétichisme des dessous féminins : jupons, gaines, culottes fendues, jarretières, etc. Hérouard, reconnu pour ses illustrations dans les revues de charme, était le dessinateur idéal de ce roman léger.
The illustrations are some of the finest I have seen, and although low on sexual content they are truly erotic as a result, I suspect that the low level spanking content is a (transparent) cover for the Lesbian theme of this book, where from the illustrations at least all participants appear to be young ladies, even though sometimes thinly disguised as young men.
This one potentially is only of interest to me as it has no illustrations, but does belong within the Vidal group, of editions Couvre-Feu at al. Although this title has no publisher, printer or date details, and therefore is effectively a clandestine edition. The French version appears to be one of the more common titles from this publisher, but this the English edition appears quite rare.
This copy has the page preceding the title page cut out, the half title is present, and the person I purchased it from speculated that it might have been an illustration, but as there is no reference to any frontispiece in the French edition I doubt that this is the case. It could of course been the publishers detail and a decision was taken to excise it. If anyone else has a copy of this edition I would be curious to know what the missing page contains.
The bibliographical information below is from “Les éditions du Couvre-Feu”, published by éditions Astarté ,2013 where it can be found on page 150.
Cover
Anon; Caresses………..or The Intimate Memoires of Jacqueline R. n.p. n.d ( Editions d’Antin? 1937?), with an preface by Serge de Fontanges, in original French wraps over plain card covers, prited in red and black, Price of 150 Frs on spine, 201 uncut pages, text within a red box on each page. Appears to be a rather well written story of lesbian sexual encounters, and may well have been anonymised, because of its explicit content.
Spine
Limitations Page
Title Page
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A rather special item, and an interesting one to list, as it is full of decorations and cul-de-lampe’s, that I love to use to decorate the listing. In its original sleeve with an illustrated cover in sheets with 12 (actually 13, one being duplicated) and an absolute plethora of pink penises.
Cover
Les chansons secrètes de Bilitis, nouvellement traduites sur le manuscrit de la Justinienne, suivies de “Les filles de Loth”, “La femme à barbe” de Guy de Maupassant,“L’étudiant et la grisette” pièce en un acte de Henry Monnier,“Le compendium érotique”,“La ballade mythologique”—Aux dépens d’un amateur et des souscripteurs, Saint-Félicien-en-Vivarais, 1946,107 pages, 16 x 24cm, en feuilles sous chemise et étui. 12 illustrations en hors textes et culs-de-lampe de Jean Jouy
Any questions or information about this title please complete a contact form.
This being the third book and my fourth post on Montorgeuil, I am sticking with the spelling as it appears on the editions we are viewing.
My interest in Montorgeuil is twofold, first because of the apparent mystery around his identity, and secondly how myth would have us believe that here was someone operating clandestinely , possibly in the 1930’s and providing works exclusively for wealthy collectors. I am not convinced of this story, and certainly there is no published material prior to 1970, when Editions Bel-Rose in Rotterdam produced two identical four volume editions,one in German of the series ” Die Gärten der lustvollen Freuden ” or the French version “Les jardins des delices des supplices”, therse are rather lovely books in limited editions on fine paper, printed on only one side, and in most cases signed.
Having explored the spelling of the name and having established via communication with Camillemm and Christophe Bier, that the spelling as it appears on the Bel-Rose editions both printed and signed, is not typically French either in sound or meaning. The only other progress I have made regarding the name is that it does appear to have a place in the Catalan language, and that there is a rue Montorgeuil in Paris. As interesting as this may be it takes no further forward with who the artist illustrator was and whether or not his work was in circulation prior to 1970.
As i find being provocative quite productive, I want to explore a theory that appears to have some as yet unstated support, it has been suggested to me that Montorgreuil, (apparently regardless of spelling) is a fake, and interestingly only this week I purchased the last missing title from my Bel-Rose, French editions, from a book-dealer who has gone so far as to state as much, perhaps he has been reading this blog? I will not name him because that would not be fair, however given that I have paid for the book I feel at liberty to quote his description of it.
1 volume 6 feuillets dont 1planche en frontispice et 1faux-titre illustré, puis folioté de 1 à 40 (= 80 pages dont 40 de texte: verso vierge), 2 feuillets; 26 planches dont 1 double. Bon état (pâles rousseurs en tranche de tête). Reproduction en fac-similé du manuscrit autographe de Bernard MONTORGEUIL (souvent orthographié MONTORGUEIL), pseudonyme collectif de W. N. Schors, libraire et éditeur d’ouvrages érotiques, ou d’auteurs restés anonymes (notice B.N.F), illustré de 28 lithographies érotiques (masochisme masculin) de l’auteur. 3è des 4 tomes de la série (après “Les Quat’jeudis” (1er) et “Barbara” (2è), et suivi de “Une Brune piquante”),.tiré à 500 exemplaires; exemplaire justifié n°265, numéroté et signé par l’auteur, bien complet des 28 planches. Livres Reliure éditeur pleine toile verte, titre doré sur le plat et au dos, ornés d’une fleur dorée.
For those who do not read French, the interesting bit is the suggestion that the name Montorgeuil or Montorgueil, is a collective pseudonym fabricated by Schors the publishers of Bel-Rose, I have no idea where the information to support this idea comes from but I must admit that I think it is most likely correct. But how do we verify this?, however it is one thing to fabricate the name, but to go on to fabricate the signature and to sell the books as signed by the author/illustrator, surely that is more than mischief.
Then, what of the widely circulated information, including auction records that indicate that this Montorgueil, was one of the greatest artists of the genre in the last century, and that his work was clandestinely circulated in the 1930’s and 1950’s, one has to ask under what name?, if the identity was invented in the late 1960’s for publication in 1970, what was the artist called prior to that? and how can anyone have verified the authenticity of the manuscripts and artwork. A bit of a chicken and egg scenario, which came first the artwork or the name? Also a small matter of due diligence requires resolution on the part of the auction house.
Well I am hoping that someone can fill in the gaps and put me right if I am wrong. Because the most important thing is that the artwork although completely twisted is stunning and very funny, I would dearly love to read the text in English. As for the detective work, I guess the biggest part of the puzzle for me now, is who the artist was, as if they really were producing work in the 1930’s they are undoubtedly deceased, whereas if they did not do the illustrations until the 1960’s they might very well be alive.
Bernard Montorgeuil, Dressur, Die Gärten der lustvollen Freuden, Volume 3 Editions Bel-Rose Rotterdam.n.d (1970) . 80, pages in a signed limited edition of 1000, copies with 26 + 1 double full page plates.
Limitation Page
Cover
The Illustrations
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Another oddity from , Éditions du Couvre-Feu, this I suspect relates a tale of lesbian love, and from the illustrations alone appears to involve a lot of taking off of clothes , and then well, putting them back on again, then sitting around and chatting. The heroine appears to have gone off of her rather effeminate looking lover, preferring a lusty brunette as her paramour. From the scans it looks as though the images may have been copied from paintings, or at least from a colour version.
My copy appears to vary from the two listed below, as it does not have an illustrated cover. The description as always, taken from Les Éditions du Couvre -Feu, by éditions Astarté 2013. where it appears on page 153
Gourmandises Libertines,
Claude Arno, Gourmandises Libertines, Éditions du Couvre-Feu, s.d. Illustrations by Chamy. n.d.(1932), 215 pages, 16 illustrations hors-texte by Chamy. Imprimerie spéciale Éditions du Couvre-Feu, 17 rue Castagnary Paris.
Cover
Spine
The illustrations
Any questions or information about this title please complete a contact form.
Having, rather rashly declared that I would not be posting anymore of these titles, I found another, and despite the fact that no one other than myself appears to be interested in these books, I have generously decided to share it with you anyway. This is an oddity, looks to be an amateur photographer who has had to use the lottery to find his models, and at one point looks to have been reduced to convincing his Mum to flash her knickers in the back garden.
This is a significant departure from my usual illustrated titles, being a photographic title, this has come about because of my recent interest in a book published by éditions Astarté in 2013, entitled “Les éditions du Couvre-Feu”, which is a wonderfully illustrated bibliography of that imprint and others associated with it. Along with magnificent works illustrated by “Wighead”, and titles by the master of the bizarre “Jim Galding”, there are a range of fascinating titles mainly on the themes of flagellation and domination, and oddities like this title that are more peep-show than porn.
The brain behind the bibliographical content of “Les éditions du Couvre-Feu”, is Christophe Bier, who I also believe to be the originator of much of the material used to illustrate book.
The following description is taken from “Les éditions du Couvre-Feu”, where it can be found at page 157
Title Page
Serge de Fontanges.Voluptés Féminines.Le Jardin d’Éros , 6 rue de Tracy.Paris (2e) s.d (circa 1935), 162 pages, cover and six monochrome plates.
Cover
The illustrations
Any information or questions about this title please complete a contact form
With thanks to Camillemm, who brought this matter to my attention when I accidentally, misspelled the name several times in my first post on the the mysterious Montorg??il. Now whilst accepting that apparently no one knows who he/she?is, and at risk of stating the obvious, somebody does , if the signed editions produced by Editions Bel-Rose in 1970 are genuine then somebody presumably presented the books to the author/illustrator, so that they could sign them, and also negotiate matters around copyright and earnings from the books.
This also places a certain credibility with the Bel-Rose editions, in that if they were really in contact with the person using the pseudonym, they were also aware of how to spell the name, and he/she was happy to sign the books with the same spelling.
I have checked all of my Editions Bel-Rose, titles in both the French and German editions, and they all use the spelling above, and although the legibility of the signature differs they are generally clear enough to confirm that the e precedes the u in the spelling of the name and confirms the printed version as correct.
Is this a mistake, or a scam of some kind, surely if the author, chooses to hide their identity, then they choose both the name and its spelling. This leaves me with a serious question, why does the spelling on auction records and later editions change?
AUCTION DESCRIPTION CHRISTIE’S 2014.
Lot Description
[MONTORGUEIL, Bernard (dates unknown), pseudonym.] Four manuscript books with original drawings: Dressage, Une Brune piquante, Une Après-midi de Barbara, and Les Quat’ jeudis. France, 1920s-1930s.
Four works in four volumes, quarto (278 x 244 mm), comprising a total of 115 pages of manuscript text in black ink with initials and titles in red, and 59 full-page pencil drawings with touches of colour; or, vol. 1: 41pp of text and 29pp of drawings; vol. 2: 8pp text and 7pp of drawings; vol. 3: 27pp text and 12pp of drawings; vol. 4: 39pp of text and 11pp of drawings. (Occasional light soiling.) 20th-century cloth, respectively blue, green, maroon, and white, the spines titled in gilt (corners rubbed, light soiling).
ORIGINAL ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT WORKS BY ONE OF THE MASTERS OF SM EROTICA. Montorgueil’s work celebrates the dominant woman, his drawings showing tender young men as willing playthings in a dizzying variety of scenarios. The present manuscripts are the source for the Belrose edition of 1970, and the many subsequent reprints by Leroy which introduced Montorgueil to a much wider audience. Little is known of the author, whose work was produced between the wars, but began to circulate clandestinely in the 1950s. The Nordmann collection held a smaller group by this leading 20th century erotic illustrator (sold, Christie’s Paris, 14-15 December 2006, lot 382).
AUCTION DESCRIPTION :Christie’s Paris, 14-15 December 2006, lot 382
Lot Description
[MONTORGUEIL, Bernard (nom réel et dates inconnus)]. Manuscrits et dessins libres originaux de 5 récits. [Vers 1930]
In-4 (266 x 212 mm). 60 pages de texte calligraphié à l’encre noire avec initiales en rouge, 48 dessins dont 2 à double page et 46 à pleine page, à la mine de plomb, certains avec rehauts aux crayons de couleurs, sur vélin d’Arches cartonné. Détail des 5 récits: 1) Dans la Maison des Amazones, Seize images d’étranges plaisirs: titre calligraphié à l’encre rouge et noire, 16pp. de texte avec initiale rouge et 16 dessins ; 2) L’Accusation: titre au crayon rehaussé de couleur, 13pp. de texte et 5 dessins ; 3) Équivalences: titre à la mine de plomb, 7 dessins dont un à double page ; 4) De la pénétration psychologique en matière d’éducation: titre au crayon rehaussé de couleur, 16pp. de texte et 9 dessins ; 5) L’Invertie convertie: titre au crayon rehaussé de couleur, 15pp. de texte et 11 dessins dont un à double page.
Reliure signée Honegger en maroquin mauve, premier plat et dos ornés de mosaïques géométriques de maroquin rouge, noir, brun et bleu marine ainsi que de trois disques de box chair ; dos lisse, titre à la chinoise, décor à l’identique, doublures et gardes de crêpe noir à résille, tête dorée, non rogné (dos un peu passé).
EXCEPTIONNEL ENSEMBLE MANUSCRIT avec 48 superbes dessins érotiques au fini parfait de ce maître de l’illustration sado-masochiste, Bernard Montorgueil, dont toute l’oeuvre célèbre la femme dominatrice dressant les hommes. Dans les présents dessins, l’auteur de Dressage et d’Une Brune piquante, transforme de jeunes hommes tendres et graciles en objets de luxure pour des femmes vêtues d’ahurissantes combinaisons fétichistes.
La plus grande discrétion entoure Bernard Montorgueil. Son oeuvre commença à circuler sous le manteau dans les années cinquante, mais elle semble plutôt dater de l’entre deux guerres. On connaît au moins quatre séries de dessins accompagnés de textes calligraphiés. Bernard Montorgueil se situe au tout premier rang des illustrateurs érotiques du XXe siècle.
The worrying theme of giving provenance of works from the 1930’s apparently without supporting evidence continues, and I will try to pursue at a later date. The matter of the name and its spelling is my main concern at the moment. As despite the fact that the Bel-Rose editions have a variant spelling and are signed, and that at least in the latter (date wise) of the two auctions these editions are referenced, then how come they missed the spelling of the name?
Certainly it is unsurprising that the manuscript and illustrations purchased at the 2006 auction which ultimately provide the material for the 3 éditions Astarté volumes carry the same spelling as the auction listing, the spelling that continues throughout the books despite surprisingly, reproducing an image, as I have done of a signed Editions Bel-Rose limitations page, without referring to the different spelling.
éditions Astraté 2007
I will continue to pursue this interesting puzzle and anyone who would like to contribute would be most welcome. It could be, that I am missing something, but I cannot see any reference to anything “signed” in either of the auction descriptions. So are the Bel-Rose editions the real thing, are the two lots by the same hand, and why did no one pick up on the anomaly?
What started as a query on an Englishman’s spelling of an unusual , French name, now makes me wonder why so many French speakers are having the same problems with what to them should be second nature.
As the second part in my series I am listing a French edition, and from the limitation it is now obvious that the French edition differs from the German, in two ways, it is printed in calligraphic text from the manuscript, and is in a smaller limitation of only 500 copies as opposed to the German version of 1000. which is printed in a standard typeface.
I have also been challenged on my spelling of the surname, and interestingly the Bel-Rose editions are all spelled MONTORGEUIL, and the éditions Astarté titles MONTORGUEIL, which the Christie’s auction record below also confirms (the E and U transposed.), given that the Bel-Rose editions were signed, and the signature appears to support MontorgEUil, I shall default to that spelling.
It is interesting to note that despite the many coloured versions that appear in various editions, that the originals were largely mono coloured with just traces of colouration as described below.
From the auction record of the Christies sale of 2014 from the collection of Tony Fekete:
Lot Description
[MONTORGUEIL, Bernard (dates unknown), pseudonym.] Four manuscript books with original drawings: Dressage, Une Brune piquante, Une Après-midi de Barbara, and Les Quat’ jeudis. France, 1920s-1930s.
Four works in four volumes, quarto (278 x 244 mm), comprising a total of 115 pages of manuscript text in black ink with initials and titles in red, and 59 full-page pencil drawings with touches of colour; or, vol. 1: 41pp of text and 29pp of drawings; vol. 2: 8pp text and 7pp of drawings; vol. 3: 27pp text and 12pp of drawings; vol. 4: 39pp of text and 11pp of drawings. (Occasional light soiling.) 20th-century cloth, respectively blue, green, maroon, and white, the spines titled in gilt (corners rubbed, light soiling).
ORIGINAL ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT WORKS BY ONE OF THE MASTERS OF SM EROTICA. Montorgueil’s work celebrates the dominant woman, his drawings showing tender young men as willing playthings in a dizzying variety of scenarios. The present manuscripts are the source for the Belrose edition of 1970, and the many subsequent reprints by Leroy which introduced Montorgueil to a much wider audience. Little is known of the author, whose work was produced between the wars, but began to circulate clandestinely in the 1950s. The Nordmann collection held a smaller group by this leading 20th century erotic illustrator (sold, Christie’s Paris, 14-15 December 2006, lot 382).
The original illustrations are likely best sampled from the éditions Astarté publications “Dans la Maison des Amazones” 2007 and “Le Chevalet de Madame de Brandes” 2008, complimented by the third volume “Montorgueil” “Cahiers d’ébauches”2010, the latter which contains copies of many of the rough sketches. It is my intention to seek permission to reproduce the images from these titles, but whether or not consent will be given remains to be seen.
So this post is another in a series about the mysterious Montorgeuil, by no means unique, because there are a number of blogs dedicated to this author. I shall of course as always post the illustrations, but my theme is really around the books, and I would be very interested to have any contribution that evidences Montorgeuil, prior to 1970, and especially interested for any information regarding “Sinistre Editions S.A”, a Publisher who apparently published the series in English in the 1980’s.
Bernard Montorgeuil: Barbara, Volume 2 Les jardins des delices des supplices: Editions Bel-Rose Rotterdam.1970
Limitation Page
Cover
The Illustrations
Any questions or information about this title please complete a contact form.
