Another Carrington, this one clandestine under his Librarie des Bibliophiles imprint. Altogether a lavish production with red borders to each page and profusely illustrated.
Bibliographical information courtesy of Sheryl Straight.
A return to my labour of love, which is the cataloguing of The Charles Carrington Collection, this consists of titles from my own collection and those of my good friend Michael Neal. I had promised Michael, before his untimely death last year that I would list all of the titles that I now own, and I have slowly been doing so between forays into titles that I would like to sell on. This one is from the Michael Neal Collection, and according to his provenance was formally in the Leonardt Collection. For most visitors to the site, the primary interest is in the illustrations, this title allows for a great treat because all of the many illustrations are by Martin Van Maele.
Title Page
JACQUES DESCROIX. LA GYNÉCOCRATIE, Ou La Domination de la femme. Précédé d’une Étude sur le masochisme dans l’histoire et les traditions, par Laurent Tailhade. Paris: Charles Carrington, 1902.15.88cm. x 24.77. xiv + 317pp. Printed by Bouillant in a limited edition of 750 copies printed on Holland. Frontispiece + 20 illustrations and numerous in-text illustrations by Martin van Maele. Title page in red and black. This Book is rebound in luxury boards, in a slipcase, the remains of the original paper covers are preserved, there is some staining to page edges in places, but never encroaching on text or illustrations.
This is a French translation of Gynecocracy, Adventures and Psychological Experiences of Julian Robinson, published by Leonard Smithers in 1893. This present work retains the flagellation scenes from that original English edition but is expurgated of all the sexual descriptions. This work is thought to have been written by either Stanislas de Rhodes, a London lawyer or possibly by Havelock Ellis, although there is no hard evidence to support either theory. [See Mendes: 84-A]. La Gynécocratie was later published in English by Carrington in c.1912.
(Kinsey: 823.7 L158 g8F 1902. Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-168. Importante Bibliotheque d’Ouvrages Erotiques, Hotel Drouot, Salle No. 13, 11 Mars 1987, #256)
Bibliographical information courtesy of Sheryl Straight.
Something of an oddity, but nevertheless an interesting edition of this title originally published in 1882(3), this 1923 clandestine edition, is accompanied by a suite of 16 illustrations specific to this edition by Nicolas Sternberg, and a selection of illustrations from earlier editions, 5 by Van Maele, from the Carrington edition of 1908, a frontispiece by Rops from the 1921 edition and 5 by Bayros, from a source I cannot identify. This book differs from other copies in that the illustrations are hand coloured. Altogether a rare and interesting edition of this erotica.
Title Page
SIRE DE CHAMBLEY (Edmond HARAUCOURT), La Légende des Sexes. Poèmes hystériques. Bruxelles, Pour l’auteur, (vers 1923). In-4, 143-(3) pp. et (27) planches libres, broché (manque de papier en tête du dos). Tirage limité à 380 exemplaires, ici un des 350 Hollande vergé (non justifié). Complet des 27 planches érotiques d’après Félicien Rops, Martin Van Maele, Nicolas Sternberg et Franz Von Bayros, dont 24 coloriées à la main et une dont le coloris n’est pas fini. * Dutel 1840.
This Book: In original publishers card covers printed in blue and black (28.5 x 19 cm)143-(3) pp. and (27) loose illustrations, paperback (lack of paper at the head of the spine). Draw limited to 380 copies, here one of the 350 Holland (unjustified). Complete with the 27 erotic plates after Félicien Rops(1), Martin Van Maele(5), Nicolas Sternberg(16) and Franz Von Bayros(5), including 24 hand-coloured and one whose colour is not finished. Dutel 1840.
As a rolling tribute to my good friend Michael Neal, who sadly passed away on October 21st. I am continuing with my promise to catalogue all the Charles Carrington titles from our combined collections. This particular title is one from Michaels collection and a wonderful example of a working book that has been read and bears the signs of wear with pride. An absolute treat to handle, great size and weight, printed on heavy hand made Van Gelder paper, beautiful print job and fabulous Van Maele illustrations, always at his best when there is room for his marvellous monsters.
Thaïs is a novel by French writer Anatole France, published in 1890 and considered one of his best works. It is based on events in the life of Saint Thaïs of Egypt, a legendary convert to Christianity who is said to have lived in the 4th century. In the story, Paphnuce, an ascetic hermit of the Egyptian desert, journeys to Alexandria to find Thais, the libertine beauty whom he knew as a youth. Masquerading as a dandy, he is able to speak with her about eternity; surprisingly he succeeds in converting her to Christianity. Yet on their return to the desert he becomes fascinated with her former life. She enters a convent to repent of her sins. He cannot forget the pull of her famous beauty, and becomes confused about the values of life. Later, as she is dying and can only see heaven opening before her, he comes to her side and tells her that her faith is an illusion, and that he loves her.
Anatole France (François-Anatole Thibault 1844-1924) was a French poet, journalist, and novelist. He was a successful novelist, with several best-sellers. Ironic and sceptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters. He was a member of the Académie Française, and won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Literature “in recognition of his brilliant literary achievements, characterized as they are by a nobility of style, a profound human sympathy, grace, and a true Gallic temperament”. France is also widely believed to be the model for narrator Marcel’s literary idol Bergotte in Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time.
Title Page and Frontis.
THAIS | TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH | OF | ANATOLE FRANCE | [quotation] | LONDON | CHARLES CARRINGTON | 1901 | All rights reserved
8vo. 304pp. Limited edition of 500 copies on hand-made paper watermarked Van Gelder. Frontispiece + 20 engravings by Martin van Maele done in shades of black and brown; with tissue guards. 6″x9″, x+304pp, hardbound, blue moire silk boards with blind stamped borders, gilt titles on spine, deckled edges, Van Gelder hand-made paper, beautiful tipped-in illustrations protected by tissue guard and printed in combination of black & brown ink, good condition, bumping to corners, some sunning to spine, slight foxing to prelims, interior pages clean.
(Kinsey: 843.7 F815 t3E 1901. The Satyrical Drawings of Martin van Maele; Cythera Press, 1970. Private collection.)Description
Thais, Anatole France, trans. Robert B. Douglas, illus. by Martin van Maële (Charles Carrington, London, 1901 [first English translation, first edition, limited edition, one of 500])
The First English translation of France’s adaptation of the Golden Legend tale. Originally published in Paris by Calmann-Lévy, 1890; and again by Romagnol in 1900, with illustrations by Lauren, in a limited edition of 300 copies [Forbidden Books, p.29]. Anatole France is a pseudonym used by Jacques Anatole Thibault.
Another rare Carrington, with Van Maele illustrations, this one a fairly recent acquisition, and yet another example of the quality of Carrington publications, therefore as much attention given to text and page decorations as the illustrations. This will have been a later rebind as the original covers are only partially preserved.
Title Page
Jean de Villiot, La Flagellation Amoureuse; DANS L’HISTOIRE DES MŒURS ET DANS LA LITTÉRATURE SUIVIE DE La Flagellation des Femmes EN FRANCE SOUS LA REVOLUTION ET LA TERREUR BLANCHE Cinq eaux-fortes de MARTIN VAN MAELE PARIS CHARLES CARRINGTON, LIBRAIRIE-EDITEUR 13, Faubourg Montmartre, 1904. 12.7cm. x 21.59cm. 240pp. Printed on laid paper by Veuve Félix Guy et Cie, 20th April 1904. Title page printed in orange and black. Head and tail pieces. Decorative first letter to each chapter. 5 full-page engravings (signed) by Martin van Maele with tissue guards .
This Book: Rebound in quarter black leather on cream textured boards, spine decorated with 4 gilt fluerons, 4 raised bands , lined in gilt, author and title stamped in gilt lettering. Original front and back covers, cropped and pasted on card inserts. Some light sporadic foxing but overall in very good condition.
A very odd listing, on a site where odd is the norm. This one is a collection of extracts from various texts throughout French history that have featured the enema as a fetishist device. It is not unusual for the enema to appear in flagellation novels, but it appears that it has a long and distinguished (or should that be disgusting?) history. This places it more in the Curiosa/ Fetish category than mainstream erotica. I have a significant number of publications by Liseux and Carrington , that explore classical erotic texts and curious bypaths of deviance. It is not unusual to find anti-clerical and anti- royalist texts, but in the world of erotica nothing is sacred, and this rather delightful tome takes a swipe at the bizarre practices of the medical profession throughout history. So by all means stand and applaud for the medics, but be careful when you bend over.
Frontispiece and Title Page
Claude de Saint-Hieble, L’Instrument des apothicaires, Le Clystère dans l’humour et la litérature. DES Anecdotes de Tallemant des Réaux, Saint-Simon, etc. L’éloge de la seringue, réimpression complète.Ma tante Geneviève, Le Mousquetaire à genoux. Le cas Antoinette Boyau ,Le petit Parnasse des Apothicaires:Grécourt, Collier, La Fontaine, Du- laurens, Béranger, etc., etc. 11 Vignettes de M. VAN MAEL [sic] 7 hors texte d’après les gravures de l’èpoque | [3 ornaments] | COLLECTION DES AMIS DU BON VIEUX TEMPS| Jean FORT, éditeur | 73, Faubourg Poissonnière, 73 [n.d., c. 1920].
This Book. Rebound in quarter beige leather with five raised bands , lined in gilt with author and title in gilt, on mottled boards, lined with pink paper. Original covers preserved. 8vo. (21.8 x 13.7 cm). 224 pp. 11 large head-pieces signed with Van Maele’s monogram. Limited edition of 30 numbered copies on Holland, which contain the signed Van Maele frontispiece, lacking in the rest of the edition. External light wear and rubbing to spine , and edges, internally complete and only marred by discolouration where the glossy images have darkened the facing pages.
