Second listing for me of books in this small series, but this title was, I believe the first of the illustrated flagellation novels produced by this author. this one is complete, and reveals in its print details that it was run off by the same press that was producing books for the Vidal imprints including titles produced by Jim Galding and J Van Styk, which had a very similar extreme style.
Title Page
Vergerie, Jean, Férocités sensuelles, (Collection de l’Églantine), 1935. Illustré par Lany-R et Chang, Sao. In original publishers card covers printed in red and black on front cover and spine. (23 x 14c.m),234 numbered pages, Printed 10th December 1935, by l’Imprimerie, J. Alcatin 33 rue Pixerecourt, Paris. with 8 full page illustrations on glossy paper by Chang, Sao and a loose duotone illustration by Lany-R. Taped at head and tail of spine covers generally grubby but Complete.
Unsure whether the colour illustration was part of a dust-wrapper, or as was sometimes the case, pasted over the front cover, or otherwise just tipped in as a frontispiece.
Introducing a short series of extremely rare flagellation novels from France in the 1930’s. Collection de l’Églantine, was a very extreme player in the flagellation market, producing only 8 titles between 1935 and 1938, seven of these penned by Jean Vergerie, with illustrations by Chang Sao or Sadie-Mazo. Any information about this publisher would be most welcome as would scans of any of the illustrations that are missing from the titles in my collection.
Title Page
Rebound in in red cloth over marbled boards, original covers absent, 237 pages, judging by other titles in my collection this volume may have been cropped, as have the illustrations, It is difficult to ascertain how many illustrations were typical and I am aware that some of the later titles had a colour cover illustration. This title has 7 illustrations credited to Lany-R and Sang Chao. Text is complete and overall condition is very good.
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.
Another clandestine publication, by Maurice Duflou, this a reissue of the original edition, of Gamiani. despite being referred to as mono, in the limitation the, illustrations do have some light colouration, another oddity is that all of the 12 facsimile illustrations have significant foxing which does not appear elsewhere in the text. I cannot explain this. This copy is enhanced with 2 extra illustrations , one in colour and the other in pencil and lightly hand coloured, with a signature that I cannot identify. As usual I have presented the illustrations in the order they appear in the book.
Bibliographical information is courtesy of Patrick Kearney.
MUSSET, Alfred de, supposed author. – Gamiani, ou Deux nuits d’excès, par A.D.M. Réimpression conforme au texte original ornée des douze gravures de Dévéria et Grévedon. Paris: Pour les Amis de l’époque romantique [1924]. 4to. pp. 86. Twelve plates ‘en héliogravure’ reproduced from the lithographs of the original 1833 edition. (29 x 23 cm) Limited to 320 copies, this being Number 69. Pages 5-18 contain a Notice bibliographique signed ‘Helpey’[Louis Perceau] and the Preface the 3rd. edition, Amsterdam, 1864, comprising an extract of the Mémoires de la comtesse de C*** [Elisabeth Céleste Venard,comtesse Lionel de Chabrillon] on the author of Gamiani, who is generally thought to have been Alfred de Musset. [Bibliothèque Nationale: Enfer 934.]
This Book: In original publishers covers, pagination as above, enhanced with 2 additional illustrations, the 12 facsimiles have significant spotting (see images), overall condition is good and the book is complete, effectively a book within a book, a very pleasing and rare edition of this classic erotica.
This tiny book, is a bibliographic mystery, well at least it is to me, as I am unable to locate any reference to it. So as always in these cases I would very much appreciate any information that anyone can offer. The illustrations that accompany the book are delightful, and I guess them to be circa 1930. But that is all I have, a guess.
Title Page
Contes Libertins, par Grecourt, Nogaret,Vergier, Piron etc… n.p , n.d, Clandestine publication C 1930? In original publishers, anonymous card covers, title printed in black on front, No print or publication details, a clandestine publication. 120 numbered pages, (12.5 x 8 cm) with blanks for placement of tipped in, unsigned colour illustrations, which are contained in an opaque folder. Each of the eight illustrations is indexed with a title and page placement number. Overall condition of book is good, being rather crumpled and separating from cover at the centre of the book (but holding), the illustrations are in very good near fine condition.
Another title for the true bibliophile, as this is a text without illustrations, it does however have the most extraordinary leather binding, with raised pornographic images on front, spine and back of the book, where there is also the artists signature, unfortunately undecipherable, but appears to be arabic? . I have taken multiple images of the covers with different light settings, to give as much detail as possible. This is one of those items where it would be good to have more information, so please do complete a contact form if you can offer any information to enhance the listing.
The Covers
Front Board (light)
Front Board (Medium)
Front Board (Dark)
Back Board (Light)
Back Board (Dark)
Back Board (Close up)
Signature
Spine and Front (Dark)
Spine and back (Light)
Spine and back (Dark)
Title page and limitation
ARETINO, Pietro. – Les Sonnets luxurieux du divin Pietro Aretino. Texte italien, le seul authentique et traduction littérale par le Traducteur des Ragionamenti.
Avec un Notice sur les Sonnets luxurieux, l’époque de leur composition, les rapports de l’Aretin avec la Courde Rome, et sur les dessins de Jules Romains gravés par Marc-Antoine. Paris : 1882. 8vo. pp. cxx+79. No. 2 de la Collection dite Musée secret du Bibliophile. Limited to 100 copies.
THIS BOOK: Rebound in heavy calf leather, with raised pornographic signed illustrations, on Front, Back and Spine. with original publishers, cream coloured, card wraps , including spine, preserved . CXX (120 pages) Notes (French). 79 pages of Sonnets, in original Italian, with French translations on facing pages. Printed by A.-H Becus, Boulevard de Vaugirard, 112. Leather covers with some rubbing to high spots. (21 x 14 cm) contents clean, complete and near fine. A unique copy of a rare title.
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.
Original Cover
Signed Van Maele Frontis
Notice of Limitation
Head Piece 1
Engraving 1
Head Piece 2
Head Piece 3
Engraving 2
Head Piece 4
Engraving 3
Head Piece 5
Head Piece 6
Engraving 4
Head Piece 7
Head Piece 8
Engraving 5
Head Piece 9
Engraving 6
Head Piece 10
Engraving 7
Head Piece 11
Bibliographical information.
On the Internet, several sites present this book as a pornographic work of Pierre Mac Orlan devoted to klysmaphilia. The defenders of this refreshing, but not very common practice will be disappointed. In reality, Mac Orlan wrote only a few pages to introduce an anthology of old texts devoted to the clystère. This is a true work of scholarship on a little explored subject, so much so that L’Instrument des Apothicaires is found on the shelves of several libraries of medicine. Nevertheless, the intention of the author is clear: this is frankly a broad joke, which he clearly indicates in his preface: “Nous avons fait en quelque sorte une anthologie, un livre d’or du clystère, à travers cinq siècles de badinage et d’humour, et c’est, je crois, dans le coin des humoristes qu’il convient de placer cet ouvrage sur les rayons de toute bibliothèque.” (We have to some extent made an anthology, a book on the clystère, through five centuries of banter and humour, and it is, I believe, in the corner of the humorists whom it is advisable to place this work on the shelves of any library.) For the discourse of this particular subject, Pierre Mac Orlan chose an original pseudonym, but completely fitting since the sureau hièble (Sambucus ebulus ) is a plant of which the leaves and the roots are purgative and sudorific. On rapprochera cet emprunt à la pharmacopée du Docteur Fowler de Maisons de flagellation.
Perry, S. A.. Martin Van Maele: An Illustrated Bibliographical Checklist (Kindle Locations 379-387). . Kindle Edition.
This Book is for Sale
This Book
Claude de Saint-Hieble, L’Instrument des apothicaires, (Collection des amis du bon vieux temps) Jean Fort. Paris n.d. 1920. illustrated by Martin Van Maele.
Not erotica, but more esoterica/curiosa. Not the usual flagellation theme but a story about a religious cult. Still it is number 5 in the Select Bibliotheque series, and very rare, benefiting from an early rebind, (1908), it is also exceptionally well preserved.
Prospectus and Title Page.
BRÉVANNES, Roland. – La Papesse Noire. Massy (Seine-et-Oise): Select Bibliothèque, 1907. In-16, 252 pages +. Cover illustration and 7 ( 1 double page),black and white illustrations signed “Mas”. Bound in blue cloth over marbled blue boards, Author and tile in gilt on dark red label on spine, embossed in gilt at base of spine “1907 – A.L.C 1908″.Original owners bookplate pasted on inner board. Original illustrated covers preserved, including spine printed in red and black, original price of Fr 5. Contents: 3 page preface, 249 numbered pages, including 10 pages ” La Rose D’Estrella” an extract from “Les Griffes du Sphinx” + table of contents. Followed by a 6 page catalogue of other titles, including a splendid black and white illustration, of the cover of “Fleur vénéneuse”.
Extremely well preserved copy of a very rare title.
It gives me great pleasure, to be able to offer another copy of this incredibly rare title for sale. There are differences, between this copy and the one previously listed and sold in 2015. The overall condition of this copy is much better than the other, but it was purchased with the mono, illustrations missing, although the blue card mounts are still present, having retained scanned copies of the mono images I have been able to reproduce a full set of the original illustrations, on photographic paper, as this is how the originals were presented, the difference is something that only a purist might find fault with, for me it is another example of book rescue and restoration. The most surprising thing for me is that the colour cover illustration, which is only printed on thin paper, was not removed, and this is probably the rarest element of a very rare book.
Another major player in the 1930’s flagellation market, along with Orties Blanches, were Les Editions Couvre-Feu, followed by Le Jardin d’Eros, distinctly different in that the contents and illustrations were more twisted and aimed at torture and humiliation, unlike the titles issued by Editions Prima, which always seem to have smiling faces , no matter what act of depravity is taking place, the characters in these editions seem to be taking it a bit more seriously.
ÉpouvantesVoluptueuses
Front Cover
Title Page
J.Van Styk. :Épouvantes Voluptueuses. Le Jardin d’Eros. 6 Rue de Tracy, Paris, s.d. [1935] In Original paper wraps with cover illustration in colour by Wighead, frontispiece and 8 illustrations hors-texte in black by Wighead on papier couche. 191 p.p. (21.2 x 15 cm). Printed by . Imprimerie nouvelle 121, rue de Monument,Champigny -sur-Marne. Overall condition very good, light signs of use and creasing to covers, contents clean and complete, with original coloured cover illustration, and a full set of facsimile mono illustrations (frontispiece and 8 full page loosely inserted in original position along original pale blue soft card mounts).
Bibliographical Description, Courtesy of Christophe Bier