Books for Trade: Anon (Val Lewton). Three Times a Woman, Grushenka: The Story of a Russian Serf Girl Compiled from Contemporary Documents in the Russian Police Files and Private Archives of Russian Libraries. Published by Nafkah Press, Paris and New York, 1933.

April 8, 2020 / Steve M. / 1 Comment

Something of an oddity, an elaborate clandestine title produced in America, but the story purporting to be Russian in origin and the book production to be French,when in fact it is an elaborate hoax by written by B-movie mogul Val Lewton, producer of the 1942 version of Cat People and the following year’s I Walked with a Zombie

Three Times a Woman, Grushenka: The Story of a Russian Serf Girl Compiled from Contemporary Documents in the Russian Police Files and Private Archives of Russian Libraries Published by Nafkah Press, Paris and New York, 1933. 252 pp, seven sexually explicit black and white plates signed Kyu. In original publishers card covers, printed back and front in elobarate textual design in purple on white. This copy with too many flaws to list, but is complete both in text and illustrations.Claims to be one of 800 copies printed in Dijon, but actually an American publication.

Covers

illustrations

Books for trade: VERGERIE, Jean, pseud. – Histoire de Priska. Éditions de la Hippogriffe (Losfeld) [c. 1955]

March 20, 2020 / Steve M. / Leave a comment

No one knows today who was behind the pseudonym Jean Vergerie. He is the author of 7 works published by Editions Balland in their Collection Eglantine between 1935 and 1938. The original editions were openly published, unlike this one, published clandestinely by Eric Losfeld in the mid-1950s. The original editions were also illustrated, and are now pretty much impossible to find. Anyone who has copies of the originals, who would like to donate images, please get in touch via a contact form.

Bibliocuriosa Collection de l’Églantine

These novels are all, without exception, erotic sado-masochistic tales of the worst or the best kind, depending on whether or not to consider Jean Vergerie as the worthy descendant of the Marquis de Sade in the twentieth century. Violence, torture, hellish machinery, monstrous, realistic or fantasized tales, everything is there to make these works the symbols of a literature apart in the production of this period.

VERGERIE, Jean, pseud. – Histoire de Priska. Éditions de la Hippogriffe [c. 1955]. 4to. pp. 154+(3).Pink cover printed in black. Copy in very good condition, light spotting to leading edge of front cover, rag paper. A reprint of L’Enfer des voluptés by Jean Vergerie, published by Collection de l’Eglantine, Boulogne-sur-Seine, 1937. The Losfeld reprint was Prosecuted in July 1962. – Bibliothèque Nationale: 8-Y2-90000(1264) Dutel 1702. (Rare)

Books for Trade: Mac Clyde, Alan, Dressage, Editions du Chinois (Eric Losfeld), 1950

Who is the Artist? Illustrations from Nell in Bridewell (Lenchen im Zuchthause) | (Society of British Bibliophiles, Paris, 1900,

March 19, 2020 / Steve M. / 2 Comments

Who is the Artist? Illustrations from Nell in Bridewell (Lenchen im Zuchthause) | (Society of British Bibliophiles, Paris, 1900, The illustrations were issued separately to the book. Carrington, references them as by German Artists familiar with the costumes and customs of the time. I wonder if they were originally illustrations for the first German edition, but I cannot find a copy to reference. Any ideas please complete a contact sheet.

Books for Trade: L’Arétin français, par un Membre de l’Académie des Dames 1803

Books for Trade: Weird Women; The Crimson Curtain; Happiness in Crime; A Dinner of Atheists; A Woman’sVengeance. Translated from the French of Barbey d’Aurevilly. With Eight Wood Engravings. London. Privately Printed. For the Lutetian Bibliophiles’ Society, (Charles Carrington). MCM. (1900)

March 8, 2020March 8, 2020 / Steve M. / Leave a comment

This is yet another title where the size of the book,its binding , age and rarity, made flat scanning impossible, so the images below are photographic, I am aware that they are not perfectly square or flat, but they are the best I can that I can do with available resources. In any case I think they look pretty good.

A slight departure, In that this book is not strictly speaking, “erotica”, It is however a clandestine publication, The Lutetian Bibliophiles Society actually being our old pal Charles Carrington.
This is the first English translation (by some considerable number of years), of Barbey d’Aurevilly’s masterpiece of decadent literature, “Les Diaboliques” a sort of mixture of crime, horror and the supernatural, more closely related to the Gothic novels of the late 1700’s than the erotica of the Fin de Siecle 1890’s. Originally published as individual short stories, the collection was published as Les Diaboliques, in October 1874. In December 1874, the book was seized and prosecuted as an offence to public morality, In 1875 the charges were dismissed. As is often the case, the scandal made the book more popular, despite this, it was not reprinted until 1882 in an edition revised by Barbey and considered the definitive French language edition; this anonymous translation published clandestinely by Carrington in 1900 is based on the 1882 edition. The entire books is dedicated to strange stories of dangerous women, the French title Les Diaboliques, literally translates to “devilish”, but is generally accepted as “The She Devils”, not to be confused with the 1958 Ophelia Press title of that name which is an English translation of Piere Louys’ “Trois Filles et leur Mere”

A fascinating character in his own right, Barbey was a great friend of Baudelaire and had attempted to assist him in the 1850’s when “Le Fleurs du Mal” was prosecuted. In his later years he was feted by writers such as Leon Bloy and J.K Huysmans.He died on April 23 rd 1899.

For an updated translation with a useful introduction see :-

Diaboliques: Six Tales of Decadence Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly U of Minnesota Press, 2015

WEIRD WOMEN ;The Crimson Curtain; Happiness in Crime; A Dinner of Atheists; A Woman’s Vengence, TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH of Barbey d’Aurevilly WITH EIGHT WOOD ENGRAVINGS. LONDON. PRIVATELY PRINTED. LUTETIAN BIBLIOPHILES’ SOCIETY MCM. (1900).12mo. (16 x 19.5 x 6 c.m) xv + 490pp. Two volumes in one. Limited edition of 500 copies on Van Gelder. 13 wood-engraved plates. Frontispiece by Lambrecht + [8 by Emile Mas and 4 by Ren = René Lelong], all engraved by Eugene Dété. Foreword by Charles Carrington. Two stories in the book not listed on the title page: Don Juan’s Proudest Triumph and What Lay beneath the Cards. (Library of Congress: PQ2189.B32 D57.)

Note, The title page indicates eight wood engravings, The content actually delivers; Frontispiece and 2 engravings for each of the six short stories.

Frontispiece

Foreword sample text

Books for Trade:LA FLAGELLATION A TRAVERS LE MONDE: Jean de Villiot. La Tradition de la Garde. Charles Carrington. PARIS 1907

Books for Trade: Mac Clyde, Alan, Dressage, Editions du Chinois (Eric Losfeld), 1950

March 7, 2020March 23, 2020 / Steve M. / Leave a comment

A very beautiful book (no illustrations), which nicely combines my interest in early 20th century flagellation literature, and mid century clandestine publishing. This particular book , being a clandestine Losfeld title which I have never seen before, and it is a reprint of a work first published by Librairie Générale, Paris, 1931.

Alan Mac Clyde, Edith Kindler, Joan Spanking and Jean de La Beuque fils are pseudonyms for the author of several pornographic novels published in the 1930s by the Librairie Générale (84, Boulevard Diderot, Paris) and Librairie Artistique et Édition Parisienne Rèunies, imprints of Paul Brenet, a publisher specializing in flagellation and BDSM works.Robert Mérodack , has suggested that behind this pseudonym is hidden Maurice Renard (1875–1939) French author of several science fiction novels among which Le Docteur Lerne, sous-dieu, Le Péril bleu and Les Mains d’Orlac. His argument is based on a passage of La Reine cravache where Edith Kindler wrote «taxées de fantaisistes que certain auteur français de grand talent accorde à son héros le docteur Lerne, qu’il qualifie de sous dieu».

For more detail and bibliography see:-

https://www.revolvy.com/page/Alan-Mac-Clyde

Mac Clyde, Alan, Dressage, Editions du Chinois (Eric Losfeld), 1950. 8vo. pp. 182. 1 ff. Coverture en papier gris-vert imprimèe en noir. Printed 15th May 1950. in original covers, pages uncut, Fine copy. Dutel,[15] 1435.[16]

Originally published :-

Mac Clyde, Alan, Dressage, Librairie Générale, 1931. 8vo. pp. 206. Illustrated by Jéo [J.B., Ely Costes et Carlo]. Illustrated cover by Jéo. BnF:[3] “RES P- Y2- 939”. BnF:[3] “8- Y2- 90000(1734)”. KI:[4]”843.8 M126 d7 1932″. [6]

Books for Trade: Pierrot: Séduction. Jeune amours au chateau, à la pension. (Suivi de quatre pièces célèbres: L’Examen de Flora, Les Filles de Loth, L’Ode à Priape, Deux Gougnottes).: En vente partout et nulle part [n.p. Paris, Briffaut],1910

March 2, 2020 / Steve M. / Leave a comment

A very nice clandestine publication, text only and in a very nice binding so awkward to provide images, but of interest to the serious erotic bibliophile.

Pierrot: Séduction. Jeune amours au chateau, à la pension. (Suivi de quatre pièces célèbres: L’Examen de Flora, Les Filles de Loth, L’Ode à Priape, Deux Gougnottes).: En vente partout et nulle part [n.p. Paris, Briffaut], 1910. 8 °. 250 p.. In a half leather fine binding on coloured boards, 5 raised bands, gilded decoration to head and tail of spine, title ” Pierrot – Séduction -Divers” in gilt lettering on spine. All page edges in gilt. Original covers preserved printed in red and black on orange card covers, title page printed in red and black, each of the additional texts have their own half-title. Produced in a limited edition of 350 copies this copy unnumbered. Bookplate pasted inside front board. Very good near fine condition, A rare title. My copy appears to differ from two others listed on the web.

There appears to be some confusion as to who Pierrot was, and it is suggested that he may be a Dr Brennus, not to be confused with Don Brennus Alera, that is just lazy bibliography.

For clarification see:-

http://www.bibliocuriosa.com/index.php/Brennus

Cover

Anon;(Georges Joseph Grassal ) The Memoirs of Dolly Morton. Philadelphia: Society of Private Bibliophiles (Charles Carrington) n.p. (Paris) 1904.

February 27, 2020March 18, 2020 / Steve M. / 2 Comments

This one was an enormous challenge, and is listed here as a first draft, a clandestine reissue of a title published by Carrington in 1899, this edition profusely illustrated, the earlier edition as far as I can ascertain was not illustrated. I have attempted to make sense of the Mendes bibliographical,information only to find it confusing and uninformative, from reading his notes on this edition, it is obvious that he has not seen the 1899 edition. He states that Carrington “lost his nerve” and decided to go clandestine on the 1904 edition but does not speculate as to why? My theory is that the illustrations are the reason, if Mendes is correct, the in text illustrations in the 1904 edition are lifted from ” Le Beau Negre” (1902) (Carrington) , which I haven’t seen, but from modern day reportage, appears to have been a critique of the slave trade in the southern United States, which presumably gave Carrington a ready supply of flagellation material. The inclusion of these illustrations in the 1904 Dolly Morton along with the additional 10 engraved illustrations, in what is a pornographic novel is pushing the limits a bit., to say the least, especially when you look at Dola’s head and tail pieces to the rather sanctimonious introduction, which surely cannot have appeared in “Le Beau Negre”. I would like to know exactly which of the decorative illustrations (engraved plates aside), appear in both of the books in question.

Because of the fine paper, the binding and the scarcity and value of this book, I am only presenting “open book” scans, so no flattened images.

Updated with additional photographic images of full page illustrations 03/03/20

I await some further developments in consultation with a fellow bibliophile, and will update this post as and when i find anything new to share.

Updated following communication with Patrick Kearney Feb-March 2020.

My comments plain text Patrick’s in italic, the “Peter” referred to is Peter Mendes.

Steve, hi :

I just spoke to Peter about your edition of “Dolly Morton.” He has actually
seen the first edition, but didn’t describe it because it wasn’t clandestine.
Textually it is identical to the 1904 edition.

The reason Carrington published the second (1904) edition secretly was
because he was beginning to have problems with the law, and was on the
verge of doing a runner to Bruxelles. The illustrations were not a problem
however since, as you note, they had been used earlier for an openly
published edition of a different work on a related subject.

Carrington’s French translation of “Dolly Morton” was published openly
because he cut out the sex scenes. The flagellation scenes were retained
as they were less of a problem for the law, which in itself is a perversity
to my mind.

Best wishes

Pat

Thanks for that Pat, partially answers my question, but does not confirm
that the 1899 edition was unillustrated, which I believe to be the case.
And from a listing I found of Le Beau Negre there were no hors- texte,
which means the 10 hors- texte in 1904 Mémoires were commissioned for that edition.

Dear Steve :

I’m not sure that the original edition of Dolly Morton did have
illustrations. The Dawes copy in the Private Case has none,
and no others in captivity that I’ve been able to locate do either.
Library catalogues *usually* indicate the presence of plates or
illustrations, although rarely go to the trouble of counting them.
Incidentally, the only copy of the first edition in any major UK
research library is held by the BL.

I do agree, though, that if the illustrations to “Le Beau negre”
were all in-text, the 10 hors-texte in the 1904 Dolly Morton
were very likely done specially for that edition.

Best wishes

Pat

Many thanks Pat
That answers my questions, and I shall update the blog with yours
and Peter’s information.
I’m still curious about “Le Beau Negre“, I missed a copy just a
few weeks back, I cannot quite understand what the content would be,
as Carrington had already covered Dolly Morton in the desexed
version “En Virginie”. Yet if the story line was close enough for
the en texte illustrations to be transposable, was it just a rehash of Dolly Morton?

Dear Steve :

I rather doubt that the two books — “Beau negre” and “D. Morton” — are
related, except thematically. The former is by Hector France, the “Musk,
Hashish & Blood” man, while the latter of course is ascribed to Grassal.
Carrington seemed interested in flagellation works, but whether from his
own fancies or those of his customers I am unable to say. Perhaps a
combination of the two? Slavery and a Civil War fought to suppress it
seem ready-made subjects for novels about the domination of women
and so it’s not surprising that Carrington’s hacks used the topic. Hector
France is dismissed rather briskly by Wikipedia as an “auteur de
nombreux récits à caractère érotique” with no further biographical
information save for his dates (1837-1908) and a short-title list of his
works. His best known book, “Musk, Hashish and Blood” seems famous
mainly because of its title, which is certainly piquant. It appears to be a
translation of a work called “Sous le burnous” (1886).

Warmest regards

Patrick

My warmest thanks to Pat Kearney, for his advice and for his permission to post it.

Anon;(Georges Joseph Grassal ) The Memoirs of Dolly Morton. Philadelphia: Society of Private Bibliophiles (Charles Carrington) n.p. (Paris) 1904.
8vo. 303pp. Title page framed in red. 10 half-tone steel engravings and numerous text illustrations (mainly head and tail pieces). by George Dola. Printed on smooth wove paper. Issued for subscribers in an extremely small edition of 100 copies at a cost in 1904 of £3,3.0. (Three guineas).

The engravings are signed G.D. [i.e. G. Dola]. The text illustrations were first used in Carrington’s Le Beau Negre, published in 1902 [Mendes: 160-A]. The author has been falsely attributed to Hugues Rebell [Georges Grassal] and/or Jean de Villiot, which is actually a collective name/pseudonym. It has been suggested that the author is Hector France [Mendes: 160-A]. Carrington published the French translation clandestinely as En Virginie in 1901, which retains the flagellation scenes but expurgates all the sexual descriptions. This work was also published by Jean Fort under his imprint Collection des Orties Blanches in c.1917 as Dolly Morton with author as Donovan Kipps, illustrated with 7 plates Louis Malteste; and again as The Memoirs of Dolly Morton in c.1928, which is a reprint of Carrington’s En Virginie.

Preface

for detail about this title and author see:-

http://www.alexislykiard.com/translations/memoires_of_dolly_morton.htm

Books for Trade: Lady Impéria, Les Égarements d’un Asservi. No publisher. No date but Editions d’Antin (c 1936)

February 20, 2020February 21, 2020 / Steve M. / Leave a comment

Another title from the “Vidal” stable of of bookshops and publishers, which was composed of,- Les éditions du Couvre-feu : éditions d’Antin, éditions du Chevet, édition Curio, éditions Georges de Cayla, éditions Idéal, éditions de Minuit, éditions Richepanse & Le Jardin d’Eros.

It appears common for Editions d’Antin titles to be issued as clandestine, some without even printer details, as this copy. The single identifying factor, is the calligraphic motif on all the covers, it could be an L or a Z or even a stylised whip? This publishers or printers mark is sometimes the only way to link a title to an originator.

As this is not an illustrated title it is relatively easy to list, with only a little research, it is of interest to the serious erotic bibliophile, because it is a clandestine title that does not appear to have been identified as such in the major bibliographies. For bibliographic information see. Les éditions du couvre-feu, Christophe Bier, editions Astarte 2013.

Title Page

Lady Impéria, Les Égarements d’un Asservi. No publisher. No date but Editions d’Antin (c 1936). In 8 (14.3 x 22.7 cm) 179 pp. In original beige card covers printed in black and red, original price of 60 Francs on cover and spine, which also has author and title printed in black, plain back cover. Light rubbing to front cover otherwise amazingly well preserved and complete, a very good copy of a very rare title.

Front Cover

Spine

Back Cover

Sample Text

bibliographic Information and synopsis, courtesy of Christophe Bier

I have taken the liberty of attempting to translate the synopsis from the French (Image above), Any mistakes are mine alone and I offer apologies in advance , both to Christophe and anyone taking the trouble to read this.

(The title roughly translates as ” The Errors of a Slave”)

“”The financier Robert Brot-Gillières, bearer of the Legion of Honor, gravitates around the perverse masseuses and the flogging houses. In search of new thrills, he lets himself be manhandled by two ordinary women, Mrs. Voulay and her fifteen-year-old niece. Mathilde, They understand the financial gain they can derive from him, by treating him as a slave. Changed by his masochism, the man becomes extremely unpleasant to his wife. Intrigued by this change of character, Simone, her daughter-in-law, refers to Miss Diana, a professor of physical culture who commences to initiate him into Sapphism and fantasies of flagellation. After having dismissed the two greedy battleaxes, the Professor confuses the masochist by delivering him to two masked flagellants … Simone and her mother! “Unmask” added Madame Brot-Gillières with scathing irony, “the voluptuous Robert will not need to look for sensations elsewhere: he will have his whippers at home!” “

Anyone prepared to offer a more accurate translation, please do so by completing a contact form, your name will only be used if you so wish.

Comments always welcome and are positively encouraged as are “Likes”

Books For Trade: Jim Galding. A Genoux Esclave. Les Editions du Couvre-Feu. 8 Rue de Tracy, Paris, s.d. [1935]

Books for trade: Special Edition: Anon;Récits de la Villa Brigitte. Fessées Gaillardes et Authentiques racontées par les membres du club sainte Brigitte, Bibliothèque des Deux Hémisphères [ Jean Fort ], collection Cressida, s.d. [1911?]. 2 Volumes,16 colour plates (unsigned).

January 22, 2020January 23, 2020 / Steve M. / Leave a comment

A very rare clandestine publication from Jean Fort, something of a bibliographical mystery, and not much information out there, I am unable to locate a copy in any library, or any history of this title being auctioned. It may simply be that I do not have adequate reference material, but I am asking for any information anyone has about this title. This edition is a great rarity and even more so with a suite of 16 original illustrations. It is likely that the illustrations are “extra” to the book and may have been commissioned by the original owner, they appear contemporary with the book. Cannot establish this for certain unless another copy turns up with these illustrations.

The appears to be some surface debate about which came first, this edition provisionally dated 1911, although it is not actually dated at all, despite someone having penciled 1911 at the foot of the title page, or the clandestine Carrington English edition dated 1910, which claims to have been translated from the French.

This French edition makes no similar claim to have been translated from the English, so given the confusion (deliberate) created by clandestine publishers, the debate about the chronology may simply be a matter of bibliographers pride.

I hope to be able to provide an update soon, in the meantime enjoy this rarity.

Récits de la Villa Brigitte. Fessées Gaillardes et Authentiques racontées par les membres du club sainte Brigitte, Bibliothèque des Deux Hémisphères [ Jean Fort ], collection Cressida, s.d. [1911?]. 2 Volumes in original neutral paper covers. Title of each volume on spine, pp 139, 155+ table. (19 x 12 cm).16 colour plates (unsigned) tipped in, each plate (excepting the first) are indexed against the appropriate volume, i.e. VB 1, VB 2, along with the page number the image is paired with. The illustrations are more explicit than the usual flagellation themes.

Covers

Originally published as: Tales of Villa Brigitte. Translated from the French by M. A. Oxon, London & Melbourne [Paris], H.-J. Vicar, Sons and Co [ Charles Carrington ], 1910. About the translator, the catalog of the Kinsey Institute indicates: “Identification of translator with Moses William Stainton, who used the same pseudonym is uncertain.”

Spines

Sample text

Illustrations

Volume 2

The Illustrations

Table

Books Currently for Sale.

Any Information or questions about this title, please complete a contact sheet.

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A Collectors Blog

Clandestine erotica

Books for Trade: Anon (Val Lewton). Three Times a Woman, Grushenka: The Story of a Russian Serf Girl Compiled from Contemporary Documents in the Russian Police Files and Private Archives of Russian Libraries. Published by Nafkah Press, Paris and New York, 1933.

Books for trade: VERGERIE, Jean, pseud. – Histoire de Priska. Éditions de la Hippogriffe (Losfeld) [c. 1955]

Who is the Artist? Illustrations from Nell in Bridewell (Lenchen im Zuchthause) | (Society of British Bibliophiles, Paris, 1900,

Books for Trade: Weird Women; The Crimson Curtain; Happiness in Crime; A Dinner of Atheists; A Woman’sVengeance. Translated from the French of Barbey d’Aurevilly. With Eight Wood Engravings. London. Privately Printed. For the Lutetian Bibliophiles’ Society, (Charles Carrington). MCM. (1900)

Books for Trade: Mac Clyde, Alan, Dressage, Editions du Chinois (Eric Losfeld), 1950

Books for Trade: Pierrot: Séduction. Jeune amours au chateau, à la pension. (Suivi de quatre pièces célèbres: L’Examen de Flora, Les Filles de Loth, L’Ode à Priape, Deux Gougnottes).: En vente partout et nulle part [n.p. Paris, Briffaut],1910

Anon;(Georges Joseph Grassal ) The Memoirs of Dolly Morton. Philadelphia: Society of Private Bibliophiles (Charles Carrington) n.p. (Paris) 1904.

Books for Trade: Lady Impéria, Les Égarements d’un Asservi. No publisher. No date but Editions d’Antin (c 1936)

Books for trade: Special Edition: Anon;Récits de la Villa Brigitte. Fessées Gaillardes et Authentiques racontées par les membres du club sainte Brigitte, Bibliothèque des Deux Hémisphères [ Jean Fort ], collection Cressida, s.d. [1911?]. 2 Volumes,16 colour plates (unsigned).