This Book
The Select-Bibliothèque was one of several publishing houses specializing in fetish material that flourished in Paris during the first half of the twentieth century. Like the others, notably Jean Fort’s ‘Orties Blanches’ series and the ‘Librairie Artistique et Editions Parisiennes Reunies’ of Paul Brenet, the books of the Select Bibliothèque were published openly. Occasionally a title would cross some mysterious line and be prosecuted, but in general, since there was no sex in the conventional sense, these publishers were left to their devices by the authorities.
Despite the openness of these books, the publisher of the Select Bibliothèque remains unknown, at least to this cataloguer. Paul Jérôme writes of Don Brennus Aléra as being “un (ou plusieurs) des pourvoyeurs de l’editeur parisien Massy…”(Dictionnaire des œuvres érotiques, Paris: Mercure de France,1971, p. 484). In fact, Massy was where the earliest books in the series were published. The almost anagramitic similarity of the names of the authors of most of the books – Bernard Valonnes, Don Brennus Aléra, Roland Brevannes – suggests a single hand at work, and one that spanned in excess of 30 years. And it might not be unreasonable to think that the author was also the publisher.
For detail about this title and the publisher follow the link.
Scissors and Paste Select Biliotheque
List of titles and Title Page
ALÉRA, Don Brennus. – Les Asservies. Tome VI. L’esclave du cuir verni. – Chienne de sa femme de chambre. :Select-Bibliothèque, Sceaux [1928]
Impr.-édition Select-Bibliothèque, Sceaux, cover illustration and 14 Illustrations hors-texte signed ‘Esbey.’. 124 pp, 12 x 18.s cm, + 5 page catalogue. Complete.(Series number 59)
This Book: In original publishers, thin illustrated paper wraps printed in green, spine printed in green with original price sticker of 20 Fr,(splitting at front edge base of spine with minor loss), Back cover with Select Bibliotheque motif printed in green. List of titles in series,(59 titles + 7 English language variants), on verso of half title, facing title page. 6 pages of adverts and other titles published by the library. Amazingly complete, example of a very rare and fragile item.
Front Cover
Back Cover
Advert and Sample Text
Esbey 1
Esbey 2 & 3
Esbey 4
Esbey 5
Esbey 6
Esbey 7 & 8
Esbey 9
Esbey 10
Esbey 11
Esbey 12 & 13
Esbey 14
Ads & Letters
Catalogue 1 & 2
Catalogue 2 & 3
Catalogue 5
This Book is For Sale
This Book
Book for Sale: ALÉRA, Don Brennus. – Les Asservies. Tome VI. L’esclave du cuir verni. – Chienne de sa femme de chambre. :Select-Bibliothèque, Sceaux [1928]
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