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several old books are stacked on top of each other on a white surfacethree old papers with handwriting on them sitting on top of each othertwo old papers with handwriting on them sitting on top of each otheran old document with a handwritten letter on it and a picture of a manan old book with a piece of paper on top of it next to a piece of papertwo open books sitting on top of each other on a tableseveral old papers are stacked on top of each other on a white surface
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226 - [Militaria – Literature]
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Estimate €500 - €800
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Description
[Militaria – Literature] Emile Driant (1855–1916), known as Captain Danrit, writer A collection of manuscripts, typescripts, correspondence and proofs relating to the prolific literary output of Emile Driant, who claimed to have written twenty-two books to extol the Army, and to hold it in the highest regard in the minds of young French people between 1888 and 1916. He was nicknamed the ‘military Jules Verne’ Captain Danrit’s novels are often described as science fiction. Emile Driant kept abreast of the very latest developments in aviation and maritime affairs, armaments and means of communication. His genius lay in his ability to envisage the possible applications of all these innovations to the art of war. L.S., Paris, 16 June 1891: Émile Zola, Gustave Toudouze and Édouard Montagne, members of the committee of the Société des Gens de Lettres de France, announcing the admission of Émile Driant as a full member Fortress Warfare (or The War of the Forts) Manuscript with extensive crossings-out and corrections, approx. 220 folio or quarto pages; draft of the first volume of the series *La Guerre de demain*; it comprises 28 chapters and a conclusion; chapters II, X–XVI and XXVI are missing. Enclosed: 2 folios of plans and layouts Autograph letter, 10 February 1889, with a sketch by Paul Cousturier, known as Paul de Sémant, illustrator of Captain Danrit’s books, in preparation for Volume II, *The War in Balloons* Publishing contract, 18 June 1895, drawn up and signed between Émile Driant, Captain Veling and Ernest Flammarion, assigning the right to publish, under the pseudonyms Captain Danrit and Pardiellan, the work entitled *La Guerre de Demain* - The Adventures of Lieutenant Piefke Order of the Tsar – From Samarkand to Lhasa (1905) First proof copy, printed by Le Petit Journal in Paris, quarto, half-shagreen binding, 381 pp. *Underwater Robinsons* (1908) Manuscript, 16 folio pages. ‘Cinematographic scenes’ for a film adaptation: 15 scenes and an epilogue; typescript attached. + copy of the third proof, Hemmerlé & Cie, September–October 1907, quarto, bound in half-shagreen, with a pasted-in photograph of his two youngest sons, Raoul and Robert Les Robinsons de l’Air (1909) Handwritten notebook, 17 folio pages. Beginning of the fair copy (Chapters I to IV), illustrated with a hand-drawn map, postcards and photo cards of zeppelins. + a copy of the second proof, Hermmelé & Cie, October 1908, quarto, half-shagreen bound, with a map of the North Pole annotated with corrections by the author First published as a serial in *Le Journal des Voyages*, it was subsequently published in a fine 8vo edition and later in a paperback 18mo edition. It was reissued under the title *A Airship at the North Pole* *Above the Dark Continent* (1911) Handwritten manuscript of approx. 300 pages, quarto, with corrections and deletions, divided into 12 chapters and an epilogue; several versions from Chapter V onwards, as well as the epilogue and a typescript of a grand-scale operetta libretto, *Ourida*, based on Danrit’s book, circa 1938 Etc... FIND THE FULL AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOT IN OUR ONLINE AUCTION CATALOGUE
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About the sale ARCHIVES, BOOKS & MANUSCRIPTS
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Auction time 10/08/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures modified on 09/07/2026 at 3:43 PM
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