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two red books with gold foil on them sitting on a white surfacean image of a red book with a gold design on ittwo red books with gold foil on them sitting on a tablean old book with writing on it sitting on a tableportrait of a man with a beard and a turban on his headan old book with red writing on ita picture of a book with a picture of a man and a womana page from a book with a picture of a man and a horsean illustration of a black and white drawing of a man sitting on a thronean old book with a picture of a man laying on the groundan old engraving of a large group of people gathered around a giant balloona drawing of a woman holding a spoon and spoon in her handan old illustration of a man and a woman sitting on the groundthe cover of a book with the title of the novel rabelaisa black and white drawing of a man reading a bookillustration of a man walking down a dirt road with a group of childrena drawing of a man surrounded by animals in a rooma picture of a book with a picture of a knight on it
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88 - DORÉ (Gustave) and RABELAIS (François). The Works of Rabelai…
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
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Description
DORÉ (Gustave) and RABELAIS (François). The Works of Rabelais. Text collated from the first editions, with a biography of the author, notes and a glossary. Illustrations by Gustave Doré. Copy no. 1 on Chinese paper of one of Gustave Doré’s finest illustrations. Paris, Garnier Frères, undated [1873]. 2 volumes in 2 folio volumes (290x360 mm), in sheets, in the publisher’s red percaline slipcase with flaps, decorated with a gilt plate engraved by Auguste Souze. xlvii and 584 pp.; 632 pages, 1 portrait of the author as a frontispiece to volume 1, 59 plates and over 600 chapter heads, tailpieces and vignettes within the text, all wood-engraved. Covers rubbed with slight white marks, torn laces, foxing, more prominent on the first few leaves, a few leaves creased at the edges. Both covers bear the mark of Volume 2, but the set does indeed comprise Volumes 1 and 2. Second edition of one of "the finest books by Gustave Doré ’ (Carteret), comprising a portrait of Rabelais as a frontispiece, 59 plates and over 600 chapter heads, end-pieces and vignettes in the text, all wood-engraved. Just under a hundred drawings are taken from Bry’s 1854 edition, and a few vignettes come from the *Contes drôlatiques*. The text, collated against the original editions, is accompanied by a biography of the author, notes and a glossary by Louis Moland. [Carteret, III, 511] (for the first printing of 1873). An exceptional copy on China paper, bearing the number 1. A rare first edition copy of this sought-after illustration of one of the great classics of the French language.
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About the sale Fine antique and collectible books, manuscripts and modern illustrated works
Auction location
Auction time 06/29/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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