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an old book with a list of things on itan old book with a red cover sitting on a white surfacea close up of a book with a bunch of writing on it
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,500
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Description
[AUTOGRAPHS] A collection of 19th-century autographs. Folio-sized album (49 x 32 cm), in violet half-shagreen with percaline corners, smooth spine decorated with gilded motifs (contemporary binding).   The album contains over 70 pasted autograph items, comprising a mixture of letters and literary manuscripts, all relating to the newspaper *L’Écho de Paris* and its publications. 72 items bear signatures.   Notable items include: – MIRBEAU (Octave). ‘Oraison funèbre’. 3 pp., 8vo. A scathing critique of Alexandre Cabanel, published in *l’Écho de Paris* on 8 February 1889. – MENDÈS (Catulle). *La Vie sérieuse*. 7 pp. gr. in-8 oblong. An extract from his collection of short stories published in 1889. The passage is numbered XXI and entitled ‘…because he loved deeply’. – HUYSMANS (Joris-Karl). Signed autograph letter. 2 pp., 8vo. A reply concerning his novel *Là-bas*. – SÉVERINE. L’Amour du métier. 11 pp., in-4. Reflection on the human condition; the writer is compared to an actor who must play his part to the very end. Published on 30 September 1892. – HOUSSAYE (Arsène). Letter to A. S. 4½ pp. in-12 (one page obscured by the pasting). Right of reply concerning Balzac’s final moments. – RENARD (Jules). *The Cautious Witness*. 1 p., quarto, unsigned, and *The Phrase*. 1½ p., narrow quarto, unsigned. Two texts published in the series *Minutes of Life*. Also included are manuscripts by Alphonse Allais and Georges Auriol. – CLADEL (Léon). ‘Images versicolores’. ‘Nymphes des bois’. 2 pp. in-4. Published on 7 January 1890. A short paragraph is missing.   Also included are the responses to a survey conducted by J. Bernard, editor of the *Écho de Paris*, amongst contemporary public figures. The survey consists of two questions: ‘What do you think of men of letters entering politics?’ and ‘If you were offered a candidacy in the forthcoming elections, would you accept?’ Among the replies are those from Jules Venre, Pierre Loti, Edmond de Goncourt, Armand Sylvestre, etc. All the documents bear the owner’s annotations, generally in blue pencil. Binding damaged with some gaps along the spine.   Provenance Th. Chavaillon (gilt inscription at the bottom of the upper cover).
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About the sale Books, Manuscripts & Antique Engravings, including the José Luis Dotti Library
Auction location
Auction time 09/23/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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