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a lot of old photos of a man in a beda sculpture of a hand that is on a white surfacea sculpture of a hand holding something in it ' s palman old book with a lot of writing on it sitting on top of a tablea lot of old papers that are on a tableseveral old papers are stacked on top of each other on a white surfacea piece of paper with writing on it and a piece of paper with writing on ita lot of papers that are stacked on top of each othera book with a picture of a man in a suit on itsome old papers are stacked on top of each other on a white surfacemany old papers with handwriting on them sitting on a tablean old book with a brown cover and gold trim on a white backgroundla prodigieuse vie d ' honore de balza french editionseveral pages of a book are stacked on top of each otheran old book with a picture of a man with glasses on ita book with a handwritten page in it on a table
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30 - René Benjamin’s Balzacian and Touraine-inspired world: admir…
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Estimate €3,000 - €6,000
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Description
René Benjamin’s Balzacian and Touraine-inspired world: admiration, influence and material devotion Lot comprising manuscripts, correspondence, first editions and miscellaneous items FIND THE FULL AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOT IN OUR ONLINE AUCTION CATALOGUE Archives of the Château and Estate of Saché 46 letters from the sender (L.A.S.), 1908–1912, from Auguste Lasseur, a notary in Azay-le-Rideau, addressed to Henri Lecoy, a solicitor in Saumur and René Benjamin’s future father-in-law, concerning the purchase of the Saché estate Small handwritten register of income and expenditure, 1909–1924 Approx. 85 handwritten documents (correspondence, accounts, private deeds and miscellaneous), 1920–1921, concerning the sale of the Saché estate by Henri Lecoy and Dr André Gibotteau to Maurice Louis Suzor Approx. 90 handwritten documents (correspondence, accounts, court judgements and miscellaneous), 1922–1924, relating to the resale of the Saché estate following a court ruling by Messrs Lecoy and Gibotteau to Maurice Louis Suzor Approx. 20 old photographs, various formats, including views of the château, furnishings and grounds of Saché Balzac’s hand, a commemorative relic A plaster cast of Honoré de Balzac’s hand, based on the bronze cast made on the day of Balzac’s death by the sculptor David d’Angers (18 August 1850), 21 x 14 cm. The bronze cast, which belonged for many years to the writer George Bonnamour, was donated by him in 1937 to the Société des Gens de Lettres. It is now housed at the Hôtel de Massa in Paris, the headquarters of the association of which Balzac was president. Only three plaster casts were made from this same original mould; these are held at the Musée Rodin and the Musée de Saché, whilst the last one is in the private collection of René Benjamin at the Manoir du Plessis. The Extraordinary Life of Honoré de Balzac Handwritten draft, 23 June – 8 August 1925, with deletions, corrections and additions, 454 pp. in-4 Handwritten draft with deletions and corrections of the preface to *Echantillon de causerie française*, published in 1928 by Plon, 29 pp. in-4 + printer’s proofs Published in the *Revue Universelle*, 6 issues, from 15 July to 1 October 1925, with additions of handwritten notes on loose sheets in-12 The Extraordinary Life of Honoré de Balzac Paris, Librairie Plon, 1925 First edition on Japanese paper Copy no. 21 Bound in half speckled sheepskin with corner caps, spine with four raised bands, gilt lettering and head, signed by Grégoire Levitzky 19 x 13 cm The Extraordinary Life of Honoré de Balzac Paris, Librairie Plon, 1928 First deluxe edition Paperback, 28.5 x 23 cm + Autograph letter, Lyon, 20 December 1928, from Léon Schulz, painter, engraver, illustrator, watercolourist and sculptor approx. 185 autograph letters/postcards received by René Benjamin, 1925–1927, expressing thanks and congratulations on the publication and dispatch of the book Press cuttings Balzac, a play in seven acts Handwritten draft, written in July and August 1934, with deletions, corrections and additions, 140 pp. in-4 Clean copy of the manuscript with deletions, 312 pp. in-4 Typescript finalised by Compère, with handwritten deletions and additions, 191 pp., in-4 + typescripted dialogues organised by character Etc... FIND THE FULL AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOT IN OUR ONLINE AUCTION CATALOGUE
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About the sale René Benjamin, the 20th-century Balzac scholar
Auction location
Auction time 10/06/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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