Books & Manuscripts

From documentation to magnificent old books.

Without neglecting older editions (such as the Yves Lévy Library devoted to 16th-18th century political and economic philosophy), the department specializes in precious editions of prominent 20^th century texts and books with artists’ additions.

We also stage major sales of manuscripts, like the Zola manuscripts or the Claude Monet Archives.

The department’s success is underscored by the varied experience of our specialist Olivier Devers, who has worked both as a book-dealer, specializing in 20^th century art and literature, and as a librarian specializing in 20^th century poetry.

Some recent prices

: Honoré de Balzac; Le Lys dans la vallée, 1836; Deux volumes in-8 , demi-veau cerise de l'époque, dos orné à quatre nerfs plats.
Edition originale; €266,895, 16 December 2009

: Charles de Ferriol; Recueil de cent estampes représentant différentes nations du Levant; €21,062, 20 June 2009

: Jean de La Fontaine; Fables Illustrées par Paul Jouve, 1929; €123,997 15 May 2009

: Pablo Picasso; Carte postale envoyée à Guillaume Apollinaire, 1905; 67 080 €, 24 November 2008

: Julien Gracq; Le Rivage des Syrtes; Paris, Librairie José Corti, 1951; €42,860, 2 December 2008

: Enluminures; Fragment d’antiphonaire orné de 7 grandes initiales historiées. Ferrare ou Bologne, vers 1470-80; €54,495, 22 April 2008

: Marcel Proust; Dédicace sur portrait de Proust de J-E. Blanche à Paul Brach; €9,000, 22 April 2008

: Fernand Léger et Blaise Cendrars; La fin du monde; €13,321, 22 April 2008

: Jaime Sabartés; Picasso, portraits et souvenirs; €41,174, 26 November 2007

: Henri Miller; Tropic of Cancer; €37,541, 26 November 2007

: Georges Perec; La vie mode d’emploi; €16,349, 26 November 2007

: Albert Camus; Le mythe de Sisyphe; €12,716, 26 November 2007

: Paul Eluard; Dessin original, circa 1940; €5,948, 26 November 2007

: Jules Verne; Les indes noires; €18,771, 18 November 2007

: Guillaume Apollinaire; Case d’Armons (1915), Lou’s copy with original handwritten corrections; €178,447, a record for an Apollinaire first edition, sold to a French collector on 4 April 2006 (Collection of a European Bibliophile).

: Garcia Lorca; Ode à Salvador Dali, Eluard’s copy with 4 original Dali drawings.; €87,000, 4 April 2006.

: Claude Monet letters & autographs; €1.3m, December 2006

Auction dates

Ten sales per year on average at the Hôtel Marcel Dassault.

The department tries to ensure that major sales overlap with related events in Paris, such as the Foire Internationale du Livre Ancien at the Grand Palais in April.

Sales of documentation are also timed to coincide with prestige sales in other departments. A sale of documentation linked to modern and contemporary art is planned for June, and a sale of documentation on decorative arts in October.