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HUGO, Victor.. Notre-Dame de Paris. Par Victor Hugo. Troisième edition Tome premier [– deuxième].. Paris, Charles Gosselin, 1831., 1831.

Price: US$9746.59 + shipping

Description: Two vols, 8vo, pp. I: [8], 404; II: [4], 536; pp. 439 and 491 mispaginated '339' and '391', both vols with half-titles; woodcut vignettes to title-pages by Tony Johannot; vol. I half-title lightly foxed, a very light dampstain to upper corners of vol. I (not touching text); otherwise a handsome set in twentieth-century gilt-ruled half morocco with blue marbled sides, raised bands, spine lettered directly in gilt, marbled endpapers, ribbon place-markers; spines sunned; modern pencil notes to endpapers.First edition, third issue, of Victor Hugo's great historical novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, one of 275 copies pri nted.Notre-Dame de Paris, Hugo's first full-length novel, was critical in cementing his reputation as one of France's most celebrated writers. The first edition was published on 16 March 1831 in an edition of 1100 copies all from the same sheets, divided into four issues of 275 copies each and arbitrarily classified by the publisher '[first]', 'second', 'third', and 'fourth' editions on their respective title-pages in an attempt to convince the public of the novel's runaway success. Hugo had agreed to write Notre-Dame de Paris in 1828, but little progress had been made by the summer of 1830, by which time Gosselin had already granted the author two extensions. Faced with the termination of his contract or a fine of 1000 francs per week should he fail to complete the work by February 1831, Hugo worked on the novel ceaselessly, allegedly locking away all his clothes save for a large shawl in an attempt to resist the allure of the outside world. He finished the work on 15 January 1831, mere weeks before the deadline set by Gosselin. Carteret I, 402 ('Cette edition originale, en bel état, est la plus rare de toutes les oeuvres de l'auteur [ ] c'est une des plus difficiles à se procurer de la période romantique'); Vicaire IV, cols 256-7. Language: French

Seller: Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB, London, United Kingdom

HUGO, Victor. Notre-Dame de Paris. Charles Gosselin, Paris, 1831.

Price: US$12500.00 + shipping

Description: Quatrième édition. Paris: Charles Gosselin, Libraire, 1831. First edition, first printing, fourth issue ("Quatrieme édition"), of Hugo's gothic masterpiece. It is generally accepted that the publisher indiscriminately printed different editions on the title-page of all copies to make the book seem as if it was now in four editions, however the text is all identical. Two octavo volumes (8 1/2 x 5 3/8 inches; 214 x 135 mm.). [8], 404; [4], 536 pp. With half-titles in both volumes. Wood-engraved title vignettes after Tony Johannot. Contemporary quarter marbled sheep over marbled paper boards. Spines with three black morocco spine labels. Labels stamped and lettered in gilt. All edges uncut. Corners a bit bumped. Back board of volume II with minor abrasions. Previous owner's old ink signature on top margin of title-page in each volume. Some occasional spotting and thumb-soiling, but generally internally very clean. Overall, an excellent copy. "This first edition, in fine condition, is the rarest of all the works of Victor Hugo; it has had a resounding impact worldwide, and is one of the most difficult titles of the Romantic period to obtain" (Carteret). Gosselin brought out the novel on 16 March 1831 in an edition of 1,100 copies, as was his general practice. This first printing was distributed into four separate issues of 275 copies each, the subsequent three issues being designated as "second edition," "third edition," and "fourth edition" respectively on the title-pages. "Johannot's title-page vignettes for the first edition of Notre-Dame de Paris show Quasimodo in the pillory receiving a drink from Esmeralda (Volume I) and Esmeralda escorted to the gallows (Volume II)" (Ray). Ray, The Art of the French Illustrated Book, 180. Vicaire IV, cols. 256-257. HBS 68800. $12,500.

Seller: Heritage Book Shop, ABAA, Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.A.

Hugo, Victor. Notre-Dame de Paris.. Charles Gosselin, Paris, 1831.

Price: US$48000.00 + shipping

Description: First edition, first printing of Hugo's masterpiece, one of only 1,100 examples. Octavo, 2 volumes, bound in half calf. The publisher Charles Gosselin published the novel on 16 March 1831 in an edition of 1,100 copies as was his usual practice. It was such a sensation that an additional three printings had to be published the same year. The first impression of 1100 copies was separated into four groups, each bearing a fictitious edition statement on the title-page, a scheme designed to make the public believe that the novel was selling rapidly. "This first edition is the rarest of all the works of Victor Hugo; it has had a resounding impact worldwide, and is one of the most difficult titles of the Romantic period to obtain" (Carteret). In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare and desirable. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a revelation of what an historical novel could be” (Reid, 296). First published in 1831 as Notre-Dame de Paris, Hugo’s book is “a stunning novelistic representation of late-medieval Paris and its central point… [While it] firmly rejects the idealization of the Middle Ages frequent among Romantic apologists for the ancien rà gime… Hugo’s novel was a hugely influential revelation of the descriptive intensity of Romantic prose” (Hollier, 662). The book has seen numerous screen adaptations, including director William Dieterle’s 1939 version starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara (the most expensive RKO production to that date) and the 1996 animated feature from Disney Studios.

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.

Hugo, Victor. Notre-Dame de Paris [The Hunchback of Notre Dame]. Charles Gosselin, Paris, 1831.

Price: US$58000.00 + shipping

Condition: Near Fine

Description: First edition, first printing, first issue. [8], 404; [4], 536 pp. Bound in modern gilt armorial stamped morocco green leather bindings with marbled endpapers; wood-engraved title vignettes by Tony Johannot. Near Fine with light toning and minor patches of foxing throughout else fine. Victor Hugo's Gothic French masterpiece printed by Gosselin in a run of 1,100 copies on March 16, 1831; this first printing was distributed into four separate issues of 275 copies each, the subsequent three issues being designated as "second edition," "third edition," and "fourth edition" respectively on the title-pages. "This first edition is the rarest of all the works of Victor Hugo; it has had a resounding impact worldwide, and is one of the most difficult titles of the Romantic period to obtain" (Carteret).

Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.

HUGO, Victor. NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS. Paris: Charles Gosselin Libraire, 1831.

Price: US$58479.56 + shipping

Description: First edition, first issue with no subsequent edition statement on the title page. Two volumes, exquisitely bound by Cuzin in mid-nineteenth century full green morocco with raised bands to the spine and geometric border design to covers and spine compartments. Titled in gilt, with gilt dentelles and edges and marbled endpapers. 212mm x 130mm (page size). Engraved title pages to both volumes, complete with half titles. A fine, tall set, barely trimmed with many leaves uncut, all beautifully clean with no chips or tears. Two inconspicuous book-labels to the front blank. The binding has been retained in sparklingly fine condition. A superb example of this rarity of Gothic literature in a fine Parisian binding. The author's first full length novel, that is now one of the key works of nineteenth century literature, and upon which much of the author's reputation rests. The first edition was published in an edition of 1100 copies which was subdivided into four issues with a different edition statement on the title page. Thus there are only 275 copies of the first issue. The book has subsequently been published in English under the title, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Francisque Cuzin (1836-1890) was regarded as the finest bookbinder in the world at the time. "If you want a volume bound in the highest style of art the man to go to is M. Cuzin of the Rue Séguier. who took early to bookbinding, and is now at the head of the handicraft in Paris, and perhaps the world." - The Pall Mall Gazette (December 1886). "This first edition, in fine condition, is the rarest of all the works of Victor Hugo; it has had a resounding impact worldwide, and is one of the most difficult titles of the Romantic period to obtain" (Translated from Carteret - Le Trésor du Bibliophile Romantique et Moderne) Carteret I 402

Seller: Jonkers Rare Books, Henley on Thames, OXON, United Kingdom

HUGO, Victor.. Notre-Dame de Paris.. Paris: Charles Gosselin, 1831, 1831.

Price: US$77972.75 + shipping

Description: First edition, first printing, first issue, of Hugo's gothic masterpiece, in a contemporary binding. "This first edition. is the rarest of all the works of Victor Hugo; it has had a resounding impact worldwide, and is one of the most difficult titles of the Romantic period to obtain" (Carteret). Copies of this issue preserved in contemporary bindings are exceedingly scarce. Published on 16 March 1831 in an edition of 1,100 copies, the first printing was issued in four separate groups of 275 each, with the subsequent three issues being fictitiously labelled as the second, third and fourth editions on their respective title pages. "The success of this darkly moving novel was immediate, establishing Hugo as the premier historical novelist of his time. Lamartine called him 'the Shakespeare of prose fiction'" (The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French). Clouzot 86-87: "Les exemplaires de la premiere tranche, sans mention d'edition et sans nom d'auteur sont extremement rares"; Carteret Romantique I, 400; Lhermitte 317; Ray French Illustrated Book 180; Vicaire IV, 256. 2 volumes, octavo (200 x 120 mm). Contemporary tree sheep, spines gilt with red morocco lettering- and numbering-pieces. Housed in marbled slipcase. With half-titles. Wood-engraved title vignettes by Tony Johannot. Provenance: Juste Daniel Olivier, 1807-1876, Swiss poet (calligraphic gift inscription signed "Olivier" with red wax seal on front flyleaf, dated 19 April 1832, recipient illegible). Joints and extremities discreetly restored, joints rubbed at head, some pale foxing, a very good copy.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom