[FANTASY]. SET OF 4 RARE WORKS OF FANTASY LITERATURE: - Lot 51

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  3. [FANTASY]. SET OF 4 RARE WORKS OF FANTASY LITERATURE: - Lot 51
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Lot n° 51
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[FANTASY]. SET OF 4 RARE WORKS OF FANTASY LITERATURE: - Lot 51
[FANTASY]. SET OF 4 RARE WORKS OF FANTASY LITERATURE: SAND (George). LAURA. Travels and Impressions. Paris, Michel Lévy frères, Booksellers and Publishers, at the Librairie nouvelle, 1865. In-12 ½ bronze-green chagrin, chagrin-textured cloth covers, smooth spine divided by double gilt fillets, gilt title and date (Modern binding). A few scattered foxing spots, more pronounced on the first few leaves; leaves browned, with more pronounced browning on the first few leaves. ORIGINAL COLLECTIVE EDITION, bringing together “Laura—Journey Through Crystal,” "Les Charmettes," "Lettre d’un voyageur," and "Ce que dit le ruisseau." The main story had appeared in advance of publication in the "Revue des Deux Mondes" on January 1 and 15, 1864. A scientific and fantastical tale inspired by mineralogy, “Laura” describes a visionary journey into the heart of a world of crystals and an expedition to the North Pole. Its publication preceded that of Jules Verne’s *Journey to the Center of the Earth* by only a short time, and critics have noted several thematic parallels between the two works. GOOD COPY, in a high-quality pastiche binding. ¶ Versins, 791: “A very curious work that begins like a tale”—Clouzot, 248. EYRAUD (Achille). VOYAGE TO VENUS. Paris, Michel Lévy frères, Librairie nouvelle, 1865. In-12 ½, contemporary green sheepskin, smooth spine divided by four gilt fillets, wide gilt roulette at the foot, gilt title, “J. D’Orlhac” ex-libris gilt on the front cover (contemporary binding). Corners of the covers are worn; a paper loss in the upper left corner of the front cover has been roughly retouched; marked foxing. FIRST EDITION of this seminal novel of French science fiction, which recounts an interplanetary journey undertaken aboard a spacecraft powered by a jet propulsion system. It is one of the very first detailed literary descriptions of a space rocket and the first known novel to specifically set its main story on Venus. It was published in the same year as Jules Verne’s *From the Earth to the Moon*. COPY featuring, opposite the title page, an AUTOGRAPHED DEDICATION: “To my old friend Justin D’Orlhac / Achille Eyraud.” ¶ Versins, 304. ROSNY (J.-H., pseudonym of Joseph-Henri BOËX, known as ROSNY the Elder). LES XIPÉHUZ. [Followed by LE CATACLYSME]. Paris, Société du Mercure de France, 1896. In-16 ½, petroleum-blue buffalo leather, spine with 5 raised bands, gilt title, cover preserved (modern binding). Small corner loss at the top of the front cover, small brown stains at the bottom of page 127, without affecting the text. FIRST COLLECTIVE EDITION, expanded to include “Le Cataclysme.” A seminal text of scientific fantasy, “Les Xipéhuz” ranks among the essential works of early French science fiction. It was first published in 1887 in the collection *L’Immolation*, then separately by Albert Savine in 1888. This 1896 edition features a revised text, notably with corrections to the order and numbering of the chapters. ONE OF 15 COPIES ON HOLLANDE PAPER (No. 7), the second paper type following only three copies on Imperial Japan paper, the sole deluxe edition. Copy bound with full margins. ¶ Pierre Versins, 775. FREDH. MEKHANAI. Novel. Paris, Bernard Grasset, 1912. In-12 Bradel, blue-and-white abstract-patterned paper, plain spine, black calfskin title label (modern binding). Handwritten “Pierre Rémy” bookplate at the top of the title page. FIRST EDITION of this very rare novel, which falls under the category of “μηχαναί” (machines, processes, or devices) and belongs to the speculative and philosophical literature of the early 20th century. The BNF identifies FREDH as Pol Marie Fred LAHALLE (1889–1968), a naval officer and writer; recent research, however, suggests his relative Frédéric Marie Charles LAHALLE (1857–1918), a retired naval commander, as the author—an attribution consistent with a review in *La Dépêche de Brest* dated March 25, 1913, devoted to *Mekhanaï*. Copy in a lovely modern imitation of a late-19th-century Japanese-style binding. ¶ BnF, authority record for Fredh—Patrick Ramseyer, “Le coin des pseudonymes et autres recherches biographiques,” “Le Rocambole,” No. 88–89, 2019, p. 319 – “La Dépêche de Brest,” March 25, 1913, review signed “Caradec.”
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