Chosen · Described · Sold with care

Books · Illustrated editions · Maps

The Selection

Books and documents chosen for their presence, history or provenance. Each item is offered with a clear price, a precise description and documentary photographs.

7 items
Covers of the 1957 Babar record books Babar en famille and Babar et ce coquin d’Arthur

FM S 0006 · Available only as a set

Jean de Brunhoff · Laurent de Brunhoff

Two Babar illustrated record books

Two square Babar illustrated record books issued by Festival with Librairie Hachette in 1957. Each illustrated booklet retains its 17 cm Super 45 rpm vinyl record; the pair is offered only as an indivisible set.

1957Two illustrated record books
Marbled binding of La Patrie suisse, illustrated journal, volume dated 1896

FM S 0005 · Available as found

Collective

La Patrie suisse

A bound gathering of the Geneva periodical La Patrie suisse, richly illustrated with photographs and engravings, beginning with the title page of the third volume dated 1896 and also containing at least one issue from 1897.

Geneva1896–1897
Reine d'Arbieux in a decorative half-leather binding

FM S 0001 · Available

Jean Balde

Reine d’Arbieux

The 1928 prize-winning novel in an elegant half-leather binding with marbled boards and a private Christmas inscription.

1928Grand Prix du roman
1945 Lausanne edition of Descartes open at the title page

FM S 0002 · Available

René Descartes

Discourse on the Method

A carefully printed Lausanne edition on fine white laid paper, with wide untrimmed margins and its modest original wrappers.

1945Lausanne
Original 1936 cover of Les Vacances de Zéphir on an ivory background

FM S 0003 · Available as is · fragile

Jean de Brunhoff

Les Vacances de Zéphir

A first-year copy of Jean de Brunhoff’s monkey story, preserved with its original pictorial boards, yellow elephant endpapers and a Brussels family inscription dated 1936.

1936Large illustrated album
Horace with John Bond's commentary, open at the engraved frontispiece

FM 0004 · Available as is · fragile book

Horace · commentary by John Bond

Q. Horatius Flaccus

A small Latin Horace with John Bond’s commentary, preserved in a striking but severely damaged gilt leather binding.

AmsterdamHendrik Wetstein
Antique folding cyclists' map of the Canton of Vaud in its illustrated cover

FM S 0004 · Available

F. Müllhaupt and E. Buffat

Cyclists’ map of the Canton of Vaud

A colour road map created for early cyclists, covering the Canton of Vaud and its surroundings and mounted on linen for repeated opening while travelling.

Circa 1899Linen-backed map