![]() ![]() Wood-engraved title vignettes by Tony Johannot. Contemporary tree sheep, spines gilt with red morocco lettering- and numbering-pieces. ![]() ![]() 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. This copy appears to have been a presentation from Hugo's fellow writer and acquaintance, Juste Olivier. Lamartine called him 'the Shakespeare of prose fiction'" (The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French). "The success of this darkly moving novel was immediate, establishing Hugo as the premier historical novelist of his time. 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. Copies of this issue preserved in contemporary bindings are exceedingly scarce. 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). First edition, first printing, first issue, of Hugo's gothic masterpiece, in a contemporary binding. ![]()
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