Six Antique French Books

This is a stunning set of six antique/vintage French books in faded beige/ dusky orange tones. They are 'aged to perfection' and will give you an instant "old library" effect. There are works here by some of France's most famous writers, such as Voltaire, Gustave Flaubert and Chrétien de Troyes to give your bookshelves added French chic!

They look lovely tied up with twine and displayed on a coffee table, sideboard, mantelpiece, bedside table or dresser. The covers have faded with time to subtle, dusky, soft shades and the pages are yellowed with age, with age spots. They make excellent film and photo props and would be ideal for a boho, or shabby chic, themed wedding as a table centerpiece decoration.

The six books are all distressed from years of genuine use, and some of the pages are delicate and loose:

The titles are:

Cligès, Chrétien de Troyes (Paperback 1957 edition.) Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère known for his writing on Arthurian subjects, and for first writing of Lancelot, Percival and the Holy Grail. Chrétien's works represent some of the most highly regarded medieval literature. This poem "Cligès" dates from around 1176. It is the second of his five Arthurian romances; Erec and Enide, Cligès, Yvain, Lancelot and Perceval. The poem tells the story of the knight Cligès and his love for his uncle's wife, Fenice.

Le Chevalier de la Charrette (Lancelot), Chrétien de Troys (Paperback 1962 edition.) "Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart" is Chrétien de Troyes 12th-century poem featuring Lancelot as a prominent character. The narrative tells about the abduction of Queen Guinevere, and is the first text to feature the love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere.

Madame Bovary, Tomes I & II, Gustave Flaubert (Paperback 1936 editions.) Madam Bovary was the first novel written by Gustave Flaubert (12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) and first published in 1856. The eponymous character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life.

Oeuvres Completes de Voltaire, "Romans" Tomes I & II (Hardcover 1826 editions.) Almost 200 years old these books are very rare and collectible, they have leather spines and marbleised cardboard covers. The patina on these books is amazing. They need to be handled with respect for their age and condition.
The first tome contains his famous novellas, The World as it Goes (1750), Memnon (1750), The Travels of Scarmentado (1756), Micromégas (1738), Zadig, or, Destiny (1757), Candide, or Optimism (1758), The White and the Black (1764), Jeannot and Colin (1764) and The Man with Forty Crowns (1768.)

The second tome contains L'Ingénu (1767), The Princess of Babylone (1768), The History of Jenni (1774), The Letters of Amabed (1769), The White Bull (1772), An Incident of Memory (1773), The Travels of Reason (1774), The Ears of Lord Chesterfield and Chaplain Goudman (1775), The Two Consoled Ones (1756), Story of a Good Brahman (1759), The One-eyed Street Porter, Cosi-sancta (1715), Plato's Dream (1756), An Indian Adventure (1764), Bababec and the Fakirs (1750) and The Blind Judges of Colors (1766).

Most importantly they have that 'old book smell' reminiscent of libraries and bookshops from a by-gone era - fabulously comforting.

To display them altogether you will need a minimum space of 14cms/ 5½" high x 21cms/ 8 ¼" long x 14cms/ 5½" deep.
They weigh 2.3kgs/ 5 lbs.

We offer FREE worldwide shipping.

Your purchase will be carefully packaged and shipped from France. It will be fully tracked, signed for and insured.

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Thank you for visiting,

Tiggy

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