HUGO, Victor Notre-Dame de Paris

First edition of the famous and first great novel by Victor Hugo.

Carteret, I, pp. 400-402; Escoffier 870; Vicaire, Manuel de l’amateur de livres du XIX^e siècle, IV, 256-257.

This copy belongs to the second state, with the author’s name on the title and the fictitious mention “Seconde edition” below the title.

“Since Gosselin’s copy appeared at auction (Leroy auction, March, 26-27th, 1931, N°328), it became indisputable that the mention of a second or third edition doesn’t take anything from the first edition nature of a book.

Gosselin-Leroy’s copy bore indeed on a fourth edition of Notre-Dame de Paris, 1831, the following autograph note:

‘First edition published in 1100 copies that have been, following the habits of the bookselling at the time, divided into four editions. [Signed]. Charles Gosselin, editor’ ”.

(Escoffier, Le Mouvement romantique, 870).

Michaud comes to the same conclusion in the Bulletin du bibliophile, 1931: «copies falsely pointed out as second or third edition authentically belong to the first edition”.

“This first edition, in good condition, is the rarest of all the author’s works; it had a worldwide impact, and it’s one of the most difficult to get from the Romantic period” (Carteret).

A precious copy preserved in its elegant contemporary blue half calf binding.