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Books, Leather Bindings, Alphonse Daudet, 24 Volume Set, Antique, 1899

The Works of Alphonse Daudet
Little, Brown & Co., Boston: 1899
Croscup & Sterling Company, New York
24 Volumes, Edition De Luxe
Three-quarters red Morocco leather bindings
Number 23 of 100 copies
9 x 7 x 1.5 inches each
39 linear horizontal inches on bookshelf
Provenance: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Price on request

A set of fine red leather bindings issued as an Edition de Luxe, being a collection of literature by the renowned and influential French writer Alphonse Daudet. His major works are presented in English with numerous exceptional illustrations by Leopold Franz Kowalsky (1856-1931). The set would make a very handsome presentation on a bookshelf in a traditional library, and are classic literature in their own right. Daudet was a much beloved late 19th Century writer of a wide range of popular literary works including novels, short stories, and plays.

Product description continues below.

Description

Alphonse Daudet (1840–1897) was a prolific short story writer, novelist and playwright from the Provence region in France, who wrote numerous works in the second half of the 19th Century. He is well known for his short story L’Arlésienne and for his satirical novel Tartarin of Tarascon about a proud man from Provence who claims to be a hunter. He is also known for Letters from My Windmill, a collection of stories about Provence, and Daudet’s Jack, a personal reflection on illness and loss. According to The Provence Magazine, “Daudet’s writing helped to popularize the culture and traditions of Provence, and his works often portrayed the region’s landscape, customs, and people in a positive light.”

Croscup & Sterling was a New York publisher of fine bound sets active at the turn of the 20th Century.

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (1909-2000) was a famous American actor and producer, known for numerous starring roles including The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), Gunga Din (1939), and The Corsican Brothers (1941). He was the son of Hollywood film pioneer actors Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. His first marriage was to actress Joan Crawford.

Condition: Bindings generally very good, with the usual overall light toning, wear, and handling, noting a few minor abrasions to spines at extremities. Many have the bookplate of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

References:

“Alphonse Daudet, a child of Nîmes.” Google Arts and Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/alphonse-daudet-a-child-of-n%C3%AEmes-ciap/BAWRiifXl-2VTg?hl=en (12 July 2024).

“Alphonse Daudet summary.” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/summary/Alphonse-Daudet (12 July 2024).

“The Famous Works of Alphonse Daudet.” The Provence Magazine. https://www.theprovencemagazine.com/famous-works-alphonse-daudet-french-writer-provence/#:~:text=Daudet%20is%20best%20known%20for,is%20still%20widely%20read%20today (12 July 2024).

Additional information

Century

20th Century