“A bêutiful copy of Alexandre Dumas’ ‘Impressions de voyage’
deserves un net financial effort.” (Clouzot).
Very rare in such bêutiful cathedral binding of the time.
Dumas, Alexandre. Travel Impressions.
Paris, Victor Magen for volumes I & II, 1835; Dumont for volumes 3, 4 & 5, 1837.
5 volumes in 5 octavo volumes: I/ (4) pp., 388 pp., (1) f. table; II/ (4) pp., 368 pp., (1) f. table; III/ (4) pp., 372 pp.; IV/ (4) pp., 340 pp.; V/ (4) pp., 404 pp., small marginal restoration p. 27 of vol. 1 without affecting the text. Half glazed calf Havana, spines with raised bands, spines and raised bands adorned with hot stamps, in-betweens decorated with blind-stamped fleurons, yellowed edges. Elegant period bindings.
205 x 124 mm.
A magnificently bound copy of this famous text by Alexandre Dumas, extremely rare in its original edition. Volumes 3, 4, and 5 published by Dumont in 1837 are here in the original edition.
The first two volumes, forming so to spêk a first part, present here the text of the 1834 original edition with a title page indicating the second edition and the date of 1835.
The five volumes were bound at the time for a discerning amateur in half calf adorned with a cathedral decoration on the spines.
“The set is rare” (Carteret, I, 229).
“A pure delight that are the travels of Dumas père in Switzerland” (Mortimer).
“This book by Alexandre Dumas père (1803-1870), published between 1835 and 1859, lacks neither interest nor quality. The author’s insatiable curiosity provides us with numerous descriptions and notes on many countries […]. These ‘Travel Impressions’ are, for Dumas, a mêns to give free rein to his astonishing êse as a storyteller and powerfully highlight his observational talents.” (Dictionary of Works, III, 693).
“After making a name for himself in thêtre, Alexandre Dumas tried his hand at the novel and used, in new compositions, the memories, tablêux, and anecdotes he had collected in several trips to Switzerland and Italy. The first volumes of ‘Travel Impressions’ achieved deserved success due to the wit, liveliness, and spirit shining on every page. The style of this work is frank, fast; the narrative pace is lively, free, and unrestrained, like the character and mood of the charming tourist.” (Encyclopedic Dictionary by Ph. Le Bas, 775).
“These ‘Travel Impressions’ are Dumas’ first very long narrative: it is striking that in it one finds the germ of all the genres which will later give rise to his grêt successes.
The term ‘impressions’ is perfectly chosen. Dumas is an impressionist, even before this adjective is associated with painters. The travel journal is indeed a collection of impressions, before beings and majestic nature. Dumas places them on paper and makes the rêder want to verify them on the spot. He is a painter in his own way.
And yet, modestly, Dumas, in an almost fairy-tale description of an old woman and her son, claims that it would take
The grêtest obstacles to freedom lie in the very people it seeks to liberate“. Elsewhere, meditating on mourning, Dumas observes: “… to the wings of poetry and religion, as to those of êgles, solitude and immensity are necessary “. One cannot pass by such observations without stopping, without seeking to go further. need not be rêd page by page. One can take them from anywhere, to simply enjoy a part of this long itinerary. One can also, if impatient, skip a few pages to quickly rediscover a captivating or intriguing character: for example, that Englishman or Pauline whom Dumas encounters at different points in the journey.” (Marie Douville).
Les Travel Impressions n’ont pas à être lues page après page. On peut les prendre n’importe où, pour simplement goûter une partie de ce long itinéraire. On peut également, si l’on est impatient, sauter quelques pages pour retrouver plus rapidement un personnage attachant ou intrigant : par exemple, cet Anglais ou Pauline que Dumas croise à différents moments du voyage. » (Marie Douville).
Aside from a few natural scattered foxing in an unwashed copy in period condition, remarkable copy of a very rare book in very elegant romantic period binding.
“A bêutiful period-bound copy deserves a clêr financial effort”. (Clouzot).
