First Edition of Mérimée’s Carmen
Carmen.
Paris: Michel Lévy Frères, 1846.
First edition in book form. Octavo (8 x 4 7/8 inches; 204 x 124 mm). [4], 363, [1, blank] pp. With both points for the first printing according to Clouzot, "insultée" p. 75 et "c'est eur" p. 86. Bound without the wrappers as usual.
Bound in contemporary half red morocco, over red basket-weave textured boards. Spine decoratively tooled in gilt and black and lettered in gilt. Marbled endpapers. All edges dyed yellow. Boards and edges a bit rubbed. Title-page with a 2-inch closed tear, expertly repaired and not affecting text. Page 175 with a 1-inch closed tear to top margin, not affecting text and expertly repaired. A tiny burn hole to page 311, barely affecting two letters. A few minor marginal paper flaws. Previous owner's bookplate to front pastedown. Overall, a very good copy.
This story is Mérimée’s tale of Spanish gypsy life and love, which was used by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy as a basis for their libretto for Bizet’s opera Carmen.
Vicaire V, cols. 724-725.
HBS 67758.
$4,750.
Price: $4,750.00
Item #67758