Paris: Désirée Eymery, 1838. First edition. “8vo (17 x 10 cm); (vi) + 322 pp. with text illustration + engraved frontispiece + 2 engraved plates... Alida de Savignac’s LA JEUNE PROPRIÉTAIRE OU L’ART DE VIVRE (1837) is a novel-cum-handbook advising on the multiple aspects of running a country house...” (Finch, Alison. WOMEN’S WRITING IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY FRANCE, p. 79). This is the story of how the fictional Olympe de Saint-Julien, a young woman accustomed to delicate activities such as dance and music, but, also, a child of the revolution, regains her nearly ruined family estate through the efforts of a guardian relative, and then learns how to run the rural property on her own. She agrees to study the popular manual LA MAISON RUSTIQUE and then proceeds to tackle the reclamation of the house, garden, and farm, transforming decaying structures into stables, granges, poultry houses, etc. Her new plans and those advised by her guardian include making water courses to help in the creation of a fish pond, the planting of fruit and ornamental trees, and designing appropriate arrangements of the house and its rooms (the kitchen being most important). Providing supplies of medicines for the care of her workers was essential. Olympe’s guardian also offers instruction on the milk house, the poultry yard, the pigeon house, and the sheep hold. All of this is discussed in great detail and with an eye to profitabllity. There must be a vegetable greenhouse, a fruitier, and a grand shed for gardening and agricultural tools, as well as carpentry shop equipment. Eventually, Olympe rises at six each morning to survey the operations of the farm. She teaches local children and dispenses medicine. Nor is the ornamental garden neglected, with green lawns and roses planted in front of the chateau. Politics and romance play their part in the story and two tales, LES JUMELLES and LA FÊTE de SAINTE-CATHERINE, are added as lessons. Written by a woman and published by another - Désirée Eymery - who published the series Bibliothèque de l’éducation - this is a strong example of literature produced in early 19th century France encouraging women to seek empowerment. In the U.S. we locate only one copy of a later 1853 edition, and five other various editions located in France. “Olympe fermière, dame de château, maîtresse d’école et médecin” 8vo (17x10cm); (vi) + 322 pp.k with text illustration + engraved frontispiece + 2 engraved plates.

PARIS: Mme, Vve. Louis Janet, n.d. (1852). First edition. Combining the talents of French childrens’ books author Louise Leneveux, born Marie-Louise Pignot (1797-18960), and the remarkable French artist, printer, and book illustrator, Amédée Varin (1818-1883), this charming publication brings the amusement and panache of anthropomorphic design to a sweet and modest book instructing children about insects. Varin is now much admired for his transformative interpretations of butterflies and vegetables in 19th century book illustration (see PAPILLONS METAMORPHOSES, 1852 and L’EMPIRE DE LÉGUMES, 1851). For our LES PETITS HABITANTS DES FLEURS, the colour illustration of the butterfly writing his memoires using an overturned rose blossom as a desk sets the character of the book. Here, Vavin’s amusing colour plates (for example ants building a shed and silkworms busy spinning) are engraved by Lejeune. The lithography is by Godard. Leneveux brought a similar spirit of transformed nature to her LES FLEURS PARLANTS (1845) and LES ANIMAUX PARLANTS (1845). Gumachian 373 ( in a different binding); Cotsen No. 27283, Cotsen Catalogue 3470. We have located 4 copies in the U.S.; 3 in France; 1 in the Netherlands; and 1 in the V&A through OCLC. A scarce little book. “Les insectes musiciens, les fourmis maconne....” 12mo (x) + 252 pp. + decorative frontispiece in colour + 11 full page additional colour plates, highlighted by hand colouring. Decorative printed initials and printers ornaments.

(Santa Rosa): (The Luther Burbank Society), n.d. ca. 1913. A booklet invitation to join The Luther Burbank Society issued for the Society by its Secretary, Robert John. This also serves as a prospectus for the twelve volume set, LUTHER BURBANK: HIS METHODS AND DISCOVERIES AND THEIR PRACTICAL APPLICATION. Accompanying the pamphlet is a ca 1915 postcard showing the Luther Burbank display at the Gravenstein Apple Show held in Sebastopol. George Brittain, superintendent of Burbank’s Experimental grounds, is pictured in the postcard. Brittain is also featured in 6 of 7 original photos which accompany this pamphlet. The shots, described by penned notes on the back of each photo, are taken at the Burbank Experimental grounds. They range from Brittain’s arm displaying an 18 month old everbearing chestnut, Brittain with a large “Thornless Cactus,” to his working on grafting cherry trees. The final photo is of a “helper” in period dress with his grafting tools. With 7 Original photographs and a contemporary postcard. Small pamphlet, 15 x 12 cm; 24 pp. + 6 plates from photographs + final fold-out color photograph plate;WITH: 1 postcard and 7 original photographs measuring from 8 x 5.5.cm to 14 x 8 cm.

Paris: Emile-Paul Frères, 1919. First edition, from the eighteenth century manuscript. A signed presentation inscription from Ganay. This copy unnumbered, but....”auteur” of an edition limited to 750 copies on papier vélin fin de Voiron and 27 on papier en forme de japon. With an introduction by Ernest de Ganay who recounts the recovery of this eighteenth century treatise in manuscript form at the Bibliothèque municipale de Caen. Harcourt was "...a pioneer of informal landscape gardening in France." (OXFORD COMPANION TO GARDENS pg. 244.) whose own garden designs at Harcourt were mentioned in DeLille's poem on gardens and in Arthur Young's travel account of 1788. Harcourt's designs for the Princess of Monaco's gardens at Betz is referred to in a 1792 edition of Cerutti's LES JARDINS DE BETZ. Although the treatise existed as somewhat "secret" literature among Harcourt's contemporaries and peers, it was publicly referred or alluded to by the Prince de Ligne, De Lille and Arthur Young. At Harcourt's reception at the French Academy in 1789 M. Gaillard claimed that the treatise was composed before a theory for the design of "jardins irreguliers" was known in France. Ganay 403 and Ganay/Vignal 5. 18mo (15.5 x 10.6 cm); 253 + (v) pp.