Collection: Antiquité et Moyen Âge

In our catalog, the Middle Ages and Antiquity cover two distinct editorial realities. On the one hand, scholarly syntheses from the 20th century (Braudel, Contamine, Heers) which remain solid academic references for anyone wanting to understand a period before investing in a rarer piece. On the other hand, numbered copies and presentation copies, where the value is no longer solely in the text but in the item itself.Authentic Words of Joan of Arc, André Maryillustrates this second case: one of 500 numbered copies on handmade Auvergne paper, enhanced with an autographed inscription signed by the publisher. This type of item is collated like any first edition, by checking the colophon before offering it for sale. Our approach to the antiquity and Middle Ages collection is based on this dual framework: the solidity of the text and the material rarity of the item. A well-preserved copy, with its intact endpapers and original binding, is always better than a rare, damaged copy. Limited edition and signed autograph inscription are the two concepts to master before purchasing from this period.historygroups all our historical pieces, while revolution and empire extends the narrative to subsequent centuries.

Major syntheses (Braudel, Heers) are reissued and corrected over the decades. We systematically indicate the edition number and year of printing, as a revised edition does not have the same text or value as a first print run.

Provided it is authenticated and linked to the author or publisher of the text. We compare the handwriting and date of the inscription with known elements of the work before mentioning it in a description.

The colophon generally appears at the end of the volume: mentioning the paper (wove, laid, Auvergne) and the copy number. Its absence in a description means that the print run is not limited, not that it was forgotten.