Collection: Original editions from the 20th century

What do later printings not tell us that a first edition does? Simple things: "I come from afar, from the beginning, I've seen the final proofs of the text, I've felt the author's hand and the publisher's, I've felt the weight of the critics, I've been through it all, until now."It is this anteriority that the bibliophile seeks, and which no reprint possesses, no matter how carefully it is made.

In the 20th century, the first edition is easier to identify than in the previous century: the print run justification is most often written out in full, and author bibliographies situate a copy within its edition. Once the first edition is established, its value can increase depending on what is added to it: the fine paper, the binding entrusted to a master, the dedication inscribed for a named recipient, the provenance. Our collection brings together these states side by side.

Le Hussard bleuby Nimier (Gallimard, 1950) combines them all. One of the 50 out-of-trade copies on light buff vellum from Papeteries Navarre, alongside 48 pure wire vellums, the only fine papers in the print run. A binding signed L. Gérard, midnight blue morocco with a frame in a slipcase and chemise, whose object value owes nothing to the print run. Finally, an autograph dedication to Raoul Simonson, a Brussels bookseller and bibliographer, which gives the copy a provenance of great importance.

Other books derive their value from their very small number. These furies are mes doigts de la main noire by Gui Rosey, illustrated by Matta (1967), head print on Arches vellum, is valuable for its exclusivity. La Ralentie by Henri Michaux (1937), partly on two-tone paper, belongs to this family of confidential print runs where the printing medium creates rarity.

For a definition of the first edition and the criteria that establish it, please refer to our[articlefirst edition].Members of SLAM since our founding in 2011, we apply the union's standards to every appraisal.
[link to: 19th-century literature]

• Does a signed binding increase the value of a first edition?
  Yes, but independently of its status as a first edition. A binding by Paul Bonet, Pierre Legrain or Pierre-Lucien Martin adds an object value distinct from the print run: the two combine, they do not replace each other.
• Why do some 20th-century print runs have fewer than 30 copies?
  The choice rests with the publisher or artist, often for illustrated books intended for collectors rather than the general public. Several surrealist editions in our collection fall into this category.
• Is a dedication to a book personality worth more than an ordinary dedication?
  Often, when the recipient is identifiable and connected to the world of books. A dedication to a bookseller or critic documents a real literary network, which an anonymous dedication does not.
• How to get a 20th-century first edition appraised?
  Send a photograph of the title page, the print run justification, and the binding if it is signed. As members of SLAM, we offer free appraisals.