Collection: Enfantina

Albert Robida dominates our children's collection. Illustrator, caricaturist, and author, he produced a series of titles in illustrated color cardboard bindings for the Bibliothèque du Petit Français (Armand Colin):En haut du beffroi(1895), Moulin Fliquette (1910), La bête au bois dormant (1904), Le Patron Nicklaus (1921),Un chalet dans les airs(2nd edition, 1934), Le bon Géant Gargantua and Maître Pathelin, adapted for youth by M. Guéchot (Armand Colin, 1912), En vacances aux bords du Rhin by Lya Berger (1908). He also illustrated literary classics for youth: Quentin Durward by Walter Scott (Armand Colin, 5th edition, 1924) and Les Deux Cartouche by Montfrileux (Delagrave).

The centerpiece of the collection isFrançois Ier(Gustave Toudouze, Boivin, 1909): an copy enhanced with an original color drawing signed by Robida. This type of documented provenance copy falls outside the logic of series and belongs to the market for illustrated autographs.

Other items complete the collection: Louis Morin's La légende de Robert le Diable (La librairie Illustrée, 1884), an copy enhanced with a dedication from Morin to Albert Robida on the half-title page; L'Esprit des Bêtes: Le Coq by Benjamin Rabier; and a numbered original edition of Le Bracelet de cheville: one of 150 copies on Van Gelder Holland paper, signed by Marcel Roche (C.P.D.E., 1931).

For our 197 titles, each entry specifies the condition of the binding and the integrity of the illustrations, the frontispiece of ornate editions, and conservation conditions (18-20 °C, 50-60% humidity), according to the practices of SLAM and LILA. Armand Colin bindings generally hold up well, but remain vulnerable to broken spines and crushed corners: the condition is noted in each entry.

These children's books extend our collection ofold illustrated books from the 19th centuryand connect to our other universes.

The value depends on the illustrator, the edition, and the condition of the binding. A common title from the Armand Colin series remains accessible; a unique piece, such as an copy with an original signed drawing, reaches another order of magnitude. We provide free appraisals for any work presented.

Robida's titles for Armand Colin bear the mention "Bibliothèque du Petit Français" and feature an illustrated color cardboard binding with the author's name on the cover. Robida often signs both the text and the illustrations. The printer's imprint, when present, dates the edition precisely. If in doubt, submit the work to us for verification.

For a readable and visually striking gift, Robida's titles in color cardboard bindings (Moulin Fliquette, La bête au bois dormant) remain accessible. For an experienced collector, a piece with a dedication or a numbered large-paper copy is rarer. We assist with selection based on budget and the recipient's profile.

Appraisals are free and without obligation. Send us photos of the cover, spine, title page, and an inner spread, with the edition indicated if known. As members of SLAM and LILA, we respond according to the standards of the antique book trade.