The Dram Shop

FIRST EDITION. ONE OF 75 COPIES ON HOLLAND PAPER, THE ONLY LARGE-PAPER ISSUE.

L'Assommoir was originally published as a serial starting in April 1876 in Le Bien Public. Following the scandal provoked by its publication, the magazine discontinued it, and La République des Lettres continued it. In 1877, the novel was published in bookstores, and thanks to its persistent success, Zola bought his villa in Médan with the author's royalties. In 1879, Zola even collaborated on a theatrical adaptation.

Enriched with a BEAUTIFUL AUTOGRAPH LETTER from Émile Zola, 2 pp. in-8: he complains somewhat rudely to Madame Charpentier, the publisher's wife, who changed her reception day without informing him, moving it from Friday to Thursday. He also tells her that the actress Hélène Petit will play Gervaise.