VOLTAIRE (Francois Marie Arouet)

Candide, Ou L'Optimisme

First edition, the true first printing preceding all others. 12mo. Text in French. Contemporary full mottled French calf, spine elaborately gilt, red morocco spine label gilt. Bound (as customary) without the final blank (N7) and the instructions to the binder (N8), very short hairline split at one joint, but still a beautiful just about fine copy, not rebacked or restored in any way. Custom cloth chemise and clamshell case. The first printing is rare, this being one of only 13 known copies of the authentic first edition, preceding 17 other editions subsequently published in 1759 (per Wade, Barber, and Weissman). Printing and the Mind of Man 204 (one of only about a dozen novels included in the survey).

[BTC #277295]