LEBRETON, Théodore. A Worker’s Hours of Rest. - Lot 201

LEBRETON, Théodore. A Worker’s Hours of Rest. A rare first edition of the author’s first collection. This copy contains a signed autograph letter and is bound in full decorative binding. Rouen, E. Le Grand, 1837. In-12, full green glazed calfskin, smooth spine decorated with a lengthwise pattern of gilded arabesques, double gilded fillet framing the covers enhanced with a blind-stamped garland, central and corner fleurons embossed, gold interior roulette and gold roulette on the corners, untrimmed. 1 fn.ch, XXVII-VIII-283 pp. Binding scuffed, spine sun-faded, upper hinge fragile, paper slightly browned at the margins. First edition of the first collection by Théodore Lebreton (1803–1883), a worker in a calico factory in Rouen, a self-taught poet, and a protégé of Marceline Desbordes-Valmore. Jean-Bernard bookplate engraved by Stern on the inside front cover; handwritten bookplate and handwritten note regarding the author on the back of the endpaper and on the first page. This copy contains an autograph letter signed by the author addressed to a baron (1½ pages, in-8 format, Rouen, August 24, 1838), in which he expresses regret at having missed the visit of Baron d’Hervey, whom his correspondent had suggested he meet. The copy is also enriched, at the end, with three poems excerpted from various publications: - “L’Emulation.” Excerpt from the Bulletin de la Société libre d’Emulation de Rouen (1838, 4 pages). “La Mort d’une jeune fille” with a partially trimmed dedication (4 pages). - “À la poésie” (4 pages). In good condition, rare.