Les Mille et une Nuits (One Thousand and One Nights)
Translated by Antoine Galland (originally anonymous)
📚 Genre
Short Stories, Folk Tales, Fantasy
🏢 Publisher
Librairie Ducrocq
📅 Publication Year
Circa 1880-1890
🔢 ISBN
N/A (Pre-dates ISBN system)
About This Book
A classic collection of Middle Eastern folk tales told by Scheherazade to Sultan Shahryar. This specific 19th-century volume features a red cloth binding with intricate gold and black floral/orientalist stamping. The central medallion displays the title within a decorative cartouche, characteristic of high-quality gift books of the late French 19th century.
Book Details
Language
French
Pages
Approximately 400-600 pages
Edition
French Victorian-era bound edition (Cartonnage Romantique/Édition de Luxe)
Series
Stand-alone volume or part of a multi-volume library set by Librairie Ducrocq
Target Audience
General Audience / Collectors of Antique Books
Collector Information
Condition
Good to Fair. There is significant bumping and fraying at the corners, some loss of gold gilding on the cover, and visible wear/soiling on the spine. The cloth shows some sun-fading and standard aging/shelf wear.
Estimated Value
$40-$85 USD
Rarity
Uncommon. While the text is very common, this specific Librairie Ducrocq binding in decent condition is becoming harder to find, though it is not a 'rare' first edition.
Historical Significance
Antoine Galland's translation was the first European version of these tales, sparking a massive 'Orientalism' movement in Western literature and art that lasted for centuries.
Collector Notes
Collectors value this edition primarily for its cover aesthetics (shelf appeal). Potential buyers should check for foxing (brown spots) on the inner pages and ensure the spine is not cracked or detached. Store upright in a temperature-controlled environment away from direct sunlight to prevent further fading of the red pigment and oxidation of the gilding.
Similar Books
Contes de Perrault by Charles Perrault; Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio; Fables de La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine; The Arabian Nights by Richard Francis Burton.
Notable Features
Highly decorative gilt-stamped binding (Cartonnage de l'éditeur); likely contains internal engravings/illustrations typical of Ducrocq editions; gilt edged pages.