[Rarebooks] FS - Louis-Benoit Picard and the Comedie Francaise

[GREENFIELD BOOKS]

*PICARD, L. B. [Louis-Benoit Picard]. /LES TRACASSERIES / UN JEU DE LA 
FORTUNE / ENCORE DES MENECHMES / LA NOCE SANS MARIAGE / LES TROIS 
MARIS./* Five complete plays contained in one volume, bound in early 
19th century mottled calf. [Various puiblishers  - see below], Paris, 
[various dates of publication - see below]. 8vo. The boards are bowed 
and the rear joint is tender. The contents are lightly browned at 
margins. The fourth play is stained at the bottom - no other plays 
affected. Overall, in good plus condition.

Louis-Benoit Picard (1769-1828) was a French playwright and member of 
the Academie-Francaise. He was born in Paris and wrote 85 plays, which 
were meticulously crafted and shrewdly observant of contemporary manners 
(see W. Staaks, "The Theatre of Louis-Benoit Picard"). This unique 
volume contains five of Picard's plays bound into one volume: (1) "Les 
Tracasseries, ou Monsieur et Madame Tatillon" which was presented for 
the first time in Paris, at the Comedie Francaise on June 25, 1804. This 
is the first edition, published in 1804, and is signed on the copyright 
page by the publisher, Mme. Masson (80 pages); (2) "Un Jeu de la 
Fortune, ou Les Marionnettes", presented for the first time in Paris, 
May 14, 1806. This is the first edition, published in 1806, in Paris, by 
Martinet, and contains 121 pages; (3) "Encore Des Menechmes", a comedy 
presented for the first time in 1791. This edition published in Paris, 
in 1802, by the booksellers Huet, Ravinet and Charon (96 pages); (4) "La 
Noce Sans Mariage", presented for the first time in Paris in 1805. 
Published by Madame Masson in that year and signed by her on the 
copyright page (96 pages); (5) "Les Trois Maris", date of first 
presentation not stated. Published by the booksellers Huet and Charon - 
no year of publishing stated. WorldCat suggests 1800, although the 
website for the Comedie Francaise gives the year of the first 
performance as 1801 (104 pages). The text, throughout, is in French. It 
is evident that these five plays were not published together, but were 
bound so at a later date, probably in 1806, or shortly thereafter.

Price: $750.00.

Terms of sale- the price is in USD. Payment by check or credit card. 
Postage and packing charge is $7.50. Returnable within seven days of 
receipt if not as described.

 
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