Two Novels Presented to Émile Zola

presentation copies to include:

Saint-Georges de Bouhélier. LA ROUTE NOIRE. Paris: Bibliothéque-Charpentier, 1900. First edition. Hardcover. Half bound over blue cloth, gilt lettering on spine, top edge gilt, blue endpapers. 12mo; vii, [1], 278 with table, [4]pp. Text in French. Inscribed to Zola from the author on the half title: "á Emile Zola, á mon admirable et [?] maitre[...]" and signed by the author. (Light scuffing to boards, corners bumped, joints rubbed with 1-in. crack; pages heavily toned, occasional chips and small tears at edges, repair to (1) page with minor tear remaining, stain impacting endpapers, title, and half title, small sticker on title verso.)

Saint-Georges de Bouhélier. LES CHANTS DE LA VIE ARDENTE. Paris: Bibliothéque-Charpentier, 1902. First edition. Hardcover. Half bound over blue cloth, gilt lettering on spine, top edge gilt, blue endpapers. 12mo; [8], v, [1], 283, [3]. Text in French. Inscribed to Zola from the author on the half title: "á mon maitre aimée et respecté, Emile Zola [...]" and signed by the author. (Light scuffing to boards, corners rubbed, area of grime on back board, loss to leather at tail of spine, wear to head of spine, joints rubbed with long cracks at tail; pages heavily toned, title page with some separation and loss to corner and chips at bottom edge not impacting text, staining to bottom quarter of volume throughout; half title with inscription detached.)

Good to very good copies of these scarce titles with an important association.
7 3/8 x 4 7/8 in. each
Saint-Georges de Bouhélier and Émile Zola were both French novelists and playwrights, and both were associated with naturalism, a literary movement of the late 19th-early 20th century. They were close friends until Zola's death in the same year Les Chants de la Vie Ardente was published. Although a rather obscure name today, De Bouhélier, was once an important and well-known playwright in France, whose literary contributions also included essays, poetry, and several novels.
From the Collection of Professor Roberto Severino, Washington, D.C.
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