[theater Bindings Vellum] Moliere - Works. 5/5. 1681, Chez Denis Thierry. Rare.

MOLIERE (Jean-Baptiste POQUELIN, known as). The Works of Monsieur de Molière divided into five volumes [including:] The Ridiculous Precious Ones - The Imaginary Cuckold - The Stunned or the Mishaps - The Amorous Spite - The Annoying Ones - The School for Husbands - The School for Women - The Critique - The Princess of Elide - The Sicilian - Amphitryon - The Forced Marriage - The Miser - The Glory of Val-de-Grâce - Georges Dandin - The Imposter - The Doctor in spite of himself - Doctor Love - Monsieur de Pouceaugnac - The Misanthrope - The Bourgeois Gentleman - Psyche - The Learned Women - The Fourberies of Scapin - The Imaginary Invalid - The Shadow of Molière. In Paris, with Denis Thierry / Claude Barbin and Pierre Trabouillet, 1681. 5 vols. in pt in-12 format (148 x 92 mm) of 428 pp. and 1 f. bl. ; 400pp. ; 436 p. ; 466 p. ; 402 p. and 2 ff. of Privilege n.fol. Uniform ''Dutch'' bindings of the time in full ivory vellum with folded flaps and visible seams, Jansenist covers, smooth spines, indication of volume number in ink formerly calligraphed at the top, speckled edges. Rare set; complete with five volumes making it up. Each opens with a pretty sphere title page. ''Small edition in 5 volumes, rather difficult to find complete and in good condition''. (in Guibert). ''The text of this edition is modeled on that of 1674-1675. There is sometimes a sixth volume containing the posthumous works, but it was printed later [in 1696 at Jacques Lions]''. (in Molièresque Bibliography). ''The text of this edition, modeled on that of 1675, in 7 volumes, is not to be despised, since it presents the latest corrections made by Molière''. (in Soleine Catalog). ''The precious edition of 1674-75 has, for many years, been considered by us as the true original edition of Molière; this was an edition prepared by the author himself, who had obtained, on March 18, 1671, a Privilege for the edition he wished to give of his Complete Works, and which he did not have the happiness to see appear during his lifetime. It is of paramount importance, this is the true text; it is the spelling of the author, the stage plays are indicated there by himself, in a word, it is the monument erected by Molière''. (Molièresque bibliography). Molièresque pocket bibliography, pp. 13 and 10 - Lacroix, Molièresque Bibliography, n°273 - Soleine, Dramatic Library, 1304 - Guibert, Bibliography of the Works of Molière. Small work of worm affecting the funds of notebooks of some sheets of the first volume; with at most the loss of two letters for very few of them. Missing 4 ff. of text in volume II. Cerne claire in volume III. Slightly oxidized pages also showing light foxing in Volume IV. Pagination error (without missing) on the last volume. The whole remains attractive; despite the few flaws mentioned. Rare.