Jules Verne – *face Au Drapeau* & Clovis Dardentor – Hetzel Collection – Polychrome Hardcover

Jules Verne – *Face au Drapeau* & *Clovis Dardentor* – Hetzel Collection – Polychrome “elephant-style” hardcover

A rare and exquisite copy of Jules Verne’s *Extraordinary Voyages*, bringing together the novels *Face au Drapeau* and *Clovis Dardentor*, illustrated by Léon Benett and published in the prestigious Hetzel Collection.

The book is presented in its remarkable polychrome publisher’s binding known as “with an elephant in the cartouche,” one of Hetzel’s iconic designs at the turn of the 20th century. The design, richly adorned with gold, green, black, and red motifs, retains all its luster and attests to the exceptional craftsmanship of the bookbinding workshops of the time.

This copy is also striking for its particularly remarkable condition. The covers are fresh and vibrant, the gilding remains vivid, the spine is perfectly legible, and the gilt edges retain their beautiful original appearance. The interior is very clean, with no pervasive foxing or notable pinholes, and the paper has retained its beautiful freshness. The illustrations by Léon Benett, which accompany the text, are well preserved and contribute fully to the book’s charm.

Published at a time when Jules Verne was at the height of his fame, *Face au Drapeau* tackles issues related to scientific discoveries and their potential abuses with surprising modernity, while *Clovis Dardentor* takes the reader on an adventure full of humor and twists and turns through French Algeria.

A beautiful collector’s edition of a Verne work, sought after both for the quality of its binding and its excellent condition—a state of preservation that has become rare to find more than a century after its publication.

Hetzel Collection.
Illustrated polychrome cardboard binding known as the “elephant” style.
Illustrations by Léon Benett.
In very fine overall condition.