DROZ Gustave Monsieur, Madame & Bébé, édition illustrée par Edmond Morin et ornée d’un portrait de l’auteur en frontispice gravé par Léopold Flameng.

Clouzot, 91 ; Monod, I, 3921 ; Talvard & Place, IV, 324, I.B ; Vicaire, III, 295-296.

First illustrated edition.

Autograph inscription on front cover: "A mon vieux camarade Louis David".

He was a regular contributor to the same publications as Gustave Droz, notably L'Autographe au Salon.

Monsieur, Madame et bébé was a huge success from the first publication, with no fewer than 20 editions in 1867, the year following the original, and as many as 116 in 1882. These were in fact some of the articles Droz had published in La Vie parisienne.

Barbey d'Aurevilly devoted a long article to the work on 20 June 1866, praising the author and his story, particularly the last part: Bébé. He was quick to point out the sensuality of Droz's writing in a comparison with La Bruyère : "Malgré ses mérites incontestés, je ne crois pas que La Bruyère ait eu jamais celui de lacer un corset à personne et de remettre une épingle en place, tandis que M. Gustave Droz, lui, au contraire, habille, déshabille, et réhabille [sic], épingle et désépingle et ré-épingle avec une incomparable supériorité ! " (Le Nain Jaune, 20 juin 1866, p.2-3).

A very fine copy, beautifully illustrated.