Paul Stapfer - Préface pour une édition de Faust – Tiré à 50 exemplaires – Hommage de l’Auteur – - 1885

Very rare bibliophile edition – total print run only 50 copies.

Paul Stapfer
Preface for a edition of Faust

Paris, D. Jouaust and J. Sigaux, 338 Rue Saint-Honoré.

Exceptionally rare separate edition of the preface to a French edition of Goethe’s Faust. The printer’s note explicitly states:

"TIRÉ À CINQUANTE EXEMPLAIRES"

The entire edition of this independent print was thus limited to only 50 copies.

The volume self-describes as:

"Extrait de l’édition de Faust imprimée et publiée par D. Jouaust et J. Sigaux, Rue Saint-Honoré, 338, à Paris."

Paul Stapfer (1840–1917) was a French literary scholar, essayist, and a prominent Goethe expert. The present pamphlet contains his preface to the French Faust edition and was produced as an independent bibliophile private press with an extremely small edition.

Of particular interest is the note:

"Hommage de l’Auteur"

It identifies the present copy as a homage/presentation copy.

Additionally, the volume contains a heraldic bookplate with a coat of arms and a lion motif, indicating an earlier bibliophile provenance.

The binding is an attractive older bibliophile binding with a light spine or parchment-like texture, gold-stamped monogram, and striking blue-gray-black marbled covers.

The interior is typographically elaborate, including ornamental headbands and decorative initials. The strong, structured paper emphasizes the character of a small private or private-press bibliophile edition.

Antiquarian condition with age-related signs of wear. The paper shows foxing in places or slight discoloration, as clearly documented in the photographs. Also the binding shows age-related signs of wear.

The typographically printed pages overall appear well preserved and cleanly legible. The decorative binding is intact and possesses a distinctly individual bibliophile aura.

The photographs are expressly part of the description and decisive for the assessment of condition, binding, paper, dedication, and equipment.

Private sale

The book comes from my private collection and is being sold by me as a private individual.

The description was prepared to the best of my knowledge based on the available copy and visible bibliographic information. In an antiquarian work, despite careful inspection, undisclosed age-related defects or earlier alterations may exist.

The photographs are expressly part of the description. Please examine them carefully; they document in particular the binding, paper condition, foxing, the handwritten homage, and the print note on the edition.

Private sale with exclusion of warranty for material defects, to the extent permitted by law. No guarantees and no returns. Legal liability for intent and gross negligence as well as for damages resulting from injury to life, body, or health remains unaffected.