JEAN-PAUL VALOIS – BRITISH PULP FICTION AT
ASH RARE BOOKS
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UNITED KINGDOM

London : Edwin Self, [ca.1955]. First edition. “Her inexperience of life coupled with her awakening sense of her own beauty and fascination lead her into dangerous paths ...”. Interesting in that although an earlier Valois title had been involved in Self’s trial on obscenity charges in 1954, the present title was openly issued from his post-prison address. The text is virtually identical to that of “Lovers of Montmartre” by “Michel Lesage”, published a few years earlier, although toned down a little in places and with an altered ending.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers (by Leonard Potts); some mild splitting and wear; tiny corner missing from upper wrapper; a few creases, but a good copy. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. “A fascinating story of the modern Paris underworld with all the romantic and glamorous aspect of life with artist’s models and midinettes”. One of the earliest “Valois” titles and frankly hilarious in its Franglais – “The température inside the room seemed to leap hundreds of degrees! The air was électrique, so that even Danielle Javenne could feel it in the garde-robe ...”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a design by Leonard Potts; a little worn, creased and slightly chipped; text lightly tanned; staples slightly rusted, but a good copy. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. “A fascinating story of the modern Paris underworld with all the romantic and glamorous aspects of life with artist’s models and midinettes” from “one of the newest successes in modern French literature”. This and the rest of the authorial biography – poor boy from Montmartre, served with the Maquis, imprisoned by the Gestapo – is all a complete fiction. Valois was the pseudonym of Lisle Willis, ex-RAF English school-teacher, local councillor and prospective parliamentary candidate. Both he and his publisher, Edwin Self, were tried on bizarre obscenity charges in 1954 and, even more bizarrely, found guilty. Self went to prison, Willis heavily fined and barred for life from teaching (he went into television). For an excellent account of the whole affair see Steve Holland’s “The Big Panic : The Story of Edwin Self and Pedigree Books”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a design by Leonard Potts; spine slightly chipped at tips; small chip to front wrapper, a larger one (approx 4 x 1.5cm) to back wrapper; price inked on to front wrapper; a little worn and creased; text lightly tanned, but a good copy of a scarce and fragile title. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

£40

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London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1953]. First edition. “Throbbing, pulsating, completely alive in every part of its being, the kind of body over which empereurs have fought and kingdoms have been lost”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128p. Original pictorial stapled wrappers; some rubbing, wear and slight splitting to spine; wrappers a little creased and soiled; text a little tanned; a touch of rust to staples; a reasonable copy. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. Ostensibly a translation of “La Belle Corinne : Fille des Boulevards”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design in the distinctive style of Leonard Potts, who produced most of the Corinne covers; some light wear and wrinkling; text lightly tanned; staples a touch rusted; a few slight internal marks, but overall a very good copy. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. Corinne has lost a little weight – “No one could lie at death’s door and not show signs of the angoisse, the souffrance that had been endured!”
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers; some light rubbing and mild wear; a few slight creases; lower wrapper a touch dusty; text lightly tanned, with a few spots; staples a touch rusted, but a better than average copy. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. Ostensibly a translation of “Encore Corinne : Femme de Paris” – the second of the Corinne series.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in typical Corinne style; 3cm chip at foot of spine, with loss of lettering; some creasing, rubbing and wear; text a little tanned, with a few spots; a serviceable copy. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

SOLD