At the Sign of the Reine Pédauque

London: John Lane: The Bodley Head, 1922. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 10" by 6.5". Frank C. Papé. The first English edition and first illustrated edition of Anatole France's historical novel, with illustrations by Frank C. Papé. The first English edition and first illustrated edition of this work in the publisher's original cloth binding, with pictorial gilt to the front board. Small bookplate of the North of England School Furnishing Company to the front paste down. Illustrated with an illustration to the paste downs and endpapers, a frontispiece and eleven plates. Collated, complete. A historical novel, first published in 1893, which tells of the struggles of the young Jacques Ménétrier at the beginning of the 18th century. It was written by the French journalist and author Anatole France (1844-1924), who won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Literature. This edition was translated by Mrs. Wilfrid Jackson, and illustrated throughout by William J. Locke. 2 pages of publisher's advertisements to the rear. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally smart, with just some light shelf wear to the extremities and rear board. Front hinge is slightly strained but is held firmly. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean except for the odd spot to the first and last few pages. Very Good