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USIANA is pleased to announce its upcoming auction featuring an exceptional selection of rare books, historical maps, fine bindings, photography, and posters. This sale, centered on French culture and history, includes materials spanning the 17th to 20th centuries, offering significant literary, artistic, and historical pieces. Among the notable listings are a 1705 edition of *Heures Nouvelles*, a religious text with elaborate engravings, and an 1801 *La Henriade* by Voltaire, printed using Firmin Didot’s stereotype method.
Additionally, the catalogue includes significant visual and artistic works, such as early copperplate engravings, fine book bindings, and hand-drawn illustrations also an important Alphonse Mucha print, Gismonda, for Sarah Bernhardt . Another noteworthy entry are two copperplate engravings of King Louis XIII from the mid-17th century and an oval miniature portrait of King Louis XVI signed Friedrich Jakob Hill . The auction also features historic maps and posters, including a large 1900 *Panorama de Paris* exposition map and a set of early 20th-century tourist maps published by the French government.
Photography also plays a prominent role in the collection, with a series of vintage Cannes Film Festival photographs taken by Mario Marquet in the 1950s. These images capture iconic figures such as Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren, Cary Grant, and Jean Cocteau, documenting a glamorous era in film history. Several images highlight festival moments, celebrity interactions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of cinematic history.
Lastly, the catalogue includes historical military documents, such as World War I and II requisition posters for mules and military personnel, along with a 1921 French military requisition order for vehicles. These artifacts provide insights into the logistical efforts of wartime France. Overall, the auction offers a diverse and valuable assortment of books, prints, photographs, and historical memorabilia that would appeal to collectors of fine art, literature, and history.