Antique and Vintage Books
How to buy from Pretty Old Home
As a small online business, we aren't currently set up for immediate online sales using credit/debit cards so you need to e-mail us if you see anything you like, and pay by bank transfer or Paypal. Thanks for your understanding.
Items can be collected in-person from south-west London or we're happy to quote on postage costs and mail across this city, country, or across the world!
Antique Book
Antique copy of "Chantecler" from 1924
This is a beautiful 1924 French edition of the famous four-act verse play Chantecler written by Edmond Rostand (the celebrated author of Cyrano de Bergerac). Chantecler is a verse play in four acts where all the characters are farmyard animals including the main protagonist, who is a chantecler (rooster).
Published in Paris in 1924 by Librairie Charpentier et Fasquelle. This copy features a lovely handwritten French dedication on the left flyleaf dated 26 March, 1930, suggesting the book may have been awarded as a school prize for good work, giving it a lovely sense of personal history.
Hardback cover in French with lovely blue and red marbling. 244 pages, all intact and clean. A beautiful and unusual collectible book, ideal for lovers of vintage books, French literature or Edmond Rostand.
Vintage Book Set
Two antique French softcover books
Pair of antique French books with a shabby chic appeal, making it a delightful addition to any book lover's collection. The paperback bindings and original French print date back to the early 1930 and 1940's, adding a unique and authentic touch to any corner of your home
The books are: Quo Vadis (1935) - includes several colour illustrations - published by Librarie Hachette Les Clés du Royaume (1949) - published by Editions du Milieu du Monde
Both show a bit of wear and tear to the covers but all the pages are intact and they're in great condition for 100 year old books!
Antique Book Set
Antique blue French books
This charming small stack of blue antique French books exudes a shabby chic appeal, making it a delightful addition to any book lover's collection. The hardback bindings and original French text date back to the early 1900's, adding a unique and authentic touch to any corner of your home.
The three books included are: Le Temps de Cerises (1942), Le Train de 8h47, La Maitresse et L'Amie (1924)
In great condition for 100 year old books with all the pages intact and the covers in decent condition. Perfect for collectors or those with a passion for antiquarian books.
Antique Book Set
Antique French School Textbooks from 1875, 1876 and 1877
Beautiful set of three antique French school textbooks, published in Paris in the late 19th century, covering French History and Literature.
The set includes: Histoire de France (1875) - Temps Modernes (Modern Times), Histoire de la France (1876) - Histoire Moderne 1453 à 1789 which includes beautiful original fold-out maps, Littérature Française (1877)
These are genuine 19th-century educational books, offering a fascinating glimpse into French education and publishing around 150 years ago.
All three books show expected wear and tear to the original cardboard covers, consistent with their age and use. The pages are intact and generally well preserved. Overall, in great condition for books dating from the 1870s, with plenty of character.
Antique Book Set
Two classic antique books in French by Anatole France
These two leather-bound books in French are a charming matching set by Anatole France. These are readable vintage books, Le Mannequin d’Osier (1924) and L’Anneau d’Amethyste, and both were published by Calmann-Lévy in Paris. Each book is around 19cm tall and 13cm deep.
This beautiful old book set will make a classic addition to your bookshelves or coffee table and they’d also be great for wedding décor, home staging, set decoration and photoshoots, and for Francophiles looking for a touch of vintage France. These hundred-year-old books are in great condition for their age with all pages intact.
Antique Book Set
Three antique black books in French and English from the early 1800’s and 1900’s
These three black hardbacks are readable vintage books in English and French from the early 19th century and 20th century: Hints on Christian Fellowship (1804), Méditations Poétiques par Alphonse de Lamartine (1835 – in French), Civilization in England Volume 1 (1903).
The two books from the 1800’s are both quite rare and the books in this set are from around 16cm to 19cm tall, 12 cm deep and from 1cm to 3cm thick
Antique Book Set
Four matching green antique books in French from the early 1900s
This beautiful old book set, written in French, is a collection of beautifully illustrated, matching green antique novels from the early 1900’s. These charming books are readable French vintage books with stunning sketch illustrations throughout each novel.
The books are: Chonchette, La Tourmente, Les Roches Blanches, Dernieres Lettres des Femmes. None of the books are dated but internet searches would place them all around 1910. The book bundle consists of four books which will cover space/make a stack of 5cm/2inches and they are all around 24cm/9 ½ inches tall.
Antique Book Set
Two antique leather-bound books in French from the 1800’s
Beautiful pair of antique French books from the mid-1800’s with classic brown leatherbound covers, perfect for adding a touch of vintage charm and timeless character to your home.
- Marie Thérèse – Third edition, published by Librairie Internationale, Paris.
- Offices Complets Notés – Partie d’Hiver – Published by Librairie d’Adrien Le Clerc et Cie in 1869, featuring music and songs throughout.
One book is approx. 17cm tall and the other approx. 20cm tall. Both are around 12cm deep. Both books show some age-related wear to the leather covers, adding to their authentic antique character. All pages are intact, and both are in lovely condition considering their age.
Antique Book
Antique French book with cartonnage cover
Beautiful French antique book from 1874, bound in an ornate cartonnage binding, decorated with floral flourishes and geometric rosettes on the front and back covers and spine, exemplifying the high decorative standards of French publishing in the 19th century.
Written in French, this book is La Fille du Meunier or Les Suites de l'Ambition. Purple and black hardback book approx. 20cm x 13cm. 142 pages. Published by Alfred Mame et Fils in Tours, France, in 1874.
In excellent condition for its age. Some wear to the corners and spine but otherwise it's in lovely condition and all the pages are intact. A beautiful example of 19th century French book binding!
Antique Books
Antique French school books from the late 1800’s and early 1900's
Beautiful shabby-chic set of five antique French school textbooks, published in Paris in the late 19th and early century, covering French History, Grammar, and Maths.
The set includes: Cours Complet d'Instruction Elémentaire, Histoire d'Eglise (1878) - Complete Elementary Course, History of the Church; La Première Année de Rédaction et d'Elocution (1896) - First Year Composition and Elocution; Annales du Baccalauréat Mathématiques (1968) - Baccalaureat Mathematics Past Papers; La Troisième Année de Grammaire (1897) - Third Year Grammar; Arithmétique (no date) - Arithmetic
All five books show expected wear and tear to the original covers, consistent with their age and use. The pages are intact and generally well preserved. Overall, they are in great condition with plenty of character and authentic signs of age. A wonderful set for a collector, book lover, historian or lover of antique French books. binding!
Antique Book
Antique French book with cartonnage cover
Beautiful small French antique book from 1850, bound in an ornate cartonnage binding, richly decorated with intricate gold gilt and pale purple flowers on the front and back covers and spine, exemplifying the high decorative standards of French publishing in the mid 19th century.
In the mid 1800's, France produced decorative gilt book bindings and which were known as Cartonnage Romantique, made from stiffened cardboard covered in decorative paper and embossed.
Written in French, this book is Mélanie et Lucette or Les Avantages de l'Education Réligeuse. Gold and lilac hardback book approx. 15cm x 9cm. 140 pages. Published by Ad Mame et Cie in Tours, France, in 1850.
In excellent condition for its age. Some wear to the corners and spine but otherwise it's in lovely condition. A beautiful example of intricate 19th century French book binding!
Antique Book
Antique French book with cartonnage cover
Beautiful small French antique book from the mid-1800's, featuring a gilded cartonnage cover with an image of a ruined castle.
In the mid 1800's, France produced decorative gilt book bindings and which were known as Cartonnage Romantique, made from stiffened cardboard covered in decorative paper and embossed.
Green hardback approx. 13cm x 8cm. Written in French, this is from the Bibliothèque du Premier Age, titled Adrienne ou Le Secret. 64 pages. Published by Barbou Frères in Limoges, France, no publishing date shown but likely to be from the mid-1800's.
In excellent condition for its age. Some wear to the corners and spine, but the small image on the cover is in good condition and all the pages are clean and intact. A beautiful example of 19th century French book binding!
Antique Book
Antique French book with cartonnage cover
Beautiful small French antique book from the mid-1800's, featuring a gilded cartonnage cover with an image of a countryside path leading to a castle.
Small blue hardback approx. 15cm x 9cm. Written in French, the book is Hirlanda, Comtesse de Bretagne by Chanoine C. Schmid. 142 pages. Published by Langlois et Leclercq in Paris, France, no publishing date shown but likely to be from the mid-1800's.
In excellent condition for it's age. Some wear to the corners and spine and part of the small image on the cover, but otherwise it's in lovely condition and all the pages are clean and intact. A beautiful example of 19th century French book binding!
