1862 – Les Misérables – Victor Hugo | First Edition, Bruxelles Lacroix Printing

As a novelist, poet, playwright, and essayist, Victor Hugo is often considered the greatest French writer of all time, with his works being translated into dozens of languages and adapted for stage, radio, and film. One of his most famous works is Les Misérables, the story of a reformed convict who tries to outrun and atone for his past, culminating during the Paris Uprising of 1832. With deep themes of redemption versus law, French antimonarchism, and the nature of different kinds of love, the work has been dearly beloved since its first publication in 1862. While there is some debate over which publisher chronologically their printing released first, Hugo stated that the Brussels edition, published by Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Cie, should be considered the “editio princeps,” or the version upon which all other editions should be modeled. This 5-volume duodecimo edition was released just a few months after the first Octavo printing and is considered quite rare and valuable.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Les Misérables
• Author: Victor Hugo
• Publisher: Bruxelles: A. Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Cie
• Edition: First Duodecimo Edition, 1862
• Binding: Half leather with marbled boards
• Format: Duodecimo (12mo), 10 volumes in 5 tomes
• Size: ~ 7.25in × 5in (18.5cm × 12.5cm)
• Collation: Each volume individually paginated
• Contents Include:
  • Fantine
  • Cosette
  • Marius
  • Rue St. Denis
  • Jean Valjean

Condition:

Very Good. The red Moroccan leather spines show very slight edgewear, and the marbled boards are mildly rubbed, most notably at the corners. All hinges are intact and secure, and the text blocks are tight. The pages are clean and complete if mildly age-toned with some scattered foxing. All title pages present.

Why Collect This?

• A First Edition of Les Misérables in the original French
• Lacroix Brussels edition, Hugo’s preferred publisher
• Beautiful showcase binding

Item Number: #31318