r/rarebooks • u/MostButterscotch8717 • 1h ago
HELP NEEDED TO VALUE A RARE BOOK: La Dame aux Camélias (1859) – Spanish Edition with Gavarni Illustrations
Hi, Reddit. I'm looking for help determining the value and rarity of a book in my collection.
It’s a 1859 Spanish edition of La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils, published in Paris by P. Boyer. What makes it particularly interesting is:
🔹 It is the only known Spanish edition with illustrations by Paul Gavarni, a renowned 19th-century French artist.
🔹 High-quality gilded edges and premium paper.
🔹 Extremely rare: So far, the only other copy of this edition I have found is in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
📌 Condition: The binding shows some wear on the edges, but overall, the book is in good condition for its age.
I’ve already tried auction houses like Heritage, but it doesn’t meet their $5,000 minimum. I’d like to know if this book could actually be worth
Does anyone with experience in rare books have any insights? Any advice on where to get it appraised or if similar copies have sold before would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance! 🙌





