Oulipo - Unoriginal Sins

DEUX POEMES DE GEORGE PEREC. 1980. A NUMBERED COPY FROM THE EDITION OF 400.

paul robertson — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 08:40:57 +0000

Paris: Tschann Libraire, 1980

11 x 15.5cm, 4pp. A stand alone publication of two poems by Perec taken from his book La Cloture et Autre Poemes which was issued as a new year gift for clients. Each is hand numbered from an edition of 400 copies. Slightly browned in areas due to sunning but else VG+. Scarce.

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LA DISPARITION. 1969. SIGNED AND DEDICATED FIRST EDITION. THE NOVEL WITHOUT AN “E”! WITH PUBLISHER’S PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET.

paul robertson — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:14:58 +0000

Paris: Denoel, 1969
22 x 16cm, 320pp. Original wrappers. The first edition of this oulipou work where Perec wrote the entire novel without the use of the letter "e" (a feat even more difficult in French, of course).

Perec had previously written experimental novels using selected passages taken wholesale from other works (proceeding today's 'sampling' and 'remixing' culture by decades) and "The disappearance" is his greatest work - the self-referential title and genuine plot making the work valuable as literature as well as a tricky writing task.

Interestingly, the absence of the letter "e" from a short speech was often the topic of a parlour game in the Perec household during the time of the book's construction.

Copies of the first edition of the book are exceptionally hard to find and dedicated and signed books given to friends are even more so. By the way, the handwritten dedication found here on the half-title required the use of five "e"s! Near fine.

JOINT:

Paris: Denoel, 1969
16 x 10cm, 2pp black on blue typographic promotional leaflet issued by the publisher to promote the book. Annoyingly the ttext uses the letter "e" liberally. Slight fading else VG.

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EXERCICES DE STYLE. 1950.

paul robertson — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 09:41:09 +0000

Paris: NRF, 1950
18.5 x 12cm, 200pp plus original wrappers. The scarce first edition of this early Oulipo related work - the thirty-three essays inside the book try on a variety of styles and rules as per the title might well indicate. The paper is slightly browned and there is a small 1.5cm tear on one side only of the spine with no paper loss. An unnumbered copy aside from the numbered du tete.

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PETIT TRAITE INVITANT A LA DECOUVERTE DE L’ART SUBTIL DU GO. 1969.

paul robertson — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:08:45 +0000

Paris: C. Bourgois, 1969

20 x 12cm, 150pp. Original wrappers. First edition of this landmark collaborative systematic work, which is structured by the ruling principles of the addictive Japanese board game Go. No large paper or "du tete" copies of this title were issued. A close to fine example of this essential Oulipo classic. Scarce.

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AN INCOMPLETE BUT INTERESTING RUN OF BOOKS FROM THE BIBLIOTHIQUE OULIPIENNE – 18 NUMBERS IN TOTAL. 1978 – 2004.

paul robertson — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 18:54:26 +0000

The oulipo tradition (founded in 1960 and later some-times regarded as a sub-commission of the college de pataphysique in 1961 although always with a life of its own with independent activity around Georges Perec and other intellectuals) was continued in France mostly through the publications of the Bibliothique Oulipienne. Small runs of pamphlets by a variety of authors were published privately - usually in editions of no more than 200 copies.

Various reprints of original texts and new works by the main proponents of self-imposed limits on language were published. Here we offer the following numbers from the series - some quite rare.

Nr 12 Arnauld SOUVENIRS D'UN VIEIL OULIPIEN. One of only 191 numbered copies printed. N.d. (c. 1978) 21.5 x 15cm.

Nr 31 Queval INSECTE CONTEMPLANT LA PREHISTOIRE An unnumbered copy aside from the 200 numbered copies printed. 1985. The format changed here for a while to 21.5 x 13cm, with printed dust jacket.

Nr 32 Queval ECRITS SUR MESURE. An unnumbered copy aside from the 200 numbered copies printed. 1985 21.5 x 13cm, dust jacket.

Nr 34 Metail FILIGRANES. An unnumbered copy aside from the 200 numbered copies printed. 1986 21.5 x 13cm, dust jacket.

Nr 35 Metail CINQUANTE POEMES OSCILLATOIRES. An unnumbered copy aside from the 200 numbered copies printed. 1986 21.5 x 13cm, dust jacket.

Nr 36 Lescure ULTRA CREPIDAM. An unnumbered copy aside from the 200 numbered copies printed. 1986 21.5 x 13cm, dust jacket.

Nr 53 Roubaud LE VOYAGE D'HIER One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1992 the format by this issue has returned to 21.5 x 15cm.

Nr 55 Oulipo Group AUTRE MORALES ELEMENTAIRES One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1992

Nr 57 UNE SOIREE OULIPIENNE One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1992

Nr 58 Braffort TRENTE-QUATRE BRAZZLES One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1992

Nr 63 Arnauld GERARD GENETTE ET L'OULIPO One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1993

Nr 66 Roubard N-INE AUTREMENT DIT QUENINE (ENCORE) One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1993

Nr 70 Oulipo Group BIBLIOTHEQUES INVISIBLES, TOUJOURS One of only 200 numbered copies printed..1994

Nr 73 Pastior SPEILREGEL, WILDWULCHS, TRANSLATION One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1994

Nr 75 Grangaud FORMES DE L'ANAGRAMME One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1995

Nr 78 Jouet UNE CHAMBRE CLOSE One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 1996

Nr 135 Jouet DU MONOSTIQUE One of only 200 numbered copies printed. 2004

All very good to near fine although a good number are showing some rusting to staples.

PRICE IS FOR ALL 18 NUMBERS AS A GROUP ALTHOUGH WE MAY SPLIT UP THE COLLECTION - DO ENQUIRE

The post AN INCOMPLETE BUT INTERESTING RUN OF BOOKS FROM THE BIBLIOTHIQUE OULIPIENNE – 18 NUMBERS IN TOTAL. 1978 – 2004. appeared first on Unoriginal Sins.

ROUGE GRENADE. 1976. ONE OF ONLY 38 COPIES.

paul robertson — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:33:35 +0000

Roman. Paris: Grasset, 1976

21.4 x 13.8cm, 235pp. Original wrappers. First edition of this Oulipo novel. One of only 14 hors commerce ('du tete') copies, apart from the numbered issue of ONLY 24 on verge. A fine and uncut example of this uncommon work.

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LE RETOUR AU PAYS (FRAGMENTS). 1968.

paul robertson — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:45:39 +0000

Paris: Gallimard, 1968

20.5 x 14cm, 60pp. Original wrappers. First edition of this collection of Oulipo text experiments by the author. Bens was responsible for the uniquely entertaining mathematics-based poem generating systems 'Inventories' and 'Irrational Sonnets'. This copy from the numbered issue. A fine example.

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