CHAM (pseudonym of Amédée de Noé) — Nos Gentils Hommes a Gout

Paris: Chez Aubert & Cie., [1846]. The Pleasures of Youth.. Young Parisian Gentlemen At Play CHAM (pseudonym of Amédée de Noé). Nos Gentils Hommes a Gout. Tournure, Elégance, Moeurs et Plaisirs de la Jeunesse Dorée. Par Cham Paris: Chez Aubert & Cie. n.d. [1846]. First (only) edition, complete. Folio (13 1/4 x 9 7/8 inches; 336 x 250 mm.). Hand-colored lithographed title page and twenty hand-colored lithographed plates. Pictorial lithographed advertisement and Aubert et Cie. catalogue (16 pp.) at rear. Original pictorial lithographed green boards. Later dark green pebbled cloth spine and endpapers. Board edges and corners a little rubbed, some light, mainly marginal foxing. Small repaired tear to outer margin of lithographed advertisement leaf. An excellent example. With the bookplate of Joel Spitz on front paste-down. Provenance: purchased in Paris, 1947. Rare, with OCLC recording only six copies in institutional holdings worldwide, and no auction records since 1923. We have only seen one other copy of this title. A satire of the bustle, behavior, customs, and pleasures of young, Parisian gentlemen - golden youth. Of Amédée de Noé, "known as Cham (that is, Ham, the son of Noah)..it was said that he had 'an idea a day' for Le charivari. A good proportion of his thousands of lithographs were gathered into albums. His contributions to the Album du siège (173), in which Daumier was his collaborator, are typical of his work" (Ray, pp. 155-156). The Plates: 1. Ne vous effrayez pas! 2. Un objet de prix pour ne rien prendre 3. Fol de carrossier. 4. Un maitre dans une peau de domestique. 5. Des gages fabuleux. 6. Ton vicomte est un cuistre! 7. Pauvre créancier! 8. L'ami de coeur. 9. Tiens! C'est le m'sieu du château! 10. Palsambleu quél bon petit chic!! 11. L'etat d'heritier a bien ses charges! 12. Monsieur le baron après souper. 13. Prenez y garde, John! 14. Un ci-devant. 15. Tachez donc de faire aller mes cheveux! 16, Le tir des pigeons. 17. Oh he! Ce cavalier! Ohe! 18. Bravo Marquis! Tu arrives le premier. 19. Dieu! La belle chasse. 20. Au diable les préjugés!.