La  bibliothèque de l'écrivain d'origine russe Vladimir Nabokov forment le thème de deux ventes, qui auront lieu à Paris le 28 avril et à Genève le 5 mai.

A Genève, la dispersion de la bibliothèque de Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977) compte une centaine d'ouvrages autour d'une trentaine de titres, ses propres œuvres, leurs traductions et parutions successives, enrichies d'envois autographes à son épouse et à son fils. Beaucoup sont ornés de son ex- libris, le dessin d'un papillon qu'il appose sur ses livres, certains à l'encre, d'autres au crayon de couleur ou au stylo-bille. Son roman phare, Lolita, dont la première publication déclenche un véritable scandale, apporte une gloire mondiale à l'écrivain. Ecrit en anglais, le roman paraît d'abord en France en 1955. Il faut attendre 1958 pour la première édition américaine, agrémentée d'un envoi à son fils Dmitri et d'un ravissant papillon au corps charnu, dont le dessin est particulièrement soigné (80 000- 100 000 €). Un an plus tard, Nabokov dédicace l'édition anglaise à sa femme Vera en caractères cyrilliques. Une chenille et une chrysalide sur un brin d'herbe tiennent co! mpagnie au papillon traditionnel, ici au stylo-bille et au crayon de couleur (60 000-80 000 €).

Catherine Bedel

Restif de la Bretonne & propos amoureux, mercredi 28 avril, maison de vente Artcurial, hôtel Dassault, 7, rond-point des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris ; tél. : 01-42-99-20-20. Exposition sur place du 23 au 27 avril de 11 heures à 18 heures. Expert : Pierre Berès ; tél. : 01-45-61-00-99. Bibliothèque Nabokov, mercredi 5 mai, hôtel des Bergues, Genève. Exposition du 26 au 30 avril de 10 heures à 18 heures, à l'Espace Tajan, 37, rue des Mathurins, 75008 Paris ; tél. : 01-53-30-30-30. Expert : Alain Nicolas ; tél. : 01-43-26-38-71.

The erotic literature and the library of the Russian writer of origin Vladimir Nabokov form the topic of two sales, which will take place in Paris on April 28 and Geneva on May 5.

The first, entitled "Restif of Breton & matter in love" , proposes works of the most various authors, of the XVI ^E to the XIX ^E century, of which a whole of books of and on Nicolas Edme Restif of Breton (1734-1806).

 Theorist of the licence and militant of sexual freedom, this prolific author writes tens of novels and accounts on light manners of his time. One of its first books, appeared in 1766, the Foot of Fanchette (150 ¬ in an edition of 1881), lance its reputation. Mr Nicolas, or the revealed human heart , considered as its most significant work, is an autobiographical account where it pays homage to his multiple mistresses, amantes and friends, quoting nearly five hundred loved women (300 ¬ with 500 ¬ in editions of the XIX ^E century, 60 ¬ in those of the beginning of the XX ^E ).

At the modern time, Pierre Louÿs (1870-1925), poet novelist and storyteller, remain the erotic author most known. Friend of Gide, Valéry and Wilde, it is related to the Symbolist medium and is success thanks to Aphrodite , published in 1896 (original edition 2 000 ¬). Its first licencieux text, Manuel of civility for the small girls for the use of the houses of education , appeared after his death in 1926 (original edition 1 500 ¬), was condemned in 1951 and 1954: it is about the sulfurous parody of a work allotted to Mrs. de Maintenon, Conseils and instructions with the young ladies. The topic of the erotism lending itself quite naturally to the graphic expression, this sale offers a broad choice of illustrated books, and many batches whose estimates range between 30 ¬ and 150 ¬.

In Geneva, the dispersion of the library of Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977) account a hundred works around about thirty titles, its own works, their translations and successive publications, enriched by sendings autographs to its wife and her son. Much is decorated sound ex- libris, the drawing of a butterfly which it affixes on its books, some with ink, others with the colouring pencil or the ballpoint pen. Its novel headlight, Lolita , whose first publication starts a true scandal, brings a world glory to the writer. Written in English, the novel appears initially in France in 1955. It is necessary to wait until 1958 for the first American edition, decorated of a sending to his Dmitri son and of one ravissant butterfly to the body charnu, of which the drawing is particularly neat (80 000- 100 000 ¬) later. One year, Nabokov dedication the English edition with his Vera wife in Cyrillic characters. A caterpillar and a chrysalis on a grass bit hold company with the tra! ditional butterfly, here with the ballpoint pen and the colouring pencil (60 000-80 000 ¬).

Catherine Bedel

Restif of Breton & matter in love , Wednesday April 28, house of Artcurial sale, Dassault hotel, 7, roundabout of the Fields-Elysées, 75008 Paris; Tel.: 01-42-99-20-20. Exposure on the spot from the 23 to the 11 hours April 27 to 18 hours. Expert: Pierre Berès; Tel.: 01-45-61-00-99. Nabokov library, Wednesday May 5, hotel of Bergues, Geneva. Exposure from the 26 to the 10 hours April 30 to 18 hours, to Tajan Space, 37, street of Mathurins, 75008 Paris; Tel.: 01-53-30-30-30. Expert: Alain Nicolas; Tel.: 01-43-26-38-71.