1886 First French Hetzel “Initiales” Edition - Jules Verne, Un Billet de Loterie
Author: Jules Verne. Illustrated by George Roux.
Title: Un Billet de Loterie. Le Numéro 9672. Suivi de Frritt-Flacc.
Publisher: Paris: Bibliothèque d’Éducation et de Récréation, J. Hetzel et Cie, 18 rue Jacob, 1886. First Hetzel “Initiales” Edition.
Language: Text in French.
Size: 10.5 x 7 inches (25 x 18 cm).
Pages: 198 pages + pub;isher's catalogue (DF)..
Binding: Attractive and very good magnificent publisher’s red percaline cloth (“Hetzel “Initiales” Edition”) with elaborate black and gilt decoration. The front cover features concentric Greek key and floral gilt frames, with gilt medallions enclosing the author’s initials “JV” above and publisher’s “JH” below. Spine gilt-decorated and lettered; rear cover with black circular ornamental motif (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown, spine slightly faded - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt, blue-grey endpapers.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, some light foxing mainly on the preliminary pages and toning typical of Hetzel’s paper stock - as shown, early owner’s neat ink signature appears at the upper corner of the title page - as shown).
Illustrations: Illustrated with 42 engravings by George Roux, including a frontispiece and a detailed map of southern Norway engraved by Erhard. Fine printing and contrast throughout, typical of Hetzel’s high production standards.
Estimate: (USD 400 – 600).
The book: A superb example of the Grand in-8 illustré Hetzel edition of Un Billet de Loterie (Le Numéro 9672), pairing Verne’s captivating Norwegian tale with the macabre short story Frritt-Flacc. Both texts explore chance, fate, and the human spirit—one through the innocence of a lottery adventure, the other through the haunting voice of nature itself.
This 1886 issue represents the first Hetzel “Initiales” edition, distinguished by the gilt monograms “JV” and “JH” within circular medallions and the use of blue-grey endpapers. The DF catalogue confirms this as a contemporary first-issue state. Remarkably bright, this copy retains its gilded brilliance and sharp impressions—an uncommon survival, as many Hetzel bindings show significant rubbing or fading.
The author: Jules Verne (1828–1905) was the unrivaled pioneer of literary exploration. Through his Voyages extraordinaires, he aimed “to depict all the earth, all the sky, and all the sea.” Un Billet de Loterie (1886) captures his fascination with moral fortune and the social fabric of the North, offering readers both adventure and reflection on human integrity.
The illustrator: George Roux (1853–1929), one of Hetzel’s most accomplished artists, illustrated more than twenty of Verne’s works. His engravings combine realism and lyricism, perfectly capturing the landscapes and character emotions of Verne’s Scandinavian setting. The frontispiece scene—an emblem of destiny unfurled across a waterfall—is among the most striking of his career.