Purchased from Sotheby's France in 2023 (AM 2025-064).
During 2025 processing, materials were maintained in the organization in which they were received from the dealer.
Almost all of these documents were gifted by Violette Leduc to Jacques Guérin, who bequeathed them to a friend in March 1992, before his own death in 2000.
Collection processed and described by Lauren C. Williams in February 2025, incorporating description provided by the dealer. Appraisal note added by Lauren C. Williams in August 2025.
Consists of correspondence and literary manuscripts that document the work of feminist writer Violette Leduc (1907-1972). The collection was compiled by Jacques Guérin (1902-2000), her principal patron whom she met through Jean Genet in 1947. It contains 512 letters, notes, and postcards exchanged by the two. Other correspondents represented in the collection include Simone de Beauvoir, Madelaine Castaing, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Pauvert, Yvon Bélaval, and Jean Genet.
Leduc's letters to Guérin evoke her profession as a writer, struggles with the blank page, setbacks during the 1954 censorship of Ravages, feelings of persecution, illnesses, literary or friendly encounters, and other topics. The letters to Guérin also tell of her travels, including to central and southern France in 1951 and to Italy and Holland in 1954. The letters from Jacques Guérin often seek to comfort Leduc and encourage her work.
Various versions of Leduc's literary texts that appear in the collection include novels, short stories, and several articles. The novels represented in the collection are: Ravages, Thérèse et Isabelle, La Vieille Fille et le Mort, Trésors à Prendre, and La Folie en Tête. Manuscripts of short stories include La Barbaroux and Cher Blitz. There are also manuscript drafts of 7 articles written for Vogue, Vogue America, Vogue France, and other publications. Many of the manuscript and typescript literary works contain corrections and additions, and amongst the manuscripts are unpublished passages and articles.
The collection is open for research.
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under
Eight first editions of Leduc publications were separated out of the collection during 2025 processing.
Jacques Guérin was a French perfume magnate who met Violette Leduc through Jean Genet in 1947. Guérin supported Leduc's literary career by helping her financially, publishing her first novels and buying some of her manuscripts.
Violette Leduc was a French author known for her contributions to feminist and lesbian literature during the post-World War II era. She was born in 1907 in Arras, Pas de Calais, France. Her mother, Berthe Leduc, was employed as a servant by the wealthy Protestant family of her father, André Debaralle, who refused to acknowledge Violette as his daughter. Following her mother's marriage to another man, Leduc attended boarding school but was expelled after facing discrimination based on her romantic relationships with other women. She moved to Paris in 1925 and attended the Lycée Racine briefly before dropping out to work for Plon publishing company. During this period, she had long-term overlapping relationships with Denise Hertgès, her partner of nine years and former teacher, and Jacques Mercier, whom she briefly married. Leduc's influential friendship with writer Maurice Sachs began in 1938, and she moved with him in 1942 to Normandy, where she worked as a black market trader and began to write seriously during World War II. In 1945, she met Simone de Beauvoir, who became an important literary mentor and friend who supported Leduc's writing by editing her work, helping her find a publisher, and introducing her to others in her literary circle, including Jean Genet. Éditions Gallimard published Leduc's first novel, L'Asphyxie, in 1946, though they censored part of her novel Ravages (1955), which was later published as Thérèse et Isabelle (1966). She remains best known for La Bâtarde (1964), a formally inventive autobiography that became a bestseller and object of fascination in the press based on its erotic content and discussion of topics that were then seen as culturally taboo, such as lesbian relationships, abortion, and children born outside of marriage. Leduc continued to publish fiction and autobiographical works until shortly before her death from cancer in 1972.
Consists primarily of correspondence between Violette Leduc and Jacques Guérin, namely 512 letters, notes, and postcards exchanged between them. There are also letters from other correspondents, such as Simone de Beauvoir, Madelaine Castaing, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Pauvert, Yvon Bélaval, and Jean Genet, among others.
Set of 368 letters and notes (426 leaves), with 53 post cards, and 16 envelopes, mostly addressed to Jacques Guérin (341 letters and notes in 404 leaves, 47 postcards, 2 telegrams), also with some missives addressed to a few other correspondents: 7 letters and a postcard to Mme. Guérin, 4 letters to Madeleine Castaing or her husband, 1 letter to Jean Cocteau, 13 letters and notes + 4 postcards to Jean Boy (Jacques Guérin's boyfriend). 70 of these letters are published in Violette Leduc, Correspondance, 1945-1972, Gallimard, Les cahiers de la N.R.F., 2007.
113 letters and 8 autograph and signed notes (in 129 leaves), 1 postcard, 3 telegrams; 50 envelopes. One of the notes bears the printing instructions for Thérèse et Isabelle: "printed in 25 numbered copies. The first 20 given to Violette. The last 5 kept by me. 3 copies privately printed. 1 to Jean Lemmermans (?), 1 to Brimond". Also includes: 1 telegram from Jean Guérin, brother of Jacques (1 leaf ); 1 letter from the painter Paolo Vallorz (July 5, 1965, 1 leaf ); 10 letters and 4 notes from Jean Boy to Violette Leduc (14 leaves with 11 envelopes); 1 letter to an unidentified addressee (December 17, 1947, 1 leaf ); 1 signed typed letter to Mme Maisonneuve, a friend of Violette Leduc's mother (July 10, 1972, 1 leaf, 2 pages); an envelope containing leaves from "Lierre de Luzarches".
10 autograph letters signed (10 pages), 3 postcards and 2 envelopes. The letters evoke Sachs, Simone de Beauvoir, her health when she was very ill in 1956, and the possibilities of seeing each other during a Giacometti exhibition or at a restaurant. Feeling alone, she had the impression that her friend was neglecting her.
Held by Fourcade Bookshop (Paris) before Sotheby's.
2 autograph letters signed from Violette Leduc's mother, one to her daughter, the other to Jacques Guérin.
2 pages on one leaf. Regarding a rumor that Jacques Guérin had never helped Leduc during her health problems, a rumor that Simone de Beauvoir had not denied. The writer apologizes for not mentioning Guérin's support. Also includes several typewritten copies of letters relative to this misunderstanding: 2 typewritten copies of letters from Jacques Guérin to Simone de Beauvoir (4 pages); 1 typewritten copy of a letter from Simone de Beauvoir to Jacques Guérin (1 page); 1 typewritten copy of a letter from Violette Leduc to Paolo Vallorz (1 page) and 2 copies of his response (1 page each); 2 typewritten copies of a letter addressed to Jacques Guérin and Paolo Vallorz (1 page each). References: Violette Leduc, Correspondance, 1945-1972, Gallimard, Les cahiers de la N.R.F., 2007, p. 405, note 5.
Contains: 10 letters from Pauvert to Guérin (1 manuscript, the others typewritten). They mainly concern the increase in costs of publishing which were caused by Violette Leduc's corrections and the increase in the number of pages, publishing estimates, the final page proof and details of sale. Jean Genet, who took the liberty of speaking to the publisher in the name of Jacques Guérin, is also mentioned. One of the letters gives the estimate for the printing (November 15, 1947); Typewritten copies of 3 letters from Jacques Guérin to Pauvert (3 leaves); The publishing contracts, dated November 8, 1948, signed by Jacques Guérin and Jean-Jacques Pauvert. The contract mentions the number of copies and the paper on which they were to be printed; 1 page of corrected proofs of L'Affamée (1 leaf, p. 24 of the printed text); 4 receipts for Jacques Guérin's financing, signed by the publisher (3 manuscripts, 1 typescript); 6 documents relating to the printing and the breakdown of the sale of the copies (letterhead of the "éditions Morihien" and the other "éditions du Palimurge"); a typescript note with annotations by Guérin; 2 letters from a collaborator of Pauvert to Violette Leduc (one manuscript from September 16, the other typewritten from May 22, 1948).
Letter signed by Jean Genet on single sheet.
Letter signed by Jean Cocteau on single sheet.
Consists of manuscripts of novels, short stories, and articles written by Leduc. The novels represented in the series are: Ravages, Thérèse et Isabelle, La Vieille Fille et le Mort, Trésors à Prendre, and La Folie en Tête. Manuscripts of short stories include La Barbaroux and Cher Blitz. Also contains manuscript drafts of 7 articles written for Vogue, Vogue America, Vogue France, and other publications.
Spiral notebook, 55 leaves 32mo. Ink and black pencil. Notes for the revision of a typewritten text with indications on pagination. She writes sentences that she wanted to modify or insert and also notes stylistic or compositional indications.
With corrections and additions. 310 pages (4to, 173 manuscript pages with typewritten recto, 80 leaves are completely manuscript, 57 leaves only typescript), including 14 manuscript leaves from 8vo graph paper notebooks.
28 manuscript pages on 28 leaves, notebook graph paper, 8vo in leaves. Extracts of Ravages, copied for Jacques Guérin.
17 manuscript pages on 17 leaves torn from a graph paper notebook, 8vo. Autograph inscription signed to Jacques Guérin on the last page. Extracts of Ravages, copied for Jacques Guérin: "Extract of the third part of the manuscript, copied for Jacques wed December 24, 1953, my modest Christmas present" (p. 17). This passage of the abortion would be censored by Gallimard, at a time when the pratice was prohibited (Carlo Jansiti, Violette Leduc, biographie, Paris, Grasset, 1999, p. 269-270).
313 8vo pages, bound in one 8vo volume (blue box with border, gilt title, binding signed Alix). Autograph inscription signed to Jacques Guérin, April 7, 1955 (Violette Leduc's birthday). The pages are printed on the recto only, with: 2 manuscript pages mounted, 4to format, folded over, one letter from the Editions Gallimard (typescript, April 5, 1955, 1 page 4to, mounted headpiece), concerning unsold copies of L'Affamée that Violette Leduc can buy back. Inscribed by Jacques Guérin, in 1996. With three flower and/or leaf pressings laid in.
11 manuscript notebooks. Unpublished manuscript of the first part, different from the one published. Many pages stuck together. Autograph inscription signed to Jacques Guérin on the first notebook.
145 leaves written on recto only. Autograph inscription signed to Jacques Guérin on the title page, March 20, 1955. It is this typescript which was submitted for publication to Gallimard, who would refuse to publish it. After this refusal, Violette Leduc offered the text to Jacques Guérin, who would have it published in a deluxe version in a very limited number.
14 manuscript pages, on 14 paginated leaves. Graph paper, the first 12 leaves are slightly narrower. References: Carlo Jansiti, Violette Leduc, biography, Paris, Grasset, 1999, p. 365
3 manuscript pages on 3 leaves, 8vo, taken from a graph paper notebook, paginated 1 to 3. Signed p. 3.
259 pages, 162 leaves, paginated 1 to 183. Numerous corrections, crossed out passages, additions to several versos. Many pages are completely crossed off. Some passages (especially pages 45, 49 or 102) had probably been underlined or crossed off in black ink by Simone de Beauvoir.
This manuscript had been in temporary deposit at the IMEC since 1989, but was recovered by the its owner before being sold as part of this collection by Sotheby's.
199 pages, 199 leaves, signed, with a few autograph corrections in ink.
11 manuscript notebooks (507 pages, 417 leaves), 5 typescript pages with autograph corrections. Travel journal written in 1951 on the advice of Simone de Beauvoir, and which would be printed in 1960. Autograph inscription signed to Simone de Beauvior.
This manuscript had been in temporary deposit at the IMEC since 1989, but was recovered by the its owner before being sold as part of this collection by Sotheby's.
31 manuscript or typescript leaves corrected (10 manuscript pages, 21 typewritten pages). Two signatures on the leaves numbered 41 and 51. Numerous corrections, manuscript additions, whole pages crossed out. With discontinuous pagination and presenting typewritten transcriptions of her manuscript notebooks, and passages rewritten by hand. This manuscript of Trésors à prendre includes a page of Thérèse et Isabelle bearing the mention "type this page separately", intended for the typist. A leaf includes a list of places that Simone de Beauvoir had advised her to visit on her travels.
546 pages, 4to, a few 8vo, with discontinuous pagination. The pages are mixed up, and this manuscript does not present the complete text.
Offered in 1986 to the owner working with Sotheby's by Claude Dehous, Violette Leduc's niece.
820 pages, 4to (paginated from 1 to 890). Corrected document by Violette Leduc, with notes from the proofreaders at Gallimard. Complete text of the volume.
Offered in 1986 to the owner working with Sotheby's by Claude Dehous, Violette Leduc's niece.
29 leaves, graph paper, yellowed, 29 pages. Signed "Violette Leduc" on the last leaf. Short story published in Les Temps modernes (n° 65, March 1951, p. 1592-1606).
Complete autograph manuscript. 13 leaves, 8vo, graph paperSigned. Short story published in Les Temps modernes (n° 80, June 1952, p. 2288-2293).
4 leaves. Signed. Circa 1951. A transvestite character. Her reflections on a cross-dressing character were used again with variations, in Trésors à prendre. She had met this cross-dresser character in 1951 during her travels to central and southern France, on the advice of Simone de Beauvoir. Marked by Jacques Guérin, October 18, [19]86.
7 pages with many corrections; this manuscript is written on the recto of typewritten pages taken from Ravages, devoted to Thérèse et Isabelle (3 of the typewritten pages are paginated 31, 63 and 64). Account in the form of a letter written to Jacques Guérin's dog. The typescript on the back has autograph corrections. Also includes 2 corrected typed transcriptions of the letter. Reference: text published in Carlo Jansiti, Violette Leduc, biographie, Paris, Grasset, 1999, p. 472-475.
6 paginated leaves, 12 pages. Text by Marcel Proust on Rembrandt, copied for Jacques Guérin.
Autograph manuscript. 8 leaves, 15 pages. Text copied for Jacques Guérin.
Unpublished manuscript. 11 pages on 11 manuscript leaves, with corrected typescript. Draft of an article intended for Vogue, devoted to the English designer who invented the mini skirt.
Manuscript of an article published in Vogue America, September 1965. 11 pages on 11 manuscript leaves. Also included is a corrected typescript, with one paragraph and a manuscript signature, 29 pages.
22 pages on 22 leaves. Autograph manuscript of an article published in Vogue America and Vogue France, April 1965.
Autograph manuscript. 20 pages on 11 leaves, small 4to. Late 1960s. Unpublished. These notes were perhaps intended for a never-written article for Vogue.
Autograph manuscript. 11 pages on 11 leaves, 4to. Reference: article published in La Revue des Voyages (n° 63, winter 1966), then used again in Visitez l'Italie du Sud avec..., Plon, 1969 and in the appendix to her biographie, p. 476-478.
23 pages on 23 leaves. Unpublished autograph manuscript signed, probably an article intended for Vogue. It concerns the film by William Klein, Où êtes-vous Polly Magoo?, in which Violette Leduc makes an appearance as a fashion journalist alongside Edmonde Charles-Roux.
Autograph manuscript signed. 7 pages, 4to. Text published in the magazine Adam, 1966.