Vicaire

Georges Vicaire (1853-1921), bibliographer and bibliophile, began in 1894 the Manuel de l'amateur de livres du XIXe siècle, 1801-1893, prefaced by Maurice Tourneux and published by Rouquette: seven alphabetical volumes appeared from 1894 to 1910, followed by an eighth volume of indexes in 1920. Conceived as the continuation of Brunet for the century of the Romantics and the Naturalists, the Manuel describes, author by author, the first editions and the notable editions — collating them leaf by leaf, with wrappers, papers, plates and publisher's imprints — together with periodicals, publications of bibliophile societies, and the reprints that mislead collectors.

Vicaire is cited by volume and column: "Vicaire, VI, 203" designates column 203 of volume VI. The entry establishes the existence and structure of the edition — pagination, half-titles, plates, sometimes the detail of the large-paper issues announced by the publisher — and it is, for 19th-century French literature, the starting point for any collation; it does not state whether the copy in hand is complete, whether its wrappers are original, or whether its paper is that announced, which only a direct comparison can establish. Vicaire frequently notes variant wrappers and fictitious edition statements, which contribute to a copy's value.

Its limitations: the work stops at 1893 and was compiled over thirty years, the earlier volumes being less complete than the later ones; certain datings and print runs have since been corrected by Carteret, Clouzot and author bibliographies; minor authors and popular literature are treated only summarily. Vicaire is read alongside Carteret for the market and illustrated books, alongside Clouzot for points of distinction, and alongside Talvart and Place for authors whose careers continued after 1893.