Ancient books on Brittany: catalogue, valuation and purchase

The Brittany region is one of the French areas whose regional literature is most highly collected. Three reasons for this: a strong cultural identity that early on prompted a collecting effort, a dense maritime history, and a lasting attachment from its diaspora.

The result is an active and regular market, on which our catalogue is permanently represented.

Our selection of rare books on Brittany

Galzain. breton Villes et villages & Au bon vieux temps Morbihan pittoresque…

55,00€

André Breton. Ode to Charles Fourier. 1947❦ surréaliste BRETON (André). Ode à…

205,00€

Brittany Tales of Upper Brittany❦ Bretagne Contes de Haute-Bretagne

31,00€

Breton Misère de la poésie: The "L'Affaire Aragon" before public opinion 1932❦…

270,00€

André Breton. Ode to Charles Fourier. 1947❦ BRETON (André). Ode à Charles…

250,00€

Brest-Lorient 73 x 97 cm, topographic staff map❦ Brest-Lorient 73 x 97…

180,00€

Bretagne Per Jakez Le Cheval d'Orgueil. Mémoires d'un Breton du Pays Bigouden❦…

40,00€

Gascogne DERENNES (Charles) Le Pèlerin de Gascogne + manuscript + letters❦ gascogne…

330,00€

BAYA - André Breton - Jacques Kober. Derrière le Miroir No. 6, November 1947❦…

430,00€

Bretagne the turned galette Kénavo..❦ Bretagne la galette retournée Kénavo..

18,00€

Breton Bouarnenez: Les Plomarc’h Viewed from the Dike❦ breton Bouarnenez les plomarchs…

13,00€

chemin de fer de l'État Normandie et Bretagne voyages à prix réduits,…

15,00€

Voir tous les ouvrages disponibles sur Bretagne dans le catalogue

The great collecting movement of the 19th century

As early as 1839, La Villemarqué’s Barzaz Breiz popularised Breton folk songs and launched half a century of collecting. In 1893 Anatole Le Braz published La Légende de la mort, Émile Souvestre described the last Bretons, and Paul Sébillot gathered oral traditions. These works, often reprinted, remain in steady demand, and their original illustrated editions are sought after.

Other Breton subjects

• Breton language: dictionaries, grammars, catechisms, hymnals and almanacs, some printed in very small numbers in Quimper, Morlaix or Saint-Brieuc.
• History and archaeology: histories of the ducal Brittany, studies of the Carnac megaliths, publications by local scholarly societies.
• Maritime and fishing: Brest and Lorient as naval ports, cod fishing off Newfoundland and Iceland, shipwreck narratives.
• Chouannerie and the Revolution: memoirs, military histories and pamphlets, a field that remains in strong demand.
• 19th-century travel guides and albums, illustrated with wood engravings or lithographs, prized for their coastal and village views.

Do you own rare books on Brittany or a library to be appraised?
We provide a free appraisal based on photographs within 48 business hours, and we purchase libraries anywhere in France. Request a free appraisal

Appraising or selling rare books in Brittany

We purchase in all five historic departments, from Ille-et-Vilaine to Finistère and Loire-Atlantique.

1. Photographs: general view of the shelves, then title pages of the rare or bound volumes.
2. Free appraisal within 48 business hours, with no obligation.
3. Travel at our expense for substantial collections.

A note applicable to the whole region: books in the Breton language, including outwardly worn devotional books, are always worth examining. Some catechisms or hymnals printed in Lower Brittany in the 18th and 19th centuries have become scarce because they were used until worn out and rarely preserved.

Frequently asked questions

Do Breton books have value?

Some do, particularly early imprints from Lower Brittany, dictionaries, and religious works published before 1900. Their condition is often poor due to use, making well-preserved copies highly sought after.

Do you buy libraries in Finistère or Morbihan?

Yes, throughout Brittany. For a significant collection, we travel at our own expense after an initial review of photographs.

Which Breton works are most in demand?

Original and illustrated editions of Barzaz Breiz, works by Anatole Le Braz, low-print local monographs, and illustrated books on coastal life and costumes.

To go further

• How to appraise an old book: 7 criteria that determine value
• I inherited an old library: what should I do?
• Old books by Jules Verne: value guide
• Browse the full catalogue

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