‎DIDEROT, DENIS.‎
‎Les Bijoux indiscrets. 2 vols. - [DIDEROT'S FIRST PUBLISHED WORK]‎

‎Au Monomatapa (Paris, 1748) 8vo. Uniformly bound in two contemporary Cambridge-style mirror bindings with four raised bands and richly gilt spine. Small paper-label pasted on to top of spines. Wear to spines, some of gilting worn off. Internally nice and clean. (8), 370 pp. + 5 plates (4), 420 pp. + 2 plates (complete).‎

Reference : 61041

‎The rare first edition of Diderot’s first novel, published anonymously, being an allegory portraying Louis XV of France as Mangogul, Sultan of Congo, who owns a magic ring that makes women's vaginas talk. For unspecified reasons Diderot did not venture further into this subject, however, he did make sure to portray Madame de Pompadour, the mistress Louis XV, in a flattering light, most likely to ensure her support for his Encyclopedie – a support he received and in 1751 he, together with D'Alembert, published their seminal ‘Encyclopédie’. Tchemerzine IV, 430‎