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Ferdinand Ossendowski - Le Faucon du Désert (Albin Michel, Paris, 1928) in Period Quarter Binding

Title page and quarter-bound spine of Ferdinand Ossendowski's Le Faucon du Desert published by Albin Michel Paris. - view 1
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Estimated value

$25 - $50

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Category

Books

Brand

Albin Michel

Era

circa 1928

Origin

France

Artist / Creator

Ferdynand Ossendowski

Authenticity

Very High(90%)
2

FERDINAND OSSENDOWSKI - LE FAUCON DU DÉSERT (ALBIN MICHEL, PARIS, 1928) IN PERIOD QUARTER BINDING: IDENTIFICATION

Octavo volume containing the French translation of Ferdynand Ossendowski's novel by Caroline Bobrowska and Robert Renard, published by Albin Michel at 22 rue Huyghens, Paris. Bound in contemporary quarter brown pebble-grain cloth or skiver over marbled paper boards, with spine titled in gilt and bordered by double gilt fillets. Retains the original typographic title page bearing the Albin Michel publisher device and a facing leaf listing earlier Ossendowski translations published by Plon and Flammarion.

EDITION & PUBLISHING HISTORY

First published in Polish in 1927 under the title 'Sokół pustyni', this North African adventure novel followed Ossendowski's international success with 'Beasts, Men and Gods' (1922). The Bibliothèque nationale de France records this French translation by Albin Michel in 1928, issued during a ...
First published in Polish in 1927 under the title 'Sokół pustyni', this North African adventure novel followed Ossendowski's international success with 'Beasts, Men and Gods' (1922). The Bibliothèque nationale de France records this French translation by Albin Michel in 1928, issued during a period of high European demand for interwar travel narrative and orientalist fiction. The listed back-catalogue titles on the leaf facing the title page document the bibliography of Ossendowski's translations in Paris up to 1928.

COLLECTOR NOTES

1

Ferdynand Ossendowski claimed to have escaped Bolshevik forces in Siberia by traversing Mongolia on horseback before publishing his memoirs in 1922.

2

The French publishing house Albin Michel was founded in 1902 and relocated to 22 rue Huyghens in Paris in 1910.

SCARCITY

Average55-70%
CommonLegendary

Typical antique shop fare. Requires some searching but regularly available. This is where most genuine antiques fall.

Typical Characteristics

  • Standard antique shop items
  • Regularly available
  • Moderate collector interest

Confidence Factors

  • Typographic layout and imprint conform directly to Albin Michel editions of 1928.
How does authenticity detection work?

BIBLIOPHILE'S ASSESSMENT

Rare Book Dealer & Bibliographer

Bibliographer

Confidence is high because the publisher imprint, translators, and listed bibliography definitively date this edition to 1928 via the Bibliothèque nationale de France catalogue.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Facing page includes 'Kett, Journal d'un Chimpanzé' (Albin Michel, 1927), establishing a terminus post quem of late 1927.

CONDITION & GRADE

Good to Very Good

Grading breakdown

Wear is confined to joint abrasion on the cloth spine and corner exposure on the marbled boards, while the interior page margins remain intact.

Condition

Custom period rebinding shows rubbing along the spine hinges, headcap, and outer board perimeters. Text block shows uniform age toning across untrimmed leaves, free of heavy dampstaining or insect damage visible on the title openings.

BOOK MARKET VALUATION

$25 - $50

Updated: Oct 16, 2026

  • Market comparables from auctions & retail
  • Condition, completeness & craftsmanship
  • Current collector demand & trends
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For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

YOUR INPUT VS. SCAN

How your provided context compares with Curiosa.com scanner findings.

What Aligned

  • User stated author Ferdynand Ossendowski, publisher Albin Michel Paris, and translators Bobrowska and Renard, all directly matching the title page inscription.
  • User stated time period 1930s-1940s, which aligns closely with the established 1928 publication date recorded by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

FROM THE CABINET OF

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