SKU: 99783681749

"Madame de" 1953 De Vilmorin, Louise

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"Madame de" 1953 De Vilmorin, LouiseDe Vilmorin, Louise [64] pp. Collins 1953 Third Impression Drawings by Ian Ribbons 8 1 4 x 5 1 4" VG VG Her most famous novel was Madame de, published in 1951, which was adapted into the celebrated film The Earrings of Madame de (1953), directed by Max Ophls and starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux and Vittorio de Sica. Tells the story of Madame de 's earrings. This is a story of jewellery, of love, of denial, of society that aims to have the

De Vilmorin, Louise

[64] pp.

Collins

1953

Third Impression 

Drawings by Ian Ribbons

8 1/4 x 5 1/4"

VG/ VG

Her most famous novel was Madame de..., published in 1951, which was adapted into the celebrated film The Earrings of Madame de... (1953), directed by Max Ophüls and starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux and Vittorio de Sica.

Tells the story of Madame de - 's earrings. This is a story of jewellery, of love, of denial, of society that aims to have the simplicity of a fairy tale and the elegance of an eighteenth century roman-a-clef.

THE story of the earrings of Madame de- begins with this observation: "Elegance rather than beauty was accorded the mark of merit in the circle of society to which Madame de- belonged." American readers who break into that charmed circle will no doubt agree that Madame de- was the most elegant of all women. Her manners were faultless, and her sensibilities exquisite. She deceived her husband like a lady, and he understood and forgave her like a true man of the world. Even her anonymity distinguished her: the author explains she wrote the book so quickly she had no time to give the heroine more than the dangling particle de.

Quickly written or not, Louise de Vilmorin's novelette is a perfect drawing room fable—a real jewel, as one of the characters might say in highest praise. And though the jewel is precious, it was cut with a rare economy of means. A complex story (recently made into a French movie) is told here in fifty-four pages of uncomplicated writing.

The theme of “Madame de” is deception: the web of falsehoods in which a fashionable woman can be caught, and drawn to tragedy. Madame de- cannot resist telling her rich and generous husband that her dresses cost half of what they actually did cost her. So to pay her debts she sells the heart-shaped diamond earrings which were a wedding present from Monsieur de- and pretends to lose them at a ball. The family jeweler who bought them believing Monsieur de- had some private money troubles suddenly finds himself in possession of jewels believed to have been stolen. He takes them to Monsieur de who buys them for the second time. Saddened by his wife's pretense, and the injury done his good name, he gives them to a mistress.

Before Moniseur de- is through he buys the earrings back three times, and they change hands on ten increasingly elaborate occasions Madame de- suffers at each exchange, until, abandoned by her ambassador-lover, she dies of sadness and pneumonia.

TRUE to Gallic tradition, both her husband and her lover are present for the deathbed scene, when her two hands gently open and disclose a diamond heart in each, “It was as though she had meant to give them away and she cared not to whom.

"'She is dead,' said Monsieur de-. 'Take this heart which she has given you, The other is her own. I will take charge of it.'

"Monsieur de- laid the other heart on the heart of his wife and then sent for the old nurse. Forthwith, the room was full of the rustle of skirts and the sound of wailing. The candles which had so often lit up her dinner parties now shone round her deathbed. Monsieur de- sent for his tailor, and, without telling him the reason, ordered some suits of mourning."

Madame de Vilmorin is at her best in this airy fantasy of manners. Her novel “Julietta” suggest that she is less gifted for bigger books; characterizations which seemed delightfully transparent in “Madame de” become opaque in a longer novel.

The least successful of these characters is the adolescent heroine, Julietta, who "spent her life in a world of her own invention." Escaping from her mother (a bourgeois lady) and her 54-year-old fiancé (a prince), Julietta takes refuge in the attic of Landrecourt (an intellectual). Here, she invents a world of her own so splendid that Landrecourt is dazzled and won—though his mistress-Rosie's exasperation with these goings-on deserves the reader's sympathy. In fact, the portrait of Rosie, in all her high-toned frivolity, is both the triumph and the symbol of Louise de Vilmorin's art.

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SKU: 99783681749

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Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2026
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Meagan
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★★★★★ 5
Works great, faux fur blanket is like new again!
Just used this on a faux fur pet blanket that I have had for 2 years and never brushed. It worked amazingly! Since it was so matted it took a bit to do the whole blanket (50” x 40”) but short strokes got it looking like new very easily. Some fibers came out in the brushing along with pet hairs, but the rug shedding was minimal.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2026
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R. Hall
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
O. M. G. It worked so great!
First, let me say, I'm not getting paid for this. This is personal experience. I was about to discard this rug. 1. It's old, like 13 years old. 2. It's been in storage for 4 years. 3. It's matted, as you can see in the pictures. 4. It's brown. Them I saw how much rugs are!😳So I had to come up with something. This was cheap to see if I could salvage it and not spend over $100 on a new rug. The dirt and lint that came out was gross. But as you can see, I was able to make it look new-ish again. I'm keeping the rug and this brush! I have other sheepskin rugs that are smaller and brand new, so this will come in handy.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2026
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Shari
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★★★★★ 5
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Worx better than expected. Much improved the appearance and texture after washing & drying my 6 sheepskin pelts and three faux sheepskin pelts. There’s always a natural shedding after a cleaning, but this DEFINITELY decreases those incidents I recommend.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2026
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Rico
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Works for Sherpa, and heavy rugs
This worked on my 2 Sherpa jackets and a heavy furred rug. I tested it on my old Sherpa jacket that had the furs pretty much flat after years. I used this on it which took about 3 hrs to do and it feels brand new. I was so shocked that I used it on my old rug that had about an inch length in fur. The fur was all tangled so it had little stalks sticking out. After about 6-7 hrs, the rug was straight up rejuvenated felt brand new. I’m was very pleased with this product. Now, the real question is it worth it? I’ll just tell my opinion from my experience and let you decide for yourself. The product itself feels sturdy with a wooden base. It’s around 6 and a half inches so not very big. (This is one of the reasons why the rug too so long.)The metal brushed was surprisingly durable. I was applying a good amount of force when combing my rug and there were no bending. For 14 dollars and some elbow grease, I got two new jackets and a rug. The brush didn’t break so I can just keep using this to maintain. In my books, I got my moneys worth.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2024

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