SKU: 41066516760

"Madame De" 1954 VILMORIN, Louise de (SOLD)

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"Madame De" 1954 VILMORIN, Louise de (SOLD)VILMORIN, Louise de [54] pp. Julian Messner, Inc. 1954 6 3 4" x 8 1 2" Drawings by Ian Ribbons VG VG A society woman in Paris sells her jewels, a gift from her husband, to pay debts. The buyer informs the husband, the husband buys them back and gives them to his mistress. The mistress sells them and they come back to the original woman via an admirer. THE story of the earrings of Madame de begins with this observation: "Elegance rather than beauty was

VILMORIN, Louise de

[54] pp.

Julian Messner, Inc.

1954

6 3/4" x 8 1/2"

Drawings by Ian Ribbons

VG/ VG

A society woman in Paris sells her jewels, a gift from her husband, to pay debts. The buyer informs the husband, the husband buys them back and gives them to his mistress. The mistress sells them and they come back to the original woman via an admirer.

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: 41066516760

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csboyd
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
A must have for active dogs
Size: Max Size, Size: Max Size
I normally do not write reviews unless a product is really good or really bad. I have a dog that thinks chasing balls is the only thing in life and unfortunately she has a mom that has anchor pins in both shoulders. We've been using this ball launcher for little over a year. It goes through about 32 dirty balls, 3 times a day and has held up amazingly. It is even full of dirt and still keeps on working, it looks like R2D2 went thru a battle. 😆 I recently bought a second one as a back up because I can't believe this poor thing hasn't given up yet. I rotate the balls because my dog brings them back wet and muddy, then they won't launch as far, so I knock some dirt off of a dry one and launch it. I would highly recommend this for active dogs.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026
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Terry
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Damaged...
Size: Max Size
Very well made product. But it does not work. I am so bummed. Would like to return and get another one shipped out to me. It is a Xmas gift for our dog. Thank you...
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Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2025
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Jennifer Shrout
New York, US
★★★★★ 1
DO NOT BUY! IT BREAKS EASILY.
Size: Max Size
DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY! The first time I bought this product it broke within a couple of weeks. The conveyor belt stopped spinning making the unit unusable. The second one I bought broke within the first hour. Again the conveyor belt but this time it would spin uncontrollably even when the unit was turned off. We used the balls included in the packaging and with supervision which is recommended in the product pamphlet. I tried to reach out to All For Paws but was unable to locate a working customer service number. For the price it should continue to work without issue. Very disappointing.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2026
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JEB
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 4
Your dog Might Not Be as Excited as You Are
Size: Max Size
It arrived and worked as expected. Throws a good distance, not loud & easy to use. However, my rescue Belgian Shepherd (24/7 ball dog) was totally scared of it. Work with her for a week but she would literally avoid even being in the same room. Being she is rescue you never know what happen to them in the past. Moral of the story, just bc you have a full-on ball dog doesn’t mean they will be excited as you are. Unfortunately had to return.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2026
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Darlyn Ponce
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 3
Good but not great.
Size: Max Size-EPTU Balls
Good but not great. We had to return. We liked it first out of box BUT as soon as the balls got damp from grass and slobber they were not launching well.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2025

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