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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Ranger Sarge
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 1
Defective toy and inconsistent quality.
Size: X-Large, Color: Raccoon, Size: X-Large, Color: Raccoon
My initial review was 5 stars based on my experience with a previous order (blue raccoon) and the fact my puppy was immediately interested in it. However, I did not give it to her to play with until this past Friday (May 21, 2026) because she had the first one I bought. In a matter of 2 days the seam on the back and at the base of the head unraveled and all of the stuffing was scattered all over the room. I thought I’d found some good, high quality, toys for her but apparently this one was defective because the first one had had a lot of use and I’d still in decent shape. This is too much money to pay for a dog toy that only lasts a day or two so be advised they aren’t all good.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2026
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J. Bush
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 5
Bigger, louder, crinklier, softer, than expected!
Size: X-Large, Color: Rabbit
My dog was gifted a collection of used toys and he really likes a very long stuffed pig which, unfortunately, another dog that is a destructive chewer, totally destroyed. I decided to break down and buy him another long stuffed toy today and since he's always blissfully watching rabbits in the yard and neighborhood I chose the rabbit version. This thing is huge which is great for him- he's 62 lbs and 7 months old and only half grown. He loves it, it has multiple LOUD squeakers, lots of crinkly spots, and fun ears/legs to grab hold off. He's a big fan and it's made with K9 Tuff Guard which LASTS. Super soft and easy to wash. Update after 2 months- easy to wash and looks new after a washing. very durable so far, standing up to indoor and outdoor use. He is not a destructive chewer but whips them around, tramples on them, steps on them while running top speed and chomps on the annoying squeaker for hours. one squeaker has a hole and its tune is now slightly muted (thank god)
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Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2019
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Pat
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Absolute favorite toy for almost a year
My dog’s favorite toy for almost a year. It has held up amazingly. I’m sad it’s no longer available. Please bring it back!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2026
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Van Wanggaard Racine Wi
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Very well made!
Size: Small, Color: Bunny
This toy is great! Two squeakers and made to last even my Airedale. He doesn’t want to put it down.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2026
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JHI
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 5
Won't last forever, but my dog loves it
Size: X-Large, Color: Giraffe
My dog, a 90 lb black lab, LOVES these toys. He does prefer the raccoon to the giraffe, but he likes them both a lot. I originally got the raccoon on clearance at Target when looking for a long toy he could play with while he was in a cone recovering from surgery (he likes to be able to hold toys between his front paws and mouth/chew on them, so none of our regular squeaky footballs were long enough for that). He loved it so much I had to find more, so I found this giraffe from the same line of toys. He's a destroyer and he has been able to put a few holes in these toys if I'm not watching him, but they're pretty easy to sew if they need patching. My mother-in-law's dog came over and made a hole so big that the squeakers and lining all came out, but I sewed it back up and it's almost as good as new. They definitely won't last forever, but they have lasted longer than other soft toys we've had in the past.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2017

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