At the turn of the
19th century, when printing went through major changes, one
bookseller made a name for himself by publishing dozens of popular titles.
Simple, short and of lower quality, they met the needs of the time, and thus
became successful. Meet Mr Tiger, owner of the famous Pilier Littéraire,
located at 10 rue du Petit-Pont, in Paris!
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Tiger’s Plutarchs
- Saint-Domingue, ou Histoire de ses révolutions
contenant
le récit effroyable des divisions, des troubles, des ravages, des meurtres, des
incendies, des dévastations et des massacres qui eurent lieu dans cette île,
depuis 1789 jusqu'à la perte de la colonie. 1820, Chez Tiger rue du Petit-Pont, au Pilier
Littéraire.
Blessed Mr. TIGER,
or the Pilier Littéraire
At
the turn of the 19th century, when printing went through major
changes, one bookseller made a name for himself by publishing dozens of popular
titles. Simple, short and of lower quality, they met the needs of the time, and
thus became successful. Meet Mr Tiger, owner of the famous Pilier Littéraire, located at 10 rue du Petit-Pont, in Paris!
 |
| A Tiger edition |
I went
to Paris the other day, in the Latin Quarter. I reached rue du Petit-Pont, one
of the oldest streets of the capital, and then I walked up to the corner of Rue
de la Huchette. Here it was... well, here it once was—the small and dark workshop of
Christophe-César-Jean-Baptiste Tiger (1759-1825), the famous Pilier Littéraire. It used to stand at number
10, according to the title pages of my books, “at the bottom of rue Saint-Jacques”. But things have changed, and
number 10 stands far from the corner of rue de la Huchette—so which of the two
corners was the right one? I entered the jewellery store on the right, but the
young saleswoman had not idea what I
meant by “long ago”. Nobody in the
café on the left could help me either, and I couldn’t follow the indications
left by Cordelier Delano any further—in 1834, he paid a tribute to the Pilier Littéraire in Le Diable Boiteux à Paris (Stuttgart): “When you enter rue Saint-Jacques, close to the
Petit-Pont, you find a huge shop of novelties at the corner of rue de la
Huchette. There used to stand the honourable workshop of Mr Tiger, the Pilier
Littéraire, the sanctified ground where,
from ancient times, were created the double almanac of Liège, the almanac of
Paris, of Rouen, and the popular stories of Cartouche and Mandrin.” These popular
books that suddenly flooded the market at the turn of the 19th century became
known as peddling books. Printed in a small format (in-18°) and huge quantities
on a mediocre paper, they were usually illustrated with an engraved
frontispiece, and they were the cornerstones of Mr Tiger’s empire of paper. We
don’t know much about Mr Tiger, except that he started in 1786 as a master
binder in Paris—he was then based on Place Cambrai. He published his first books at the same
time, and claimed to decorate and look
after private book collections, and to make
covers for every kind of almanacs. The French revolution of 1789 abolished
all constraints on book printing, and Mr Tiger seized the opportunity. “He established himself as a
printer-bookseller as well as a printer of steel engravings,” states the
French National Library, “he was also doing
type foundry.” He wasn’t the only opportunist at the time, as the amount of
booksellers doubled between 1780 and 1800 in Paris.
Almanacs
Mr Tiger
specialized in almanacs, annual publications that, apart from a regular calendar,
featured various pieces of work such as recipes, riddles or songs. They became
the most printed and the most read books of the time, just after the Bible.
Cordelier Delanoue had a lot of respect for almanacs—and the people who printed
them: “Not far from the former shop of
the Pilier Littéraire,” he went on, “we
can still see a small and smoky shop, with an almost unreadable old sign: Aux
Associés, Demoraine & Thébaud, booksellers. Specialized in almanacs of all
kinds, religious, hymns and prayer books. Blessed
are these offices! Blessed is Mr Tiger! Blessed is Mr Demoraine! Here, in those
mysterious laboratories, the moms and kids of the community, and the nuns (...)
come to buy their prayer books, their calendars and their songbooks. (...) Ô Demoraine!
Ô Tiger! Duet of athletes! Duet of elders!
Eternal joy of small bookshops,
and of the Petit-Pont! Your shop, dark
and shadowy as it is, shines brighter than all the golden panels of the vain
bookshops of the Palais-Royal.” In fact, Delanoue seems to be
speaking of the same shop, as the widow Demoraine was the “successor of the famous Tiger of the Pilier
Littéraire.” (Emile Morige, 1834). The same Emile Morige stated that she was
then printing 180,000 copies a year of the Parisian
Astrologue almanac!
The
early Tiger editions—before 1800—are hard to spot. We know that he moved to the
Collège des Cholets in 1797, before settling at rue du Mont-Hilaire in 1798;
then he went to rue Etienne-des-Grès in 1799, came back to Place Cambrai in
1800, to eventually open his bookshop rue du Petit-Pont, n°10, “at the corner of la Huchette, at the bottom
of rue Saint-Jacques”, as written on the title pages. By then, his
productions become more frequent.
He obtained
his licence of bookseller in 1812, but was denied the one of printer in 1811—we
know that he complained to the Minister of Justice in April 1811. The free
market applied to books had generated too much confusion (and maybe too many
pamphlets?) and Napoleon decided to put an end to it in February 1810. To
obtain their licence, booksellers had to go through a police investigation, and
prove their good morals as well as their loyalty to their country. Anyway, Mr
Tiger kept on selling books until he went bankrupt in 1811. But he wasn’t out
of business and was certified bookseller again on September 11, 1818. When he
died in Paris on April 30, 1825, his licence apparently went to his widow, then
to Alexandre-François Selligue, an engineer from Geneva who, in 1829, recorded a
patent for a typographic press with a continuous movement, “that can print on both sides, and works with
a steam engine.” (Revue
Encyclopédique,1821).
 |
| Another Tiger's publication |
Nobody
really knows Mr Tiger or the Pilier
Littéraire nowadays. After a prosperous period, peddling books were
replaced by serialized novels around 1850, and were disregarded as worthless
readings. Mr Tiger published short, attractive and efficient books—in a word,
profitable. He needed to sell books, so he focused on simple topics. He talked
about popular heroes such as Mandrin or Cartouche, he related well-known tragedies
(the shipwreck of La Méduse), or contemporary stories (such as the Napoleonic
wars). He was an opportunist, who published an ode to Napoleon in 1806, and
then The Corsican bandit, or crimes,
forfeits and sins of Nicolas Bonaparte, in 1816. In the former, Napoleon is
“a God from the mount Olympus”; in
the latter, “a man who, thanks to his
boldness, his hypocrisy, his forfeits and crimes, has sat on the highest throne
of Europe.” As a matter of fact, most of his books were anonymous; even his
almanac of Liège, the heart of his empire, was a counterfeit publication of
what M. Froment called “the true almanac
of Liège printed by Madam Bourguignon,” and which “wasn’t officially distributed in France where it only entered
surreptitiously.”(La Police dévoilée
depuis la Restauration, 1829). The same M. Froment reported a curious story
involving Mr Tiger. The printer was sitting with one Sieur Henriquez one day,
drinking wine at the corner of rue des Saints-Augustins, “talking about the articles they would insert in the next edition of the
almanac”, when they saw some turkeys led by a butcher walking on the
sidewalk. One of the turkeys was walking very proudly, and Mr Tiger laughed: “This General shall soon lose its life in the
middle of its soldiers...” Henriquez, wrote Froment, “noted that this would be a very appropriate article for the almanac.”
When the publication came out, a policeman read between the lines, and foretold
“the assassination of a General and more
than that, a provocation!” Mr Tiger was denounced, and summoned to the
police station where a police officer heard him, smiled, and then “politely let him go.”
Mr
Tiger was a successful printer, but his books became a cliché. As soon as 1829, the Memoires
de Vidocq made an ironical reference to them: “It became clear for the Magistrates that (this) incident (...) was an invention of my agents; so many fancies, more or less bizarre,
have been built up around it; and the Plutarchs of the Pilier Littéraire won’t fail to acknowledge them as truthful,
if the idea ever comes to the printer Tiger, or to his successor, to add a
title to his collection of peddling books: The admirable yet true history, of facts
and memorable, extraordinary or surprising adventures of the famous Vidocq;
with the portrait of this famous informer.” Tiger’s books somewhat symbolize
the impoverishment of printed materials at the time. Nonetheless, certain
titles still attract book collectors. Those about Napoleon are very valuable to
those who try to know how the emperor was perceived in his own time, for
example. And others like the History of
Saint-Domingue, or the portraits of the French buccaneers, have become very
rare, and quite expensive. Even the almanacs have become quite rare. I have
listed the titles of his catalogue that I’ve come across lately. Some are for
sale on the Internet right now, and I’ve mentioned their price after the
description. Here is a part of what the Pilier
Littéraire left to the world.
A
SHORT LIST OF TIGER’S BOOKS
 |
| Life of Maréchal Ney - A Tiger book. |
- Vie privée, Militaire et Politique de Louis-Joseph de
Bourbon, Prince de Condé (avec
frontis). Chez Tiger, rue du Petit-Pont St.-Jacques, Au Pilier Littéraire.
(price: 38 euros).
- Grand Manifeste d'Alexandre Ier, Empereur et autocrate de
toutes les Russies, et portrait qu'il y fait de l'usurpateur Bonaparte.
Donné à Saint-Pétersbourg, le Ier janvier en l'an de grâce 1816 et publié à
Paris, le 5 mars, même année. (avec
frontispice). Chez Tiger, rue du Petit-Pont, au Pilier Littéraire,
1816.(price : 450 euros)
- Vie du Maréchal Ney, Chez Tiger, rue du Petit-Pont, au Pilier Littéraire
(avec frontispice)
Price: 10 euros.
- Tableau de l'horrible naufrage de la frégate française La
Méduse, par Cousin d'Avallon
(Charles-Yves) chez Tiger, rue du Petit-Pont St.-Jacques, Pilier Littéraire.
(circa 1830). One folding plate.
Sold recently for 100 euros.
- Arman et Rosalie, ou la Fidélité, les Infortunes et
Tourmens de trois amis, sensibles et généreux. Chez Tiger, Place Cambray, au Pilier Littéraire (circa
1810). With frontispiece.
Price: 45 euros.
- Le Chevalier de Rosemont, ses Aventures, son retour en
France. L'adversité lui fait connaître ses faux amis, et les mœurs du siècle. Chez Tiger, Imprimeur-Libraire, Place Cambray, au
Pilier Littéraire, An XII. With frontispiece.
- Le bon Français, ou l'Ami des lys, tableau
d'inauguration, et mariage du lys et de la rose, par J.-B.-L. Camel. Tiger, 1817.
- Bouquet de pensées, hommage de la reconnaissance. Par Pierre Coleau (Tiger rue du Petit-Pont au Pilier
Littéraire).
- Le brigand corse ou Crimes, forfaits,
attentats et péchés de Nicolas Bonaparte, depuis l'âge de treize ans, jusqu'à
son exil à l'île de Sainte-Hélène (anonyme) Tiger, rue du petit-Pont. Two editions are known, in 1816 and in
1818.
- Édouard et Fanny. Ou Les époux séparés par
la trahison et réunis par l'amitié. Anecdote anglaise. Par D. Vouziers. Tiger, Place Cambray au
Pilier Littéraire. (Circa 1802).
- M. Briolet ou Le moderne Roquelaure.
Facéties divertissantes ; dires plaisans ; tours bouffons ; faits, gestes, et
œuvres comiques de ce personnage singulier. Tiger, rue Petit-Pont St. Jacques).
- Merveilles de l'histoire, recueil
de faits et d'évenemens extraordinaires, faisant partie de l'historien de la
jeunesse. Tiger, Petit-Pont St Jacques.
- Le petit Hypocrate : ou préceptes pour
conserver sa santé, dédiés aux pères et mères, pour prévenir ou guérir leurs
maladies et celles de leurs enfans. Tiger, au Petit-Pont St Jacques.
Sophie, ou La petite marchande dans les
cafés, Almanach
chantant pour la présente année. Tiger, au Petit-Pont St Jacques
- Le Véritable ami de Bacchus et de l'amour.
Almanach chantant, par
Alexandre David. Tiger, Au Petit-Pont St Jacques
- Hervey, ou le meilleur des hommes de son siècle. Drame en
5 actes et en prose, par J. C. JUMEL. Tiger
Imprimeur-libraire, Petit-Pont Saint-Jacques au coin de celle de la Huchette,
Au Pilier Littéraire. Frontispiece.
- Le Savant physionomiste ou l'art de deviner le caractère,
les inclinations, les passions des hommes, des femmes, des garçons et des
filles selon les traits du visage, les gestes, les mouvements du corps, etc.,
etc., par Gabrielle de Paban. Tiger
Imprimeur-Libraire, rue du Petit-Pont (1818).
- La Belle-Mère, par
Odolant Desnos, chez Tiger Imprimeur-Libraire, rue du Petit-Pont Saint-Jacques,
au coin de celle de la Huchette, au Pilier Littéraire. (circa 1810).
Price : 99 euros.
- Le mariage de Sophie, ses aventures galantes, la nuit de
ses noces, précédé des portraits de la belle Société, par Louis de Saint-Ange. TIger, An XI.
Price : 100 euros.
Histoire de ......, tout comme a fait ma mère. Tiger, 1812.
- Les Souvenirs du Roi d’Angleterre pendant sa maladie. Tiger ; Fuchs ; Lenormant, an IX.
- Officier (L’) français
dans la caverne de Cromwell. Tiger (1812)
- Passe-temps
(Les), ..., recueil de chansons bachiques, morales, critiques et joyeuses...,
Tiger (1818)
- Pourquoi (les).
Tiger (1813)
- Fanny de Caernawon, roman historique traduit de l’anglais, par John Adamson. Tiger (1813).
- Le Dernier Bulletin, ou La Paix Impromptu mêlé de
vaudevilles, représenté pour la première fois à Paris, sur le théâtre des
nouveaux Troubadours, le 18 janvier 1806 ; par MM Armand-Seville, Léopold
et Darrodes-Lilebonne. Tiger,
place Cambray au Pilier Littéraire. (1806)
- Odes à Napoléon, suivies de deux Psaumes et d’une Satire
contre un bal, par M.
Darrodes-Lilebonne. Paris, chez Tiger, imprimeur-libraire( Cambray). 1806
- Histoire des Flibustiers. Tiger (1812-13) ; contains the lives of
1°) Roc-de-la-Roche, gouverneur de la Tortue, par M. A***
2°) Bras de Fer, la terreur des Espagnols.
3°) L’Olonnais, célèbre capitaine.
4°) Montauban, le courageux.
5°) Morgan l’incomparable.
6°) Montbars l’exterminateur, le protecteur des Indiens.
7°) Laurens le prudent.
8°) Grammont-le-Grand, dernier chef des Flibustiers.
- Indicateur de la Cour de France, et des départements
(seconde année), Tiger (1815).
Price : 44 euros.
- L.-P. Louvel Devant La
Cour des Pairs ou Instruction du Procès de l’exécrable assassin de S.A.R. Mgr
le Duc de Berri; suivie de pièces, notes, renseignements, faits, anecdotes y
relatifs; sa condamnation à mort et son exécution en place de Grève. Chez
Tiger (no date). One folding plate.
Price : 90 euros.
- Contes de différents auteurs
(La Biche au bois, Le Riche et le pauvre, La Belle et la bête, Persinette), Tiger (no date). Frontispiece.
Price : 39 euros.
- Anti-Napoléon,
ou
recueil
de faits et d'anecdotes relatifs à Napoléon Bonaparte, depuis sa naissance
jusqu'à son embarquement pour l'île de Sainte-Hélène ;
avec quelques aperçus
et des observations curieuses, propres à faire connaître cet aventurier. Tiger
(circa 1815).
Price : 90 euros.
- Invasions et sièges de Paris en 1814 et 1815 par les
puissances alliées... Par un témoin occulaire. Tiger rue du Petit-Pont, au
Pilier Littéraire. Folding plate.
The last title features a short catalogue of the printer:
- Le Siège de Barcelone, ou les Victimes de l’Inquisition (1.vol)
Price: 90 euros.
- Les Conquérants du Nouveau-Monde, ou histoire de
Christophe Colomb et de Fernand Cortez, traduit de l’anglais (2 vol.)
- Les douze Césars (1 vol.)
- Batailles, combats et victoires des Français en Espagne
et en Portugal (1 vol.)
- ... en Allemagne et en Belgique (2 vols)
- ... en Autriche et en Pologne (2 vols)
- ... en Egypte, en Syrie et en Palestine (1 vol)
- ... en Hollande, en Italie, etc. (1 vol)
- ... en Russie (1
vol)
- ... en Saxe (1
vol)
- Moreau ; sa vie, ses exploits militaires, etc (1 vol)
- Pichegru ; sa vie, ses talents militaires, etc. (1 vol)
- Vie d’Athanase Charette, général vendéen (1 vol)
- Henri de Larochejaquelein, général en chef de l’armée
d’Anjou ; suite de la guerre de Vendée (1 vol)
- Tuffin de la Rouarie, général des Chouans ; suite de
la guerre de Vendée (1 vol).
- Parisiana...,
par un Gobe-Mouche (Jean-François Guichard). Chez Tiger, Rue du Petit-Pont
St-Jacques, N°10, au Pilier Littéraire. With frontis.
- Les amours et la vie de Cartouche, ou Aventures
singulières et galantes de cet homme fameux, A Paris, chez Tiger, imprimeur-libraire, rue du Petit-Pont, n° 10. Au
pilier littéraire (bewteen 1808 and 1825)
- Apparitions nocturnes, ou le Spectre bienfaisant.
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