La Vie Mystérieuse

Editors:

  • Donato, Prof. (Nos. 1-58; Nos. 109-134)[1]
  • de Rusnack, Maurice (Nos. 59-108)

Publication credits:

  • 10, rue Saint-Joseph, Paris (to No. 7)
  • 23, rue Notre-Dame de Recouvrance, Paris 2e (from No. 8 to No. 61)
  • 3, rue de l’Estrapade, Paris-5e (from No. 62 to No. 76)
  • 174, rue Saint-Jacques, Paris-5e (from No. 77 to No. 134)

Holdings:

  • No. 1 – 10 Janvier 1909. (Binding cracked between pp. 2 and 3.) [2] + [pp. 3-15] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 2 – 25 janvier 1909. [1] + [pp. 18-24] + [1] + [pp. 26-31] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 3 – 10 février 1909. [1] + [pp. 34-47] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 4 – 25 février 1909. [1] + [pp. 50-63] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 5 – 10 mars 1909. [1] + [pp. 66-79] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 6 – 25 mars 1909. [1] + [pp. 82-95] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 7 – 10 avril 1909. [1] + [pp. 98-111] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 8 – 25 avril 1909. [1] + [pp. 114-127] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 9 – 10 mai 1909. [1] + [pp. 130-143] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 10 – 25 mai 1909. [1] + [pp. 146-159] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 11 – 10 juin 1909. [1] + [pp. 162-175] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 12 – 25 juin 1909. [1] + [pp. 178-191] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 13 – 10 juillet 1909. [1] + [pp. 194-207] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 14 – 25 juillet 1909. [1] + [pp. 210-223] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 15 – 10 août 1909. [1] + [pp. 226-238] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 16 – 25 août 1909. [1] + [pp. 242-255] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 17 – 10 septembre 1909. [1] + [pp. 258-271] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 18 – 25 septembre 1909. [1] + [pp. 274-287] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 19 – 10 octobre 1909. [1] + [pp. 290-303] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 20 – 25 octobre 1909. (1 cm tear to bottom edge of leaf comprising pp. 317-8.) [1] + [pp. 306-319] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 21 – 10 novembre 1909. [1] + [pp. 322-334] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • No. 22 – 25 novembre 1909. [1] + [pp. 338-351] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 23 – 10 Décembre 1909. [1] + [pp. 354-366] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • No. 24 – 25 Décembre 1909. (Front cover torn down most of length of inner margin, but has been attached towards the top with small pieces of clear tape to the rear cover of the previous issue as well as to the following leaf of the same issue, in order to stabilise its position. Binding cracked before p. 383.) [1] + [pp. 370-381] + [1 page of advertisements] + [p. 383] + [1] (= index to 1re Année)
  • Deuxième Année – No. 25, 10 Janvier 1910. [1] + [pp. 2-7] + [2 pages of monochrome photographs] + [pp. 10-14] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 26, 25 Janvier 1910. [1] + [pp. 18-30] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 27, 10 Février 1910. [1] + [pp. 34-46] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 28, 25 Février 1910. [1] + [pp. 50-62] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 29, 10 Mars 1910. [1] + [pp. 66-78] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 30, 25 Mars 1910. [1] + [pp. 82-95] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 31, 10 Avril 1910. [1] + [pp. 98-111] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 32, 25 Avril 1910. [1] + [pp. 114-126] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 33, 10 Mai 1910. [1] + [pp. 130-142] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 34, 25 Mai 1910. [1] + [pp. 146-159] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 35, 10 Juin 1910. [1] + [pp. 162-175] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 36, 25 Juin 1910. [1] + [pp. 178-190] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 37, 10 Juillet 1910. [1] + [pp. 194-207] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 38, 25 Juillet 1910. [1] + [pp. 210-222] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 39, 10 Août 1910. [1] + [pp. 226-238] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 40, 25 Août 1910. [1] + [pp. 242-254] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 41, 10 Septembre 1910. [1] + [pp. 258-271] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 42, 25 Septembre 1910. [1] + [pp. 274-287] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 43, 10 Octobre 1910. [1] + [pp. 290-303] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 44, 25 Octobre 1910. (2-inch tear to bottom edge of leaf comprising pp. 309-10.) [1] + [pp. 306-319] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 45, 10 Novembre 1910. [1] + [pp. 322-335] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 46, 25 Novembre 1910. [1] + [pp. 338-351] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 47, 10 Décembre 1910. [1] + [pp. 354-367] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Deuxième Année – No. 48, 25 Décembre 1910. (Inner paper hinge before p. 383 mostly split, but final leaf firmly attached to following endpaper.) [1] + [pp. 370-381] + [1 page of advertisements] + [p. 383] + [1] (= index to 2e Année)
  • Troisième Année – No. 49, 10 Janvier 1911. [1] + [pp. 2-13] + [1] + [p. 15[2]] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 50, 25 Janvier 1911. [1] + [pp. 18-29] + [1] 1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 51, 10 Février 1911. [1] + [pp. 34-47] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 52, 25 Février 1911. [1] + [pp. 50-63] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 53, 10 Mars 1911. [1] + [1 page of advertisements] + [pp. 67-79] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 54, 25 Mars 1911. [2] + [pp. 83-95] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 55, 10 Avril 1911. [1] + [pp. 98-111] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 56, 25 Avril 1911. [1] + [pp. 114-122[3]] + [pp. 125-7] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 57, 10 Mai 1911. [1] + [pp. 130-143] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 58, 25 Mai 1911. [1] + [pp. 146-159] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 59, 10 Juin 1911. [1] + [pp. 162-174] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 60, 25 Juin 1911. [1] + [pp. 178-190] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 61, 10 Juillet 1911. [1] + [pp. 194-206] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 62, 25 Juillet 1911. [1] + [pp. 211-222] + [2 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 63, 10 Août 1911. [1] + [pp. 226-238] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 64, 25 Août 1911. [1] + [pp. 242-254] + [2 pages of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 65, 10 Septembre 1911. [1] + [pp. 258-270] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 66, 25 Septembre 1911. [1] + [pp. 274-286] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 67, 10 Octobre 1911. [1] + [pp. 290-303] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 68, 25 Octobre 1911. [1] + [pp. 306-311] + [double-page illustrated feature] + [pp. 314-8] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 69, 10 Novembre 1911. [1] + [pp. 322-334] + [1] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 70, 25 Novembre 1911. [1] + [pp. 338-343] + [double-page illustrated feature] + [pp. 346-351] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 71, 10 Décembre 1911. [1] + [pp. 354-367] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Troisième Année – No. 72, 25 Décembre 1911. [1] + [pp. 370-383[4]] + [1 page of advertisements] (inner margin obscured where page has been adhered to following endpaper)
  • Quatrième Année – No. 75, 10 Février 1912. (Front cover and following leaf chipped at bottom edges and slightly torn at outer edges. 2 cm tear to bottom edge of leaf comprising pp. 423-4, with 1 cm tear in the same place to bottom edge of following leaf.) [Front cover] + [pp. 418-20[5]] + [pp. 423-6] + [pp. 429-431] + [1page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 76, 25 Février 1912. (Front cover detached; rear cover detached from spine but attached at outer edge to previous page.) [Front cover] + [pp. 434-9] + [2 pages of monochrome photographs] + [pp. 442-7] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 77, 10 Mars 1912. (Leaves comprising pp. 451-4 still joined at top edges; leaves comprising pp. 461-[464] still joined at outer edges: need separating.) [Front cover] + [pp. 450-463] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 78, 25 Mars 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 466-479] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 80, 25 Avril 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 498-511] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 81, 10 Mai 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 514-527] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 82, 25 Mai 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 530-543] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 83, 10 Juin 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 546-559] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 84, 25 Juin 1912. (Separation down lower two fifths of spine.) [Front cover] + [pp. 562-575] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 85, 10 Juillet 1912. (Separation down lower two fifths of spine.) [Front cover] + [pp. 578-591] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 86, 25 Juillet 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 594-607] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 88, 25 Août 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 626-639] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 89, 10 Septembre 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 642-655] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 90, 25 Septembre 1912. [Front cover] + [pp. 658-671] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 91, 10 Octobre 1912. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 673-687] = [p. 671[6]] + [1 page of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 92, 25 Octobre 1912. (2cm diagonal tear to outer edges of front cover, rear cover and all leaves between.) [Front cover backed with publication credits + [pp. 689-704] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 93, 10 Novembre 1912. 4-page pamphlet entitled ‘Supplément à la “Vie Mystérieuse”: 2me Congrès International de Psychologie Expérimentale, Paris – Pâques 1913 (du 25 au 30 Mars)’ laid in. [Front cover backed with advertisements] + [pp. 705-720] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 94, 25 Novembre 1912. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 721-736] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 95, 10 Décembre 1912. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 737-752] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Quatrième Année – No. 96, 25 Décembre 1912. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 753-768[7]] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 97, 10 Janvier 1913. (1 cm tear to bottom edge of front cover, also affecting all pages within to a lesser degree.) [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [16pp] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 98, 25 Janvier 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 17-32] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 99, 10 Février 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 33-48] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 100, 25 Février 1913. [Front cover] + [pp. 50-62] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 101, 10 Mars 1913. [Front cover backed with advertisements] + [pp. 65-80] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 102, 25 Mars 1913. [Front cover backed with advertisements] + [2] (extended advertising feature entitled: ‘Supplément de la Vie Mystérieuse No. 102: Le Livre d’Or de la “Gemme Astel”‘) + [pp. 81-96] + [2] (conclusion of advertising feature) + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 103, 10 Avril 1913. [Front cover backed with advertisements] + [pp. 97-112] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 104, 25 Avril 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 113-124] + [pp. 125-6 of advertisements] + [pp. 127-8] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 106, 25 Mai 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 145-160] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 107, 10 Juin 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 161-176] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 108, 25 Juin 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 177-192] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 109, 10 Juillet 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 193-205] + [p. 206 of advertisements] + [pp. 207-8] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 110, 25 Juillet 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 209-224] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 111, 10 Août 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 225-240] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 112, 25 Août 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 241-256] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 113, 10 Septembre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 257-272] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 114, 25 Septembre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 273-288] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 115, 10 Octobre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 289-304] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 116, 25 Octobre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [2] (extended advertising feature entitled: ‘Supplément de la Vie Mystérieuse No. 116: Le Livre d’Or de la “Gemme Astel”‘) + [pp. 305-320] + [2] (conclusion of advertising feature) + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 117, 10 Novembre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 321-336] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 118, 25 Novembre 1913. (Covers detached and chipped; internal paper margins fragile and torn.) [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [2] (duplicate of ‘Supplément de la Vie Mystérieuse No. 116’, v. above) [pp. 337-349] + [p. 350 of advertisements] + [pp. 351-2] + [2] (conclusion of duplicate Supplément) + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 119, 10 Décembre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 353-368] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Cinquième Année – No. 120, 25 Décembre 1913. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 369-384][8] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 121, 10 Janvier 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + 16 + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 122, 25 Janvier 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 17-32] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 123, 10 [Février][9] 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 33-48] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 125, 10 Mars 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 65-80] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 126, 25 Mars 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 81-96] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 127, 10 Avril 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 97-112] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 128, 25 Avril 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 113-128] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 129, 10 Mai 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [bound-in advertising pamphlet on smaller pink paper entitled ‘Supplément à la Vie Mystérieuse: Cette Femme[10] peut voir votre Vie’] + [pp. 129-144] + [other half of advertising pamphlet on smaller pink paper, entitled ‘Cours de Sciences Psychiques par Correspondance en Français et en Esperanto’[11]] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 130, 25 Mai 1914. [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [first half of bound-in advertising pamphlet on pink paper entitled ‘Supplément au Journal “La Vie Mystérieuse”[12]] + [pp. 145-160] + [other half of bound-in ‘Supplément’[13]] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 132, 25 Juin 1914. (Some tearing to feet of covers, especially rear cover.) [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 177-192] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]
  • Sixième Année – No. 134, 25 Juillet 1914. (1 cm tear and separate 5mm tear to feet of covers and all pages within. Slight chipping to outer corner of rear cover.) [Front cover backed with publication credits] + [pp. 209-224] + [rear cover featuring 2 pages of advertisements]

Binding format and presentation notes:

  • All issues in large format (slightly wider but slightly less tall than A4), printed in dual columns.
  • Nos. 1-24; 25-48 and 49-72 bound in three matching cloth vols. (first and third vols. have some wear to foot of spine) with paper-covered boards (first vol. worn at outer corners; third vol. worn at upper outer corner of front board but only moderately at others)
  • All from 75 held as original separate issues (staplebound pamphlets). Issues 75-90 in very fragile paper condition, easily torn, so need handling with extreme care. Many later issues also have very fragile browned and thin paper margins
  • All issues up to and including No. 90 feature differently illustrated monochrome front covers, the artwork appearing to have been specially commissioned for this publication
  • From Issue 91-102, an identical front cover picture was used but the covers’ paper changed colours continually from one issue to the next.
  • Issue 100 is printed on pale rose-coloured paper throughout
  • Issues 103-8 have a plain text (unillustrated) cover, but the cover paper continues to change colours between issues.
  • From Issues 109-134 (the last held), the original front cover scheme with artwork changing every issue was restored, but the paper colour continued to change until No. 126, whereupon a cream cover design with purplish red and blue print was settled on and maintained (albeit with the inversion of the print colours from No. 127) up to and including No. 134.

 

[1] Donato’s return to the editorship after more than two years seems unusual in the context of typical editorial histories for 20th century magazines; but he had remained a willing participant to the journal for most of the intervening period, and is greeted with great affection as a friend by De Rusnack when the latter announces Donato’s return to his former position.

[2] Has been weakly printed and is hard to read but should be p. 15

[3] The leaf comprising pp. 123-4 appears to have been cut out of this copy by a former owner

[4] Includes index to 3e Année at pp. 381-2

[5] This copy is incomplete, lacking the sheet comprising pp. 421-2 and 427-8, which would appear to have been lost by a former owner.

[6] An unexplained misprint: should be 688

[7] Includes index to the 4e Année at pp. 765-6

[8] Includes index to the 5e Année at pp. 381-2

[9] Misprinted as ‘Févrvier’ on the cover

[10] The woman in question is a fortune teller called Mademoiselle Néala of 3, rue du Départ, Paris (XIVe)

[11] This advertisement is ostensibly entirely unrelated to the first one. The course is credited to a M. H.-C. James, whose correspondence address is here given as the address of La Vie Mystérieuse.

[12] This one is of full size but printed on only one side. It advertises the services of a clairvoyant called Gabrielle de Mirecourt, whose correspondence address is here given as the address of La Vie Mystérieuse.

[13] This half is a simple subscription renewal notice. It is printed only on the reverse side of the sheet.

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