ROSTAND (Edmond). Cyrano de Bergerac. Paris, Charpentier et Fasquelle, 1898. In-12, brown half-maroquin bradel, smooth spine decorated, untrimmed, cover (Franz). First edition. On 28 December 1897, Rostand's heroic comedy became the greatest theatrical success since Hernani. An unprecedented success: forty encores! The play was performed 400 times until 1900, and Coquelin, who had been introduced to the playwright the previous year by Sarah Bernhardt, went on to play the role 950 times until his death. Rostand was elected to the Académie française in 1901, at the age of thirty-three. A very fine, fresh copy, bound by Franz Ostermann, who worked in Paris from 1872 until his death in 1938.