Assouline Publishing has made the coffee-table book cool again. The revolutionary company is best known for sumptuously illustrated books on fashion, art, travel and photography. Its exquisite hardcover volumes are beautiful to look at and are of impeccable editorial quality.

Assouline Publishing was established in 1994 by Prosper and Martine Assouline. The family company quickly outgrew its modest initial office, which was located in the basement of what was then the couple’s apartment, and the pair eventually opened a proper office on rue Danielle Casanova in the French capital city. Assouline’s initial offerings focused on designers, artists and fashion houses, with books about Azzedine Alaïa, Dior and Chanel captivating readers in the publisher’s early days. These books have sold millions of copies all over the world.

Owing to the decline of print media, luxury companies found in Assouline a venue to help showcase their products and adequately position their branding in front of consumers. From its earliest days, Assouline has published opulent hardcovers that broke the mold, from illustrated tomes celebrating fashion legends and high-society doyens to hand-bound limited-edition art monographs with Italian linen covers.

Highly anticipated Assouline titles, such as Yves Saint Laurent: The Impossible Collection, Chinese Art: The Impossible Collection and Art Deco Style, are published with consistency every year.

While books remain at the forefront of Assouline, the publishing house has also expanded into producing alluring decorative objects and furnishings for the home.

Today, Alex Assouline, the son of Prosper and Martine, heads Assouline Publishing. Under his guidance, the brand developed a lucrative new branch that is focused on curating private libraries for homes, offices, hotels and other commercial properties.

On 1stDibs, find collectible Assouline books and other items today.

Finding the Right books for You

Antique and vintage books add a sense of culture and style to any room. Displaying these types of books in your living room or reading nook can warm a space with a distinguished feel.

Several factors make antique books highly desirable. Original jackets, ornate binding, illustrations and quality of the print all contribute to making a vintage book special. Rare books are of great interest to collectors in the know and can command high prices at auction. In 2021, an important early artist book by Andy Warhol sold at auction for more than $106,000. Somewhere between all the commercial work he did as an ambitious young graphic designer in the early 1950s and his first real debut as a Pop artist a decade later, Warhol produced a trove of incredibly charming drawings. His illustrated self-published artist books from the 1950s are very rare.

Many collectors seek the first edition of certain books. Fewer copies of a book and higher demand make it a rare find. A book that contains the author’s signature also makes it much more prized than other examples of the same title.

Collectors and designers decorate rooms with vintage books for a cozy feeling in a home. Coffee-table books, such as those featuring photography and design, serve as conversation pieces or offer a relaxing moment when leafed through.

Interior designers look for vintage books when they want to add color or detail. For instance, leather-bound books can create a scholarly air while mid-century titles offer a modern edge. Vintage international books or first editions can provide a sense of history.

No matter the genre, there is a book for you. You can find rare, one-of-a-kind antique books on 1stDibs. Browse by authors, like celebrated architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright and Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as by period, including mid-century modern, Art Deco and Victorian.