BALZAC (Honoré de). Lot n° 9

Les contes drolatiques, colligez ez abbayes de Touraine et mis en lumière par le sieur de Balzac pour l'esbattement des pantagruelistes et non aultres. Fifth edition illustrated with 425 drawings by Gustave Doré. Paris, Bureaux de la Société générale de Librairie, 1855 Small in-8, red morocco, triple framed with gilt fillets and corner fleurons on the boards, spine ribbed and decorated with mosaic pastilles in green morocco, inside return with framed gilt fillets, gilt edges on witnesses, illustrated covers and spine preserved (Mercier sr de Cuzin). Same edition, same print run as the previous issue. A copy, like the previous one, of a remarkable quality of print run, presenting two of the four first state remarks reported by Carteret. From the library of Victor Mercier (1937, n° 283), with bookplate and gilt figure on the first flyleaf. Although catalogued, this very fine copy was not offered for sale in 1937, the family of President Mercier having chosen to keep it as a souvenir, like ten other works from this exceptional library.