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. Cinquiesme édition. Illustrée de 425 dessins par Gustave Doré.
63705Paris: Bureaux de la Société générale de librairie 1855. FIRST EDITION THUS. 8vo. 20 x 12.5 cm. pp.xxxi16141. Contemporary full red morocco signed by Galette sides with triple gilt fillet borders spine with richly gilt decorated compartments between raised bands gilt decorated inner dentelles marbled endpapers all edges gilt. Contained in a green marbled paper covered slipcase with red morocco trim. 425 illustrations by Gustave Doré engraved on wood by Lavieille Rouget Pisan Brévière and Piaud. A very pretty copy in excellent fresh condition. First illustrated edition of the Contes drolatiques with 425 illustrations by Gustave Dore praised by Ray "Doré's early masterpiece" Carteret "le chef-d'œuvre d'illustrations de Gustave Doré" and Beraldi who though it the most likely to endure of all Doré's books - "S'il n'en reste qu'un seul ce sera celui-là !" Béraldi. Although the title refers to this edition as the "cinquiesme édition" it is actually the fourth edition of Les contes drolatiques which was first published between 1832-1837. It is well recorded that Balzac's widow granted permission for the illustrated edition only on the condition: "that no artist but Doré should be allowed to illustrate her husband's works" Anthony North-Peat Gossip from Paris 1864-69 p. 324. Carteret III pp. 48-53; Bulletin de la Librairie Morgand et Fatout II 6445; Berny Livres anciens romantiques et modernes III 92; Rahir VI 1875; Ray 244. Paris: Bureaux de la Société générale de librairie, 1855. hardcover
Robert Frew Ltd · Royaume-Uni1 750,00 £GB≈ 1 998,15 €
