Les Contes Drolatiques Colligez ez Abbayes de Touraine et mis en lumbered par le sieur de Balzac pour l’esbattement des pantagruelistes et non aultres, Nouvelle Edition, Illustree de 425 dessins de Gustave Dore, Librarie Garnier Freres, Paris, 1926, No. 1335 out of 1500, 612 pp, quarter vellum, 9 x 7”, 4to.
In good condition. Lovely and unique painted spine lightly faded, but clean and legible. Really quite amazing! Light toning and spotting to vellum, otherwise without flaw. Light chipping to marbled covers, minimal fading. Light scuffing to extremities. Marbled end papers clean. Text lightly toned at edges. Minimal foxing, if any. Binding tight and intact. Free of known ownership or markings. Please see photos.
Dore illustrated edition of Balzac’s Contes in an unusual quarter vellum binding with a wonderful pen and ink portrait of a Balzac character on the spine. The artist was R. Penault. The execution of most such painted bindings are much cruder, and without fine artistic quality of this example. Quite rare.
COLI1926DJKN