Honoré de Balzac / Cortazzo

Beautiful, uniform set of 33 volumes from the "Œuvres Complètes Illustrées" (Illustrated Complete Works) by Honoré de BALZAC, published in Paris by Paul Ollendorff and Albin Michel between 1900 and 1926. The volumes are bound in an elegant period half-leather binding (chagrin/maroquin) in brown. The spine with raised bands is richly decorated with gilt compartments and fleurons, with title pieces. The covers are marbled paper in the bibliophile publisher's cartonnage style. Top edges gilt on some volumes. Each tome is abundantly illustrated with out-of-text engravings by the era's finest artists (Cortazzo, Toudouze, Vidal, Moreau). Highlights of this set: • One volume of "L'Enfant Maudit" (Ollendorff) featuring a prestigious period dedication from the Rothschild family. • One volume of "Colonel Chabert" (Ollendorff, 1902) printed on Grand Papier (limited separately numbered edition, on Hollande/Japon/Chine paper). • One volume of "Petites Misères de la vie conjugale" (Albin Michel) with a 1926 certified print run. Overall Condition: Nice overall freshness, tight spines, interiors very clean and fresh with rare foxing. Note two major flaws (visible in photos): the top headcap is missing/split on "Une ténébreuse affaire" and torn/removed on "César Birotteau". A few light scuffs or minor bumps on a couple of other headcaps.

Estimate:£167.51

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