BALZAC, Honore de (1799-1850). Etudes de moeurs au XIXe siecle.... Paris: Madame Chales-Bechet, 1834.

One volume only (of 12, Vol. V comprising Part I of the second series) 8vo (217 x 128 mm). Engraved plates with hand-coloring, several with remarqués. (Some minor spotting to a few leaves. 20th-century crushed levant gilt, edges gilt and uncut, black calf doublures gilt, stamp-signed and dated by G. Mercier de Son Pére, 1913 (some slight rubbing to joints or spine); original wrappers bound in. Provenance: Lowther family (bookplate numbered 63934); Raymond Claude-Lafontaine (gilt stamp on doublure).

FIRST COLLECTED EDITION. The present single volume, the first volume in the second series, Scènes de la vie de province, includes the first publication of Eugenie Grandet, widely considered to be Balzac's first great novel. Etudes de moeurs au XIXe siecle was published in 12 volumes comprising three series each in 4 volumes: Scènes de la vie privée, Scènes de la vie de province, and Scènes de la vie parisienne. THE LOWTHER FAMILY COPY.

[With:] BEYLE, Marie Henri ("Stendhal") (1783-1842). De l'amour. Paris: Librairie Universelle, de P. Mongie, 1822. One volume only (of 2, lacking volume II), 12mo (153 x 89 mm). Half-title. 20th-century morocco gilt, sides with central gilt arabesque, spine in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, 2 with red morocco lettering-pieces gilt, the rest gilt-decorated, edges gilt, turn-ins gilt, stamp-signed by R. Petit. Provenance: Lowther family (bookplate on pastedown, hand-numbered 61396). FIRST EDITION. "Ouvrage fort recherche: son "titre" en est une raison, qui, sans dominer les autres est un fait. Un livre hardi et froidement realiste qui fit sensation a l'epoque" (Carteret II, 346). THE LOWTHER FAMILY COPY.

BALZAC, Honore de (1799-1850). Etudes de moeurs au XIXe siecle.... Paris: Madame Chales-Bechet, 1834.