Honoré de Balzac, Catherine de Médicis expliquée - Le martyr - Lot 38

Honoré de Balzac, Catherine de Médicis expliquée - Le martyr calviniste. Paris, Chlendowski, 1845. 3 volumes in-8, [4]-335-[1bl]-[1]p, [4]-314-[1]p & [2]-276-[1]p. First edition of this novel printed in 1842 but published in September 1844, with here renewed faux-titres and titles. The copy is well conformed with its pagination errors, notably the pagination jump after p.152 of volume 2. This was a complicated edition, because although it was completed in November 1842 (or earlier), and although there are copies dated 1842 or 1843 (at Souverain), the work was not advertised for sale until September 17, 1844. There are also copies dated 1845 at Souverain or Chlendowski. Most copies bear the Chlendowski name. Bound in full percaline. Without the title page of volume 1, the title page of volume 3 has been bound into volume 1. Some foxing. A rare work.