Honoré de Balzac, Contes philosophiques [followed by] Nouveaux contes philosophiques. Paris, Charles Gosselin, 1832. 3 volumes in-8, XXXII-388p, [4]-392p & [6 of which front.]-425-[1]p. First reunion, partly original, of the first two volumes. These tales were published in 1831, and thus reappear here with numerous variants; they were intended for purchasers of the original edition of La Peau de chagrin, wishing to complete the series of Contes. Second printing of the third volume, complete with frontispiece. This second printing was exactly the same as the first, apart from the words "second tirage". Gosselin had already done this for the Romans et contes philosophiques in 1831. The frontispiece of Volume 1 is missing and appears never to have been bound in our copy. It was also missing from the Loliée copy (October 10, 2017, no. 113). Provenances: Sickles sale (sale n°IV, n°981); Anne-Marie Meininger sale (Tajan, March 15, 2007, n°14). Havana half calf, spine ribbed, filleted, marbled edges. Slight blemishes, very rare light foxing. A very fine copy.