BALZAC (Honoré de). Histoire de la grandeur et de la décadence de César Birotteau, parfumeur, chevalier de la légion-d'honneur, adjoint au maire du 2e arrondissement de la ville de Paris; Nouvelle scène de la vie parisienne. Paris : L'éditeur, 1838. - 2 volumes in-8, 213 x 133 : 354 pp, (3 ff.), printed cover ; 337 pp, (7 ff.), printed cover. Half burgundy long-grained morocco, smooth spine decorated, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved (Lobstein-Laurenchet). First edition of one of Balzac's famous novels, part of the Scènes de la vie parisienne of La Comédie humaine. Copy complete with errata, the notice by Édouard Ourliac from the Figaro of 15 December 1837 followed by the list of Balzac's works, but without the 16 pages of the catalogue. Nice copy. Spine very slightly faded. Restorations to the first 4 leaves of the second quire of the first volume, to the upper corner of pages 221-222, as well as to the boards and the back covers. Light staining at the end of the second volume. Some foxing.