BALZAC, Honoré de and JEANNIOT, Georges. Scenes from Country - Lot 139

BALZAC, Honoré de and JEANNIOT, Georges. Scenes from Country Life. The Peasants. A bibliophile edition illustrated with 50 original engravings by Georges Jeanniot, including 24 full-page plates. Limited edition of 150 numbered copies; this one is one of the ten reserved for the collaborating artists, bound in full mosaic morocco by Charles Meunier. Paris, Société des Amis du Livre Moderne, 1911. In-4, full chestnut morocco, spine with four false raised bands highlighted by blind-stamped fillets extending onto the covers and adorned with an embossed branch with mosaic leaves; front cover adorned with the same leafy and floral blind-stamped design, with green and caramel mosaic running along the outer and lower margins; inner frame of chestnut morocco adorned with a green morocco band enhanced by gilt fillets featuring mosaic-embossed plant motifs; edges gilt on endpapers, covers and spine preserved, in a lined slipcase. Binding signed “Ch. Meunier 1912.” 377 pp., 50 etchings including a frontispiece, 23 full-page plates, and illustrated covers. Spine slightly sun-faded; some normal wear on the slipcase. A very fine edition of Honoré de Balzac’s *Scenes from Country Life*, illustrated with 50 original compositions by Georges Jeanniot (1848–1934), beautifully etched, including 24 full-page plates. Limited edition of 150 numbered copies on handmade paper; this is one of the last ten copies reserved for the collaborating artists of the book (No. 150 for “M. Cumin-Masson”). Charles Meunier (1866–1948), who oversaw the production of this edition for the Société des Amis du Livre Moderne, also created the prestigious full morocco leather binding with a mosaic pattern, complete with a slipcase, for this exquisite volume. A beautiful piece from the Belle Époque.