Oeuvres complètes

Houssiaux reprint of the collected works. Having acquired the stock and publishing rights of Furne, the original publisher of the works, Houssiaux expanded the collection with three additional volumes (Théâtre, Contes drolatiques, etc.), which first appeared as part of the collected works in 1855, rather than 1853. The edition was subsequently reprinted between 1855 and 1875. All volumes are dated 1865 or 1866, except volumes 8 and 20, dated 1855, and volume 12, dated 1874.
Contemporary half dark green morocco-grain sheep, raised bands to spines with blind- and gilt-ruled decoration, chocolate-brown morocco-grain sheep lettering and volume-number labels. Some rubbing to the bindings. Scattered foxing of varying degrees. An attractive set, complete with all half-titles.
Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait and 144 plates on heavy tinted paper by some of the foremost artists of the period, including Bertall, Daumier, Gavarni, Johannot and Nanteuil, together with occasional illustrations in the text and several plates of engraved music.

A handsome set.

The magnificent illustrations remain a landmark achievement, capturing the artistic spirit of an entire era.
As is often the case with such editions of collected works, individual sets inevitably display certain variations, and the number of plates in a given volume may differ from one set to another.