MERIMEE (Prosper). Colomba. Paris, Magen et Comon, 1841. In- - Lot 129

MERIMEE (Prosper). Colomba. Paris, Magen et Comon, 1841. In-8, [2] f. (faux-titre, title), 463 p. midnight-blue half-cornered long-grained morocco, smooth spine with romantic decoration, gilt fillet at edges, cover and spine preserved, untrimmed [Champs] (very slight rubbing at edges. Faux-titre and title restored). "Rare first edition of Prosper Mérimée's most famous book" (Carteret). In addition to Colomba, this edition contains two other short stories: La Vénus d'Ille and Les âmes du Purgatoire. Our copy has large, preserved margins and includes the extremely rare green cover indicated by Carteret, "whose back cover is different from the first back cover of the beige and blue covers, the advertisements are absent and the name of the printers Maulde and Renou is drawn in the center in a cartouche." (Carteret II, p. 144; Vicaire V, 719)