Victor Hugo - Les Misérables - 1862-1862

Rare complete set in 10 volumes of the French original edition of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, published in Paris by Pagnerre in 1862 (MDCCCLXII).
It is the very first historical printing run issued from the presses of the printer Jules Claye (printing completed, still present), bearing the fictitious period note "Fourth Edition" (a famous ploy by the Lacroix publisher to simulate the work's immediate success upon its release).
Details of the copy :
Author : Victor Hugo
Title : The Miserables (Complete in 10 volumes)
Publisher : Pagnerre (Paris)
Year : 1862
Printing : Imprimerie J. Claye (Rue Saint-Benoît, Paris)
Condition of preservation :
Interior : Remarkable freshness for its age. The paper is very sound, bright white and shows very few foxings (see title page and text pages photos). The edges are speckled.
Binding : Period half-binding in brown leather with a smooth spine, adorned with gilded fleurons and fillets. Boards in percaline/paper marbled.
Defects : Binding sound but showing a patina of use. Frictions and small losses/scratches on the leather are to be noted on certain heads/spines (notably volumes 5, 7 and 8), which is typical for volumes handled for 160 years. The text blocks remain perfectly solid.