In-4 (20.5cm) (2) (1) c. (portrait on the frontispiece) 208. Half skin. Cardboard plates covered with marbled paper. For the name of the author, Cesare Balbo, see: Passano, p. 276. On the collective wink: Novelle.Il ritr. lithograph by the “school teacher” (Michele Ponza?) is signed: “R.to Azeglio” and “Lit. Festa”. Contains the short stories, each preceded by a half-title: Francesca; Toniotto and Maria; The beautiful Alda; Margherita pizza. On the half-title of “Francesca”: engraving of a pentagram taken from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Balbo Cesare (1789-1863): Turin historian, politician and man of letters born on 21.XI.1789 and died on 3.VI.1863. A moderate liberal, he was called by Carlo Alberto to preside over the Council of Ministers on 13 March 1848, he resigned already in July, but was a deputy until 1853.