L'Etranger

Albert CAMUS
L'Étranger
[The Stranger]
tGallimard | Paris 1942| 11.5 x 19 cm| half brown morocco
First edition first issue for which no grand papier (deluxe) copies were printed, one of the rare first printed copies, no false statement of edition.
Half brown morocco, spine in five compartments, lettered in gilt and dated at foot, marbled covers and endpapers, wrappers and spine well preserved, top edge gilt, case edged with brown morocco, binding signed by Alix.
This first edition of L'Étranger was printed on April 12, 1942, with a print run of 4 400 copies, divided into eight notional “editions” of 550 copies. Thus, most of the copies have a false statement of the second to eighth edition on their lower cover.
As paper was rare in 1942 and Albert Camus was then an unknown writer, Gallimard did not print any luxury paper copies. Copies without false statement of edition are particularly sought-after.
Very fine copy of the first issue with elegant, signed binding.