How to identify a first printing
- 1953–1965 (Paris, under Maurice Girodias): titles were issued in printed paper wrappers, not cloth. The Traveller's Companion Series appeared in plain green text-only wrappers, each bearing a series number. A first printing has no additional printings listed on the copyright/title leaf; reprints add later printing statements or revised pricing.
- First-issue pricing is a primary point. For Lolita (Traveller's Companion No. 66, two volumes, September 1955) the true first issue has 'Francs: 900' printed on the rear cover of each volume with no sticker removal or erasure; a wartime currency fluctuation forced a quick repricing to 1,200 francs, so price-revised copies are a later state of the first edition.
- The Ophelia Press imprint (more explicit erotica) used pink wrappers in the same design as the green Traveller's Companion wrappers; wrapper colour distinguishes imprint line, not printing state.
- Olympia Press New York (Girodias's mid-to-late 1960s revival) used US paperback and hardcover formats; first printings carry an explicit 'first printing' statement or a number line where one is present. These are a separate operation from the Paris originals.
Notable points & cautions
- Olympia issued the first editions of Nabokov's Lolita (1955), William Burroughs's Naked Lunch (1959), and J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man, alongside work by Beckett and Genet.
- For Lolita the first issue is the two-volume green-wrappers set priced 'Francs: 900' on the rear covers; copies repriced to 1,200 francs are a later state.
- Wrapper colour and series numbering are the primary imprint and issue tells; cloth-bound copies are later reissues or the work of other publishers, not Paris Olympia firsts.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: The Traveller's Companion Series, Atlantic Library, Ophelia Press, Othello Books, Olympia Press New York. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Olympia Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1953–1965 (Paris, under Maurice Girodias): titles were issued in printed paper wrappers, not cloth. The Traveller's Companion Series appeared in plain green text-only wrappers, each bearing a series number. A first printing has no additional printings listed on the copyright/title leaf; reprints add later printing statements or revised pricing. First-issue pricing is a primary point. For Lolita (Traveller's Companion No. 66, two volumes, September 1955) the true first issue has 'Francs: 900' printed on the rear cover of each volume with no sticker removal or erasure; a wartime currency fluctuation forced a quick repricing to 1,200 francs, so price-revised copies are a later state of the first edition.
Does Olympia Press use a number line?
First-issue pricing is a primary point. For Lolita (Traveller's Companion No. 66, two volumes, September 1955) the true first issue has 'Francs: 900' printed on the rear cover of each volume with no sticker removal or erasure; a wartime currency fluctuation forced a quick repricing to 1,200 francs, so price-revised copies are a later state of the first edition.
Is a book-club edition a Olympia Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Olympia issued the first editions of Nabokov's Lolita (1955), William Burroughs's Naked Lunch (1959), and J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man, alongside work by Beckett and Genet.
What era does this cover?
This covers Olympia Press (1953–1974). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.