Americana Exchange

Auction Details

Auction House Sothebys
Website www.sothebys.com/
Auction Name Fine Books and Manuscripts
Sale Number NO8811
Auction Date Dec 13, 2011 - Dec 13, 2011

Lot Details : Sothebys

Lot Number 46     
Author CAMUS, ALBERT
Title La Peste
Year Published 1947
Place Printed (Paris:) Gaillimard
Description La Peste. (Paris:) Gaillimard, (1947) 8vo (7 3/8 x 4 3/4 in.; 187 x 121 mm). Publisher's printed wrappers bound in. Black calf with with geometric architechtonic design of titlting mosaic walls of black and white calf onlays and "ceiling and floor" of two shades of grey calf onlays, spine lettered in gilt, grey calf doublures and liners, edges gilt, by Pierre-Lucien Martin (1963). Chemise with giltlettered black spine and slipcase; small nick on spine of chemise, minimal wear to chemise and slipcase.
Lot Note First edition in a splendid binding by Pierre-Lucien Martin. Copy III of 10 Roman-numbered copies on Japon Impérial (the whole edition comprised 15 copies on Japon Impérial, 40 on Hollande, and 2080 regular copies). Camus worked on his great novel from 1941 until 1947, continually reworking it. His notebooks of the period show that Camus studied medical aspects of the plague and read Moby Dick and Defoe's Journal of the Plague Year while preparing early drafts and formulating his central metaphor of German-occupied France as a plague-ridden country. Pierre-Lucien Martin, with his sombre but complex and engaging designs has served Camus's writings better than other French binders.
Estimated Price USD 40,000.00 - 60,000.00
Actual Price USD 92,500.00