As I have often mentioned before, the ephemera is the biggest challenge in trying to complete a collection. I am always delighted to find a catalogue. This one used to be quite common. I am always happy to be offered any similar items.
Below is a variant of the 1956 catalogue, with a link to my original listing. Same item but a different colour banner, orange instead of purple.
A truly pristine item of ephemera, and a most welcome addition to my collection. This is a perfect example of the material that I am seeking, this one is courtesy of Arcana Cabana in the Netherlands, who kindly agreed to seperate the price list from an edition of Justine, where it had sat between the leaves, untouched for over 50 years. You can view the Arcana Cabana site below.
Paris Olympia Press, Price list and Order form, Spring 1962.
Printed both sides in black and red on a single sheet of pale yellow card, measuring 27×9 cm. Paris bookshop sticker affixed to base of the form on the verso.
The titles in red are highlighted as new editions due to be published, interestingly, the low number Traveller’s Companion Series titles had been in print since 1955/56, therefore at TC 13 ” The Secret Life of Robinson Crusoe” was formerly entitled “The Sexual Life of Robinson Crusoe”, at TC 29, “Helen and Desire” was actually reissued as “Desire and Helen”, and at TC 40 ” The Organisation” was reissued as “The New Organisation”. Legend has it that the changes in title of these reprints was a ploy to confuse the Brigade Mondaine, who worked to lists of Olympia titles that had been banned in France, but as few, if any of the officials could read English a simple ploy such as above was enough to throw them off the scent.
You can also see that at TC 57, the sixth volume of Juliette was about to be issued, the slot for TC 58 was held vacant,eventually (in 1965) was occupied by “Juliette” volume seven, but at one stage in (catalogue 1958) it had been scheduled fo a TC edition of Becketts” Watt”. The title at TC 90 planned as ” The Sex Life of Ulysses” eventually came out as “A Bedside Odyssey”.
Another anomaly, under the Othello Books series (numbered 111-116), which were all to be published in 1962, at 116, sits “Sextet” by Hume Parkinson, which was not issued in this series, and appears to been passed over in the Danish imprint “Odyssey Library”, where it was supposed to be published in 1963, eventually turning up as TC 94 the last title to be published in the Travellers Companion Series in 1965.
No mention on this list of any of the Ophelia Press titles, which generally appear to have been run as a seperate enterprise the Ophelia titles are generally themed around flagellation and sado masochism which traditionally sat outside of mainstream erotica.
Such a significant amount of information from such a small piece of paper, and perhaps something of an explanation for my fascination, with the Olympia Press ephemera material.
Paris Olympia Press, Price list and Order form, Spring 1962.
After a long break from the blog, I am back in action more because of circumstances than by plan, but determined to make the most of my enforced idleness, I am updating material related to the collection and still seeking the few items that I do not have. Alongside this I am gathering the rare and obscure and hopefully bizzare items from around the web, to keep the semi-literate amongst you amused.
So just to remind you that the dedicated purpose of this blog is to provide access to information and images from erotica of all types, for free and to people who might not otherwise ever have sight of these books. But the primary purpose is to complete this Paris Olympia Press collection, and now that I need so few book titles, i am very keen to find the ephemera, for example catalogues, flyers, communication on headed paper, busines cards or anything associated with The Paris Olympia Press. l regularly update on new material coming into the collection, and list items that I am looking for under Books Wanted.
Here is an image of the collection in its latest state, please keep looking, If you have an item that you think might be of interest please use the contact form to get in touch.
Another great rarity and a very welcome addition to my collection, this was very kindly gifted to me earlier this year and arrived unexpectedly on my Birthday, the donor was John Mc Leish of Glasgow, who informed me that this item was formerly in the collection of Gershon Legman. I have had copy of this title before and the one referenced in the Bibliography as in the collection of Angus Carrol actually originated with me. Pat Kearneys speculation that the two items were stapled together at a later date is an error , as evidenced by this copy which has the same side stapled condition. I am tempted to separate the two pamphlets as the catalogue is of significant interest as it lists Beckett’s “Watt” at number 58 in the Traveller’s Companion Series, which never happened, I attempted to communicate this to a fellow collector who is convinced he has seen a copy of this TC Watt.but i have as yet had no response.
For now you will just have to settle for the limited images posted here as I do not want yet to seperate the two, and risk damaging either. Although it would be interesting to copy the catalogue in full, this will have to wait until I pluck up courage to carry out the operation, currently with only one reliable hand such a delicate task is at the moment beyond me.
On the Old Theme of Literature & Censorship with A List of Olympia Press Titles and Others. Paris Olympia Press 1958
The bibliographical information below is provided courtesy of Patrick Kearney, The Paris Olympia Press, Liverpool University Press 2007.
MY NOTE: The catalogue is dated MXMLV11 (1957) on the cover, it references Imp Mazarine as the printer but has no print details.
14.7.1 1958. On the Old Theme of Literature & Censorship. – 17.4 x 8.8 cm. Printed on white wove paper. A dated pamphlet of 32 pages, incl. plain typographical wrappers. A curious publication comprising for the most part extracts from the minutes of the Select Committee on the Obscene Publications Bill, which had been published by the British Government in1957. Printed by Impr. Mazarine, Paris.
Notes: It is doubtful that Girodias would issue a pamphlet of this sort unaccompanied by a sale catalogue or price list for his publications. A copy in Angus Carrollřs collection is stapled together with the item following (14.8.1). Whether the two were issued together as a single unit is uncertain. Despite being the same size and having the same date and printer, each is printed on a different coloured paper and they are connected awkwardly with two staples driven through the side. The possibility exists, however, that they were issued together but became separated, and were badly reunited by a later collector.
14.8.1 1958. A List of Olympia Press Titles and Others. 17.4 x 8.8 cm. Printed on pale blue wove paper. 24 pp. including plain typographical wrappers. Extracts from, or write-ups of, a number of Travellerřs Companion and Ophelia Press titles. There is a 2-page price list and order form, advertisements for German editions of Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn and Querelle de Brest. There are also advertisements for L‘Erotisme au cinema and Technique de l‘erotisme by the prolific Giuseppe Maria Lo Duca. These illustrated works were actually published by Jean-Jacques Pauvert, but apparently distributed in some way by the Olympia Press. Printed by Impr. Mazarine, Paris.
Notes: Possibly issued to accompany a 32-page pamphlet called On the Old Theme of Literature & Censorship, reprinting extracts from the minutes of the Select Committee on the Obscene Publications Bill, which had been published by the British Government in 1957. See item 14.7.1, above.
This small volume has been listed on book sites for some considerable time, and was of no particular interest to me until I relised that from the description and photograph of the cover that this was likely to be the edition with colour illustrations, this from the knowledge that, the numbered edition has blue wraps and the unnumbered edition has pink wraps, this copy has a cream wrapper and was therefore likely to be the Alphabetical limitation, and so it turned out to be, but with a very sweet reward attached. Iinclude the booksellers listing, to assist with the story, and offer my profound thanks to Keogh Books, for this unique addition to my collection.
An Almanac for Amorists
by Broughton, James
Condition: , covers slightly sunned and with some loss at lower fore-edge of front cover, internally clean, book in good condition
, 38 pages, SIGNED and dedicated to Daphne Hunter from the author, and with photo of author at the front, Daphne Hunter starred in the 1953 film ‘The Pleasure Garden (directed by James Broughton) alongside the actor and illustrator Kermit Sheets, who illustrated this book.
Rare opportunity to se the delicately coloured illustrations , and so please see below. Apart from the additional material hand written by the author, for the collector, the format is slightly larger than the other editions and the illustrations are hand coloured, This copy is a unique alphabetical limitation 26 on Vélin d’Arches, | numbered A to Z; = 26¾ – Z³ ,see image for detail. The bibliographical information displayed below the images is courtesy of Patrick Kearney The Paris Olympia Press, Liverpool University Press 2007.
AN ALMANAC FOR AMORISTS James Broughton, 1955
2.6.1 AN ALMANAC FOR AMORISTS James Broughton, 1955
[Within a drawing of a pedestal, with three steps leading to summit, and surmounted by two pillars supporting a narrow, flat roof. In front of left pillar, the figure of a naked man, with a naked woman in front of right pillar. In one hand the woman carries a sign bearing the author‘s name; both figures support a banner with the title on it. The name of the Paris publisher, and place and date of publication are printed on the steps.] [In fancy lettering: ] JAMES BROUGHTON
| AN | ALMANAC | FOR | AMORISTS | [design of bird in flight ] | COLLECTION | MERLIN | PARIS 1955 |
Collation: 42 pp. 18.2 x 13.8 cm. Perfect bound, without signatures, edges untrimmed.
Contents: p. [i-iv] blank. p. [v] AN ALMANAC FOR AMORISTS, reverse blank. p. [1] title, as above. p. [2] Copyright 1955 | by James Broughton. | All rights reserved |in all countries. | Published by | Collection Merlin | 42, rue de Seine | Paris (6e) | in collaboration with | The Olympia Press. | Designed and decorated | by Kermit Sheets. p. [3], poetic dedications to Esto Broughton, Madeline Gleason and Robert Duncan. p. [4] A grateful acknowledgment | is made to Marguerite Caertani | in whose review, Botteghe Oscure, | many of these poems first | appeared under this same title. | Some of the other poems | were originally published | in Furioso, Folder, and Wake.. p. [5] contents, reverse blank. p. [7] full-page drawing illustrating Spring, reverse blank. pp. 9-37, text with full-page drawings illustrating the remaining seasons on pp. [15, 23, 31]. p. [38] list of Broughton’s other volumes of verse, and his films. p. [39] This edition of | An Almanac for Amorists | consists of 676 copies : | 26 on Vélin d’Arches, | numbered A to Z; | 150 on Pur chiffon, | numbered 1 to 150;| 500 on Offset supérieur, | unnumbered. |[all in bold:] IMPRIMERIE DES POÈTES | 20, Rue de la Harpe, Paris-5e | 1955. pp. [40-42] blank.
Binding: White wrappers, printed in black, overlapping on fore-edge and trimmed flush top and bottom. On front cover, a drawing of a naked man and woman, viewed from behind, holding a banner on which is written in fancy lettering AN | ALMANAC | FOR | AMORISTS. At foot of drawing is a narrow banderole bearing the author’s name. Printed down spine: James Broughton [-] AN ALMANAC FOR AMORISTS [-] Merlin. The back cover is blank.
Notes: (1) There are three Olympia Press issues of this printing: (a) The first issue, 26 copies on Velin d‟Arches lettered A to Z; (b) the second issue, 150 copies on Pur chiffon numbered 1 to 150; and (c) the third issue, 500 trade copies, unnumbered, as indicated at the end of the book. (2) There are known copies of the third issue (on Offset supérieur) which have added on the title page at the bottom either HALCYON PRESS LONDON or GROVE PRESS NEW YORK. It is unknown if these copies are part of the original 500 printed by the Olympia Press or if more were printed to accommodate these additional sub-issues. Both the Halcyon Press andeditions have a pink dustjacket,identical in design to the wrappers except that the name „Merlin‟ on the spine is replaced with the name „Halcyon‟ or „Grove‟ The inside flap of the front wrapper gives some critical comment on Broughton‟s work, the address of the English publisher or distributor (Halcyon Press, 15 New Row, London, W.C.2) or the American publisher or distributor (Grove Press, 795 Broadway, New York City 3), and the price of the volume, 4s 6d or $1, repsectively. The inside flap of the back wrapper, and the back wrapper itself, are both blank. (3) The printing of this work would seem to have been done by Bronislaw Kaminski, aka Bruno Durocher, who was also responsible for some reprints for the Olympia Press, and for The Castle of the End of Love, the unofficial first Ophelia Press title.His Éditions Caractères had a number of subsidiary imprints, including L‟Imprimerie des Poètes.
For me this is exactly what I have been looking for, in a very good year for extremely rare items to complete my collection, here is one item that is amazing to find, and is the real justification for this Blog.
Prospectus for ‘Watt’ a novel in English by Samuel Beckett. Collection Merlin 1953. 12mo. Single sheet prospectus. Fine condition.
A special item, in that it is the first piece of ephemera ever donated to my collection, and although very fragile and flimsy I am absolutely delighted with it, and share the sentiment, in the covering letter that came with it, my grateful thanks to Ezra of Alta- Glamour,formerly Ivan Stormgart Books.
14.3.1 1955 (Summer-Autumn).
Tri-fold advertising, price list and order form, measuring 10.0 x 27.0 cm and printed in blue and black on thin white paper.
Includes the first fifteen titles of the Traveller’s Companion series, and (inexplicably) six Atlantic Library titles that are said to be out of print.
In addition, a number of the earlier Olympia titles by Sade, Miller, Apollinaire, &c. are listed with brief promotional blurbs.
Lolita and The Naked Beast at Heaven‘s Gate are both advertised as appearing on July 31st., the later with an elaborate limitation.
Nexus is announced for publication the following year.
Notes: The address of the Olympia Press at this time was 8 rue de Nesle.
Bibliographical description courtesy of Patrick Kearney, The Paris Olympia Press, Liverpool University Press 2007.
Something of a triumph this, purchased on eBay at a very good price and a much better copy than many listed on book sites a twice the price and more. An interesting point with this two volume set, is the second state status, it has because of the price increase stickers, which are actually easily removed, but I rather like them, and have never seen a copy with the stickers on before, presumably because book-dealers tend to remove them. The over price sticker only indicates that the books were not sold until after 1961, when the Franc was revalued. Also the stickers are a much preferable effect than the alternative which is either a ink stamped over price, or even the price being completely obliterated.
As a New into the Collection title, these books are not available for sale or trade.
Bibliographical description courtesy of Patrick Kearney, The Paris Olympia Press, Liverpool University Press 2007.
1.13.1 LOLITA Vladimir Nabokov, 1955
VLADIMIR NABOKOV | LOLITA | THE OLYMPIA PRESS | 8, Rue de Nesle, Paris 6e Collation: two volumes. 192, 224 pp. Vol. 1: 1*-6*16. Vol. 2: 1**-7**16. 17.0 x 10.7 cm., all edges trimmed. Printed on white wove paper.
Contents: Vol. 1: pp. [i,ii] blank. p. [1] LOLITA, reverse blank. p. [3] title, as above. p. [4] All rights reserved in all countries. | Copyright 1955 by V. Nabokov and The Olympia Press . p. [5], PART ONE, reverse blank. pp. 7-10, Foreword by John Ray, Jr. Ph.D. [numeration skips pp. 11-12.] pp. 13-188, text. p. [189] blank. p. [190] PRINTED IN FRANCE | [rule] |Printed in August 1955 by S.I.P., Montreuil, France | Dépôt légal : 3e 1955 .
Vol. 2: pp. [1,2] blank. p. [3] LOLITA, reverse blank. p. [5] title, as above. p. [6] All rights reserved in all countries. | Copyright 1955 by V. Nabokov and The Olympia Press . p.[7], PART TWO, reverse blank. pp. 9-223, text. p. [224] PRINTED IN FRANCE | [rule] | Printed in August 1955 by S.I.P., Montreuil, France | Dépôt légal : 3e trimestre 1955 .
Binding: Green wrappers, printed in black. Front cover framed within two borders, the outer consisting of fine linked chain of type device in black, and the inner a thin band of white edged in black. Front cover: VLADIMIR NABOKOV | LOLITA |Volume One | THE | OLYMPIA | PRESS.
Binding: Green wrappers, printed in black. Front cover framed within two borders, the outer consisting of fine linked chain of type device in black, and the inner a thin band of white edged in black. Front cover: VLADIMIR NABOKOV | LOLITA |Volume Two]| THE | OLYMPIA | PRESS
Spine: [printed up spine, within a white panel edged in black:] * LOLITA.
Spine: [printed up spine, within a white panel edged in black:] ** LOLITA.
Notes: (1) Suppressed on December 10th, 1956 under the decree of May 1939 (article 14 of the law of July 29th 1881 sur la liberté de la presse), designed to combat politically and morally offensive périodiques et ouvrages de provenance étrangère. (2) Prosecuted on July 11th. 1958 under article 14 of a law passed on 16th July 1949 concerning the manner in which books, periodicals, &c. of an erotic character, could be sold, displayed and advertised. (3) This is the true first edition. It appeared in the distinctive green wrappers of the Traveller’s Companion Series, but not numbered and lacks any indication of being part of a series. Hence it is treated here as a general Olympia Press publication and not part of the TCS. See 7.66. (4) A handsome facsimile reprint of the first edition of Lolita was published in 1983 by the First Edition Library, Shelton, Connecticut, by arrangement with Alfred Knopf. It was issued in clamshell box covered in undressed buckram, with green leather labels blocked in gilt. The reprint was one of three that were done of scandalous modern works, the others being Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer and James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Another boost to my ceaseless pursuit of any and all Paris Olympia Press ephemera, such items are always welcome and although not for Trade or Sale, I will list them in full on the site and a PDF copy will be available to anyone who asks, free of charge.
The bibliographical description is courtesy of Patrick Kearney, The Paris Olympia Press. Liverpool University Press 2007, the index number is the actual location of the description in the bibliography. The images are from the actual item which is part of my collection.
Any Questions please leave a comment
14.11.1 1959. Olympia Press 1959.
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Front Cover
18.6 x 9.4 cm. pp. 28, incl. coloured wrappers illustrated with reproductions of Traveller’s Companion volumes against red and black backgrounds, and, on the front wrapper, a detail of a nude woman from a painting.
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Open Covers
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 1 and 2
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 3 and 4
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 5 and 6
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 7 and 8
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 9 and 10
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 11 and 12
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 13 and 14
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 15 and 16
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 17 and 18
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 19 and 20
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 21 and 22
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 23 and 24
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 25 and 26
Olympia Press catalogue 1959 Pages 27 and 28
Interior Illustrated with photos of Lawrence Durrell,William Burroughs, Vladimir Nabokov, Roger Casement & native entourage, judges in Casement trial, Aubrey Beardsley, and Henry Miller, together with reproductions of Olympia Press book covers, sculpture and art by Monet. Contains brief extracts or write-ups of The Black Book, Zazie or The Sex of Angels [sic], The Naked Lunch, Lolita, The Black Diaries, Under the Hill, The Gaudy Image, Our Lady of the Flowers, The White Paper, Teleny, Classical Hindu Erotology, Melting, My Life and Loves, The Fetish Crowd, Deva-Dasi, Juliette, 120 Days of Sodom, Sodom, Story of O, Sexus, Plexus and Nexus, Quiet Days in Clichy, The World of Sex, I Hear Voices, Houses of Joy, the Beckett trilogy, Watcher and the Watched, Pleasures and Follies, Two Novels by Guillaume Apollinaire and the Vicarion collections of beady songs and limericks. Notes: (1) Nexus was never published by the Olympia Press. (2) Zazie or The Sex of Angels was eventually issued under its original French title, Zazie dans le Metro.
PDF copy available on request, just leave a comment and I will email you a copy FREE
Actually been in the collection for a couple of weeks and originally posted as a page which quickly becomes invisible re-listed here as a post.
As always the bibliographical description is courtesy of Patrick Kearney, The Paris Olympia Press, Liverpool University Press 2007. The index number is the actual location of the description in the bibliography.
The images are the actual book now part of my collection and Not Available to Trade or for sale.
12.4.1 SCREAM, MY DARLING, SCREAM Angela Pearson [John Millington-Ward], 1963
TITLE PAGE
[Within a black, highly ornamental frame comprising on each side statues on plinths and surmounted by mythological, tailed figures, the whole resting on a base decorated florally and at its centre a cameo:] [two typographic fig leafs] SCREAM, | MY DARLING, | SCREAM ! by | Angela Pearson | 4 | THE ODYSSEY LIBRARY
Binding: Matt dark red wrappers, trimmed flush with the book. The front wrapper reproduces the titlepage, except for the following differences. The ornamental border is in white. The central panel where the title, author, &c. are given is in black. The typographic fig leaves are dark red. The title, author, series number and publisher are in white.
[Spine; within a white, black-edged panel, the title and author lettered in black down spine:] SCREAM, MY DARLING, SCREAM ! by angela pearson.
[Backwrapper; at foot, lettered in white within a solid black panel:] U.S. dollars 3,60 or equivalent in other currencies. [Printed in small black type at bottom right of backwrapper and at 90° to price panel:] Printed in Denmark | BEHRNDT OFFSET.
For details of other titles wanted in this series follow the link below.
