The Olympia Press First of Naked Lunch (Paris)
The Olympia Press first edition of Naked Lunch, published in Paris in 1959, is the true first edition and the edition that serious Burroughs collectors prioritize above all others. Published by Maurice Girodias — who also published Nabokov’s Lolita, Samuel Beckett’s Watt, and Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer in their first unexpurgated editions — the Olympia Press Naked Lunch is one of the most significant publications in twentieth-century literary history.
Publication History
Burroughs wrote the bulk of Naked Lunch in Tangier between 1954 and 1958, in a state of heroin addiction and creative frenzy. The manuscript was assembled from scattered pages with the help of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who visited Tangier and helped organize the chaotic material. Girodias agreed to publish it under the Olympia Press’s Traveller’s Companion imprint, which specialized in English-language books that could not be published in the US or UK due to censorship.
The book appeared in the summer of 1959 as The Naked Lunch (with the definite article, which was dropped in subsequent editions).
Identification Points
Publisher: The Olympia Press, Paris Imprint: Traveller’s Companion Series, No. 76 Title: The Naked Lunch (with definite article) Publication date: 1959 Format: Green paperback wrappers, characteristic of the Traveller’s Companion Series Spine: Printed in green on white Price: 1,500 old francs (or 15 new francs)
Important variants: There are multiple issues of the Olympia Press first edition, distinguished by differences in the wrapper printing and the price. The earliest issues are the most valuable. Bibliographers have identified the sequence, and serious collectors should consult current bibliographic references.
Condition Expectations
The Olympia Press format — soft paper wrappers on cheap paper — is inherently fragile. Copies in truly fine condition are rare. Common condition issues include:
- Wrapper toning and soiling
- Spine creasing and roll
- Chipping at wrapper edges
- Internal foxing and toning
- Previous owner markings
Collectors should be prepared to accept copies in very good condition — insisting on fine eliminates most of the available supply.
Market Values
- Signed first issue, fine: $15,000–$40,000+
- Unsigned first issue, fine: $5,000–$15,000
- Signed later issues: $8,000–$20,000
- Unsigned later issues, very good: $2,000–$5,000
The Olympia Press Naked Lunch is the most valuable Burroughs collectible and one of the most important items in Beat Generation collecting.