Vladimir Nabokov: Lolita Vol.1 & 2 First Edition 2nd Printing (Rare Vintage Books 1958)

antique/vintage book set, vladimir nabokov "lolita", olympia press, paris, the traveller's companion series no. 66. two volumes (volume one and volume two), second printing, november 1958 - stated on the printer's page as "first printing: september 1955, second printing: november 1958". printed in france, copyright by vladimir nabokov 1955, library of congress catalog no. 58-10755. includes the "publisher's digression" preface by maurice girodias at the start of volume one. 

this early paris printing remains part of the original first edition sequence of one of the most influential and controversial novels of the 20th century, first rejected by american publishers before being taken on by girodias's olympia press. the distinctive olive green wrappers of this edition are instantly recognisable to collectors of banned books and modern literary first editions.

condition: covers show some wear to corners and edges consistent with age and handling. please note - four interior pages show brownish staining/acid transfer marks (offsetting) from old french newspaper clippings about nabokov that had been kept inside volume one for many years by a previous owner. the text remains fully legible throughout, this is a cosmetic condition issue only, with no paper loss, tears, or missing text. please see photos for the exact extent of the staining. absolutely no writing on inside.

included as an extra - a small collection of french newspaper clippings from "le monde" (dated 1988, 1991, and 2005) covering nabokov and the history of lolita, kept alongside the books by a previous owner. these are included as ephemera/provenance material and are not part of the original book.

a genuinely scarce and desirable piece of 20th century literary history, of interest to collectors of banned/censored literature, olympia press and traveller's companion series titles, and nabokov first editions.

please examine all photos carefully as they form part of the description, particularly regarding the interior staining mentioned above. serious/informed offers welcome given the significance of this edition.