CAMUS (Albert). The Stranger. Novel. Paris: Gallimard, [1942]. - In-8, 185x115: 159 pp. printed cover. Taupe box, boards veined in black and embellished with small touches of acrylic, smooth spine adorned with the title of the book in long red eser block letters, brown suede lining and endpapers, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved, black cloth slipcase, brown suede lined (Sánchez-Álamo - Enero 2010). In French in the text, 384. First edition of Albert Camus' first novel. One of the major works of 20th-century French literature, it was begun in Algiers in 1938 and completed in Paris in May 1940. The first edition was printed on April 21, 1942, and went on sale on May 19 of the same year. Only 4,400 copies were printed in eight installments. The first tranche consisted of 900 copies, with no edition number. This was followed by seven further instalments of 500 copies, each with a reference on the cover and title from "second" to "eighth edition". Of these 4,400 copies, 400 were reserved for the press. No large paper editions were made. This copy is indeed a first printing, with the correct "achevé d'imprimer" indicating: "Chantenay, Imp. Paris. - 21-4-42." It is part of the sixth edition, with the words "sixième édition" on the title and cover. The cover is signed "Marie Blanche". According to a pencil note on the false title, this refers to Countess Marie Blanche de Polignac (1897-1958), singer, president and director of Lanvin. A fine copy bound by Carlos Sánchez-Álamo. Some restorations to the cover. Provenance: Marie Blanche de Polignac, with signature on cover. - Maurice Houdayer (sale March 9, 2021, no. 52).