1963 Rare First Limited Edition #561- The Planet of the Apes, Planete des Singes

A numbered 1963 French issue of Pierre Boulle’s La Planète des Singes, identified in its colophon as an “édition originale numérotée”; copy no. 000561 R.

Author: Pierre Boulle.
Title: La Planète des Singes.
Publisher: Paris, Le Cercle du Nouveau Livre, 1963; copyright Éditions René Julliard, 1963.
Edition: Numbered 1963 issue, designated “édition originale numérotée” in the colophon; copy no. 000561 R. The colophon records completion of printing on January 8, 1963, by Imprimeries Oberthur, Rennes, and binding by Prache de Franclieu.
Language: French.
Pages: 265.
Size: 8 × 5.5 inches.
Binding: Original full green cloth, with white and gilt lettering on the front board, gilt spine lettering and a pictorial design featuring a tree and apes. Light signs of age and handling, as shown. Protected by a removable Mylar cover.
Content: Near fine; pages clean and firmly bound, with light age toning. Numbered colophon present.
Illustrations: Pictorial design on the front binding.

Estimate: USD 600–1,250.

The book: Published in 1963, Pierre Boulle’s La Planète des Singes follows journalist Ulysse Mérou to a planet where intelligent apes govern and humans occupy a subordinate position. The novel uses science fiction to examine social hierarchy, prejudice and assumptions about human civilization.

This copy belongs to a numbered French issue published by Le Cercle du Nouveau Livre in 1963. Its colophon explicitly states “édition originale numérotée” and identifies the copy as no. 000561 R. These details establish the issue described here without conflating it with other 1963 printings or bindings.

The author: Pierre Boulle (1912–1994) was a French novelist and engineer. He worked in Southeast Asia and served with the Free French during the Second World War; his experiences informed several of his literary works.

Boulle also wrote Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï, adapted for film in 1957. La Planète des Singes was adapted into the 1968 film Planet of the Apes and subsequently inspired further screen adaptations.