The points of issue
US first (Webster, 1889), illustrated throughout by Dan Beard, in publisher's subscription cloth, gilt-stamped. The accepted first-state point is the presence of a small S-like ornament within the caption on page 59 (between the words THE and KING); the second state lacks that ornament. Issued without the half-title on the recto of the frontispiece. The UK Chatto & Windus edition appeared the same year under the title 'A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur.'
Is this the true first?
US first (Webster) and UK first (Chatto & Windus, as 'A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur'), both 1889; precedence is close and is established by imprint. The Dan Beard illustrations are integral to the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and reprints lack the Webster subscription cloth and the first-state caption ornament on page 59; the second state already drops the small S-like ornament.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US first (Webster, 1889), illustrated throughout by Dan Beard, in publisher's subscription cloth, gilt-stamped. The accepted first-state point is the presence of a small S-like ornament within the caption on page 59 (between the words THE and KING); the second state lacks that ornament. Issued without the half-title on the recto of the frontispiece. The UK Chatto & Windus edition appeared the same year under the title 'A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur.'
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US first (Webster) and UK first (Chatto & Windus, as 'A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur'), both 1889; precedence is close and is established by imprint. The Dan Beard illustrations are integral to the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and reprints lack the Webster subscription cloth and the first-state caption ornament on page 59; the second state already drops the small S-like ornament.
I have a first edition of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.