The points of issue
The true first is the US Doubleday Doran edition titled This Gun for Hire, published June 1936, in beige cloth with dark green blocking and dust jacket. The UK Heinemann edition titled A Gun for Sale followed in July 1936 (priced 7s 6d). Subtitled An Entertainment.
Is this the true first?
The US Doubleday Doran This Gun for Hire (June 1936) precedes the UK Heinemann A Gun for Sale (July 1936) by one month and is the true first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US retitled This Gun for Hire; later book-club and film-tie-in printings followed.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Gun for Sale a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first is the US Doubleday Doran edition titled This Gun for Hire, published June 1936, in beige cloth with dark green blocking and dust jacket. The UK Heinemann edition titled A Gun for Sale followed in July 1936 (priced 7s 6d). Subtitled An Entertainment.
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. The US Doubleday Doran This Gun for Hire (June 1936) precedes the UK Heinemann A Gun for Sale (July 1936) by one month and is the true first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
US retitled This Gun for Hire; later book-club and film-tie-in printings followed.
I have a first edition of A Gun for Sale — 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.