The points of issue
London: Chapman & Hall, 1934. 'First published in 1934' on the title verso. Bound not in plain cloth but in the distinctive black-and-red snakeskin-patterned cloth, spine lettered in gilt, with a frontispiece of Hetton by J. D. M. Harvey. First-issue pictorial dust jacket printed in black and red.
Is this the true first?
The UK Chapman & Hall edition (1934) precedes the US Farrar & Rinehart edition (1934). The US serial/book version carries an alternate ending different from the UK book text.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add an impression statement to the title verso.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Handful of Dust a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: London: Chapman & Hall, 1934. 'First published in 1934' on the title verso. Bound not in plain cloth but in the distinctive black-and-red snakeskin-patterned cloth, spine lettered in gilt, with a frontispiece of Hetton by J. D. M. Harvey. First-issue pictorial dust jacket printed in black and red.
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 UK Chapman & Hall edition (1934) precedes the US Farrar & Rinehart edition (1934). The US serial/book version carries an alternate ending different from the UK book text.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add an impression statement to the title verso.
I have a first edition of A Handful of Dust — 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.