The points of issue
True first is the New York Huebsch edition of 1916 (the English Egoist Press edition, 1917, was actually printed from American sheets). Publisher's cloth; '1916' on title/copyright.
Is this the true first?
Unusually, the US (Huebsch 1916) precedes the UK (Egoist Press 1917), because the Egoist edition used imported American sheets. So the true first is American, not British.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Egoist 1917 and all later printings are distinguished by date and imprint; modern reprints carry number lines absent from the 1916 first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the New York Huebsch edition of 1916 (the English Egoist Press edition, 1917, was actually printed from American sheets). Publisher's cloth; '1916' on title/copyright.
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. Unusually, the US (Huebsch 1916) precedes the UK (Egoist Press 1917), because the Egoist edition used imported American sheets. So the true first is American, not British.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Egoist 1917 and all later printings are distinguished by date and imprint; modern reprints carry number lines absent from the 1916 first.
I have a first edition of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man — 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.