The points of issue
The 1865 first printing of 2,000 copies (text printed at the Oxford University Press / Clarendon Press) was suppressed at Tenniel's insistence over the poor quality of the illustration impressions; only about 22 to 23 copies are now known — the true first. Point: title page dated 1865, with the Oxford printing of the text block. The first published edition is dated 1866 (issued late 1865 for the Christmas market), entirely reset and reprinted by Richard Clay. The suppressed 1865 sheets were sold to Appleton of New York and reissued with a cancel title leaf dated 1866 (the 'Appleton Alice').
Is this the true first?
True first = suppressed 1865 Macmillan with the Oxford-printed text, an extreme rarity. First obtainable = the reset 1866 Macmillan. The 'Appleton Alice' (New York, 1866) is made from the suppressed 1865 sheets with a cancel title leaf, so it is a first-edition variant rather than a true reprint.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The reset 1866 Macmillan and all later Macmillan reprints are not the suppressed 1865 first; facsimiles of the 1865 exist.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The 1865 first printing of 2,000 copies (text printed at the Oxford University Press / Clarendon Press) was suppressed at Tenniel's insistence over the poor quality of the illustration impressions; only about 22 to 23 copies are now known — the true first. Point: title page dated 1865, with the Oxford printing of the text block. The first published edition is dated 1866 (issued late 1865 for the Christmas market), entirely reset and reprinted by Richard Clay. The suppressed 1865 sheets were sold to Appleton of New York and reissued with a cancel title leaf
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. True first = suppressed 1865 Macmillan with the Oxford-printed text, an extreme rarity. First obtainable = the reset 1866 Macmillan. The 'Appleton Alice' (New York, 1866) is made from the suppressed 1865 sheets with a cancel title leaf, so it is a first-edition variant rather than a true reprint.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The reset 1866 Macmillan and all later Macmillan reprints are not the suppressed 1865 first; facsimiles of the 1865 exist.
I have a first edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland — 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.