The points of issue
First edition, first impression, Faber and Faber, London, 1958. Volume two of The Alexandria Quartet. Issued in cloth with a dust jacket priced at fifteen shillings on the unclipped flap. The UK Faber printing precedes the US E. P. Dutton edition of the same year.
Is this the true first?
UK Faber 1958 is the true first; the US E. P. Dutton edition also dated 1958 follows it.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club printings came later and are not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Balthazar a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first impression, Faber and Faber, London, 1958. Volume two of The Alexandria Quartet. Issued in cloth with a dust jacket priced at fifteen shillings on the unclipped flap. The UK Faber printing precedes the US E. P. Dutton edition of the same year.
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. UK Faber 1958 is the true first; the US E. P. Dutton edition also dated 1958 follows it.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club printings came later and are not the first edition.
I have a first edition of Balthazar — 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.