The points of issue
Three octavo volumes with 1857 title pages and half-titles. Documented first-issue textual point: the misprint 'tattooed' for 'tabooed' at volume II, page 269, line 24. The earliest copies have brick-red endpapers and retain the publisher's advertisements, including the advertisement for The Warden in volume I (often later excised). Collation: Vol. I half-title, title, viii, 305 pp.; Vol. II title, iv, 299 pp.; Vol. III title, iv, 321 pp.
Is this the true first?
The UK Longman 1857 three-decker is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
One-volume reprints and later resettings are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Barchester Towers a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Three octavo volumes with 1857 title pages and half-titles. Documented first-issue textual point: the misprint 'tattooed' for 'tabooed' at volume II, page 269, line 24. The earliest copies have brick-red endpapers and retain the publisher's advertisements, including the advertisement for The Warden in volume I (often later excised). Collation: Vol. I half-title, title, viii, 305 pp.; Vol. II title, iv, 299 pp.; Vol. III title, iv, 321 pp.
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 Longman 1857 three-decker is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
One-volume reprints and later resettings are not the first.
I have a first edition of Barchester Towers — 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.