The points of issue
Issued only as a signed limited edition: 750 copies from Chapman & Hall (London) and 1000 copies from Little, Brown (US), each signed by Waugh on the limitation page. Full title Basil Seal Rides Again, or The Rake's Regress; blue cloth, gilt, with a color frontispiece by Kathleen Hale. First book appearance of a story first printed in Esquire and the Sunday Telegraph. Waugh's last published fiction.
Is this the true first?
Both the UK Chapman & Hall (750 copies) and US Little, Brown (1000 copies) issues are signed limited editions published in 1963; neither precedes the other as a single 'true first' trade edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Limited issue only; no trade or book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Basil Seal Rides Again a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued only as a signed limited edition: 750 copies from Chapman & Hall (London) and 1000 copies from Little, Brown (US), each signed by Waugh on the limitation page. Full title Basil Seal Rides Again, or The Rake's Regress; blue cloth, gilt, with a color frontispiece by Kathleen Hale. First book appearance of a story first printed in Esquire and the Sunday Telegraph. Waugh's last published fiction.
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. Both the UK Chapman & Hall (750 copies) and US Little, Brown (1000 copies) issues are signed limited editions published in 1963; neither precedes the other as a single 'true first' trade edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Limited issue only; no trade or book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Basil Seal Rides Again — 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.