The points of issue
First edition of Huxley's collection of four stories (Chawdron; The Rest Cure; The Claxtons; After the Fireworks). The trade first is in red cloth. A signed limited edition of 842 numbered copies, signed by Huxley on the half-title and bound in black cloth, was also issued.
Is this the true first?
UK Chatto & Windus is the true first. A concurrent New York edition was issued by The Fountain Press in 1930. Confirm the Chatto imprint and 1930 dating.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish the signed limited issue from the ordinary trade printing; no book-club edition is a point of issue here.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Brief Candles a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition of Huxley's collection of four stories (Chawdron; The Rest Cure; The Claxtons; After the Fireworks). The trade first is in red cloth. A signed limited edition of 842 numbered copies, signed by Huxley on the half-title and bound in black cloth, was also issued.
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 Chatto & Windus is the true first. A concurrent New York edition was issued by The Fountain Press in 1930. Confirm the Chatto imprint and 1930 dating.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish the signed limited issue from the ordinary trade printing; no book-club edition is a point of issue here.
I have a first edition of Brief Candles — 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.