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First-Edition Identification · Graham Greene

Is My British Dramatists a First Edition?

William Collins, 1942

The points of issue

First printing in the 'Britain in Pictures' series. Slim, illustrated with colour plates and monochrome illustrations; paper-covered boards.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · William Collins first-edition guide.

Is this the true first?

UK Collins is the true first; published within the Britain in Pictures series.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

Series title; no book-club issue.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of British Dramatists a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: First printing in the 'Britain in Pictures' series. Slim, illustrated with colour plates and monochrome illustrations; paper-covered boards.

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 Collins is the true first; published within the Britain in Pictures series.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

Series title; no book-club issue.

I have a first edition of British Dramatists — 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.

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