The points of issue
The true first printing is the signed limited edition of 130 copies issued by Sylvester & Orphanos in 1976 (100 numbered, 26 lettered, 4 with the recipient's printed name), with endpapers and a frontispiece portrait by Don Bachardy. This precedes the Farrar, Straus & Giroux trade edition, which is the first trade printing for general readers. The UK edition followed from Eyre Methuen in 1977.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Sylvester & Orphanos limited edition (1976). The Farrar, Straus & Giroux printing is the first trade edition; UK Eyre Methuen 1977 follows both.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue. Note the limited/trade distinction: the FSG trade printing is not the true first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Christopher and His Kind a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first printing is the signed limited edition of 130 copies issued by Sylvester & Orphanos in 1976 (100 numbered, 26 lettered, 4 with the recipient's printed name), with endpapers and a frontispiece portrait by Don Bachardy. This precedes the Farrar, Straus & Giroux trade edition, which is the first trade printing for general readers. The UK edition followed from Eyre Methuen in 1977.
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. True first is the Sylvester & Orphanos limited edition (1976). The Farrar, Straus & Giroux printing is the first trade edition; UK Eyre Methuen 1977 follows both.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue. Note the limited/trade distinction: the FSG trade printing is not the true first printing.
I have a first edition of Christopher and His Kind — 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.