The points of issue
First edition, first impression, Faber and Faber, London, 1960. The fourth and final volume of The Alexandria Quartet. Red cloth with a pictorial dust jacket; the unclipped jacket carries the original British price. The UK Faber printing precedes the US E. P. Dutton edition, also dated 1960.
Is this the true first?
UK Faber 1960 is the true first; the US E. P. Dutton edition of the same year follows it.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club printings came later and are not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Clea a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first impression, Faber and Faber, London, 1960. The fourth and final volume of The Alexandria Quartet. Red cloth with a pictorial dust jacket; the unclipped jacket carries the original British price. The UK Faber printing precedes the US E. P. Dutton edition, also dated 1960.
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 Faber 1960 is the true first; the US E. P. Dutton edition of the same year follows it.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club printings came later and are not the first edition.
I have a first edition of Clea — 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.