The points of issue
Sphere paperback original, London, 1984, cover price £1.50. First printings carry the distorted mirror-effect front cover; later Sphere printings use covers reproducing Barker's paintings from the Weidenfeld & Nicolson jacket art.
Is this the true first?
The 1984 Sphere paperback original is the true first edition. The Weidenfeld & Nicolson hardcover followed in 1985 (with a 200-copy signed and boxed limited issue) and is the first hardcover, not a simultaneous first. US editions came later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1985 Weidenfeld & Nicolson hardcover is often misdescribed as the true first; later Sphere printings with the painting covers are not first printings.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Clive Barker's Books of Blood, Volume 3 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Sphere paperback original, London, 1984, cover price £1.50. First printings carry the distorted mirror-effect front cover; later Sphere printings use covers reproducing Barker's paintings from the Weidenfeld & Nicolson jacket art.
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. The 1984 Sphere paperback original is the true first edition. The Weidenfeld & Nicolson hardcover followed in 1985 (with a 200-copy signed and boxed limited issue) and is the first hardcover, not a simultaneous first. US editions came later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 1985 Weidenfeld & Nicolson hardcover is often misdescribed as the true first; later Sphere printings with the painting covers are not first printings.
I have a first edition of Clive Barker's Books of Blood, Volume 3 — 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.