The points of issue
Published by Faber & Faber in 1963 as a hardcover in dust jacket; the last collected volume of Eliot's poetry published in his lifetime. Gallup A74. The first printing states first publication in 1963 with no later-printing line. A near-concurrent US first was issued by Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, in 1963. This is a 'first thus' collected volume gathering work first published earlier.
Is this the true first?
UK Faber & Faber (1963) and US Harcourt, Brace & World (1963) are near-concurrent firsts of this collected volume. The individual collections gathered here have their own earlier firsts (Prufrock and Other Observations 1917, Poems 1920, Ash-Wednesday 1930, Four Quartets 1943).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Collected Poems 1909-1962 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Published by Faber & Faber in 1963 as a hardcover in dust jacket; the last collected volume of Eliot's poetry published in his lifetime. Gallup A74. The first printing states first publication in 1963 with no later-printing line. A near-concurrent US first was issued by Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, in 1963. This is a 'first thus' collected volume gathering work first published earlier.
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 & Faber (1963) and US Harcourt, Brace & World (1963) are near-concurrent firsts of this collected volume. The individual collections gathered here have their own earlier firsts (Prufrock and Other Observations 1917, Poems 1920, Ash-Wednesday 1930, Four Quartets 1943).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition.
I have a first edition of Collected Poems 1909-1962 — 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.