The points of issue
Collection of very short stories. The US Doubleday Doran edition (Garden City, 1936) is the true first; dealer descriptions citing the Stott Maugham bibliography note it preceded the UK Heinemann edition by roughly a week.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday Doran is the true first; UK Heinemann followed in 1936.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Cosmopolitans a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Collection of very short stories. The US Doubleday Doran edition (Garden City, 1936) is the true first; dealer descriptions citing the Stott Maugham bibliography note it preceded the UK Heinemann edition by roughly a week.
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. US Doubleday Doran is the true first; UK Heinemann followed in 1936.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue noted.
I have a first edition of Cosmopolitans — 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.