The points of issue
Issued in eight monthly parts (the eight 'Books') in printed wrappers, February to September 1876, by William Blackwood and Sons; the four-volume cloth edition followed. In the parts: four half-titles and eight section titles as issued, advertisements to the parts, and errata slips present in the relevant parts. In the cloth issue, recorded first-issue points include the Volume I misprint 'reponsive' at page 83, line 2, and a tipped-in errata leaf following the title of the volume containing Book III.
Is this the true first?
The UK Blackwood 1876 issue is the true first; the eight original parts in wrappers are the primary form and precede the four-volume cloth edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints and the Cabinet edition are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Daniel Deronda a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued in eight monthly parts (the eight 'Books') in printed wrappers, February to September 1876, by William Blackwood and Sons; the four-volume cloth edition followed. In the parts: four half-titles and eight section titles as issued, advertisements to the parts, and errata slips present in the relevant parts. In the cloth issue, recorded first-issue points include the Volume I misprint 'reponsive' at page 83, line 2, and a tipped-in errata leaf following the title of the volume containing Book III.
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 UK Blackwood 1876 issue is the true first; the eight original parts in wrappers are the primary form and precede the four-volume cloth edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reprints and the Cabinet edition are not the first.
I have a first edition of Daniel Deronda — 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.