The points of issue
True first is the 20 (in 19) monthly parts in printed wrappers with Hablot K. Browne ('Phiz') plates, May 1849 to November 1850. Part-issue points center on the plate states and the advertisement inserts bound into the individual parts. The 1850 first one-volume book edition has the Phiz plates and the dedication; pure parts in wrappers are far scarcer than the bound volume.
Is this the true first?
The UK parts are the true first, preceding the bound volume. Original parts in wrappers are valued well above bound copies.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Single bound volumes and later reprints are not the part issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of David Copperfield a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the 20 (in 19) monthly parts in printed wrappers with Hablot K. Browne ('Phiz') plates, May 1849 to November 1850. Part-issue points center on the plate states and the advertisement inserts bound into the individual parts. The 1850 first one-volume book edition has the Phiz plates and the dedication; pure parts in wrappers are far scarcer than the bound volume.
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 parts are the true first, preceding the bound volume. Original parts in wrappers are valued well above bound copies.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Single bound volumes and later reprints are not the part issue.
I have a first edition of David Copperfield — 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.