The points of issue
First edition 1954; Oxford History of English Literature volume; scholarly cloth, dust jacket.
Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Oxford University Press / Clarendon Press first-edition guide.
Is this the true first?
UK OUP true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (OHEL) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition 1954; Oxford History of English Literature volume; scholarly cloth, dust jacket.
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 OUP true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reprints differ.
I have a first edition of English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (OHEL) — 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.