The points of issue
Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION'. Original yellow cloth lettered in red/blue; first-state dust jacket priced the printed price. No later-printing notice present.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1940 is the true first, preceding the UK Hamish Hamilton edition. US first preferred.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints (Grosset & Dunlap, Tower) carry their own imprint and lack the Knopf first-edition statement; film tie-in editions are later.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Farewell, My Lovely a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION'. Original yellow cloth lettered in red/blue; first-state dust jacket priced the printed price. No later-printing notice present.
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 Knopf 1940 is the true first, preceding the UK Hamish Hamilton edition. US first preferred.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints (Grosset & Dunlap, Tower) carry their own imprint and lack the Knopf first-edition statement; film tie-in editions are later.
I have a first edition of Farewell, My Lovely — 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.