The points of issue
UK first published by The Bodley Head, London, 1965 (issued September 1965). Identify by the Bodley Head imprint, the 1965 date with no later-impression statement, green cloth boards with gilt titles, and the original illustrated UK dust jacket. Heyer, who effectively founded the Regency romance, is collected in her Bodley Head firsts.
Is this the true first?
The UK Bodley Head edition is the true first; the US edition (E. P. Dutton, New York, 1965) followed and is a separate, slightly later printing. For Heyer generally the UK firsts (Heinemann, then Bodley Head) precede the US editions.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club issue; the traps are the later US Dutton edition and book-club-style reprints. Verify the Bodley Head imprint and a first-impression copyright statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Frederica a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first published by The Bodley Head, London, 1965 (issued September 1965). Identify by the Bodley Head imprint, the 1965 date with no later-impression statement, green cloth boards with gilt titles, and the original illustrated UK dust jacket. Heyer, who effectively founded the Regency romance, is collected in her Bodley Head firsts.
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 Bodley Head edition is the true first; the US edition (E. P. Dutton, New York, 1965) followed and is a separate, slightly later printing. For Heyer generally the UK firsts (Heinemann, then Bodley Head) precede the US editions.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club issue; the traps are the later US Dutton edition and book-club-style reprints. Verify the Bodley Head imprint and a first-impression copyright statement.
I have a first edition of Frederica — 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.