The points of issue
Octavo, about 189 pages, illustrated; lavishly produced for its day. The copyright page carries the 1940 M. Barrows imprint and no later-printing data. Beard's first book.
Is this the true first?
The US M. Barrows 1940 edition is the true first. Beard revised the book in 1963, and it was reissued in 1985; those are later first-thus editions, not the first. First-printing identification rests on the 1940 Barrows imprint and the absence of revision or later-printing notes. Note that some 1940 copies carry a printing statement such as a sixth printing, so verify the absence of any later-printing line.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1963 and 1985 revised editions are common and frequently misdescribed; they carry updated copyright dates and revised content. There was no significant book-club issue of the 1940 original.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés (With a Key to the Cocktail Party) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Octavo, about 189 pages, illustrated; lavishly produced for its day. The copyright page carries the 1940 M. Barrows imprint and no later-printing data. Beard's first book.
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 US M. Barrows 1940 edition is the true first. Beard revised the book in 1963, and it was reissued in 1985; those are later first-thus editions, not the first. First-printing identification rests on the 1940 Barrows imprint and the absence of revision or later-printing notes. Note that some 1940
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 1963 and 1985 revised editions are common and frequently misdescribed; they carry updated copyright dates and revised content. There was no significant book-club issue of the 1940 original.
I have a first edition of Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés (With a Key to the Cocktail Party) — 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.