The points of issue
First edition in three volumes (three-decker), post octavo, in original cloth, with half-titles as issued. The story distribution given in the prior draft was wrong: Volume I contains the first three stories, 'Green Tea,' 'The Familiar,' and 'Mr Justice Harbottle.' The long novella 'The Room in the Dragon Volant' and the novella 'Carmilla' occupy the remaining two volumes, with 'Carmilla' appearing in the final volume. Placing 'Mr Justice Harbottle' in Volume II is incorrect.
Is this the true first?
The 1872 three-volume Bentley set is the first book appearance of 'Carmilla,' which had earlier been serialized in The Dark Blue in 1871 and 1872. The 1884 single-volume New Edition is a later first thus, not the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any one-volume printing, including the 1884 Bentley New Edition, is not the first. Collate for the complete three-volume set with the correct story distribution and matching half-titles; mixed-set rebinds are common, so confirm the volumes belong together.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In a Glass Darkly (containing 'Carmilla') a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in three volumes (three-decker), post octavo, in original cloth, with half-titles as issued. The story distribution given in the prior draft was wrong: Volume I contains the first three stories, 'Green Tea,' 'The Familiar,' and 'Mr Justice Harbottle.' The long novella 'The Room in the Dragon Volant' and the novella 'Carmilla' occupy the remaining two volumes, with 'Carmilla' appearing in the final volume. Placing 'Mr Justice Harbottle' in Volume II is incorrect.
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 1872 three-volume Bentley set is the first book appearance of 'Carmilla,' which had earlier been serialized in The Dark Blue in 1871 and 1872. The 1884 single-volume New Edition is a later first thus, not the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Any one-volume printing, including the 1884 Bentley New Edition, is not the first. Collate for the complete three-volume set with the correct story distribution and matching half-titles; mixed-set rebinds are common, so confirm the volumes belong together.
I have a first edition of In a Glass Darkly (containing 'Carmilla') — 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.