The points of issue
First printing; Powell's biography of the seventeenth-century antiquary John Aubrey. Illustrated in black-and-white with two fold-out Aubrey family trees.
Is this the true first?
London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1948 is the true first. The US edition (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1948) was printed from the English sheets.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A revised edition was issued later (1963); the 1948 Eyre & Spottiswoode printing is the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of John Aubrey and His Friends a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing; Powell's biography of the seventeenth-century antiquary John Aubrey. Illustrated in black-and-white with two fold-out Aubrey family trees.
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. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1948 is the true first. The US edition (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1948) was printed from the English sheets.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A revised edition was issued later (1963); the 1948 Eyre & Spottiswoode printing is the first.
I have a first edition of John Aubrey and His Friends — 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.