The points of issue
First printing identified by the number line beginning with 1 (full line present). Portia Rosenberg illustrations; priced jacket. A simultaneously issued variant exists (black boards / white endpapers / black jacket vs. white boards / black endpapers). The US issue states 'First U.S. Edition'.
Is this the true first?
Precedence by date actually favors the US issue: the US edition was published 8 September 2004, two weeks ahead of the UK Bloomsbury edition (30 September 2004). Both are Bloomsbury-family firsts; collectors prize the UK issue, but the US issue holds chronological precedence. Identify either first printing by the number line beginning with 1.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings show number lines that do not begin with 1. Verify the full number line beginning with 1 and the correct Bloomsbury imprint for the issue in hand.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified by the number line beginning with 1 (full line present). Portia Rosenberg illustrations; priced jacket. A simultaneously issued variant exists (black boards / white endpapers / black jacket vs. white boards / black endpapers). The US issue states 'First U.S. Edition'.
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. Precedence by date actually favors the US issue: the US edition was published 8 September 2004, two weeks ahead of the UK Bloomsbury edition (30 September 2004). Both are Bloomsbury-family firsts; collectors prize the UK issue, but the US issue holds chronological precedence. Identify either first p
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later printings show number lines that do not begin with 1. Verify the full number line beginning with 1 and the correct Bloomsbury imprint for the issue in hand.
I have a first edition of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell — 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.