The points of issue
London: Victor Gollancz, 20 April 1936, in a printing of about 3,000 copies (only some 2,000 sold). Gollancz required libel-driven textual changes before publication, so the published first already incorporates them. Cloth binding with first-issue dust jacket; title page dated 1936 with no later impression statement.
Is this the true first?
UK Gollancz (1936) is the true first. Orwell suppressed reprints and a paperback in his lifetime; the first US edition (Harcourt, Brace) did not appear until 1956.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No authorized reprints during Orwell's life; later impressions add printing lines. Confirm by the 1936 title-page date and absence of a later impression statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Keep the Aspidistra Flying a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: London: Victor Gollancz, 20 April 1936, in a printing of about 3,000 copies (only some 2,000 sold). Gollancz required libel-driven textual changes before publication, so the published first already incorporates them. Cloth binding with first-issue dust jacket; title page dated 1936 with no later impression statement.
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. UK Gollancz (1936) is the true first. Orwell suppressed reprints and a paperback in his lifetime; the first US edition (Harcourt, Brace) did not appear until 1956.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No authorized reprints during Orwell's life; later impressions add printing lines. Confirm by the 1936 title-page date and absence of a later impression statement.
I have a first edition of Keep the Aspidistra Flying — 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.