The points of issue
First edition, first issue of Part First, Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1868 (Part First offered for sale in early October 1868, about 2,000 copies). The key BAL point is the state of the terminal (rear) advertisements: the genuine first issue has the earliest catalogue state with the title listed at its original lower price, before the publisher raised the price for later printings. Half-title present; illustrations by May Alcott; earliest binding in green, purple, or terracotta cloth.
Is this the true first?
US true first, 1868 (Part First). Part Second (the volume later known as 'Good Wives') appeared in 1869; a complete first set requires both with first-issue advertisement states. First-issue versus later-issue priority is determined by the rear-advertisement catalogue and binding states per BAL.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Combined later editions and reprints postdate; the genuine first is the 1868 Part First (with the 1869 Part Second) Roberts Brothers issue with first-state rear ads and May Alcott plates.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Little Women; or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first issue of Part First, Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1868 (Part First offered for sale in early October 1868, about 2,000 copies). The key BAL point is the state of the terminal (rear) advertisements: the genuine first issue has the earliest catalogue state with the title listed at its original lower price, before the publisher raised the price for later printings. Half-title present; illustrations by May Alcott; earliest binding in green, purple, or terracotta cloth.
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. US true first, 1868 (Part First). Part Second (the volume later known as 'Good Wives') appeared in 1869; a complete first set requires both with first-issue advertisement states. First-issue versus later-issue priority is determined by the rear-advertisement catalogue and binding states per BAL.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Combined later editions and reprints postdate; the genuine first is the 1868 Part First (with the 1869 Part Second) Roberts Brothers issue with first-state rear ads and May Alcott plates.
I have a first edition of Little Women; or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy — 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.