# Is "Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life" by Elizabeth Gaskell (anonymous) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life by Elizabeth Gaskell (anonymous) (Chapman and Hall, 1848) is identified by: Two volumes, published anonymously (Gaskell's first novel), Chapman and Hall, London, 1848. The London Chapman and Hall 1848 two-volume edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Two volumes, published anonymously (Gaskell's first novel), Chapman and Hall, London, 1848
- Issued in publisher's plum/purple cloth with gilt spine lettering and blind-stamped covers
- No author name on the title pages
- Published October 1848
- Publisher imprint reads Chapman and Hall
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Elizabeth Gaskell (anonymous) |
| Publisher | Chapman and Hall |
| Year | 1848 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Two volumes, published anonymously (Gaskell's first novel), Chapman and Hall, London, 1848 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Two volumes, published anonymously (Gaskell's first novel), Chapman and Hall, London, 1848. Issued in publisher's plum/purple cloth with gilt spine lettering and blind-stamped covers. No author name on the title pages. Published October 1848.

## Is this the true first?
The London Chapman and Hall 1848 two-volume edition is the true first. Issued anonymously; Gaskell's authorship is not stated on the title page.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later one-volume printings and editions bearing Gaskell's name are not the 1848 anonymous two-volume first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life* by Elizabeth Gaskell (anonymous) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mary-barton-a-tale-of-manchester-life
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.