The points of issue
US first (Harper, 14 November 1851): titled 'Moby-Dick; or, The Whale,' issued in a single volume in a stated printing of around 2,915 copies, and it CONTAINS the Epilogue plus roughly thirty-five further passages omitted from the earlier London edition. First-issue copies are bound in publisher's cloth found in a range of colors (recorded examples include black, blue, grey, green, purple-brown, red, and slate) with NO established priority among them; the distinctive orange-coated endpapers are a recognized feature of the Harper edition. UK first (Bentley, 18 October 1851): titled 'The Whale,' a three-volume set, blue cloth.
Is this the true first?
The London Bentley 'The Whale' (three volumes, 18 October 1851) PRECEDES the New York Harper 'Moby-Dick' (14 November 1851) by about four weeks and is the earliest by date. The Harper edition, however, carries the Epilogue (in which Ishmael survives) and roughly thirty-five additional passages that Bentley omitted, so it is the first complete and textually fuller edition. Collectors value both: 'The Whale' as date-first, 'Moby-Dick' as the first complete text.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any single-volume 'The Whale' or post-1851 'Moby-Dick' is later; the three-volume format identifies the UK first, and the Epilogue plus orange endpapers identify the US first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Moby-Dick; or, The Whale a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US first (Harper, 14 November 1851): titled 'Moby-Dick; or, The Whale,' issued in a single volume in a stated printing of around 2,915 copies, and it CONTAINS the Epilogue plus roughly thirty-five further passages omitted from the earlier London edition. First-issue copies are bound in publisher's cloth found in a range of colors (recorded examples include black, blue, grey, green, purple-brown, red, and slate) with NO established priority among them; the distinctive orange-coated endpapers are a recognized feature of the Harper edition. UK first (Bentley,
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. The London Bentley 'The Whale' (three volumes, 18 October 1851) PRECEDES the New York Harper 'Moby-Dick' (14 November 1851) by about four weeks and is the earliest by date. The Harper edition, however, carries the Epilogue (in which Ishmael survives) and roughly thirty-five additional passages that
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Any single-volume 'The Whale' or post-1851 'Moby-Dick' is later; the three-volume format identifies the UK first, and the Epilogue plus orange endpapers identify the US first.
I have a first edition of Moby-Dick; or, The Whale — 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.