The points of issue
Hogarth Press 1925, Vanessa Bell dust jacket design. Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh. UK first precedes the US Harcourt Brace edition of the same year.
Is this the true first?
Hogarth London 1925 is the true first; Harcourt, Brace New York 1925 is the first US. Jackets designed by Vanessa Bell are integral to Hogarth firsts and add greatly to value.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Hogarth printings and US reprints lack the original Bell jacket and first-issue binding; any number line or post-1925 date rules out the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mrs Dalloway a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hogarth Press 1925, Vanessa Bell dust jacket design. Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh. UK first precedes the US Harcourt Brace edition of the same year.
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. Hogarth London 1925 is the true first; Harcourt, Brace New York 1925 is the first US. Jackets designed by Vanessa Bell are integral to Hogarth firsts and add greatly to value.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Hogarth printings and US reprints lack the original Bell jacket and first-issue binding; any number line or post-1925 date rules out the first.
I have a first edition of Mrs Dalloway — 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.