The points of issue
The first edition is the signed limited issue printed for The Fountain Press, limited to 842 numbered copies signed by Huxley (distributed in America by Random House and in Britain by Chatto & Windus). Chatto & Windus then issued the ordinary trade edition.
Is this the true first?
Precedence belongs to the Fountain Press signed limited rather than to a plain Chatto trade printing. Chatto & Windus distributed the limited in Britain and published the trade edition; describing Chatto as the outright true first is misleading.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The key distinction is the signed Fountain Press limited versus the Chatto trade edition, not a book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Music at Night and Other Essays a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The first edition is the signed limited issue printed for The Fountain Press, limited to 842 numbered copies signed by Huxley (distributed in America by Random House and in Britain by Chatto & Windus). Chatto & Windus then issued the ordinary trade edition.
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. Precedence belongs to the Fountain Press signed limited rather than to a plain Chatto trade printing. Chatto & Windus distributed the limited in Britain and published the trade edition; describing Chatto as the outright true first is misleading.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The key distinction is the signed Fountain Press limited versus the Chatto trade edition, not a book-club issue.
I have a first edition of Music at Night and Other Essays — 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.