The points of issue
True first is the New York George H. Doran edition of 1922 (about 2000 copies), a collection of China travel sketches. The English Heinemann edition was printed from stereotype plates made from the American type, with a title-page reset in America, and followed about a month later.
Is this the true first?
US Doran (1922) is the true first, preceding the UK Heinemann edition (1922) by roughly a month; the Heinemann issue derives from the American plates (Toole Stott A29).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of On a Chinese Screen a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the New York George H. Doran edition of 1922 (about 2000 copies), a collection of China travel sketches. The English Heinemann edition was printed from stereotype plates made from the American type, with a title-page reset in America, and followed about a month later.
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 Doran (1922) is the true first, preceding the UK Heinemann edition (1922) by roughly a month; the Heinemann issue derives from the American plates (Toole Stott A29).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue.
I have a first edition of On a Chinese Screen — 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.