The points of issue
First edition printed and published in Calcutta, 1888 — Kipling's first prose collection. Imprint reads 'Thacker, Spink and Co.' (Calcutta) on the title page, with W. Thacker & Co. as the London agent. Collation pp. xii, 283, with a 32-page publisher's catalogue dated December 1887 at the rear. A noted first-issue point is the page number on page 192 printed at the inner edge of the top margin. Issued in olive/grey-brown cloth.
Is this the true first?
The Calcutta Thacker, Spink 1888 issue is the true first, to be distinguished from the 1890 Macmillan (London) edition. The 32-page December 1887 catalogue and the page-192 page-number placement are the practical bibliographic points.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1890 London Macmillan edition and all later reprints are not the Calcutta first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Plain Tales from the Hills a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition printed and published in Calcutta, 1888 — Kipling's first prose collection. Imprint reads 'Thacker, Spink and Co.' (Calcutta) on the title page, with W. Thacker & Co. as the London agent. Collation pp. xii, 283, with a 32-page publisher's catalogue dated December 1887 at the rear. A noted first-issue point is the page number on page 192 printed at the inner edge of the top margin. Issued in olive/grey-brown cloth.
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 Calcutta Thacker, Spink 1888 issue is the true first, to be distinguished from the 1890 Macmillan (London) edition. The 32-page December 1887 catalogue and the page-192 page-number placement are the practical bibliographic points.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 1890 London Macmillan edition and all later reprints are not the Calcutta first.
I have a first edition of Plain Tales from the Hills — 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.