# Is "Pudd'nhead Wilson" by Mark Twain a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain (American Publishing Company, 1894) is identified by: Published November 28, 1894, following serialization in The Century Magazine. The Chatto & Windus London edition (BAL 3441) reached print a few days before this American Publishing Company edition, making London the true point of first publication; American collectors and dealers nonetheless treat the Hartford printing described here (BAL 3442) as the standard first edition of the book.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Published November 28, 1894, following serialization in The Century Magazine
- The three BAL-recognized first-issue points are: the title page integrally bound into the gathering rather than on a stub; the frontispiece bearing Twain's facsimile autograph measuring 1-7/16 inches wide; and the sheets bulking 1-the printed price inches
- Illustrations by F. M. Senior and C. H. Warren are printed in the margins rather than as full-page plates, a technique not used before in a Twain book
- Bound in rust-colored decorative cloth lettered in gilt, with grey endpapers and red sprinkled edges
- Publisher imprint reads American Publishing Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mark Twain |
| Publisher | American Publishing Company |
| Year | 1894 |
| True first | American edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Published November 28, 1894, following serialization in The Century Magazine |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Published November 28, 1894, following serialization in The Century Magazine. The three BAL-recognized first-issue points are: the title page integrally bound into the gathering rather than on a stub; the frontispiece bearing Twain's facsimile autograph measuring 1-7/16 inches wide; and the sheets bulking 1-the printed price inches. Illustrations by F. M. Senior and C. H. Warren are printed in the margins rather than as full-page plates, a technique not used before in a Twain book. Bound in rust-colored decorative cloth lettered in gilt, with grey endpapers and red sprinkled edges.

## Is this the true first?
The Chatto & Windus London edition (BAL 3441) reached print a few days before this American Publishing Company edition, making London the true point of first publication; American collectors and dealers nonetheless treat the Hartford printing described here (BAL 3442) as the standard first edition of the book.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Pudd'nhead Wilson* by Mark Twain a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/puddnhead-wilson
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.