The points of issue
Houghton Mifflin first; tan cloth; copyright page dated 1941 with no later-printing statement; first-issue dust jacket designed by Alvin Lustig with the distinctive square cellophane/glassine window on the front panel and the original price of 2.00 on the flap (the glassine commonly wrinkles or tears). McCullers's second novel.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin is the true first; the UK Cresset Press edition (1942) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition lacks the flap price and bears a blind-stamp; later printings are noted on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Reflections in a Golden Eye a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Houghton Mifflin first; tan cloth; copyright page dated 1941 with no later-printing statement; first-issue dust jacket designed by Alvin Lustig with the distinctive square cellophane/glassine window on the front panel and the original price of 2.00 on the flap (the glassine commonly wrinkles or tears). McCullers's second novel.
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 Houghton Mifflin is the true first; the UK Cresset Press edition (1942) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The book-club edition lacks the flap price and bears a blind-stamp; later printings are noted on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Reflections in a Golden Eye — 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.