# Is "Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69" by Edward Whymper a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69 by Edward Whymper (John Murray, 1871) is identified by: First edition, London: John Murray, 1871, octavo, pp. True first is the 1871 Murray London edition (UK), the definitive Matterhorn account.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, London: John Murray, 1871, octavo, pp. xviii, [2], 432; printed by R. Clark, Edinburgh
- Illustrated with full-page plates (commonly cited as roughly 22 to 23, one folding), about 90 to 100-plus in-text wood engravings, and five folding maps at the rear (one printed in color), plus a folding snow-section chart
- Original green pictorial cloth with blind-ruled borders, gilt-lettered spine, and black-coated endpapers
- The first issue/earliest state has NO printed thousand-count on the title page; a title page reading 'Fifth Thousand' indicates a LATER printing within 1871 (struck off after the first roughly 4,000 copies), not the earliest state
- Publisher imprint reads John Murray
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Edward Whymper |
| Publisher | John Murray |
| Year | 1871 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, London: John Murray, 1871, octavo, pp. xviii, [2], 432; printed by R. Clark, Edinburgh |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, London: John Murray, 1871, octavo, pp. xviii, [2], 432; printed by R. Clark, Edinburgh. Illustrated with full-page plates (commonly cited as roughly 22 to 23, one folding), about 90 to 100-plus in-text wood engravings, and five folding maps at the rear (one printed in color), plus a folding snow-section chart. Original green pictorial cloth with blind-ruled borders, gilt-lettered spine, and black-coated endpapers. The first issue/earliest state has NO printed thousand-count on the title page; a title page reading 'Fifth Thousand' indicates a LATER printing within 1871 (struck off after the first roughly 4,000 copies), not the earliest state.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1871 Murray London edition (UK), the definitive Matterhorn account. The print run sold quickly, so several 1871 'thousand' printings exist; the earliest issue lacks any thousand designation, and a 'Fifth Thousand' title page is a later 1871 printing. American issues, the revised and expanded 1893 fourth edition, and modern facsimiles are later or 'first thus.' Unrestored original-cloth copies are scarce.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of the period. Beware later 1871 'thousand' printings, the expanded 1893 fourth edition, and modern facsimiles (National Geographic and others) being offered as the earliest first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69* by Edward Whymper a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/scrambles-amongst-the-alps-in-the-years-1860-69
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.