The points of issue
First impression, published 9 November 1967; illustrated by Pauline Baynes; pictorial dust jacket; first-impression statement on verso. First-impression sheets exist in two binding states: the earlier preferred state has a solid black case without the white borders at the top and bottom edges and spine seen on the later state.
Is this the true first?
UK Allen & Unwin is the true first: published 9 November 1967, ahead of the US Houghton Mifflin edition later that year.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The extended edition edited by Verlyn Flieger (2005) is a distinct later text, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Smith of Wootton Major a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First impression, published 9 November 1967; illustrated by Pauline Baynes; pictorial dust jacket; first-impression statement on verso. First-impression sheets exist in two binding states: the earlier preferred state has a solid black case without the white borders at the top and bottom edges and spine seen on the later state.
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. UK Allen & Unwin is the true first: published 9 November 1967, ahead of the US Houghton Mifflin edition later that year.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The extended edition edited by Verlyn Flieger (2005) is a distinct later text, not the first.
I have a first edition of Smith of Wootton Major — 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.