The points of issue
Issued simultaneously in light tan printed paper wrappers and in salmon-colored cloth. The book was originally prepared for December 1885; because the date had passed, the '5' in the date on the front wrapper was altered by hand to '6,' so the earliest wrappered copies show this hand-corrected '1886' date. Title reads 'Strange Case' without a leading 'The.' Wrappers are generally taken to precede cloth within the Longmans issue.
Is this the true first?
Precedence is between editions: the US Charles Scribner's Sons edition (published 5 January 1886) appeared four days before the UK Longmans wrappered issue, so the US edition has chronological priority; the UK Longmans is the first English edition. Within the Longmans issue, wrappers precede cloth.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Cloth-only Longmans copies and copies with later-dated advertisements are later states; numerous reprints exist.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued simultaneously in light tan printed paper wrappers and in salmon-colored cloth. The book was originally prepared for December 1885; because the date had passed, the '5' in the date on the front wrapper was altered by hand to '6,' so the earliest wrappered copies show this hand-corrected '1886' date. Title reads 'Strange Case' without a leading 'The.' Wrappers are generally taken to precede cloth within the Longmans issue.
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. Precedence is between editions: the US Charles Scribner's Sons edition (published 5 January 1886) appeared four days before the UK Longmans wrappered issue, so the US edition has chronological priority; the UK Longmans is the first English edition. Within the Longmans issue, wrappers precede cloth.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Cloth-only Longmans copies and copies with later-dated advertisements are later states; numerous reprints exist.
I have a first edition of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde — 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.