The points of issue
Title page dated in Roman numerals MCMXX, copyright 1920. The definitive first-printing point is a parenthetical (1) printed before THE END on the last page of text, Appleton's house code for the first printing. A second, corroborating point appears on page 186, line 7: in first printings the wedding-service line reads 'Forasmuch as it hath please Almighty God'; later printings (as early as the fourth) change it to 'Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here.' Orange/red cloth; first-issue dust jacket shows a small Victorian child after the Reynolds painting.
Is this the true first?
Appleton issued the book in New York and London in October 1920. Both were the same publisher in the same year; collectors treat the New York issue with the last-page (1) code as the first. No clear precedence point separates the two beyond the (1) code itself.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Appleton printings carry a higher last-page code or none, and show the revised page 186 wording. Grosset & Dunlap and book-club reprints lack the (1) code and are clearly later.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Age of Innocence a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Title page dated in Roman numerals MCMXX, copyright 1920. The definitive first-printing point is a parenthetical (1) printed before THE END on the last page of text, Appleton's house code for the first printing. A second, corroborating point appears on page 186, line 7: in first printings the wedding-service line reads 'Forasmuch as it hath please Almighty God'; later printings (as early as the fourth) change it to 'Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here.' Orange/red cloth; first-issue dust jacket shows a small Victorian child after the Reynolds pain
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. Appleton issued the book in New York and London in October 1920. Both were the same publisher in the same year; collectors treat the New York issue with the last-page (1) code as the first. No clear precedence point separates the two beyond the (1) code itself.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Appleton printings carry a higher last-page code or none, and show the revised page 186 wording. Grosset & Dunlap and book-club reprints lack the (1) code and are clearly later.
I have a first edition of The Age of Innocence — 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.