The points of issue
First edition 1936, Oxford at the Clarendon Press; publisher's dark blue cloth with gilt spine lettering; first impression carries no reprint notice (it was reprinted with corrections in 1938).
Is this the true first?
UK Clarendon Press true first; won the Hawthornden Prize and remains Lewis's foundational scholarly work.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later corrected reprints differ; the 1938 reprint states it was reprinted with corrections.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition 1936, Oxford at the Clarendon Press; publisher's dark blue cloth with gilt spine lettering; first impression carries no reprint notice (it was reprinted with corrections in 1938).
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 Clarendon Press true first; won the Hawthornden Prize and remains Lewis's foundational scholarly work.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later corrected reprints differ; the 1938 reprint states it was reprinted with corrections.
I have a first edition of The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition — 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.