The points of issue
True first is the 1946 Harcourt, Brace HARDCOVER. Caution title. Not a PBO. Harcourt first has no later-printing statement and the original jacket; the later paperback is a reprint.
Is this the true first?
Caution: hardcover precedes the paperback. Mass-market editions are first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish the Harcourt hardcover first from book-club and paperback reprints (and the NYRB reissue).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Big Clock a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the 1946 Harcourt, Brace HARDCOVER. Caution title. Not a PBO. Harcourt first has no later-printing statement and the original jacket; the later paperback is a reprint.
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. Caution: hardcover precedes the paperback. Mass-market editions are first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish the Harcourt hardcover first from book-club and paperback reprints (and the NYRB reissue).
I have a first edition of The Big Clock — 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.