The points of issue
First American edition in publisher's brown cloth, 1852, Ticknor, Reed & Fields imprint, with the rear ad catalogue. A recognized issue point on the Boston edition is the copyright page reading 'Massachusetts' positioned directly opposite the words 'do not wish' on the first page of the Preface. The London Chapman & Hall two-volume edition was issued about a week earlier to secure English copyright.
Is this the true first?
Precedence by date belongs to the London Chapman & Hall two-volume edition, published 7 July 1852, which preceded the Boston Ticknor, Reed & Fields edition of 14 July 1852 by roughly a week. Collectors distinguish the first English from the first American; the English is the earliest by date.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later single-volume reprints lack the two-volume London format and lack the 1852 Boston imprint and rear catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Blithedale Romance a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First American edition in publisher's brown cloth, 1852, Ticknor, Reed & Fields imprint, with the rear ad catalogue. A recognized issue point on the Boston edition is the copyright page reading 'Massachusetts' positioned directly opposite the words 'do not wish' on the first page of the Preface. The London Chapman & Hall two-volume edition was issued about a week earlier to secure English copyright.
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 by date belongs to the London Chapman & Hall two-volume edition, published 7 July 1852, which preceded the Boston Ticknor, Reed & Fields edition of 14 July 1852 by roughly a week. Collectors distinguish the first English from the first American; the English is the earliest by date.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later single-volume reprints lack the two-volume London format and lack the 1852 Boston imprint and rear catalogue.
I have a first edition of The Blithedale Romance — 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.