The points of issue
True first edition is the Encore Publishing Co. paperback in stapled card wrappers (London, 1960), which precedes the Methuen issue of the same year by a few months. The Methuen 1960 hardback is the first hardcover, stating 'First published 1960' with no later-impression line; Methuen also issued the title in wrappers.
Is this the true first?
Encore wrappers (1960) is the true first; the Methuen 1960 cloth is the first hardback (a first thus). This precedence is the key trap — many catalogue the Methuen hardback as 'the first.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The collecting distinction is Encore wrappers (priority) versus the Methuen hardback; later Methuen impressions are stated on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Caretaker a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first edition is the Encore Publishing Co. paperback in stapled card wrappers (London, 1960), which precedes the Methuen issue of the same year by a few months. The Methuen 1960 hardback is the first hardcover, stating 'First published 1960' with no later-impression line; Methuen also issued the title in wrappers.
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. Encore wrappers (1960) is the true first; the Methuen 1960 cloth is the first hardback (a first thus). This precedence is the key trap — many catalogue the Methuen hardback as 'the first.'
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The collecting distinction is Encore wrappers (priority) versus the Methuen hardback; later Methuen impressions are stated on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Caretaker — 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.