The points of issue
First printing in publisher's cloth. The US Doubleday, Doran edition and the UK Herbert Jenkins edition were both published on 7 October 1938; the US Doubleday, Doran printing is generally cited by bibliographers as the true first. Confirm any copy against the publisher's imprint, as the two editions appeared the same day.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday, Doran is generally cited as the true first; the UK Herbert Jenkins edition appeared the same day, so precedence is close and the imprint must be checked.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later book-club reprints exist; the true first is the 1938 trade printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Code of the Woosters a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in publisher's cloth. The US Doubleday, Doran edition and the UK Herbert Jenkins edition were both published on 7 October 1938; the US Doubleday, Doran printing is generally cited by bibliographers as the true first. Confirm any copy against the publisher's imprint, as the two editions appeared the same day.
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. US Doubleday, Doran is generally cited as the true first; the UK Herbert Jenkins edition appeared the same day, so precedence is close and the imprint must be checked.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later book-club reprints exist; the true first is the 1938 trade printing.
I have a first edition of The Code of the Woosters — 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.