# Is "The Fugitive Blacksmith; or, Events in the History of James W. C. Pennington" by James W.C. Pennington a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Fugitive Blacksmith; or, Events in the History of James W. C. Pennington by James W.C. Pennington (Charles Gilpin, 1849) is identified by: The work was first published in London by Charles Gilpin, of 5 Bishopsgate Without, in 1849, collating xv, [1], 1-87, [9] pages.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The work was first published in London by Charles Gilpin, of 5 Bishopsgate Without, in 1849, collating xv, [1], 1-87, [9] pages
- Demand was brisk enough that Gilpin reprinted it within the same publishing season: surviving copies stating 'Second Edition' on the title page are still dated 1849, and a further 'Third Edition' printing followed in 1850
- A true first-state title page therefore carries no edition statement at all above the imprint 'London: Charles Gilpin... 1849.'
- Publisher imprint reads Charles Gilpin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James W.C. Pennington |
| Publisher | Charles Gilpin |
| Year | 1849 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The work was first published in London by Charles Gilpin, of 5 Bishopsgate Without, in 1849, collating xv, [1], 1-87, [9] pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
The work was first published in London by Charles Gilpin, of 5 Bishopsgate Without, in 1849, collating xv, [1], 1-87, [9] pages. Demand was brisk enough that Gilpin reprinted it within the same publishing season: surviving copies stating 'Second Edition' on the title page are still dated 1849, and a further 'Third Edition' printing followed in 1850. A true first-state title page therefore carries no edition statement at all above the imprint 'London: Charles Gilpin... 1849.'

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Because Pennington's narrative went through at least three printings within about a year, check the title page itself for an edition statement; only a copy silent on this point (no 'Second Edition' or 'Third Edition' wording) represents the true first printing, even though several distinct printings are dated 1849-50.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Fugitive Blacksmith; or, Events in the History of James W. C. Pennington* by James W.C. Pennington a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-fugitive-blacksmith-or-events-in-the-history-of-james-w
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.