The points of issue
First issue: publisher's code '(1)' at the foot of the last page of text as called for, with no additional printings noted on the copyright page; octavo, 364 pages plus four pages of ads; blue cloth with gilt-stamped border on front and gilt lettering on front and spine. First-issue color pictorial dust jacket with Appleton ads on the verso.
Is this the true first?
True US first; the US Appleton edition precedes the UK Appleton (London) edition of 1922.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later printings carry higher Appleton number codes on the last page of text.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Glimpses of the Moon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First issue: publisher's code '(1)' at the foot of the last page of text as called for, with no additional printings noted on the copyright page; octavo, 364 pages plus four pages of ads; blue cloth with gilt-stamped border on front and gilt lettering on front and spine. First-issue color pictorial dust jacket with Appleton ads on the verso.
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. True US first; the US Appleton edition precedes the UK Appleton (London) edition of 1922.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. Later printings carry higher Appleton number codes on the last page of text.
I have a first edition of The Glimpses of the Moon — 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.