The points of issue
Black cloth (cloth-backed boards); 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon; first-state dust jacket priced. Collates xx, 677 pages.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf (New York) true first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the 'First Edition' line and the jacket price, carries a gutter/printing code, and typically shows a blind-stamp on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Guns of August companion — A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Black cloth (cloth-backed boards); 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon; first-state dust jacket priced. Collates xx, 677 pages.
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 Knopf (New York) true first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue lacks the 'First Edition' line and the jacket price, carries a gutter/printing code, and typically shows a blind-stamp on the rear board.
I have a first edition of The Guns of August companion — A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century — 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.