The points of issue
True first is the George Newnes UK first edition, 1902. The most reliable points are the first-issue binding (red cloth, gilt) and the first-state advertisements. A noted first-issue textual point: 'you' for 'your' on p. 13. Endpaper/advertisement states are used to confirm earliest issue.
Is this the true first?
UK Newnes 1902 precedes the US McClure, Phillips & Co. 1902 edition. The UK is the true first; the US first is a separate collectible. Serial appearance in The Strand (1901–02) precedes book form but is a magazine, not a book first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Newnes printings and US reprints carry different ad states and bindings; reissues lack first-state ad leaves. Verify against the binding and advertisement points rather than the title page alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the George Newnes UK first edition, 1902. The most reliable points are the first-issue binding (red cloth, gilt) and the first-state advertisements. A noted first-issue textual point: 'you' for 'your' on p. 13. Endpaper/advertisement states are used to confirm earliest issue.
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. UK Newnes 1902 precedes the US McClure, Phillips & Co. 1902 edition. The UK is the true first; the US first is a separate collectible. Serial appearance in The Strand (1901–02) precedes book form but is a magazine, not a book first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Newnes printings and US reprints carry different ad states and bindings; reissues lack first-state ad leaves. Verify against the binding and advertisement points rather than the title page alone.
I have a first edition of The Hound of the Baskervilles — 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.