The points of issue
First issue: 'Published October, 1905' on the copyright page with the Scribner seal; no advertisements at the rear (later printings add rear ads); red ribbed cloth lettered in gilt; complete with the A. B. Wenzell frontispiece and full set of plates. Wharton bibliography reference Garrison A12.I.a. First-issue dust jacket extremely scarce.
Is this the true first?
True US first; the US Scribner edition precedes the UK Macmillan edition of 1905. The Wenzell illustration plates should be present and complete.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later printings add advertisements at the rear and later month notices.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The House of Mirth a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First issue: 'Published October, 1905' on the copyright page with the Scribner seal; no advertisements at the rear (later printings add rear ads); red ribbed cloth lettered in gilt; complete with the A. B. Wenzell frontispiece and full set of plates. Wharton bibliography reference Garrison A12.I.a. First-issue dust jacket extremely scarce.
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 Scribner edition precedes the UK Macmillan edition of 1905. The Wenzell illustration plates should be present and complete.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. Later printings add advertisements at the rear and later month notices.
I have a first edition of The House of Mirth — 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.