The points of issue
Published February 1899 in three states: 1,000 ordinary copies, 100 large-paper copies on handmade paper (signed and numbered), and 12 copies on Japanese vellum. Sheets printed by the Chiswick Press in January 1899. The title page reads 'by the Author of Lady Windermere's Fan' — Wilde's name is not given, following his imprisonment. Dark mauve cloth with a spare botanical design by Charles Hazelwood Shannon; Smithers imprint.
Is this the true first?
The UK Smithers 1899 edition is the true first. The Japanese-vellum (12) and large-paper (100) copies are the premier states above the ordinary issue of 1,000. Wilde is unnamed on the title page.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later editions that name Wilde on the title page are not the 1899 first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Importance of Being Earnest a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Published February 1899 in three states: 1,000 ordinary copies, 100 large-paper copies on handmade paper (signed and numbered), and 12 copies on Japanese vellum. Sheets printed by the Chiswick Press in January 1899. The title page reads 'by the Author of Lady Windermere's Fan' — Wilde's name is not given, following his imprisonment. Dark mauve cloth with a spare botanical design by Charles Hazelwood Shannon; Smithers imprint.
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. The UK Smithers 1899 edition is the true first. The Japanese-vellum (12) and large-paper (100) copies are the premier states above the ordinary issue of 1,000. Wilde is unnamed on the title page.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later editions that name Wilde on the title page are not the 1899 first.
I have a first edition of The Importance of Being Earnest — 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.