The points of issue
US subscription first edition, American Publishing Co., Hartford, 1869 (BAL 3316). First-issue points: 1869 on both title and copyright pages; the double frontispiece; the last table-of-contents entry on page xviii reading 'Thankless Devotion - A Newspaper Valedictory'; 'XLI' on page 643; and the rear advertisements including the 'Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant' notice. Sold by subscription, so binding styles (cloth, sheep, half morocco) vary.
Is this the true first?
US true first, issued by subscription. This was Twain's first major book under his own name. Earliest copies show the 1869 dating on title and copyright leaves and the first-state contents and advertisement points noted above; because it was a subscription book, binding alone does not establish priority.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Numerous later American Publishing Co. printings exist; reprints lack the first-state contents and advertisement points and may show altered or relocated illustrations.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Innocents Abroad a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US subscription first edition, American Publishing Co., Hartford, 1869 (BAL 3316). First-issue points: 1869 on both title and copyright pages; the double frontispiece; the last table-of-contents entry on page xviii reading 'Thankless Devotion - A Newspaper Valedictory'; 'XLI' on page 643; and the rear advertisements including the 'Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant' notice. Sold by subscription, so binding styles (cloth, sheep, half morocco) vary.
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 true first, issued by subscription. This was Twain's first major book under his own name. Earliest copies show the 1869 dating on title and copyright leaves and the first-state contents and advertisement points noted above; because it was a subscription book, binding alone does not establish prio
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Numerous later American Publishing Co. printings exist; reprints lack the first-state contents and advertisement points and may show altered or relocated illustrations.
I have a first edition of The Innocents Abroad — 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.