The points of issue
Hardcover in boards with gilt-lettered spine; copyright page reads 'First published 1983' (ISBN 0241109647); original priced dust jacket. Won the 1984 Somerset Maugham Award.
Is this the true first?
The UK Hamish Hamilton 1983 hardcover is the true first, preceding the US Harper & Row 1983 edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions state the impression on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover in boards with gilt-lettered spine; copyright page reads 'First published 1983' (ISBN 0241109647); original priced dust jacket. Won the 1984 Somerset Maugham Award.
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 Hamish Hamilton 1983 hardcover is the true first, preceding the US Harper & Row 1983 edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions state the impression on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde — 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.