The points of issue
Geoffrey Bles, 1950, with illustrations by Pauline Baynes. Verso reads 'First published 1950' with no later dates. First-issue cloth and the original Baynes jacket; the genuine first has the Bles imprint and 1950-only dating. The first issue has 'forty' for the number of chapters consistent with first text state.
Is this the true first?
UK Geoffrey Bles 1950 is the true world first. US Macmillan (1950) is first American with separate points. The Bles first (first of the Narnia series) is the key collectible.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Bles impressions list additional printing dates on the verso; the US Macmillan and later reprints carry different imprints. Book-club copies lack the first-impression statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Geoffrey Bles, 1950, with illustrations by Pauline Baynes. Verso reads 'First published 1950' with no later dates. First-issue cloth and the original Baynes jacket; the genuine first has the Bles imprint and 1950-only dating. The first issue has 'forty' for the number of chapters consistent with first text state.
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 Geoffrey Bles 1950 is the true world first. US Macmillan (1950) is first American with separate points. The Bles first (first of the Narnia series) is the key collectible.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Bles impressions list additional printing dates on the verso; the US Macmillan and later reprints carry different imprints. Book-club copies lack the first-impression statement.
I have a first edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — 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.