The points of issue
Ed. Christopher Tolkien. UK first impression 1987 (Unwin Hyman); first-impression statement.
Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Unwin Hyman first-edition guide.
Is this the true first?
UK true first; US Houghton Mifflin follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Lost Road and Other Writings (HoME vol. 5) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Ed. Christopher Tolkien. UK first impression 1987 (Unwin Hyman); first-impression statement.
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 true first; US Houghton Mifflin follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings differ.
I have a first edition of The Lost Road and Other Writings (HoME vol. 5) — 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.