The points of issue
First printing in publisher's cloth. The UK Herbert Jenkins edition (11 October 1935) is the true first and precedes the US Little, Brown edition (3 January 1936). Note that the two editions have substantially different texts: Wodehouse shortened the story for the US market, so the editions are not textually identical.
Is this the true first?
UK Herbert Jenkins is the true first edition; the US Little, Brown edition followed in January 1936 with a shortened, rewritten text.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is a point for this title.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Luck of the Bodkins a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in publisher's cloth. The UK Herbert Jenkins edition (11 October 1935) is the true first and precedes the US Little, Brown edition (3 January 1936). Note that the two editions have substantially different texts: Wodehouse shortened the story for the US market, so the editions are not textually identical.
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 Herbert Jenkins is the true first edition; the US Little, Brown edition followed in January 1936 with a shortened, rewritten text.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition is a point for this title.
I have a first edition of The Luck of the Bodkins — 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.