The points of issue
UK first: The Bodley Head, London, 1955, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. For the sixth and seventh Narnia titles the UK imprint changed from Geoffrey Bles to The Bodley Head, so a genuine first of this title carries the Bodley Head imprint, not Bles. The true first shows no impression or reprint statement on the verso of the title page.
Is this the true first?
The UK Bodley Head edition is the true first, preceding the US Macmillan edition issued the same year (1955). The shift from Bles to Bodley Head for the last two books is a common point of confusion.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add a verso impression note. The US Macmillan edition lacks the Bodley Head imprint and is not the UK first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Magician's Nephew a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first: The Bodley Head, London, 1955, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. For the sixth and seventh Narnia titles the UK imprint changed from Geoffrey Bles to The Bodley Head, so a genuine first of this title carries the Bodley Head imprint, not Bles. The true first shows no impression or reprint statement on the verso of the title page.
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 Bodley Head edition is the true first, preceding the US Macmillan edition issued the same year (1955). The shift from Bles to Bodley Head for the last two books is a common point of confusion.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions add a verso impression note. The US Macmillan edition lacks the Bodley Head imprint and is not the UK first.
I have a first edition of The Magician's Nephew — 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.