The points of issue
First US edition in English, translated by William Weaver, issued as a Helen and Kurt Wolff Book. The first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with the letterline 'B C D E' flush left and the HBJ slug present; the absence of 'A' is the Harcourt first-printing convention. Quarter-bound in cream cloth backstrip over rose (sometimes described as mauve) paper-covered boards, with the title and decoration stamped in copper on spine and front cover; illustrated abbey-plan endpapers. 502 pages.
Is this the true first?
True first in English is the US Harcourt edition of 1983, preceding the UK Secker & Warburg edition of the same year. The Italian original was published by Bompiani in 1980. Copies signed by both Eco and translator Weaver are noted by collectors.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club reprints lack the HBJ slug, show a complete letter run, or carry later number lines; book-club copies are typically on cheaper stock with a blind-stamp to the rear board and no jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Name of the Rose (Il nome della rosa) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition in English, translated by William Weaver, issued as a Helen and Kurt Wolff Book. The first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with the letterline 'B C D E' flush left and the HBJ slug present; the absence of 'A' is the Harcourt first-printing convention. Quarter-bound in cream cloth backstrip over rose (sometimes described as mauve) paper-covered boards, with the title and decoration stamped in copper on spine and front cover; illustrated abbey-plan endpapers. 502 pages.
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. True first in English is the US Harcourt edition of 1983, preceding the UK Secker & Warburg edition of the same year. The Italian original was published by Bompiani in 1980. Copies signed by both Eco and translator Weaver are noted by collectors.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club reprints lack the HBJ slug, show a complete letter run, or carry later number lines; book-club copies are typically on cheaper stock with a blind-stamp to the rear board and no jacket price.
I have a first edition of The Name of the Rose (Il nome della rosa) — 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.