# Is "The Nine Tailors" by Dorothy L. Sayers a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers (Victor Gollancz, 1934) is identified by: Victor Gollancz UK first, 1934, in the characteristic Gollancz yellow dust jacket printed in black/magenta (typographical, no pictorial art). UK Gollancz 1934 is the true first, preceding the US Harcourt, Brace edition (also 1934).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Victor Gollancz UK first, 1934, in the characteristic Gollancz yellow dust jacket printed in black/magenta (typographical, no pictorial art)
- Copyright page dated 1934 with no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Victor Gollancz
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dorothy L. Sayers |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
| Year | 1934 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Victor Gollancz UK first, 1934, in the characteristic Gollancz yellow dust jacket printed in black/magenta (typographical, no pictorial art) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Victor Gollancz UK first, 1934, in the characteristic Gollancz yellow dust jacket printed in black/magenta (typographical, no pictorial art). Copyright page dated 1934 with no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
UK Gollancz 1934 is the true first, preceding the US Harcourt, Brace edition (also 1934). The UK first in the bright typographic Gollancz jacket is the prize.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US Harcourt is the American first. Later Gollancz reprints note the reprint on the copyright page; the unmarked 1934 is the first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Nine Tailors* by Dorothy L. Sayers a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-nine-tailors
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.