The points of issue
Larkin's first book. Fortune Press first edition 1945 (Bloomfield A1a), one of fewer than 500 copies. Bound in black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 36 pages, and issued in a thin, fragile printed dust jacket (commonly sunned and chipped, and often price-clipped by the publisher with a later 12/6 price label). The 1945 Fortune first precedes the revised 1966 Faber reissue, which adds an introduction and a poem.
Is this the true first?
UK Fortune Press (1945) is the true first; the 1966 Faber is a revised reissue ('first thus'), not the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The 1966 Faber is distinguished by its imprint, the added introduction, and the added poem.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The North Ship a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Larkin's first book. Fortune Press first edition 1945 (Bloomfield A1a), one of fewer than 500 copies. Bound in black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 36 pages, and issued in a thin, fragile printed dust jacket (commonly sunned and chipped, and often price-clipped by the publisher with a later 12/6 price label). The 1945 Fortune first precedes the revised 1966 Faber reissue, which adds an introduction and a poem.
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 Fortune Press (1945) is the true first; the 1966 Faber is a revised reissue ('first thus'), not the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The 1966 Faber is distinguished by its imprint, the added introduction, and the added poem.
I have a first edition of The North Ship — 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.