The points of issue
First edition of the essay collection (includes 'T.H. Huxley as a Literary Man,' 'Time and the Machine,' and the title essay), in olive-green gilt-lettered cloth with top edge gilt on the limited. A signed limited edition of 160 numbered copies, signed by Huxley on the colophon, was also issued.
Is this the true first?
UK Chatto & Windus is the true first; the US Harper edition followed in 1937. Confirm the 1936 Chatto imprint.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue is a point; distinguish the signed limited of 160 from the ordinary trade printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Olive Tree and Other Essays a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition of the essay collection (includes 'T.H. Huxley as a Literary Man,' 'Time and the Machine,' and the title essay), in olive-green gilt-lettered cloth with top edge gilt on the limited. A signed limited edition of 160 numbered copies, signed by Huxley on the colophon, was also issued.
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 Chatto & Windus is the true first; the US Harper edition followed in 1937. Confirm the 1936 Chatto imprint.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue is a point; distinguish the signed limited of 160 from the ordinary trade printing.
I have a first edition of The Olive Tree and Other Essays — 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.