The points of issue
First trade edition published by Doubleday, Doran in April 1944, preceding the UK Heinemann edition by roughly two months. First-printing points on the copyright page: copyright 1943, 1944 by The McCall Company and 1944 by W. Somerset Maugham, the wartime production-compliance emblem, and the imprint 'Printed in the United States at The Country Life Press, Garden City, N.Y.' Black cloth, [vi], 343 pp. A signed, numbered limited edition of 750 copies (in slipcase) was also issued.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday, Doran is the true first; UK Heinemann followed in 1944. The signed limited edition of 750 copies is a separate premium issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Numerous later book-club printings exist; verify the McCall copyright wording and Country Life Press imprint to distinguish the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Razor's Edge a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First trade edition published by Doubleday, Doran in April 1944, preceding the UK Heinemann edition by roughly two months. First-printing points on the copyright page: copyright 1943, 1944 by The McCall Company and 1944 by W. Somerset Maugham, the wartime production-compliance emblem, and the imprint 'Printed in the United States at The Country Life Press, Garden City, N.Y.' Black cloth, [vi], 343 pp. A signed, numbered limited edition of 750 copies (in slipcase) 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. US Doubleday, Doran is the true first; UK Heinemann followed in 1944. The signed limited edition of 750 copies is a separate premium issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Numerous later book-club printings exist; verify the McCall copyright wording and Country Life Press imprint to distinguish the true first.
I have a first edition of The Razor's Edge — 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.