The points of issue
Three volumes, Smith, Elder & Co., London, dated 1878 (first edition in book form, about 1,000 copies). The decisive first-issue point is on the Volume I title-page: the closing single quotation mark after 'A Pair of Blue Eyes' (in the list of the author's works) is absent in the first issue. The folding 'Sketch Map of the Scene of the Story' by Hardy is present as a frontispiece in Volume I and should be present, but its presence alone is not the distinguishing point. Original cloth; half-titles.
Is this the true first?
The UK Smith, Elder 1878 three-decker is the true first; the US Harper edition is secondary. The Volume I title-page lacking the closing quotation mark after 'A Pair of Blue Eyes' is the recognized first-issue point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
One-volume editions and later reprints are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Return of the Native a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Three volumes, Smith, Elder & Co., London, dated 1878 (first edition in book form, about 1,000 copies). The decisive first-issue point is on the Volume I title-page: the closing single quotation mark after 'A Pair of Blue Eyes' (in the list of the author's works) is absent in the first issue. The folding 'Sketch Map of the Scene of the Story' by Hardy is present as a frontispiece in Volume I and should be present, but its presence alone is not the distinguishing point. Original cloth; half-titles.
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. The UK Smith, Elder 1878 three-decker is the true first; the US Harper edition is secondary. The Volume I title-page lacking the closing quotation mark after 'A Pair of Blue Eyes' is the recognized first-issue point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
One-volume editions and later reprints are not the first.
I have a first edition of The Return of the Native — 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.