The points of issue
First edition in book form, Ticknor & Co., Boston, 1885 (after serialization in The Century Magazine). First-printing points: 'Mr. Howells's Latest Works' listed on the verso of the half-title leaf, and only the 'e' of 'sojourner' battered in the last line of page 176. Original gilt-stamped cloth.
Is this the true first?
US true first, 1885, Ticknor & Co., Boston. A near-contemporaneous English edition (David Douglas, Edinburgh, two volumes, 1885) exists, but the Boston Ticknor is the recognized first and standard first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Houghton, Mifflin and reprint editions postdate; the genuine first has the 1885 Ticknor & Co. imprint, the half-title-verso 'Latest Works' listing, and the battered 'e' in 'sojourner' on page 176.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Rise of Silas Lapham a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in book form, Ticknor & Co., Boston, 1885 (after serialization in The Century Magazine). First-printing points: 'Mr. Howells's Latest Works' listed on the verso of the half-title leaf, and only the 'e' of 'sojourner' battered in the last line of page 176. Original gilt-stamped cloth.
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 true first, 1885, Ticknor & Co., Boston. A near-contemporaneous English edition (David Douglas, Edinburgh, two volumes, 1885) exists, but the Boston Ticknor is the recognized first and standard first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Houghton, Mifflin and reprint editions postdate; the genuine first has the 1885 Ticknor & Co. imprint, the half-title-verso 'Latest Works' listing, and the battered 'e' in 'sojourner' on page 176.
I have a first edition of The Rise of Silas Lapham — 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.