The points of issue
UK first: Geoffrey Bles, London, 1953, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. The true first has no impression or reprint statement on the verso of the title page (no number line in this period; dated title page with a clean verso indicates the first printing).
Is this the true first?
The UK Geoffrey Bles edition is the true first, preceding the US Macmillan edition issued the same year (1953).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add a verso impression note and lengthen the jacket title-list. The US Macmillan edition is a distinct publication, not the UK first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Silver Chair a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first: Geoffrey Bles, London, 1953, illustrated by Pauline Baynes. The true first has no impression or reprint statement on the verso of the title page (no number line in this period; dated title page with a clean verso indicates the first printing).
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 Geoffrey Bles edition is the true first, preceding the US Macmillan edition issued the same year (1953).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions add a verso impression note and lengthen the jacket title-list. The US Macmillan edition is a distinct publication, not the UK first.
I have a first edition of The Silver Chair — 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.