The points of issue
UK Victor Gollancz first edition, London, 1971, in red paper-covered boards lettered in gilt on the spine, in the typographic Gollancz jacket, around 224 pages. The first Kramer and Zondi novel; it won the CWA Gold Dagger for 1971. The first printing shows the Gollancz imprint dated 1971 with no later-impression statement.
Is this the true first?
UK Gollancz 1971 is the true first; the US Harper & Row edition of 1971 is a first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Harper US edition and later Penguin and Avon paperbacks are reprints or first-thus issues. Book-club editions lack the Gollancz first-printing imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Steam Pig a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Victor Gollancz first edition, London, 1971, in red paper-covered boards lettered in gilt on the spine, in the typographic Gollancz jacket, around 224 pages. The first Kramer and Zondi novel; it won the CWA Gold Dagger for 1971. The first printing shows the Gollancz imprint dated 1971 with no later-impression statement.
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 Gollancz 1971 is the true first; the US Harper & Row edition of 1971 is a first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Harper US edition and later Penguin and Avon paperbacks are reprints or first-thus issues. Book-club editions lack the Gollancz first-printing imprint.
I have a first edition of The Steam Pig — 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.