The points of issue
Single octavo volume, the first of the Barsetshire novels. First-issue identification rests on the inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue dated September 1854 (Sadleir's variety B), bound at the rear; brown publisher's cloth, blind-stamped with gilt spine lettering, and coated yellow endpapers. Half-title present. The standard reference is Sadleir 16-17.
Is this the true first?
The UK Longman 1855 edition is the true first. Trollope's first enduring success and genuinely scarce in the original cloth.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later collected-edition and reset printings are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Warden a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Single octavo volume, the first of the Barsetshire novels. First-issue identification rests on the inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue dated September 1854 (Sadleir's variety B), bound at the rear; brown publisher's cloth, blind-stamped with gilt spine lettering, and coated yellow endpapers. Half-title present. The standard reference is Sadleir 16-17.
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 Longman 1855 edition is the true first. Trollope's first enduring success and genuinely scarce in the original cloth.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later collected-edition and reset printings are not the first.
I have a first edition of The Warden — 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.