The points of issue
First UK edition, first printing, published 9 October 1907. Wodehouse school story set at Wrykyn (as in The Gold Bat), serialized earlier in The Captain, with twelve illustrations by William Townend. Original cloth with a white feather stamped to the spine; among the scarcest of the early school novels.
Is this the true first?
UK A & C Black is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The White Feather a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition, first printing, published 9 October 1907. Wodehouse school story set at Wrykyn (as in The Gold Bat), serialized earlier in The Captain, with twelve illustrations by William Townend. Original cloth with a white feather stamped to the spine; among the scarcest of the early school novels.
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 A & C Black is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue.
I have a first edition of The White Feather — 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.