The points of issue
Three volumes, Sampson Low, Son & Co., London, 1860 (following serialization in All the Year Round). The two reliable first-issue points are: the original cloth with the figure of the woman stamped in WHITE on the spine (later issues have her stamped in blind), and the 16-page publisher's catalogue at the rear of volume III dated August 1860 (catalogues dated later, such as November 1860, indicate a later issue). References: Sadleir 605a; Wolff 1377; Parrish.
Is this the true first?
The London Sampson Low 1860 three-decker is the true first; the Harper American edition of 1860 is secondary. Precedence and issue are established by the August 1860 rear catalogue in volume III and the woman-stamped-in-white spine, not by the year alone.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later British issues carry the woman stamped in blind on the spine and rear catalogues dated after August 1860; corrected-text and one-volume reprints are later still.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Woman in White a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Three volumes, Sampson Low, Son & Co., London, 1860 (following serialization in All the Year Round). The two reliable first-issue points are: the original cloth with the figure of the woman stamped in WHITE on the spine (later issues have her stamped in blind), and the 16-page publisher's catalogue at the rear of volume III dated August 1860 (catalogues dated later, such as November 1860, indicate a later issue). References: Sadleir 605a; Wolff 1377; Parrish.
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 London Sampson Low 1860 three-decker is the true first; the Harper American edition of 1860 is secondary. Precedence and issue are established by the August 1860 rear catalogue in volume III and the woman-stamped-in-white spine, not by the year alone.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later British issues carry the woman stamped in blind on the spine and rear catalogues dated after August 1860; corrected-text and one-volume reprints are later still.
I have a first edition of The Woman in White — 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.