# Is "Uncle Silas: A Tale of Bartram-Haugh" by J. Sheridan Le Fanu a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Uncle Silas: A Tale of Bartram-Haugh by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (Richard Bentley, 1864) is identified by: First edition, three volumes, published December 1864 (following serialization in the Dublin University Magazine under the title 'Maud Ruthyn and Uncle Silas').

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, three volumes, published December 1864 (following serialization in the Dublin University Magazine under the title 'Maud Ruthyn and Uncle Silas')
- Bound in contemporary quarter roan over pebble-grained cloth boards with covers ruled in blind and spines lettered and decorated in gilt, all edges marbled, with marbled endpapers; half-titles are present
- Printed in an edition of only 500 copies and always rare in commerce
- Publisher imprint reads Richard Bentley
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | J. Sheridan Le Fanu |
| Publisher | Richard Bentley |
| Year | 1864 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, three volumes, published December 1864 (following serialization in the Dublin University Magazine under the title 'Maud… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition, three volumes, published December 1864 (following serialization in the Dublin University Magazine under the title 'Maud Ruthyn and Uncle Silas'). Bound in contemporary quarter roan over pebble-grained cloth boards with covers ruled in blind and spines lettered and decorated in gilt, all edges marbled, with marbled endpapers; half-titles are present. Printed in an edition of only 500 copies and always rare in commerce.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Uncle Silas: A Tale of Bartram-Haugh* by J. Sheridan Le Fanu a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/uncle-silas-a-tale-of-bartram-haugh
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.