# Is "Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly" by Harriet Beecher Stowe a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly by Harriet Beecher Stowe (John P. Jewett & Co., 1852) is identified by: US first in book form, 2 volumes, John P. US true first, 1852, two volumes, John P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US first in book form, 2 volumes, John P. Jewett & Co., Boston, 1852 (after serialization in the National Era), published March 20, 1852 (BAL 19343)
- Verified first-issue textual points: 'spilt' (later corrected to 'spiled') in Volume I, page 42, and 'cathecism' (later corrected to 'catechism') in Volume II, page 74
- Issued in several binding forms, cloth in black, purple, brown, and others, plus a gilt 'gift' binding; no binding-color priority
- Title pages lack a later printing statement
- Any copy whose binding or title page advertises tens or hundreds of thousands of copies sold is a later printing, not the first
- Publisher imprint reads John P. Jewett & Co.
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Harriet Beecher Stowe |
| Publisher | John P. Jewett & Co. |
| Year | 1852 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US first in book form, 2 volumes, John P. Jewett & Co., Boston, 1852 (after serialization in the National Era), published March 20, 1852… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
US first in book form, 2 volumes, John P. Jewett & Co., Boston, 1852 (after serialization in the National Era), published March 20, 1852 (BAL 19343). Verified first-issue textual points: 'spilt' (later corrected to 'spiled') in Volume I, page 42, and 'cathecism' (later corrected to 'catechism') in Volume II, page 74. Issued in several binding forms, cloth in black, purple, brown, and others, plus a gilt 'gift' binding; no binding-color priority. Title pages lack a later printing statement. Any copy whose binding or title page advertises tens or hundreds of thousands of copies sold is a later printing, not the first.

## Is this the true first?
US true first, 1852, two volumes, John P. Jewett, Boston. A London edition appeared the same year, but the Jewett Boston issue is the standard first. The earliest issue carries the 'spilt' and 'cathecism' readings; later 1852 printings already advertise large 'sold' figures.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any copy advertising tens or hundreds of thousands sold is a later printing. The genuine first 2-volume set shows the uncorrected 'spilt' (Vol. I, p.42) and 'cathecism' (Vol. II, p.74) readings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly* by Harriet Beecher Stowe a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/uncle-toms-cabin-or-life-among-the-lowly
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.