The points of issue
First printing in publisher's cloth. The UK Herbert Jenkins edition (3 April 1936) is the true first and precedes the US Doubleday, Doran edition (24 July 1936). A collection of Drones Club and Mulliner stories; the US edition has a slightly different selection (two stories held back from the US book), so contents differ between the editions.
Is this the true first?
UK Herbert Jenkins is the true first edition (April 1936); the US Doubleday, Doran edition followed in July 1936 with a slightly different table of contents.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is a point for this title.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Young Men in Spats a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in publisher's cloth. The UK Herbert Jenkins edition (3 April 1936) is the true first and precedes the US Doubleday, Doran edition (24 July 1936). A collection of Drones Club and Mulliner stories; the US edition has a slightly different selection (two stories held back from the US book), so contents differ between the editions.
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 Herbert Jenkins is the true first edition (April 1936); the US Doubleday, Doran edition followed in July 1936 with a slightly different table of contents.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition is a point for this title.
I have a first edition of Young Men in Spats — 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.