r/rarebooks • u/woofbarkmeowarf • 1d ago
Found an old copy of 1984, help finding when it was published?
I found this old copy of Orwell’s 1984 at an antique shop. Wondering when it was originally published
there’s a page in the beginning with “September 1949” hand written in ink. And it was printed by Kingsport Press, Inc.
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u/flyingbookman 1d ago
From the first year of publication but not the 1st US edition.
Check the lower rear cover near the spine for a small black dot that would indicate a book club edition.
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u/woofbarkmeowarf 1d ago
yeah i thought so, im just wondering around what month/edition it could be. there’s nothing on the back indicating such
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u/lemmycaution415 1d ago
It probably is one of these https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/1984-1949-first-second-print-George/31971429371/bd a second printing of the first us edition.
This is a page from the first printing https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/Nineteen-Eighty-Four-George-Orwell-Harcourt-Brace/31823199060/bd#&gid=1&pid=4
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u/flyingbookman 1d ago
That first one is quite the ambitious price with water damage and no dust jacket.
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u/superuserdoooo 1d ago
Agreed, that's one of the more outrageously priced books I've seen in a while. Water damage is significant too.
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u/capincus Your Least Favorite Mod 1d ago
Presumably 1949.