The First Men in the Moon

Overview:

  • Title: The First Men in the Moon
  • Author: H. G. Wells
  • Year: 1920
  • Publisher: British Books
  • Pages: 254
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • Type: Novel
  • Title Reference: The First Men in the Moon
  • Notes:
    Undated edition, published c.1920. Title page:
    • "The First Men [over] in the Moon [over] H. G. Wells"
    • "British Books Ltd. [over] Cecil Chambers, 86 Strand [over] London, W.C.2."
    There is no copyright page. Lacking any accredited information, the provisional dating is from online booksellers. Further dating work needed. No price or identifying number on the book. On page preceding page 1: "Printed in Great Britain". For title page illustration, see here. Author portrait is not credited in the book, but is by Emile Otto Hoppé, taken in 1912 (National Portrait Gallery, London cat# NPG x135690) and was published in The Bookman, April 1914. (source: bridgemanimages.com) The first numbered page is 5. Contents listed on pages 5 and 6. Chapter 10 is titled "Lost Men in the Moon" but ToC lists it as "Lost Men in the Woods". The four plates are on unnumbered pages inserted between consecutively numbered pages - after pages 34, 66, 130, 162 respectively. Each plate is signed "Robb", is captioned and states the page in the book to which it is applicable:
    • "And then—the splendour of the sight" inserted after page 34, refers to page 51.
    • "I stood up beside him, under the blaze of the sun" inserted after page 66, refers to page 77.
    • "The long line of its back loomed out against the sky" inserted after page 130, refers to page 91.
    • "There were six of them marching in single file" inserted after page 162, refers to page 100.
    For example artwork, see here. On page 254, after the end of the novel: "Printed in Great Britain at the [over] Press of the Publishers" Size: 10.5 x 15.5 cm (w x h). No dustcover. Blue faux-leather cover.

    Note: This edition is similar to the Collins Clear-Type Press edition. The ToC, overall book pagination, text wording/layout to page numbers and interior artwork are exactly the same. The differences are the replacement of the Robb artwork (page 2) with an author photograph, and different page placings of the four remaining plates.