How to Identify a Faber and Faber First Edition

Faber and Faber is the most important British publisher for collectors of twentieth-century poetry and literary fiction. The house that published T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, Seamus Heaney, Philip Larkin, William Golding, Kazuo Ishiguro, and dozens of other essential writers occupies a central position in the rare book market. Faber first editions are frequently the true first editions (preceding the American publication) for many of these authors.

Company History

1929: Founded as Faber and Gwyer. T.S. Eliot joined as a director (a position he held until his death in 1965).

1929: Renamed Faber and Faber. The story that Geoffrey Faber added the second “Faber” because it sounded better than any other partner’s name is part of publishing legend.

1930s–1960s: Established as the preeminent publisher of modern poetry in the English language, largely through Eliot’s editorial influence.

Present: Still independent and still the most important poetry publisher in Britain. The Faber list has expanded to include major fiction, drama, and nonfiction.

First Edition Identification

The Standard Method

Faber first editions are identified by the phrase:

“First published in [year]”

on the copyright page, with no additional printing or reprint statements below it.

For example: First published in 1954 by Faber and Faber Limited

If the copyright page reads: First published in 1954 Reprinted 1955 Reprinted 1957

— this is a later printing (1957 or after).

Modern Period (1980s–Present)

In addition to the “First published” statement, modern Faber books often include a number line:

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

The presence of “1” confirms the first printing.

The “ff” Logo

The distinctive Faber and Faber “ff” logo appears on the title page and spine. Like any publisher’s device, it confirms the publisher but does not indicate the printing.

Notable Faber First Editions

Poetry

Faber’s poetry list is the crown jewel of British publishing:

T.S. Eliot:

• The Waste Land (1922 — Hogarth Press, not Faber; Faber published later editions)
• Four Quartets (1943, Faber — collected edition; individual quartets appeared earlier)
• Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939)

W.H. Auden:

• Poems (1930)
• The Orators (1932)

Sylvia Plath:

• The Colossus (1960) — Plath’s first collection
• Ariel (1965) — the posthumous collection, a key modern collecting item

Ted Hughes:

• The Hawk in the Rain (1957) — Hughes’s first collection
• Birthday Letters (1998)

Seamus Heaney:

• Death of a Naturalist (1966) — Heaney’s first collection, scarce in Fine condition
• North (1975)

Philip Larkin:

• The Whitsun Weddings (1964)
• High Windows (1974)

Fiction

William Golding:

• Lord of the Flies (1954) — one of the most collectible Faber first editions
• The Inheritors (1955)

Kazuo Ishiguro:

• A Pale View of Hills (1982) — Ishiguro’s debut
• The Remains of the Day (1989)

Samuel Beckett:

• Waiting for Godot (1956 — English language first edition)

Faber’s Significance for Collectors

True firsts. For many major English-language authors, the Faber edition is the true first edition — published before the American edition. This is crucial for:

• All Faber-published poets (Eliot, Auden, Plath, Hughes, Heaney, Larkin)
• Golding, Ishiguro, and many other novelists
• Beckett’s plays in English

Poetry scarcity. Poetry first editions have small print runs even from major publishers. Faber poetry firsts from the 1950s–1970s are genuinely scarce, particularly in Fine condition with dust jacket.

Design quality. Faber books are well-designed and well-produced. The house has a tradition of typographic excellence.

Common Pitfalls

“First published by Faber” vs. “First published.” If the book was published elsewhere before Faber, the Faber edition may be the first Faber edition but not the true first edition. Read the copyright page carefully.

Reprints without dates. Older Faber reprints sometimes do not include reprint dates. If the only statement is “First published in 1954,” check other bibliographic evidence (binding style, jacket design, ISBN presence) to confirm the printing.

Book club editions. Faber titles were issued by British book clubs. Check for the standard indicators.

Quick Identification Summary