Big Sur, cover of another edition (the Deutsch 1963 cover is not yet photographed)

Cover of another edition of this book. The Deutsch 1963 jacket has not been photographed yet.

Hardback Duluoz Legend

Big Sur (1963)

Publisher Deutsch Year 1963

Identification points are listed only where two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 21 Oct 2026.

Market value

What decides the price

  • It is the first UK edition; the true first was published elsewhere.
  • The original dust jacket carries much of the price for a book of this age; its condition matters as much as the book's.
  • Condition is graded separately for book and jacket, from Fine down to Poor.

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Sales record

No sales recorded yet

We value a printing from verified sales of that exact printing, and none of the first impression has come to auction in our records so far. The chart and the value by condition appear here as soon as one does.

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In short

Quick answer

Who published the Big Sur 1963 hardback?
Deutsch, London, in 1963, in hardback.
Identification

How to identify this edition

The first British edition came out in London from André Deutsch in 1963, the year after the American first (Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, New York, 1962). A Kerouac letter of December 1962 refers to the Deutsch contract. It is an octavo hardback of 241 pages, issued in a pictorial jacket. Copies offered as the first UK edition are dated 1963 by Deutsch; the American Farrar, Straus first has a 'First printing, 1962' statement and is a different book for collecting purposes.

Printing by printing

Printings and states

First impression

1963

At a glance

Not yet researched

We have not yet confirmed the issue points that tell this first impression from later ones. Until we do, compare your copy's title page and copyright page with the publisher, place and year above: any later printing or edition statement means it is not this one.

Know the points? Tell us. We publish them, with credit, once a second source agrees.

Notes

The cover image shows this book but may not be this edition or printing.

Questions collectors ask

Frequently asked questions

Who published the Big Sur 1963 hardback?

Deutsch, London, in 1963, in hardback.

Sources

Where these facts come from

  • British National Bibliography, record GB6316588
  • Big Sur, first UK edition, Adrian Harrington Ltd listing, AbeBooks (abebooks.com)
  • Big Sur, Andre Deutsch 1963, High Street Books listing, AbeBooks UK (abebooks.co.uk)
  • Jack Kerouac autograph letter on the Deutsch contract, RR Auction (rrauction.com)
  • Big Sur (novel), Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Points of issue are listed only where at least two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 21 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.