Decline and Fall, cover of another edition (the Chapman and Hall 1928 cover is not yet photographed)

Cover of another edition of this book. The Chapman and Hall 1928 jacket has not been photographed yet.

First edition Hardback

Decline and Fall (1928)

Evelyn Waugh · Chapman and Hall, London

Publisher Chapman and Hall Year 1928

Identification points are listed only where two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026.

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In short

Quick answer

How do I identify a Decline and Fall first edition?
Check these points. Pp. 168 to 169: the names 'Martin Gaythorn-Brodie' (p. 168) and 'Kevin Saunderson' (p. 169) appear; both were altered in later issues. Each point is confirmed by at least two independent sources.
Who published the Decline and Fall first edition?
Chapman and Hall, London, in 1928, in hardback.
What decides the price
  • It is the first edition, which is the one collectors want.
  • The first printing is told from later ones by 1 point of issue listed below.
  • 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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Identification

How to identify this edition

Waugh's first novel, issued by Chapman & Hall in September 1928 after Duckworth had declined it. The binding is red and black patterned (swirled) boards with gilt lettering. Waugh drew the illustrations himself: a frontispiece plus five full-page drawings. The green pictorial jacket was also designed by Waugh and has a red-lettered spine label; its spine is prone to fading. The first issue keeps the names of real people in the party scene on pp. 168 and 169 ('Martin Gaythorn-Brodie', spelt 'Gaythorne-Brodie' by one dealer, and 'Kevin Saunderson'); these passages were changed in later issues to avoid trouble with the law. Reference: Connolly, The Modern Movement 58.

Publisher's practice

How Chapman and Hall marked its first editions

  • Decline and Fall (1928), first issue: the name "Martin Gaythorn-Brodie" (also spelled Gaythorne-Brodie) appears on page 168 and "Kevin Saunderson" on page 169.
  • Decline and Fall (1928): the original dust jacket is a green pictorial design.
  • Scoop (1938): the first-state dust jacket has "Daily Beast" on the front panel.

Read the full guide to Chapman and Hall first editions, decade by decade, and check your copy's copyright page against it. Our number line decoder reads the printing from the row of numbers.

Printing by printing

Printings and states

First impression

1928

At a glance

Points of issue

  • pp. 168 to 169the names 'Martin Gaythorn-Brodie' (p. 168) and 'Kevin Saunderson' (p. 169) appear; both were altered in later issues→ first issue
Check my copy Answer for each point and we will tell you whether yours is the first impression.
  1. Pp. 168 to 169: the names 'Martin Gaythorn-Brodie' (p. 168) and 'Kevin Saunderson' (p. 169) appear; both were altered in later issues

Has a number line? Read it with the number line decoder.

Notes

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

Price history

1 recorded sale of this printing. Sign up free to see the price chart, values by condition and the latest sales, or log in.

Value guide

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Questions collectors ask

Frequently asked questions

How do I identify a Decline and Fall first edition?

Check these points. Pp. 168 to 169: the names 'Martin Gaythorn-Brodie' (p. 168) and 'Kevin Saunderson' (p. 169) appear; both were altered in later issues. Each point is confirmed by at least two independent sources.

Who published the Decline and Fall first edition?

Chapman and Hall, London, in 1928, in hardback.

Sources

Where these facts come from

Points of issue are listed only where at least two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 22 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.

Related

More first editions by Evelyn Waugh

Vile BodiesChapman and Hall, 1930Black MischiefChapman and Hall, 1932A Handful of DustChapman and Hall, 1934Edmund CampionLongmans, Green, 1935ScoopChapman and Hall, 1938Brideshead RevisitedChapman & Hall, 1945
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