First impression
1953At a glance
Points of issue
- Dust jacket, front flapPrinted price on the front flap: 10s 6d→ first issue jacket
FoundationWeidenfeld & Nicolson
Hardback
Foundation series no. 3
Foundation (1953)
Publisher Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Year 1953
Identification points are listed only where two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 28 Oct 2026.
Market value
What decides the price
- It is the first UK edition; the true first was published elsewhere.
- 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.
- Recorded sales
- 4
Price history
4 recorded sales
The full price history: every sale, the chart and values by condition.
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Quick answer
- How do I identify a Foundation 1953 hardback?
- Check these points. Dust jacket, front flap: Printed price on the front flap: 10s 6d. Each point is confirmed by at least two independent sources.
- Who published the Foundation 1953 hardback?
- Weidenfeld & Nicolson, United Kingdom, in 1953, in hardback.
How to identify this edition
The true first is the American edition of 1951; the Weidenfeld & Nicolson London edition of 1953 is the first British edition. It is an octavo in black boards with the title in silver on the spine, issued in a dust jacket with a printed price of 10s 6d. Check the flap for the price, since a clipped jacket loses that evidence.
Printing by printing
Printings and states
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify a Foundation 1953 hardback?
Check these points. Dust jacket, front flap: Printed price on the front flap: 10s 6d. Each point is confirmed by at least two independent sources.
Who published the Foundation 1953 hardback?
Weidenfeld & Nicolson, United Kingdom, in 1953, in hardback.
Where these facts come from
- Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Lycanthia Rare Books (lycanthiabooks.com)
- Foundation, First UK Edition, Bushido Books via AbeBooks (abebooks.co.uk)
- Foundation, Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1953, Grayshelf Books via AbeBooks (abebooks.co.uk)
- Asimov, Isaac (1953) Foundation, UK first edition, First and Fine (firstandfine.com)
- Isaac Asimov, Foundation, First Edition 1953, John Atkinson Books (johnatkinsonbooks.co.uk)
Points of issue are listed only where at least two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 28 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.
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