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Editions
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
In print
- Editions recorded
- 10 on Open Library, 9 in English
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Honoré de Balzac
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
How many editions of The Unknown Masterpiece are there?
We track 1 edition of The Unknown Masterpiece. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
When was The Unknown Masterpiece first published?
The Unknown Masterpiece by Honoré de Balzac was first published in 1899.
Can I read The Unknown Masterpiece for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
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