Collecting Little Women & Little Women, Part Second: A Guide for Bibliophiles and Alcott Enthusiasts
- rick5279
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1868) and Little Women, Part Second (1869) are among the most beloved—and most bibliographically intricate—American books of the 19th century. For collectors, these volumes offer a rewarding mix of literary history, variant states, and publisher quirks that make proper identification essential. Below is a concise, collector‑friendly guide to the origins of these books and how to identify true first editions and early printings.
📜 A Short History: How the March Sisters Came to Print
Roberts Brothers of Boston published Little Women in October 1868, issuing Part First in an initial printing of about 2,000 copies. The publisher was skeptical, but Thomas Niles—Roberts Brothers’ literary advisor—tested the manuscript on his niece, who adored it. The book became an immediate sensation, prompting Alcott to begin writing a sequel almost immediately.
Little Women, Part Second followed in spring 1869, completing the story and cementing Alcott’s place in American literary history. The two volumes were later combined into single‑volume editions, but the true first editions were issued separately in 1868 and 1869.
🔍 How to Identify First Editions & Early Printings
Part First — Little Women (Roberts Brothers, 1868)
A true first edition, first issue is identified by several key points:
Title page dated 1868 — Roberts Brothers imprint.
Rear advertisements priced at $1.25 — This is the critical BAL point for the first issue; later printings raised the price to $1.50.
Original cloth bindings in green, purple, or terra cotta—all legitimate first‑edition bindings.
Four wood‑engraved plates by May Alcott, including the frontispiece.
Collation: [vi], 7–341, [7] pp.
No “Thousand” count on the title page—Roberts Brothers added these to later printings.
These points together confirm a first edition, first issue of Part First.
Part Second — Little Women, Part Second (Roberts Brothers, 1869)
Part Second is more complicated, with multiple states and bibliographic debate around priority. Key identifiers include:
Title page dated 1869 — Roberts Brothers imprint.
Page iv “Notice”:
Some copies lack the notice (“Little Women, Part First is published in a volume uniform with this”).
Others include it. Bibliographers disagree on which came first, and BAL lists several states.
Advertisements:
Some first‑edition copies include 8 pp. ads at rear.
Others were issued without ads—a known and accepted variant.
Collation: iv, 5–359 pp.
Four wood‑engraved plates, including frontispiece.
State points (BAL 159):
Page 366 with four entries
Heading: “Handy Volume Series / I. / Happy Thoughts.”
Because Roberts Brothers printed Part Second in small batches, state priority remains debated—making careful collation essential.
🧭 Quick Field Checklist for Collectors
Part First (1868)
☐ Title page dated 1868
☐ Rear ads priced $1.25
☐ Four plates present
☐ Original cloth (green/purple/terra cotta)
☐ Correct collation: [vi], 7–341, [7]
☐ No “Thousand” count
☐ BAL 158 match
Part Second (1869)
☐ Title page dated 1869
☐ Check page iv for presence/absence of notice
☐ Ads may or may not be present
☐ Four plates present
☐ Correct collation: iv, 5–359
☐ Page 366 with four entries
☐ “Handy Volume Series / I. / Happy Thoughts.”
☐ BAL 159 match
📚 Why These Books Matter to Collectors
First editions of Little Women are cornerstones of American literature collecting. They represent:
The first children’s novel to become an enduring American classic.
A landmark in women’s writing and domestic fiction.
A publishing history full of variant states, making identification both challenging and rewarding.
For collectors, owning both volumes in first edition—whether in original cloth or fine later bindings—is a pinnacle acquisition.
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