A first edition captures the moment a text first reached its readers: its original type, its original cover, sometimes even its original typos. That is why collectors prize it above later printings.
Start with the copyright page. Many modern Arabic books state «الطبعة الأولى» (first edition) with the year of publication on the page after the title.
Compare dates. Older books often omit the edition number. If the printing year at the back matches the book's known publication year, you are likely holding a first edition.
Check the publisher and press. Many works moved between publishers over the years, and the original publisher is part of a first edition's identity.
At Nora Inkwell we write «First Edition» in an item's title whenever we have verified it.
By Sara