Alcoholics Anonymous — First Edition, Twelfth Printing — 1948 — Original Dust Jacket
Offered here is an original First Edition, Twelfth Printing of Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly known as the Big Book, published in October 1948 by Works Publishing Inc.
The copyright page records the complete First Edition printing history through:
Twelfth Printing, October, 1948
This copy also retains its original Twelfth Printing dust jacket, clearly identified as such on the rear flap.
The Twelfth Printing
Published nearly a decade after the original April 1939 edition, the Twelfth Printing represents an important period in the early growth of Alcoholics Anonymous.
When the Big Book first appeared in 1939, A.A. consisted of approximately 100 members. By the late 1940s, the Fellowship had expanded dramatically across the United States and beyond.
That growth is reflected within the book itself through the section “Now We Are Thousands,” which looks back on the extraordinary development of Alcoholics Anonymous during its first decade.
Despite that expansion, this printing still retains the classic characteristics of the First Edition Big Book—the Works Publishing imprint, original First Edition format, navy cloth binding, and the distinctive red-and-yellow dust jacket associated with the earliest era of A.A. publishing.
Book Details
Title: Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
Edition: First Edition
Printing: Twelfth Printing
Publication Date: October 1948
Publisher: Works Publishing Inc.
Place: New York City
Printer: The Cornwall Press, Inc., Cornwall, New York
Binding: Original navy-blue cloth
Dust Jacket: Original Twelfth Printing dust jacket
Original Dust Jacket
A significant feature of this copy is the survival of its original Twelfth Printing dust jacket.
The jacket retains the classic red, yellow, black, and white First Edition design and remains substantially complete, including the front and rear panels, spine, and both flaps.
The rear flap is specifically identified “Twelfth Printing.”
Original First Edition Big Book jackets are increasingly difficult to find, and even heavily worn examples remain important components of collectible early copies.
Condition
The book and jacket both show substantial evidence of age and use.
Book
The original navy-blue cloth binding remains intact, with the blind-stamped Alcoholics Anonymous title still visible on the front board and the gilt spine lettering remaining strong and readable.
The cloth shows general rubbing, handling wear, and scattered marks. There is noticeable moisture discoloration along the lower portion of both the front and rear boards, creating a lighter tide line across the cloth.
The spine ends and corners show light rubbing and wear, but the binding remains intact.
The front and rear endpapers show light age toning and scattered discoloration. No ownership inscription or group markings are visible in the photographs provided.
The interior remains complete and readable, with normal age toning. Some pages show localized moisture staining, particularly along the lower and outer margins, consistent with the staining visible on the exterior cloth.
The copyright page remains clean and clearly identifies this copy as the Twelfth Printing, October 1948.
Original Dust Jacket
The original jacket is in worn condition and shows considerable age-related use.
There is substantial rubbing and surface wear throughout, together with creasing, tears, edge wear, and numerous chips and areas of paper loss. The greatest loss occurs along the upper and lower edges, spine extremities, and corners.
The spine panel shows additional wear and fading. There are also areas of staining and discoloration, particularly toward the lower portions of the jacket and flaps.
Despite the wear, the jacket remains substantially complete and retains the important original front artwork, spine, rear panel, and both flaps.
Please review all photographs carefully, as they provide the best representation of the exact condition of this individual copy.
Collector’s Note
The Twelfth Printing represents the closing years of the 1940s era of the First Edition Big Book.
Published in October 1948, it appeared while Alcoholics Anonymous was undergoing extraordinary growth but still several years before the Second Edition replaced the original text in 1955.
This copy is particularly appealing because it retains both its original Works Publishing navy cloth binding and its scarce original Twelfth Printing dust jacket.
While the book and jacket show clear evidence of use, they remain together as an authentic surviving example of one of the later—and increasingly collectible—printings of the First Edition Big Book.
