A landmark of Golden Age science fiction — and the bibliographic puzzle begins with the title itself.
The dust jacket of this first edition spells it "Grey Lensman." The title page says "Gray." That discrepancy isn't a misprint to be apologized for — it's a point of issue that identifies the priority state of this book, and a detail that separates copies handled by knowledgeable collectors from those that aren't.
This is the first edition, first printing, as stated on the copyright page, in the first state dust jacket — rear panel advertising three titles in Smith's Lensman series, establishing priority over the later jacket advertising five titles by other Fantasy Press authors. The binding is dark blue boards with spine lettered in gold: the only confirmed binding state per Currey's bibliography. Chalker and Owings document a Greenberg variant in light blue boards with black lettering, but as Currey notes, no copy of that variant has been observed by bibliographers — making the dark blue/gold binding the sole documented first state.
Jacket art by Hubert Rogers. Frontispiece and interior chapter headings by Ric Binkley. Total print run approximately 5,096 copies per Chalker and Owings.
Chalker and Owings put it plainly: "Many consider this the finest single work Smith ever produced, the high water mark of space opera." For collectors building a serious Fantasy Press run, Gray Lensman is an essential title — and a priority-jacket copy in identifiable first state binding is the one worth holding out for.
This is a first edition, first printing — stated on the copyright page — bound in dark blue boards with the spine lettered in gold, the sole confirmed first state binding. The dust jacket is the first priority state, with the rear panel advertising three titles in Smith's Lensman series; the cover and spine of the jacket title the book "Grey Lensman," the spelling variant that identifies the priority jacket. The $3.00 price is intact on the front flap, and the jacket is unclipped.
The jacket is Good overall. The front panel shows some rubbing, and the spine has taken moderate chipping, including one area of loss. The book itself is Very Good: pages clean and crisp, with light fading to the base of the boards and light soiling to the pastedowns. Corners square and binding tight.
Two points of issue define the priority state of this title: the binding (dark blue boards, gold lettering) and the dust jacket rear panel (three Lensman advertisements). This copy satisfies both. The "Grey/Gray" spelling variant on the jacket is not an error — it is the identifying mark of the first jacket state, and should be present on any copy represented as a true first.
The Greenberg variant binding reported by Chalker and Owings — light blue boards with black lettering — remains bibliographically unconfirmed; Currey notes that no copy has been observed. Buyers should be cautious of any copy in that binding represented as a first state equivalent.
A landmark of Golden Age science fiction — and the bibliographic puzzle begins with the title itself.
The dust jacket of this first edition spells it "Grey Lensman." The title page says "Gray." That discrepancy isn't a misprint to be apologized for — it's a point of issue that identifies the priority state of this book, and a detail that separates copies handled by knowledgeable collectors from those that aren't.
This is the first edition, first printing, as stated on the copyright page, in the first state dust jacket — rear panel advertising three titles in Smith's Lensman series, establishing priority over the later jacket advertising five titles by other Fantasy Press authors. The binding is dark blue boards with spine lettered in gold: the only confirmed binding state per Currey's bibliography. Chalker and Owings document a Greenberg variant in light blue boards with black lettering, but as Currey notes, no copy of that variant has been observed by bibliographers — making the dark blue/gold binding the sole documented first state.
Jacket art by Hubert Rogers. Frontispiece and interior chapter headings by Ric Binkley. Total print run approximately 5,096 copies per Chalker and Owings.
Chalker and Owings put it plainly: "Many consider this the finest single work Smith ever produced, the high water mark of space opera." For collectors building a serious Fantasy Press run, Gray Lensman is an essential title — and a priority-jacket copy in identifiable first state binding is the one worth holding out for.
This is a first edition, first printing — stated on the copyright page — bound in dark blue boards with the spine lettered in gold, the sole confirmed first state binding. The dust jacket is the first priority state, with the rear panel advertising three titles in Smith's Lensman series; the cover and spine of the jacket title the book "Grey Lensman," the spelling variant that identifies the priority jacket. The $3.00 price is intact on the front flap, and the jacket is unclipped.
The jacket is Good overall. The front panel shows some rubbing, and the spine has taken moderate chipping, including one area of loss. The book itself is Very Good: pages clean and crisp, with light fading to the base of the boards and light soiling to the pastedowns. Corners square and binding tight.
Two points of issue define the priority state of this title: the binding (dark blue boards, gold lettering) and the dust jacket rear panel (three Lensman advertisements). This copy satisfies both. The "Grey/Gray" spelling variant on the jacket is not an error — it is the identifying mark of the first jacket state, and should be present on any copy represented as a true first.
The Greenberg variant binding reported by Chalker and Owings — light blue boards with black lettering — remains bibliographically unconfirmed; Currey notes that no copy has been observed. Buyers should be cautious of any copy in that binding represented as a first state equivalent.
