Watership Down by Richard Adams — Second Edition
* **Title:** *Watership Down*
* **Author:** Richard Adams
* **Publisher:** Rex Collings Ltd, London
* **Original Publication:** **1972**
* **Second Edition (Print Run):** **Late 1972 / early 1973**
* **Format:** Hardback, brown boards with gilt titles to spine
* **Dust Jacket:** Same wraparound art by **Pauline Baynes**, though lighter blue tone on some later jackets
* **Pagination:** 413 pp.
* **Printer:** *Western Printing Services Ltd, Bristol* (same as first)
* **Identifiers:**
Not Price Clipped.
First Edition:No statement of reprint, price £3.50, 413pp, small print “Printed in Great Britain by Western Printing Services Ltd, Bristol”.
Second Edition:** Sometimes called “Second Impression” or “Second Printing”, identical except with the line “Second impression 1972”or Reprinted 1973 beneath the copyright.
🕵️ Market & Collector Notes
* Early *Rex Collings* printings (first and second impressions) are **highly sought after** due to the book’s limited initial release before it became a bestseller through Penguin.
* The **first edition** (April 1972) was a print run of only **~2,500 copies**.
* The **second printing** (late 1972) was **~5,000 copies**, also printed by Western Printing Services before the rights transferred to Penguin in 1973.
* Second impressions retain the same binding quality and jacket artwork and are considered **“near-firsts”** — highly desirable to collectors.
---
### 💰 **Current Market Evidence (as of 2025):**
| Condition | Edition | Sale Venue | Price (AUD Equivalent) |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------- |
| Fine 1st Edition | Rex Collings 1972 | Sotheby’s / eBay UK | $3,000–$5,000+ |
| Near Fine 2nd Impression | Rex Collings 1972/73 | eBay UK | $750–$1,200 |
| VG 2nd Impression (light wear) | eBay / ABE | $450–$650 | |
**SEO Title:**
*Watership Down by Richard Adams — Rex Collings 1972 Second Edition — Fine Copy w/ Dust Jacket — Classic Fantasy Novel*
Description:
Second Edition (1972) of Richard Adams’ timeless classic *Watership Down*, published by **Rex Collings Ltd, London**.
A beautifully preserved example of this early printing — **square, tight, and clean**, in a **bright unclipped dust jacket** priced £3.50.
Same format and artwork as the legendary first edition.
An exceptional collectible copy from the original Rex Collings issue, preceding all Penguin and Book Club printings.
Condition:
Fine / Near Fine — clean pages, no inscriptions, minimal wear to jacket edges.
Images are of actual item shipped by Australian Seller.