200 Copies of Mao Zedong's Little Red Book: Rare Book of the Week

Peter Harrington will offer what is believed to be the largest and most diverse collection of early editions and translations of Quotations from Chairman Mao, better known as the Little Red Book, for £1m at Firsts Hong Kong (December 6-8).

Collected over three decades by Justin G. Schiller, this assortment of editions totals 200 items. The collection is the foundation of a forthcoming analytical bibliography of Mao’s Quotations by Peter Harrington’s Asia Specialist Dr Matt Wills, due for publication in 2025. A sample of the bibliography will also be available for review at the fair.

First published 60 years ago by the General Headquarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Quotations from Chairman Mao began as a manual for political education within the PLA but reveals surprising diversity and variation in its early history. These variations arose not only from changing political agendas but also from practical printing constraints and even chance.

“It is strange to think that we know more about the publishing history of Shakespeare’s First Folio than of a book that is merely 60 years old,” said Dr Wills. “We believe this collection holds significant research value, as the material objects capture and reveal details otherwise only accessible through oral histories. Beyond its symbolic status, each edition tells a unique story of its own. From rare bindings and experimental formats to evolving contents, these books reveal layers of history, ideology, and personalization that would surprise most readers today.”

The collection begins with the first print run in May 1964 in an edition that contained 366 quotations across 30 chapters and appeared in multiple bindings. Alongside the famous red vinyl covers, Schiller’s collection includes unique, seldom-seen variants such as bindings in maroon cloth with silver or yellow lettering, a copy bound in brown vinyl, and even blue vinyl jackets. The early designs featured subtle decorative distinctions with variations in the headband colours and tooling on the vinyl pockets, one even bearing the manufacturer’s name, a distinct departure from typical Maoist aesthetics.

Further variation extended to the book’s introductory pages. Certain editions featured politician and soldier Lin Biao’s directive to listen to Chairman Mao’s instructions in calligraphy that contained an infamous brushstroke error. Other copies in the collection showcase two versions of the calligraphic motto “Workers of the world, unite!” with subtle font variations, while readers made their own alterations to make copies distinct.