The points of issue
'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page; original orange cloth stamped in white and green; 285,[1] pp.; first-issue dust jacket unclipped at the printed price; introduction by Katherine Anne Porter. Roughly 2,476 copies printed. Welty's first book; full title 'A Curtain of Green and Other Stories.'
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday, Doran is the true first; full title 'A Curtain of Green and Other Stories.' Welty's first book, containing 'Death of a Traveling Salesman' and 'A Worn Path.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later states omit the stated 'First Edition'; confirm the orange cloth, the stated first on the copyright page, and the unclipped the printed price jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Curtain of Green a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page; original orange cloth stamped in white and green; 285,[1] pp.; first-issue dust jacket unclipped at the printed price; introduction by Katherine Anne Porter. Roughly 2,476 copies printed. Welty's first book; full title 'A Curtain of Green and Other Stories.'
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Doubleday, Doran is the true first; full title 'A Curtain of Green and Other Stories.' Welty's first book, containing 'Death of a Traveling Salesman' and 'A Worn Path.'
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later states omit the stated 'First Edition'; confirm the orange cloth, the stated first on the copyright page, and the unclipped the printed price jacket.
I have a first edition of A Curtain of Green — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.