# Is "A Fable" by William Faulkner a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Fable by William Faulkner (Random House, 1954) is identified by: A signed, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies (in publisher's blue cloth, dark blue top edge, slipcased) precedes the trade edition and is the true first issue. US Random House 1954; the signed/numbered limited of 1,000 copies is the true first issue, with the 'FIRST EDITION'-stated trade following.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- A signed, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies (in publisher's blue cloth, dark blue top edge, slipcased) precedes the trade edition and is the true first issue
- The trade first edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page (Random House practice in this era; the statement is removed on later printings) and is in blue cloth with crosses stamped on the boards
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Faulkner |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1954 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | A signed, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies (in publisher's blue cloth, dark blue top edge, slipcased) precedes the trade edition… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
A signed, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies (in publisher's blue cloth, dark blue top edge, slipcased) precedes the trade edition and is the true first issue. The trade first edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page (Random House practice in this era; the statement is removed on later printings) and is in blue cloth with crosses stamped on the boards.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House 1954; the signed/numbered limited of 1,000 copies is the true first issue, with the 'FIRST EDITION'-stated trade following. The 1955 Pulitzer and National Book Award winner.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Trade later printings remove the 'FIRST EDITION' statement. Book-club copies are clearly marked.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Fable* by William Faulkner a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-fable
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.