The points of issue
First printing with the Scribner number line and no later-printing statement; quarter brown cloth over beige paper boards, spine lettered in copper; dust jacket bearing the printed price, unclipped. Byline "E. Annie Proulx." A separate signed, numbered limited issue of 2,500 copies with a tipped-in limitation leaf was also produced.
Is this the true first?
US Scribner's is the true first; the UK 4th Estate edition (1996) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club editions are smaller, lack the number line, are blind-stamped, and have no printed price on the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Accordion Crimes a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing with the Scribner number line and no later-printing statement; quarter brown cloth over beige paper boards, spine lettered in copper; dust jacket bearing the printed price, unclipped. Byline "E. Annie Proulx." A separate signed, numbered limited issue of 2,500 copies with a tipped-in limitation leaf was also produced.
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 Scribner's is the true first; the UK 4th Estate edition (1996) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month Club editions are smaller, lack the number line, are blind-stamped, and have no printed price on the jacket.
I have a first edition of Accordion Crimes — 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.