The points of issue
Knopf trade first printing has the copyright page reading First Edition (some dealers describe it as the stated first trade edition), published April 7, 1992. Black cloth (or black paper over boards with black cloth spine) stamped in gold on front board and spine, 229 pages. First-state dust jacket carries the printed price at the top of the front flap with a 4/92 code at the foot of the rear flap.
Is this the true first?
The Knopf US trade printing is the true first for standard collecting; the UK Chatto & Windus edition follows. A separate signed limited edition was issued by the Franklin Library for its Signed First Edition Society (full morocco, all edges gilt), which collectors treat as a distinct signed issue rather than the trade first. Jazz is the second novel of the loose trilogy that began with Beloved.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Jazz was a Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection; club copies typically lack the First Edition line, show a blind-stamp (small indentation) on the rear board, and carry an unpriced jacket. These are not the trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Beloved (covered). Instead: Jazz a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Knopf trade first printing has the copyright page reading First Edition (some dealers describe it as the stated first trade edition), published April 7, 1992. Black cloth (or black paper over boards with black cloth spine) stamped in gold on front board and spine, 229 pages. First-state dust jacket carries the printed price at the top of the front flap with a 4/92 code at the foot of the rear flap.
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. The Knopf US trade printing is the true first for standard collecting; the UK Chatto & Windus edition follows. A separate signed limited edition was issued by the Franklin Library for its Signed First Edition Society (full morocco, all edges gilt), which collectors treat as a distinct signed issue r
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Jazz was a Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection; club copies typically lack the First Edition line, show a blind-stamp (small indentation) on the rear board, and carry an unpriced jacket. These are not the trade first.
I have a first edition of Beloved (covered). Instead: Jazz — 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.