The points of issue
First printing stated on the copyright page; priced trade dust jacket. Blue cloth with a facsimile author signature in gilt on the front board. A separate signed/numbered limited edition of 350 copies in a matching slipcase was issued.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1982 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence trade edition. The signed limited issue is limited to 350 numbered copies.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition lacks the stated first printing and the priced jacket; identify the first by the stated first printing and an unclipped priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Deadeye Dick a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing stated on the copyright page; priced trade dust jacket. Blue cloth with a facsimile author signature in gilt on the front board. A separate signed/numbered limited edition of 350 copies in a matching slipcase was issued.
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. True first is the 1982 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence trade edition. The signed limited issue is limited to 350 numbered copies.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition lacks the stated first printing and the priced jacket; identify the first by the stated first printing and an unclipped priced jacket.
I have a first edition of Deadeye Dick — 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.