# Is "Death Comes for the Archbishop" by Willa Cather a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (Alfred A. Knopf, 1927) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi), New York, 1927. The Knopf 1927 signed limited edition is the prized first state, the 50 Japan-vellum copies being the most desirable, followed by the 175 rag-paper copies; the trade first follows the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi), New York, 1927
- The trade first is bound in green boards with printed paper labels on the front panel and spine
- The key first-issue points are two uncorrected typographical errors present in the earliest printing: 'happned' for 'happened' on page 20 and 'suppper' for 'supper' on page 57; both were corrected in later printings
- First-issue copies have no top-edge stain
- Alongside the 20,000-copy trade printing, Knopf also issued a small signed limited edition (on Japan vellum and on rag paper), which is a separate, earlier issue
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Willa Cather |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1927 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi), New York, 1927 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi), New York, 1927. The trade first is bound in green boards with printed paper labels on the front panel and spine. The key first-issue points are two uncorrected typographical errors present in the earliest printing: 'happned' for 'happened' on page 20 and 'suppper' for 'supper' on page 57; both were corrected in later printings. First-issue copies have no top-edge stain. Alongside the 20,000-copy trade printing, Knopf also issued a small signed limited edition (on Japan vellum and on rag paper), which is a separate, earlier issue.

## Is this the true first?
The Knopf 1927 signed limited edition is the prized first state, the 50 Japan-vellum copies being the most desirable, followed by the 175 rag-paper copies; the trade first follows the same year. The UK (Heinemann) edition is a separate first. A separate 'Death Comes for the Archbishop' entry already exists in the dataset; this entry adds the signed-limited states for deeper collectors.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions and later printings reprint the text but are not the first edition and are far less collectible. Borzoi colophon and “A Note on the Type” page authenticate genuine Knopf production rather than a book club reprint. Use the points above to be certain — see book-club edition vs. first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Death Comes for the Archbishop* by Willa Cather a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/death-comes-for-the-archbishop
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.