# Is "Desert Gold" by Zane Grey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Desert Gold by Zane Grey (Harper & Brothers, 1913) is identified by: True Harper first printing bears the copyright-page code C-N (the first letter is the printing month, the second is the year: N = 1913), together with 'Published April, 1913.' Olive cloth, gilt lettering with a pictorial cover onlay; color frontispiece with tissue guard and additional plates by Douglas Duer; issued in dust jacket. True first US edition (Harper & Brothers).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True Harper first printing bears the copyright-page code C-N (the first letter is the printing month, the second is the year: N = 1913), together with 'Published April, 1913.' Olive cloth, gilt lettering with a pictorial cover onlay; color frontispiece with tissue guard and additional plates by Douglas Duer; issued in dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Brothers
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Zane Grey |
| Publisher | Harper & Brothers |
| Year | 1913 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True Harper first printing bears the copyright-page code C-N (the first letter is the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
True Harper first printing bears the copyright-page code C-N (the first letter is the printing month, the second is the year: N = 1913), together with 'Published April, 1913.' Olive cloth, gilt lettering with a pictorial cover onlay; color frontispiece with tissue guard and additional plates by Douglas Duer; issued in dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition (Harper & Brothers).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Grosset & Dunlap reprints are common and lack the Harper imprint and code. Confirm the Harper imprint and the C-N code rather than a rolling two-letter sequence.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Desert Gold* by Zane Grey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/desert-gold
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.