# Is "Elmer Gantry" by Sinclair Lewis a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis (Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, 1927) is identified by: First-issue binding shows the 'G' in 'Gantry' on the spine appearing as a 'C' (the letter has a rounded base that reads as an open C); this was very slightly recut in the second issue. True US first; precedes the UK Cape edition of 1927.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First-issue binding shows the 'G' in 'Gantry' on the spine appearing as a 'C' (the letter has a rounded base that reads as an open C); this was very slightly recut in the second issue
- Copyright page carries the first-printing statement 'Published March, 1927'
- Bound in blue cloth stamped in orange
- First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Sinclair Lewis |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York |
| Year | 1927 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First-issue binding shows the 'G' in 'Gantry' on the spine appearing as a 'C' (the letter has a rounded base that reads as an open C); this… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First-issue binding shows the 'G' in 'Gantry' on the spine appearing as a 'C' (the letter has a rounded base that reads as an open C); this was very slightly recut in the second issue. Copyright page carries the first-printing statement 'Published March, 1927'. Bound in blue cloth stamped in orange. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap.

## Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Cape edition of 1927. The 'C' for 'G' spine reading is the recognized first-issue binding point.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not a book-club book. Signed copies offered in commerce are signed trade firsts, not a separate limited issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Elmer Gantry* by Sinclair Lewis a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/elmer-gantry
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.