The points of issue
First printing identified by the date on the title page matching the copyright page with no statement of a later printing. The Scribner seal alone is not a reliable indicator: it appears on printings other than the first and was not used consistently to mark first editions, so do not rely on it.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1923). An early Marquand collection of magazine fiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are noted as such on the copyright page; presence or absence of the publisher's seal does not by itself establish a first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Four of a Kind a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified by the date on the title page matching the copyright page with no statement of a later printing. The Scribner seal alone is not a reliable indicator: it appears on printings other than the first and was not used consistently to mark first editions, so do not rely on it.
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. US first edition (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1923). An early Marquand collection of magazine fiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are noted as such on the copyright page; presence or absence of the publisher's seal does not by itself establish a first printing.
I have a first edition of Four of a Kind — 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.