The points of issue
First edition, E. P. Dutton (New York), 1927. Title page dated 1927 with no added printing line on the copyright verso. The trade first printing is bound in purple/fuchsia cloth pictorially stamped in gilt, with the top edge sometimes stained light blue. Illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff with double-page black-and-white spreads, chapter headings, and tailpieces.
Is this the true first?
US true first. Newbery Medal 1928.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A separate signed limited issue with a white vellum spine and paper boards was produced after the Newbery announcement, so it is not the trade first printing. Later Dutton printings carry stated printing notices.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Gay-Neck, the Story of a Pigeon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, E. P. Dutton (New York), 1927. Title page dated 1927 with no added printing line on the copyright verso. The trade first printing is bound in purple/fuchsia cloth pictorially stamped in gilt, with the top edge sometimes stained light blue. Illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff with double-page black-and-white spreads, chapter headings, and tailpieces.
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 true first. Newbery Medal 1928.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A separate signed limited issue with a white vellum spine and paper boards was produced after the Newbery announcement, so it is not the trade first printing. Later Dutton printings carry stated printing notices.
I have a first edition of Gay-Neck, the Story of a Pigeon — 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.