The points of issue
Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' and carries the Harper letter code 'D-S' (April 1968) for the first printing; first-issue dust jacket bears the '0668' code and the printed price on the front flap. Won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, so first-issue jackets predate any Pulitzer notice.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row 1968 edition is the true first and Momaday's first novel. Jackets bearing a Pulitzer Prize announcement are later printings, not the first issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies omit the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and the D-S code, are unpriced on the jacket, and carry a blind stamp on the rear board; the stated first with the un-prize-banded priced jacket marks the trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of House Made of Dawn (Harper & Row first-issue points) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' and carries the Harper letter code 'D-S' (April 1968) for the first printing; first-issue dust jacket bears the '0668' code and the printed price on the front flap. Won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, so first-issue jackets predate any Pulitzer notice.
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. The US Harper & Row 1968 edition is the true first and Momaday's first novel. Jackets bearing a Pulitzer Prize announcement are later printings, not the first issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies omit the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and the D-S code, are unpriced on the jacket, and carry a blind stamp on the rear board; the stated first with the un-prize-banded priced jacket marks the trade first.
I have a first edition of House Made of Dawn (Harper & Row first-issue points) — 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.