The points of issue
City Lights Pocket Poets No. 4, issued only in stapled black printed wrappers with a separate white wrap-around label (never issued in cloth), introduction by William Carlos Williams, price 75 cents on the rear wrapper. The true first printing of 1,000 copies was letterpress-printed in England at Villiers Publications, Holloway, London. The two crucial first-printing points are the dedication, which names Lucien Carr (his name was removed at his request in later printings), and the period after 'Harlem' on the rear wrapper. First printing carries no later-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
US true first (Pocket Poets No. 4). The collecting crux is first printing versus the many later City Lights printings. First printing is identified by the Lucien Carr dedication, the period after 'Harlem' on the rear wrapper, the 75-cent price, and the Villiers/England printing. The first two printings were produced in England by Villiers; later printings were produced in the United States.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; first-printing identification rests on the Lucien Carr dedication, the rear-wrapper 'Harlem' point, the price, and the Villiers/England printing, plus the absence of any later-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Howl and Other Poems (deeper printing-state note) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: City Lights Pocket Poets No. 4, issued only in stapled black printed wrappers with a separate white wrap-around label (never issued in cloth), introduction by William Carlos Williams, price 75 cents on the rear wrapper. The true first printing of 1,000 copies was letterpress-printed in England at Villiers Publications, Holloway, London. The two crucial first-printing points are the dedication, which names Lucien Carr (his name was removed at his request in later printings), and the period after 'Harlem' on the rear wrapper. First printing carries no later-p
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 (Pocket Poets No. 4). The collecting crux is first printing versus the many later City Lights printings. First printing is identified by the Lucien Carr dedication, the period after 'Harlem' on the rear wrapper, the 75-cent price, and the Villiers/England printing. The first two printi
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; first-printing identification rests on the Lucien Carr dedication, the rear-wrapper 'Harlem' point, the price, and the Villiers/England printing, plus the absence of any later-printing statement.
I have a first edition of Howl and Other Poems (deeper printing-state note) — 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.