The points of issue
The true first is the 1935 Viking signed limited edition of 1,475 copies, numbered and issued in a slipcase. There was no contemporaneous 1935 trade printing; Viking issued a revised and expanded edition in 1938, which is a later, textually different edition rather than a first.
Is this the true first?
US first is the 1935 signed limited of 1,475 copies. The 1938 Viking edition is a revised/expanded edition and does not represent the first text. UK Secker followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1938 revised edition and subsequent printings are not the first; they carry different text.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Journeyman a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first is the 1935 Viking signed limited edition of 1,475 copies, numbered and issued in a slipcase. There was no contemporaneous 1935 trade printing; Viking issued a revised and expanded edition in 1938, which is a later, textually different edition rather than a first.
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 is the 1935 signed limited of 1,475 copies. The 1938 Viking edition is a revised/expanded edition and does not represent the first text. UK Secker followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 1938 revised edition and subsequent printings are not the first; they carry different text.
I have a first edition of Journeyman — 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.