The points of issue
First published by Horace Liveright, New York, 1931 (the trilogy in one volume). A signed limited edition of 550 copies was also issued, bound in vellum with a black morocco gilt spine label and including facsimile leaves of O'Neill's working notes folded into a pocket at the rear. The trade first printing has no later-printing statement on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
The US Horace Liveright 1931 edition is the true first. The signed, numbered limited edition of 550 copies in vellum is the premium collecting state and accompanies the trade issue; the UK Jonathan Cape edition is a separate, later first thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The trade first printing is distinguished by the absence of a printing history; the limited edition is identified by its limitation page and signature. No standard book-club edition is the collecting target.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mourning Becomes Electra a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First published by Horace Liveright, New York, 1931 (the trilogy in one volume). A signed limited edition of 550 copies was also issued, bound in vellum with a black morocco gilt spine label and including facsimile leaves of O'Neill's working notes folded into a pocket at the rear. The trade first printing has no later-printing statement on the copyright page.
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 Horace Liveright 1931 edition is the true first. The signed, numbered limited edition of 550 copies in vellum is the premium collecting state and accompanies the trade issue; the UK Jonathan Cape edition is a separate, later first thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The trade first printing is distinguished by the absence of a printing history; the limited edition is identified by its limitation page and signature. No standard book-club edition is the collecting target.
I have a first edition of Mourning Becomes Electra — 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.