The points of issue
First printing comprised 3,500 copies. The key first-state point concerns the W. T. Benda illustrations: in the first state they are printed on coated/glossy paper (about 2,500 copies); Cather objected to the glossy stock and the remaining copies were printed on the uncoated text paper. First state therefore has the Benda plates on coated paper. Date present on the title leaf; Riverside Press production. First-issue dust jacket present.
Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1919.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club issue. The distinction is the paper stock of the Benda illustrations (coated first state vs. uncoated later state), not the number or placement of illustrations.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of My Ántonia a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing comprised 3,500 copies. The key first-state point concerns the W. T. Benda illustrations: in the first state they are printed on coated/glossy paper (about 2,500 copies); Cather objected to the glossy stock and the remaining copies were printed on the uncoated text paper. First state therefore has the Benda plates on coated paper. Date present on the title leaf; Riverside Press production. First-issue dust jacket present.
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. True US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1919.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club issue. The distinction is the paper stock of the Benda illustrations (coated first state vs. uncoated later state), not the number or placement of illustrations.
I have a first edition of My Ántonia — 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.