# Is "New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples" by Erna Fergusson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples by Erna Fergusson (Knopf, 1951) is identified by: The true first edition of New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples by Erna Fergusson was published by Alfred A. The 1951 Alfred A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first edition of New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples by Erna Fergusson was published by Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi Books) in 1951
- The first edition carries the 1951 copyright and the Knopf Borzoi first-edition presentation, with binding and typography designed by W. A. Dwiggins and the customary Knopf 'A Note on the Type' colophon leaf at the rear
- A genuine first shows the Borzoi device and no statement of a later printing on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Erna Fergusson |
| Publisher | Knopf |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first edition of New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples by Erna Fergusson was published by Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi Books) in 1951 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first edition of New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples by Erna Fergusson was published by Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi Books) in 1951. The first edition carries the 1951 copyright and the Knopf Borzoi first-edition presentation, with binding and typography designed by W. A. Dwiggins and the customary Knopf 'A Note on the Type' colophon leaf at the rear. A genuine first shows the Borzoi device and no statement of a later printing on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
The 1951 Alfred A. Knopf (Borzoi) hardcover is the true first edition; later Knopf printings and the University of New Mexico Press reissue reprint the text but follow it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions and later printings reprint the text but are not the first edition and are far less collectible. The Borzoi colophon, the Dwiggins-designed 'A Note on the Type' page, and the absence of a later-printing statement authenticate genuine Knopf production rather than a book-club reprint. Use the points above to be certain — see book-club edition vs. first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *New Mexico: A Pageant of Three Peoples* by Erna Fergusson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/new-mexico-a-pageant-of-three-peoples
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.