The points of issue
First printing has the 'A' together with the Scribner seal on the copyright page. Bound in black cloth lettered in gilt with green rules on the front board and spine. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price and the Ossip Garber (Garber/Garbo studio) photograph of Wolfe on the rear panel. A signed limited issue of this title also exists.
Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1935.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club for the true first; later printings drop the 'A.'
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Of Time and the River a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the 'A' together with the Scribner seal on the copyright page. Bound in black cloth lettered in gilt with green rules on the front board and spine. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price and the Ossip Garber (Garber/Garbo studio) photograph of Wolfe on the rear panel. A signed limited issue of this title also exists.
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 1935.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club for the true first; later printings drop the 'A.'
I have a first edition of Of Time and the River — 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.