The points of issue
First American trade edition, Harcourt, Brace & Company, 1939. Octavo in sage green cloth, titles stamped in black on spine and front cover, yellow top stain; gathers three short novels (Old Mortality, Noon Wine, and the title novel Pale Horse, Pale Rider); 'first edition' stated on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket with the original printed flap price. Author-inscribed and presentation copies exist but are individual associations, not a formally designated issue.
Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt, Brace edition is the true first; the UK Cape edition of 1939 follows. The previously claimed signed limited issue of 175 copies could not be confirmed in any reliable source and has been removed; only ordinary inscribed copies are documented.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The trade first carries the stated 'first edition' and the priced first-issue jacket. Later printings and reprint editions (including Modern Library) lack the original priced jacket; book-club style copies typically drop the flap price and may bear a blind-stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Pale Horse, Pale Rider a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First American trade edition, Harcourt, Brace & Company, 1939. Octavo in sage green cloth, titles stamped in black on spine and front cover, yellow top stain; gathers three short novels (Old Mortality, Noon Wine, and the title novel Pale Horse, Pale Rider); 'first edition' stated on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket with the original printed flap price. Author-inscribed and presentation copies exist but are individual associations, not a formally designated issue.
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 Harcourt, Brace edition is the true first; the UK Cape edition of 1939 follows. The previously claimed signed limited issue of 175 copies could not be confirmed in any reliable source and has been removed; only ordinary inscribed copies are documented.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The trade first carries the stated 'first edition' and the priced first-issue jacket. Later printings and reprint editions (including Modern Library) lack the original priced jacket; book-club style copies typically drop the flap price and may bear a blind-stamp.
I have a first edition of Pale Horse, Pale Rider — 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.