The points of issue
Bobbs-Merrill first issue of this title has First Edition stated on the copyright page, title page dated 1928, bound in publisher's black cloth, in a first-issue jacket. Later trade printings add Second printing and similar statements.
Is this the true first?
US Bobbs-Merrill 1928 is the true first. A separate signed limited Airplane Edition of 1,000 copies, printed on thin India paper in flexible boards and signed on a tipped-in leaf, also exists; its sequence relative to the trade issue is not firmly established.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later trade printings carry added printing statements. No major book-club edition is a concern for the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Scarlet Sister Mary a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Bobbs-Merrill first issue of this title has First Edition stated on the copyright page, title page dated 1928, bound in publisher's black cloth, in a first-issue jacket. Later trade printings add Second printing and similar statements.
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. US Bobbs-Merrill 1928 is the true first. A separate signed limited Airplane Edition of 1,000 copies, printed on thin India paper in flexible boards and signed on a tipped-in leaf, also exists; its sequence relative to the trade issue is not firmly established.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later trade printings carry added printing statements. No major book-club edition is a concern for the first.
I have a first edition of Scarlet Sister Mary — 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.