The points of issue
First trade edition bound in green cloth with paper spine and front labels and a red topstain; the Knopf Borzoi device appears at the rear. Cather bibliography reference Crane A17.a. A separate signed limited issue precedes the trade: 619 copies on Croxley hand-made paper in marbled boards with leather spine label, plus a smaller deluxe issue of 199 copies on Japan vellum, all signed by Cather.
Is this the true first?
True US first; the US Knopf edition precedes the UK Cassell edition of 1932. The signed limited issues (619-copy Croxley and 199-copy vellum) are the deluxe forms and precede the trade printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition for the first. Later printings add impression notices.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Shadows on the Rock a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First trade edition bound in green cloth with paper spine and front labels and a red topstain; the Knopf Borzoi device appears at the rear. Cather bibliography reference Crane A17.a. A separate signed limited issue precedes the trade: 619 copies on Croxley hand-made paper in marbled boards with leather spine label, plus a smaller deluxe issue of 199 copies on Japan vellum, all signed by Cather.
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; the US Knopf edition precedes the UK Cassell edition of 1932. The signed limited issues (619-copy Croxley and 199-copy vellum) are the deluxe forms and precede the trade printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition for the first. Later printings add impression notices.
I have a first edition of Shadows on the Rock — 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.