The points of issue
Contact Publishing Co. (Robert McAlmon's imprint), 1923, printed at Dijon by Maurice Darantière; an edition of about 300 copies in publisher's gray-blue wrappers. Contains 'The Red Wheelbarrow' (as poem XXII). Notoriously scarce, in part because many copies shipped to America were seized by US customs.
Is this the true first?
True first (Contact Publishing Co., 1923) and one of the scarcest modernist firsts, at roughly 300 copies; the first book appearance of 'The Red Wheelbarrow.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; the crux is the rarity of the 1923 Contact wrappers versus much later reprints and the 2011 New Directions facsimile.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Spring and All a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Contact Publishing Co. (Robert McAlmon's imprint), 1923, printed at Dijon by Maurice Darantière; an edition of about 300 copies in publisher's gray-blue wrappers. Contains 'The Red Wheelbarrow' (as poem XXII). Notoriously scarce, in part because many copies shipped to America were seized by US customs.
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 first (Contact Publishing Co., 1923) and one of the scarcest modernist firsts, at roughly 300 copies; the first book appearance of 'The Red Wheelbarrow.'
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; the crux is the rarity of the 1923 Contact wrappers versus much later reprints and the 2011 New Directions facsimile.
I have a first edition of Spring and All — 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.