The points of issue
First edition, Heron Press, New York, 1929, illustrated by Ty Mahon, with a frontispiece and five plates and the title page set within a decorative border. The entire edition totaled 1,100 numbered copies in two states: copies 1 to 200 printed on American Handcraft paper and bound in balloon cloth, signed by author and illustrator on the limitation page; copies 201 to 1,100 (900 copies) printed on Mellow Book paper and bound in Holliston cloth. Caldwell's first book.
Is this the true first?
US first edition; one of the scarcest Caldwell titles. Banned for obscenity in Portland, Maine.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. Later reissues exist; the 1929 Heron Press issue is the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Bastard a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, Heron Press, New York, 1929, illustrated by Ty Mahon, with a frontispiece and five plates and the title page set within a decorative border. The entire edition totaled 1,100 numbered copies in two states: copies 1 to 200 printed on American Handcraft paper and bound in balloon cloth, signed by author and illustrator on the limitation page; copies 201 to 1,100 (900 copies) printed on Mellow Book paper and bound in Holliston cloth. Caldwell's first book.
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 first edition; one of the scarcest Caldwell titles. Banned for obscenity in Portland, Maine.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. Later reissues exist; the 1929 Heron Press issue is the true first.
I have a first edition of The Bastard — 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.