The points of issue
First edition, first printing: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1961. Date 1961 on the title page and copyright page, with no printing statement (first printings are not separately stated). First-state dust jacket lacks the Newbery Medal seal (Medal awarded 1962). Pictorial cloth.
Is this the true first?
US true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1962.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add a printing line; post-award jackets carry the Newbery seal. Book-club copies are smaller and lack a jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Bronze Bow a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1961. Date 1961 on the title page and copyright page, with no printing statement (first printings are not separately stated). First-state dust jacket lacks the Newbery Medal seal (Medal awarded 1962). Pictorial cloth.
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 true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1962.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add a printing line; post-award jackets carry the Newbery seal. Book-club copies are smaller and lack a jacket price.
I have a first edition of The Bronze Bow — 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.