The points of issue
First printing has the Borzoi device and no statement of a later printing on the copyright page. Bound in yellow cloth, the front board with a skull-and-crossbones ornament and the rear board stamped with the black rectangular Borzoi Books device; spine lettered in black and red. A reliable text point of the first printing is 'dopped in' for 'dropped in' at page 260, line 19. First-issue jacket carries the printed price. Hammett's second novel.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1929) is the true first, preceding the UK edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are stated on the copyright page. No significant book-club edition; beware ex-library and reprint copies.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Dain Curse a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the Borzoi device and no statement of a later printing on the copyright page. Bound in yellow cloth, the front board with a skull-and-crossbones ornament and the rear board stamped with the black rectangular Borzoi Books device; spine lettered in black and red. A reliable text point of the first printing is 'dopped in' for 'dropped in' at page 260, line 19. First-issue jacket carries the printed price. Hammett's second novel.
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 Knopf (1929) is the true first, preceding the UK edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are stated on the copyright page. No significant book-club edition; beware ex-library and reprint copies.
I have a first edition of The Dain Curse — 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.