The points of issue
Charles Scribner's Sons first edition, 1948; rust/full cloth; an experimental photo-text book pairing Morris's black-and-white photographs facing each page of narrative; first-issue dust jacket with the original printed flap price. The copyright page of the first printing shows the Scribner seal and bears no statement of a later printing.
Is this the true first?
The US Scribner edition is the true first. It is the second volume in Morris's photo-text sequence.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Presence of the Scribner seal with no later-printing indication marks the first printing; the absence of the original priced jacket and a blind-stamp can indicate a later or club copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Home Place a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Charles Scribner's Sons first edition, 1948; rust/full cloth; an experimental photo-text book pairing Morris's black-and-white photographs facing each page of narrative; first-issue dust jacket with the original printed flap price. The copyright page of the first printing shows the Scribner seal and bears no statement of a later printing.
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. The US Scribner edition is the true first. It is the second volume in Morris's photo-text sequence.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Presence of the Scribner seal with no later-printing indication marks the first printing; the absence of the original priced jacket and a blind-stamp can indicate a later or club copy.
I have a first edition of The Home Place — 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.