The points of issue
Self-published in an edition of roughly 3,000 copies. Printed by A. C. Clayton Printing Co. of St. Louis (a label printer that had never before printed a book), with no further printings noted. Cover and chapter-head silhouettes designed by the author's daughter Marion Rombauer, the cover depicting St. Martha of Bethany subduing a tarasque.
Is this the true first?
This 1931 private printing is the genuine first edition and is exceedingly scarce. The 1936 Bobbs-Merrill 'First Trade Edition' is a distinct, far more common book often misdescribed as 'the' first; note precedence carefully.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any copy bearing the Bobbs-Merrill imprint is NOT the 1931 private first. Later Bobbs-Merrill printings add printing data and revised pagination.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Joy of Cooking (privately printed first edition) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Self-published in an edition of roughly 3,000 copies. Printed by A. C. Clayton Printing Co. of St. Louis (a label printer that had never before printed a book), with no further printings noted. Cover and chapter-head silhouettes designed by the author's daughter Marion Rombauer, the cover depicting St. Martha of Bethany subduing a tarasque.
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. This 1931 private printing is the genuine first edition and is exceedingly scarce. The 1936 Bobbs-Merrill 'First Trade Edition' is a distinct, far more common book often misdescribed as 'the' first; note precedence carefully.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Any copy bearing the Bobbs-Merrill imprint is NOT the 1931 private first. Later Bobbs-Merrill printings add printing data and revised pagination.
I have a first edition of The Joy of Cooking (privately printed first edition) — 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.