The points of issue
US Harper & Brothers first, 1915, original Harper cloth, illustrated. The copyright page carries the Harper printing code in which the second letter P denotes the year 1915 (first letter = month, second letter = year); the first printing shows the matching code with no added later-printing indications.
Is this the true first?
US Harper first. Under Harper's letter-code system in use from 1912, the first letter gives the month and the second the year; an unaltered first-printing code confirms the first. Harper did not begin stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page until 1922, so the code is the decisive tell for this title.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Grosset & Dunlap reprints in cheaper cloth are the common reprint; later Harper printings show a different or added code. The code is the decisive identifier.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Lone Star Ranger a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Harper & Brothers first, 1915, original Harper cloth, illustrated. The copyright page carries the Harper printing code in which the second letter P denotes the year 1915 (first letter = month, second letter = year); the first printing shows the matching code with no added later-printing indications.
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 Harper first. Under Harper's letter-code system in use from 1912, the first letter gives the month and the second the year; an unaltered first-printing code confirms the first. Harper did not begin stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page until 1922, so the code is the decisive tell for this
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Grosset & Dunlap reprints in cheaper cloth are the common reprint; later Harper printings show a different or added code. The code is the decisive identifier.
I have a first edition of The Lone Star Ranger — 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.