The points of issue
First edition, one of 1,000 copies, Knopf 1937 with the Borzoi colophon and no later-printing statement. The principal point of issue is in the dust jacket: the first-issue jacket carries the error 'conjunctioning' on the front flap, which Knopf reset to 'conjunctions' for the second-issue jacket at Stevens's insistence; the first-issue jacket is markedly scarcer.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition is the true first; there is no prior UK edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later printings carry an added printing statement on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Man with the Blue Guitar & Other Poems a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, one of 1,000 copies, Knopf 1937 with the Borzoi colophon and no later-printing statement. The principal point of issue is in the dust jacket: the first-issue jacket carries the error 'conjunctioning' on the front flap, which Knopf reset to 'conjunctions' for the second-issue jacket at Stevens's insistence; the first-issue jacket is markedly scarcer.
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 Knopf edition is the true first; there is no prior UK edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. Later printings carry an added printing statement on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Man with the Blue Guitar & Other Poems — 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.