# Is "The Sea of Grass" by Conrad Richter a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter (Alfred A. Knopf, 1937) is identified by: First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon. US Knopf 1937 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon
- Brown buckram boards with stencil design by W. A. Dwiggins; first-issue priced dust jacket
- New Mexico cattle-versus-homesteader classic; filmed in 1947
- A separate signed presentation issue of 250 copies was distributed as a publisher's Christmas gift in 1937
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Conrad Richter |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1937 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon. Brown buckram boards with stencil design by W. A. Dwiggins; first-issue priced dust jacket. New Mexico cattle-versus-homesteader classic; filmed in 1947. A separate signed presentation issue of 250 copies was distributed as a publisher's Christmas gift in 1937.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1937 is the true first. Movie-tie-in printings and later Knopf reprints are separate, later states.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The stated 'FIRST EDITION,' Borzoi colophon, and priced first-issue jacket distinguish the trade first. Book-club copies omit the statement, carry an unpriced jacket, and bear a blind stamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Sea of Grass* by Conrad Richter a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-sea-of-grass
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.