The points of issue
Trade first is the hardcover: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no further printings noted; quarter black cloth over grey paper-covered boards, title in silver on spine, in dust jacket. Trade run about 7,500 copies. A separate signed limited edition of 350 numbered copies was issued in publisher's boards with a slipcase and no jacket. An Ecco softcover first printing (full number line) also exists, but the collected true first is the trade hardcover.
Is this the true first?
Ecco US hardcover is the true first; McCarthy's first published drama.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of note. Later printings drop the stated "First Edition" line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Stonemason (play) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade first is the hardcover: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no further printings noted; quarter black cloth over grey paper-covered boards, title in silver on spine, in dust jacket. Trade run about 7,500 copies. A separate signed limited edition of 350 numbered copies was issued in publisher's boards with a slipcase and no jacket. An Ecco softcover first printing (full number line) also exists, but the collected true first is the trade hardcover.
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. Ecco US hardcover is the true first; McCarthy's first published drama.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition of note. Later printings drop the stated "First Edition" line.
I have a first edition of The Stonemason (play) — 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.