The points of issue
First edition 1937, Viking (NY). The first printing was published November 1937 and the copyright page carries a single publication statement with no list of later printings. Author-illustrated by Kate Seredy, with a color frontispiece and black-and-white plates; cloth binding with a blind-stamped stag and color pictorial endpapers.
Is this the true first?
US true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1938.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Viking later printings list further printings on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The White Stag a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition 1937, Viking (NY). The first printing was published November 1937 and the copyright page carries a single publication statement with no list of later printings. Author-illustrated by Kate Seredy, with a color frontispiece and black-and-white plates; cloth binding with a blind-stamped stag and color pictorial endpapers.
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 true first. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1938.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Viking later printings list further printings on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The White Stag — 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.