The points of issue
First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, with chapter-heading drawings by Fumi Komatsu. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement with no later-printing line. Dust jacket priced on the front flap. Knopf editions of this era do not use a number line, so its absence is normal.
Is this the true first?
The Knopf US edition of 1959 is the first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed the same year. The Japanese original (Sembazuru) preceded it. Confirm Knopf priority via the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement and Borzoi device.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later combined volumes pairing Thousand Cranes with Snow Country, and Vintage International paperbacks, are reprints. A book club or later reprint will lack the Borzoi colophon and the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Thousand Cranes (Senbazuru) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, with chapter-heading drawings by Fumi Komatsu. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement with no later-printing line. Dust jacket priced on the front flap. Knopf editions of this era do not use a number line, so its absence is normal.
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 Knopf US edition of 1959 is the first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed the same year. The Japanese original (Sembazuru) preceded it. Confirm Knopf priority via the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement and Borzoi device.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later combined volumes pairing Thousand Cranes with Snow Country, and Vintage International paperbacks, are reprints. A book club or later reprint will lack the Borzoi colophon and the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION line.
I have a first edition of Thousand Cranes (Senbazuru) — 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.