The points of issue
Scribner 'A' with the publisher's seal on the copyright page; terra cotta cloth stamped in blind and gilt with turquoise endpapers; 241 pages. Dust jacket priced at two-fifty.
Is this the true first?
US first; later UK Grayson edition followed. A landmark Depression-era novel.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Scribner printings lack the 'A' and seal; a Grosset & Dunlap photoplay/tie-in reprint exists and is not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Tobacco Road a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Scribner 'A' with the publisher's seal on the copyright page; terra cotta cloth stamped in blind and gilt with turquoise endpapers; 241 pages. Dust jacket priced at two-fifty.
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 first; later UK Grayson edition followed. A landmark Depression-era novel.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Scribner printings lack the 'A' and seal; a Grosset & Dunlap photoplay/tie-in reprint exists and is not the first.
I have a first edition of Tobacco Road — 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.