The points of issue
Blue-gray linen boards with gilt bird stamping to the front and a tan cloth spine bearing a blue paper label with gilt lettering; eight full-page illustrations by Howard Frech; first-state dust jacket with the original price on the front flap. Carson's scarce first book.
Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster (New York) is the true first, published November 1941. The later Oxford reissue is 'first thus,' not the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Simon & Schuster never reprinted the original 1941 edition, so it is genuinely scarce; the far more common Oxford reissue is not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Under the Sea-Wind a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Blue-gray linen boards with gilt bird stamping to the front and a tan cloth spine bearing a blue paper label with gilt lettering; eight full-page illustrations by Howard Frech; first-state dust jacket with the original price on the front flap. Carson's scarce first book.
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 Simon & Schuster (New York) is the true first, published November 1941. The later Oxford reissue is 'first thus,' not the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Simon & Schuster never reprinted the original 1941 edition, so it is genuinely scarce; the far more common Oxford reissue is not the true first.
I have a first edition of Under the Sea-Wind — 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.