The points of issue
US Knopf, 1973; issued in laminated pictorial boards (distinctive pink tone, with a photo of Dylan on the lower cover) WITHOUT dust jacket as issued; quarto, 368 pp; illustrated endpapers and full-page line drawings by Dylan; ISBN 0-394-48243-3. Stated first with no later printing on the copyright page; Borzoi imprint.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1973 is the true first. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (ISBN 0224008676) is a separate British first. The text was later superseded by 'Lyrics 1962-1985' (1985), which reprints this content plus new material; that later compilation is not a reprint of this book's first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Because it was issued without a jacket, 'no dust jacket' is correct rather than a defect; later printings show additional Knopf printing codes. Confirm the 1973 date and absence of later-printing notation.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Writings and Drawings a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Knopf, 1973; issued in laminated pictorial boards (distinctive pink tone, with a photo of Dylan on the lower cover) WITHOUT dust jacket as issued; quarto, 368 pp; illustrated endpapers and full-page line drawings by Dylan; ISBN 0-394-48243-3. Stated first with no later printing on the copyright page; Borzoi imprint.
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 Knopf 1973 is the true first. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (ISBN 0224008676) is a separate British first. The text was later superseded by 'Lyrics 1962-1985' (1985), which reprints this content plus new material; that later compilation is not a reprint of this book's first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Because it was issued without a jacket, 'no dust jacket' is correct rather than a defect; later printings show additional Knopf printing codes. Confirm the 1973 date and absence of later-printing notation.
I have a first edition of Writings and Drawings — 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.