Museum of New Mexico Press First Editions — A Collector's Authority Guide

When I find an oversized hardcover in a Santa Fe estate library — heavy paper stock, museum-quality color plates, an ISBN starting with 0-89013 — I know I'm holding a Museum of New Mexico Press title. This is the publishing arm of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the institutional press that transforms the collections and exhibitions of Santa Fe's four state museums into permanent, beautifully produced books. Since the press formalized its book-publishing mission in 1961, it has built a catalog of exhibition catalogs, art monographs, photographic surveys, and cultural histories that no serious collection of Southwestern material can ignore. If you have Museum of New Mexico Press books or any other Southwestern volumes to donate or sell, NMLP accepts any condition and any quantity through my free Albuquerque-area pickup service.

The press occupies a distinctive niche in Southwestern publishing. Unlike the University of New Mexico Press, which is an academic press producing scholarly monographs, or Sunstone Press, which is a commercial trade publisher, the Museum of New Mexico Press exists to serve four specific museums and their collections. Every title in the catalog connects back to an exhibition, a collection, or a curatorial initiative. That institutional grounding gives the press's books a particular authority — and it shapes the way collectors encounter and evaluate them.

Last verified May 2026 · Original research by Josh Eldred

Press History: From El Palacio to the Present

Origins in 1913: El Palacio Magazine

The Museum of New Mexico's publishing history begins in November 1913, when Edgar Lee Hewett launched El Palacio magazine. Hewett had founded the Museum of New Mexico in 1909 and simultaneously directed the School of American Archaeology (later the School of American Research, now the School for Advanced Research). His intent with El Palacio was practical — he needed a publication to promote both the museum and the school to patrons and sponsors, and to counter negative press from his ongoing feud with the Santa Fe New Mexican and its owner Bronson Cutting.

El Palacio became the oldest museum magazine of its kind in the United States. Named for the Palace of the Governors, the museum's original home on the Santa Fe Plaza, it began as a thin pamphlet and evolved over the decades into a full-color glossy quarterly. Early issues from the 1910s through the 1940s are genuinely scarce and collected by specialists in Southwest institutional history. Hewett recognized that most writing about Native cultures and archaeology was buried in dense Bureau of American Ethnology reports, and he wanted El Palacio to make that scholarship accessible to a general audience. That mission — translating institutional knowledge into readable, well-designed publications — would define the press for the next century.

The Press Formalizes: 1961 Onward

While the Museum of New Mexico published pamphlets, catalogs, and El Palacio throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the Museum of New Mexico Press as a formal book-publishing operation dates to 1961. From that point the press began producing the exhibition catalogs and monographs that constitute its core catalog today. The press has described its own mission as producing books that serve as outreach for New Mexico's museums by showcasing their collections and exhibitions.

Jack Rittenhouse served as an early director and left an enduring mark on the catalog. His most notable contribution was the Zia Paperback reprint series, which brought more than thirty-five titles back into print as affordable paperback editions. The Zia series included works by Edward Abbey, Larry McMurtry, and J. Frank Dobie — an eclectic list that extended the press's reach well beyond museum catalogs into broader Southwestern and Western literature. Rittenhouse later departed for the University of New Mexico Press, and the connection between the two institutions occasionally confuses collectors. They are entirely separate publishers with separate ISBNs, separate editorial staffs, and separate organizational structures.

The Award-Winning Era: 2000s to Present

The press earned consecutive First Place Awards from the American Association of Museums (now the American Alliance of Museums) Publications Design competition in 2005, 2006, and 2007 — an unprecedented streak that confirmed the press's reputation for physical production quality. Museum of New Mexico Press books are consistently among the best-designed and best-printed titles in the regional publishing world, with superior color reproduction, heavy paper stock, and careful binding.

Mary Wachs served as Editorial Director for many years and shaped the press's editorial identity during its most productive decades. She holds the title of Editorial Director Emerita and continues as Editor-at-Large. Anna Gallegos served as Director until her retirement in late 2024. Erin Adair-Hodges now directs the press. In 2007, Santa Fe arts patrons Michael and Marianne O'Shaughnessy gifted Red Crane Books, Inc. to the Museum of New Mexico Press. Red Crane had been founded in 1989 and had published over sixty titles on Hispanic and Southwestern art, cookbooks, and bilingual literature. The imprint expanded the press's catalog into areas it hadn't traditionally covered, particularly regional cookbooks and literary anthologies.

Distribution today runs through the Chicago Distribution Center, which handles fulfillment for the book trade. Museum shops at all four Santa Fe museums remain primary retail outlets, and the press's titles are staples of the gift-shop shelves at the Palace of the Governors, the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, and the New Mexico Museum of Art.

The Four-Museum System and What It Publishes

Understanding the Museum of New Mexico Press catalog requires understanding the four museums it serves. Each museum's collection drives a distinct publishing lane, and knowing which museum sponsored a given book helps collectors evaluate its subject matter and audience.

Subject Areas in Depth

Exhibition Catalogs and Art Monographs

Exhibition catalogs are the heart of the Museum of New Mexico Press catalog. These books are produced to accompany specific exhibitions at one or more of the four museums, and they typically feature high-quality color reproductions, curatorial essays, and scholarly apparatus. Because exhibition catalogs are tied to a specific show with a defined run, print runs are calibrated to anticipated museum-shop sales and exhibition attendance. Many titles receive only a single printing. When the exhibition closes and the initial print run sells through museum shops, the book becomes available only on the secondary market. This dynamic makes Museum of New Mexico Press exhibition catalogs naturally scarce in ways that trade-published books are not.

Southwest Photography

The press has published extensively on photography, drawing from the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives and from exhibitions at the New Mexico Museum of Art. Titles cover documentary photography of the Southwest, from early-twentieth-century images of Pueblo life to contemporary work. Through the Lens: Creating Santa Fe surveys over a century and a half of photography in the capital city. Poetics of Light: Pinhole Photography documents an innovative exhibition. The Photo Archives, with its vast holdings of historical images, provides source material for books that serve both as art objects and as primary historical documents.

Featured: In Search of Domínguez & Escalante (2011)

This one stopped me mid-sort. Greg Mac Gregor and Siegfried Halus retraced one of the great Spanish colonial explorations of the American Southwest — the 1776 Domínguez-Escalante Expedition — and did it with cameras. Fathers Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante departed Santa Fe in July 1776, the same summer the Continental Congress was signing its Declaration a continent away. Their route arced through present-day Colorado, into Utah, down through Arizona, and back to New Mexico — an enormous loop through some of the most dramatic landscape on the continent. Mac Gregor and Halus followed the route using Escalante's original journal as their guide, pairing stark black-and-white photographs with the friar's own words. The result is photography as scholarship, and it is unlike anything else in the Museum of New Mexico Press catalog.

The book is structured around Escalante's journal entries paired with Mac Gregor and Halus's photographs of the same landscapes the expedition passed through. Fran Levine contributes an opening essay, "Images from the Edge of an Empire," and Joseph F. Sánchez provides a historical essay tracing the legacy of the 1776 expedition from New Mexico to California. Both photographers discuss their methodology — how they identified specific sites from Escalante's descriptions, what equipment they carried, how they composed images meant to echo an eighteenth-century journey through a twenty-first-century landscape. It is a serious work of documentary photography grounded in primary-source historical research, published by the institutional press best positioned to produce it.

For collectors, In Search of Domínguez & Escalante sits at the intersection of several strong collecting areas: Southwest photography, Spanish colonial exploration history, and the Museum of New Mexico Press catalog itself. The hardcover first edition (ISBN 978-0-89013-539-7, clothbound) was published in 2011. It occupies the mid tier of the press's collectibility spectrum — not as scarce as a sold-out exhibition catalog, but far more specialized than a general reference work. Copies in clean condition with intact dust jacket hold consistent interest from collectors who focus on the press's photography output or on the broader literature of Spanish colonial expeditions in the Southwest. The Domínguez-Escalante route itself has become a recognized scenic and historical corridor, and this book is its definitive photographic document.

Photos: Josh Eldred, June 2026. Original desk photography at the New Mexico Literacy Project, Albuquerque, NM.

Native American Arts and Material Culture

Driven by MIAC's collections, the press publishes reference works on Pueblo pottery, Navajo textiles, jewelry, and contemporary Native art. Betty Toulouse's Pueblo Pottery of the New Mexico Indians remains a standard introduction. The Here, Now & Always companion volume represents the press at its best — a book that draws from museum collections to illuminate Native narratives of origin, place, and self-determination. These titles overlap significantly with the Native American literature and pottery collecting areas covered elsewhere on this site.

Spanish Colonial and Hispanic Folk Art

No publisher in the Southwest has documented Hispanic folk art traditions as thoroughly as the Museum of New Mexico Press. Robin Farwell Gavin, who served for over thirty years as curator of Spanish Colonial art at MOIFA and chief curator at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, authored multiple press titles including Traditional Arts of Spanish New Mexico and Converging Streams: Art of the Hispanic and Native American Southwest. Carmella Padilla, an award-winning writer on Hispano art and culture, co-authored Printing the Spirit: Gustave Baumann's Santos with Thomas Leech. These books serve as essential references for collectors of New Mexico folk art, retablos and tinwork, and santos and santero traditions.

History and Anthropology

Marta Weigle's Telling New Mexico: A New History, published in 2009, brought together fifty historians and scholars to survey New Mexico history from prehistory to the present. It won an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History. Weigle also authored Alluring New Mexico: Engineered Enchantment, 1821–2001 and co-authored Spanish New Mexico: The Spanish Colonial Arts Society Collection. These volumes anchor the press's contribution to historical scholarship about the state.

Poetry and Literature

The press publishes the annual New Mexico Poetry Anthology, collecting previously unpublished poems that explore themes of community, culture, landscape, and identity. Rudolfo Anaya's Owl in a Straw Hat appeared under the Museum of New Mexico Press imprint. The Academy of American Poets lists the press among recognized poetry publishers. The Red Crane Books imprint expanded the literary catalog to include bilingual literature and regional cookbooks.

First Edition Identification

The ISBN Prefix: 978-0-89013

The most reliable way to confirm a Museum of New Mexico Press title is the ISBN prefix. All Museum of New Mexico Press books carry ISBNs beginning with 978-0-89013 (or the older ten-digit form, 0-89013). When I'm examining a book from an estate library and the dust jacket is missing or the title page doesn't clearly state the publisher, the ISBN is decisive. This prefix distinguishes Museum of New Mexico Press titles from University of New Mexico Press books (978-0-8263) — a distinction that matters because the two publishers are frequently confused.

Copyright Page Conventions

The Museum of New Mexico Press does not consistently use an explicit "First Edition" statement on the copyright page. Instead, first edition identification follows the standard institutional-press convention: the absence of any reprint or revision language indicates a first printing. Look for these markers:

Exhibition Catalog Conventions

Exhibition catalogs present a special case for first-edition identification. Most exhibition catalogs from the Museum of New Mexico Press are single-printing titles. The print run is determined by anticipated museum-shop sales over the life of the exhibition, and when the show closes, remaining stock is sold down through the museum shops and trade distribution. Reprints happen only when a catalog becomes a standard reference — which is relatively uncommon. This means that if you find a Museum of New Mexico Press exhibition catalog, there is a strong probability it is a first (and only) printing.

When reprints do occur, they are typically triggered by one of two circumstances: the exhibition travels to additional venues, expanding the audience and demand, or the book proves so useful as a reference that it outlives the exhibition it accompanied. In either case, the reprint will carry reprint language on the copyright page. The exhibition dates on the copyright page or in the front matter also serve as indirect dating evidence — if the listed exhibition dates correspond to the copyright year, you're almost certainly holding a first printing.

The Number Line

Like many institutional and university presses, the Museum of New Mexico Press adopted the number line (printer's key) convention at varying points across its publication history. Not all titles carry a number line. When present, the standard convention applies: the lowest number visible in the sequence indicates the printing. A line reading "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" indicates a first printing. If the "1" has been removed and the line reads "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2," you're holding a second printing. Earlier titles from the 1960s through the 1980s may lack a number line entirely, in which case the absence of reprint language is your primary identification tool.

Physical Production Details

Museum of New Mexico Press books are consistently produced to high physical standards, which is relevant to both identification and condition grading. First printings typically feature:

• Heavy, coated paper stock for color plates, often 100-pound or heavier
• Smyth-sewn binding in hardcover editions (thread-sewn signatures rather than perfect binding)
• Full-color reproductions calibrated to match museum originals
• Dust jackets with laminated or coated finishes
• Oversized trim sizes — many titles are 9×12 inches or larger to accommodate art reproductions

Later printings occasionally show differences in paper quality, color saturation, or binding method. A first printing on heavy coated stock compared to a later printing on lighter paper is a meaningful distinction, though it requires side-by-side comparison. The press's AAM-award-winning design quality means that even later printings are typically well-produced, but first printings from the 2005–2007 award era are notably handsome objects.

Most Collected Titles by Tier

Top Tier: Highest Collector Demand

The top tier of Museum of New Mexico Press collectibility belongs to early exhibition catalogs from landmark shows at the four museums, particularly those with limited print runs that sold out during the exhibition's run. Signed copies of any Museum of New Mexico Press title by a prominent author or artist occupy this tier. Robin Farwell Gavin's Traditional Arts of Spanish New Mexico in first printing — a foundational reference for the Hispanic Heritage Wing at MOIFA — holds strong collector interest. Lonn Taylor and Dessa Bokides's New Mexican Furniture, 1600–1940 commands attention from specialists in Hispanic folk art and material culture. Early Gustave Baumann titles, including Printing the Spirit: Gustave Baumann's Santos, attract both Baumann collectors and santos enthusiasts.

Mid Tier: Consistent Secondary-Market Interest

The mid tier includes the major reference works that remain useful to collectors and scholars. Betty Toulouse's Pueblo Pottery of the New Mexico Indians is a perennial presence in estate libraries and carries steady interest. Marta Weigle's Telling New Mexico: A New History serves as a comprehensive state history. Here, Now & Always, the companion to MIAC's permanent exhibition, appeals to collectors of Native American arts reference material. Photography titles from the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives — particularly Through the Lens: Creating Santa Fe — occupy this tier. The Zia Paperback series titles, while not rare, are collected as a set by enthusiasts of the press's history. Rudolfo Anaya's Owl in a Straw Hat holds interest among Anaya completists.

Entry Tier: Accessible and Broadly Available

The entry tier includes recent exhibition catalogs still available through museum shops, current-edition reference works, the Red Crane Books imprint titles (particularly cookbooks and poetry anthologies), and the annual New Mexico Poetry Anthology. These titles are readily available and offer collectors an affordable introduction to the press's catalog. Condition expectations are high at this tier because many copies are essentially new.

Condition and Grading Considerations

Museum of New Mexico Press books present specific condition challenges that differ from standard trade books. Understanding these issues is essential for accurate grading.

Oversized formats. Many press titles are large-format art books — 9×12 inches or bigger, weighing several pounds. These formats are vulnerable to shelf wear on the bottom edges, bumped corners from handling, and spine stress from the weight of heavy coated paper. A book that sat on a museum-shop shelf for a year may show subtle wear that a standard-size hardcover would not.

Dust jacket survival. Because many copies are purchased as gifts or coffee-table display pieces, dust jackets on Museum of New Mexico Press titles survive at reasonable rates. However, the laminated or coated finishes common on the press's jackets can show surface scratches that are more visible than on matte-finish jackets. Edge tears at the top of the spine panel are common from the weight of the book pulling against the jacket.

Color plate condition. The coated paper used for color reproductions is susceptible to foxing in humid storage environments — less common in New Mexico's dry climate but a real concern for copies that have migrated to other regions. Fingerprints on coated plates are difficult to remove without leaving marks. Check interior plates carefully, particularly in pottery and textile volumes where readers frequently handle the plates.

Inscriptions and museum stamps. Museum deaccession copies occasionally enter the secondary market. These carry institutional stamps, property marks, or catalog labels that reduce collectibility. Ex-library copies from museum reference collections are a separate category from retail copies purchased through museum shops — the former carry institutional markings, the latter typically do not. Gift inscriptions are common because so many press titles are purchased as gifts in museum shops.

The Collecting Market: Three Tiers

Specialist collectors pursue Museum of New Mexico Press titles within broader collecting areas — Spanish Colonial art, Pueblo pottery, folk art, Southwest photography. For these collectors, the press's exhibition catalogs are primary references tied to specific collections and shows. A catalog from a landmark MOIFA santos exhibition or a MIAC pottery survey is not just a book but documentation of a curatorial argument. These collectors pay close attention to first printings, signed copies, and catalogs from historically significant exhibitions.

Regional collectors accumulate Museum of New Mexico Press titles as part of a general Southwestern library. The press's visual quality and broad subject coverage make its books appealing display pieces and reference works. Regional collectors are less focused on edition points and more interested in subject coverage, condition, and the visual appeal of the books themselves. The press's AAM-award-winning design makes its titles among the most attractive on any Southwest bookshelf.

Institutional buyers — university libraries, museum reference collections, and research archives — represent the third tier. These buyers want comprehensive coverage of the press's catalog rather than first-edition points, and they drive demand for both new and backlist titles. When a Museum of New Mexico Press title goes out of print, institutional demand can sustain secondary-market interest for years.