First Edition Points and Criteria for One of Ours

Year Published: 1922
Author Last Name: Cather
Author First Name: Willa
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Original Price: $2.50
Pages: 459

The first edition consists of 345 "de luxe" copies offered via mail order. These were signed by the author on a special hand numbered limitation page. The first thirty-five of these copies originally sold for $25 each. They were printed on Imperial Japan vellum paper, bound with ivory boards with gilt lettering, and possibly covered with a glassine wrapper. Each copy also had a silk ribbon bound into the book. Copyright page states "Published, September, 1922".

The remaining three hundred and ten copies were printed on Perusia handmade Italian paper and bound with decorative paper boards and quarter cream cloth spine with a paper label that states FIRST EDITION. These copies originally sold for $10 each, and were issued with a slip case and an additional spine label laid in.

The second printing is considered the "first trade edition" because it was the printing available for purchase in book stores. Copyright page states "Second Printings, September, 1922". The title page states 1922 in Roman numerals on the bottom, and is the same as the one found in the first printings. Boards are brown cloth with orange titles and gilt design on the front. Top of pages has an orange top stain. The dust jacket is extremely rare and was issued (most likely simultaneously) with three color variants: yellow, red, blue-green. Theses variants are otherwise the same. The jacket has a blurb by Alfred A. Knopf on the front, and three reviews on the back panel. The front flap has publisher information on the top, and the back flap has a mailing list form. The first trade edition dust jacket is more difficult to find than the signed limited first edition book.

One of Ours won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.


This is one of the first thirty-five of copies of the first edition. It was bound in ivory boards with gilt lettering.


The copyright page on the first edition states "Published, September, 1922".


This is the limitation page from the first edition. It is hand numbered and signed by Willa Cather. The number in this photo has been obscured at the request of the book's owner.


This is the title page from one of the first 35 first edition copies of One of Ours. Notice the silk ribbon.


This is one of the three hundred and ten copies that were printed on Perusia handmade Italian paper and bound with decorative paper boards and quarter cream cloth spine.


Picture of the first trade edition of One of Ours.


Picture of the first trade edition copyright page for One of Ours.


Picture of the front flap of the first trade edition. The price is located on the bottom of the front flap (not pictured).


Picture of the back panel and back flap of the first trade edition of One of Ours.


The first trade edition of On of Ours had brown cloth boards with orange titles and gilt design on the front.


The title page from the first trade edition of One of Ours.


The dust jacket spine from the first printing of One of Ours.


Later printings are indicated on the spine of the dust jacket. Notice how this shifts the position of the Borzoi Books symbol.


The dust jacket for the first trade edition of One of Ours was issued (most likely simultaneously) with three color variants: red, yellow, and blue-green.

Other first edition points for books by Willa Cather include: A Lost Lady.