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1st Editions

Many thnks to Johnny Rocco for this...

Though I am sure there are other King editions extant, I am not aware of them. However, if you know of any, or see any mistakes in the following list, let me know at rocco@ionet.net and I will update/correct this list.

It also contains some numbers on the limited edition of which I am not sure. These are indicated by question marks (?). If you can verify or supply the correct numbers, I would be most appreciative.

John

How to ID First Editions...

It can be difficult telling the first editions of some of his earlier works. That changed with Firestarter. Following is a synopsis.

Published by Doubleday:

Carrie: `1974' on title page (TP). `First Edition' on copyright (CP) page. Date code `P6' on inner margin of page 199.
Salem's Lot: `First Edition' on CP. Date code `Q37' on page 439.
The Shining: `First Edition' on CP. Date Code R49 on page 447.
Night Shift: `1978' on TP. `First Edition' on CP. Date code S52 on page 336.
The Stand: `First Edition' on CP. Date Code T39 on page 823.
Pet Sematary: `1983' on TP. `First Edition' on CP, no other `edition' numbers.

Published by Viking:

The Dead Zone: No date on TP. `First published in 1979 by the Viking Press' on CP.
Different Seasons: No date on CP. `First Published in 1982' on CP, no other `edition' numbers.
IT: No date on TP. `First Published in 1986 by Viking Penguin Inc.' on CP. No other numbering.
The Eyes of the Dragon: No date on TP. `First Published in 1987 by Viking Penguin Inc.' on CP. No other numbering.
Misery: No date on TP. `First Published in 1987 by Viking Penguin Inc.' on CP. No other numbering.
The Dark Half: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1989 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.' and numbered `1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' on CP.
Four Past Midnight: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1990 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.' and numbered `10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on CP.
Needful Things: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1991 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc' and numbered `1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' on CP.
Gerald's Game: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1992 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc' and numbered `1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' on CP.
Dolores Claiborne: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1993 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.' and numbered `1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' on CP.
Nightmares and Dreamscapes: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1993 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.' and numbered `1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' on CP.
Rose Madder: No Date on TP. `First Published in 1995 by Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.' and numbered `1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' on CP.

Published by Putnam:

The Tommyknockers: No date on TP. `Copyright 1987 by Stephen King, Tabitha King and Arthur B. Greene, Trustee', numbers `1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10' above `Permissions to come' on CP.

Published by New American Library (NAL):

Thinner: (Richard Bachman) - `First printing, November 1984'on CP numbers `1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9' below.

The following are signed/numbered limited firsts - easy to spot. There are several variations on these books. Some are marked `Presentation' copies; Some are marked `Publisher's' copies. There are extra books printed to make up books lost in the mail. I have tried to give the best information I can, but am still open to any additions to this list which I can verify. Be that as it may, here we are:

Firestarter: Phantasia Press - 1980, 26 copies lettered A-Z with asbestos board covers. 725 signed and numbered.
Cujo: Mysterious Press - 1981, limited to 750.
Christine: Donald M. Grant - 1983, limited to 350.
The Talisman: Donald M. Grant - 1984, limited to 1200. 35 (?) unsigned promotional copies.
Cycle of the Werewolf: The Land of Enchantment - 1983, limited to 100 (1-100) signed, with tipped in original drawing by Bernie Wrightson, who also signed the book; 250 (101 - 350) signed and numbered by King and Wrightson, with no sketch 7500 unsigned.
Eyes of the Dragon: Philtrum Press - 1984, 26 signed and lettered A-Z, 250 signed in red ink. 1000 signed in black ink. (this edition predates and differs textually from the Viking Edition).
Skeleton Crew: Scream Press - 1985, limited to 1000. (this edition includes the story `The Revelations of Becka Paulson') 26 lettered copies (A-Z) in a leather zippered case. Also, presentation copies (qty?) and one (1) publishers copy bound entirely differently.
Dolan's Cadillac: Lord John Press - 1989, limited to 26 lettered copies (A-Z) `specially bound' and slip-cased, 250 copies quarter bound in leather, 1000 numbered copies. All signed. Also, presentation copies (qty?)
My Pretty Pony: Whitney Museum of American Art - 1988, Metal cover front and back with front clock designed to stop functioning after one year (though battery is replaceable). limited to 35 copies numbered I - XXXV. 280 copies numbered 1 - 280.
The Stand: Complete and Uncut - Viking - 1990, packaged in a black wooden box with a metal plate on the cover. Limited to 1250. There exists a few copies with a different metal plate (smaller) on the box. Not numbered???
Insomnia: Mark V. Ziesing Books - 1994, 1250 copies signed and numbered, 3750 copies unsigned.

Now, The Dark Tower series:

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger: Donald M. Grant - 1982, 12 Publishers copies, 35 lettered copies (A-Z and ??), 500 copies signed and numbered. 10,000 copies unsigned.
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three: Donald M. Grant - 1987, 12 `Publisher's' copies, 35 lettered copies (A-Z and ??), 850 copies signed and numbered, 30,000 copies unsigned.
The Dark Tower III: The Wastelands: Donald M. Grant - 1991, 1200 copies signed and numbered, 40000 copies unsigned. (1250 copies of the signed edition were printed but only 1200 were for sale. This would indicate that 50 were publisher's/author's copies, though I am unaware of how they were identified.)

There have been some other `publications' of King's works over the years.

Danse Macbre: ...was issued in 3 versions of the first printing - 15 copies lettered A-O signed, 35 copies unsigned, but with a tissue DW, 250 copies signed and numbered. - 1981
Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus: By Mary W. Shelley - 4 page intro by King. Illustrated by Bernie Wrightson. 26 lettered and signed copies, 500 numbered and signed copies (both Wrightson and King) a few `out of series' signed copies (no numbers or letters). 1983

Also, there were four stories published under the Bachman Pseudonym. These were paperbacks. They were collected under the NAL label in `The Bachman Books. Four Early Novels by Stephen King' - The first Edition of this combined work says `First (Omnibus) Printing, October, 1985' and has the numbers `1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9' below this.

The Paperbacks were published by Signet and had `First Printing (pub. date) 123456789' at the bottom of the CP.

Also, The Green Mile is being published in PB. It is a 6 part serialized novel. The first printings are from Signet and have `First Printing (pub. date) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the CP.

These are (in most cases) world wide first editions. However, there are others that have been released prior to the American editions. Examples are :

`ES' (`IT'): a German language edition in a full leather cover which was published several weeks prior to the American edition. Unsigned.
`Rose Madder': Which has been published in a 200 copy limited edition in Great Britain. Signed and numbered via bookplate.
`Insomnia': Published in Great Britain in a 200 copy limited edition signed and numbered via book plate. WW first edition??.

I am sure there are others, but I will limit this list to the American editions with minor mention of World Wide editions for comparison.

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