A Heinlein query...

Found this today, and am having some trouble researching it...

RED PLANET - A Colonial Boy on Mars by Robert A. Heinlein.
published by Scribners.
.................................................. ............

Publisher's page info:

Copyright 1949 by
Robert A. Heinlein
G-6. 58 ( V )

Rights reserved Yadda Yadda Yadda

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Grateful acknowledgment is made to the
Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona, for per-
mission to use the photograph of the Mars
Globe by Dr. Percival Lowell which appears
on the end papers of the book.
.................................................. ............

Description:

Hardcover with dust jacket.
Black cloth covers with small red 'tiles' over words 'RED PLANET'

Dust jacket scene NOT printed on covers also, as with some later editions.

DJ has scene of stylized space man confronting strange alien veggies in
red and pink ink, with all descriptive lettering ( title, etc. ) in
white. Recommendations for Rocket Ship Galileo and Space Cadet on back
of DJ in pink lettering.
.................................................. ............

Now...I don't think it's a first printing because I've heard that
Scribners put a letter 'A' on the pub page for first printings during
this era, but no other date than 1949 is shown. Does that 'V' mean this
was a 22nd printing!? If so, was that high a print run technically still
considered part of the first edition? The thing just doesn't 'feel' like
a book club edition - though the DJ was price clipped so I'm just not
sure ( but why bother to price clip where there is no price? ).

Anyone know if I'm on the right track about this thing's pedigree?

--

Swimming in the rivers of light.

Many dealers clip the "Book Club Edition" from dustjackets.

DKM


On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 05:47:22 GMT, Gnome de Plume
wrote:


Found this today, and am having some trouble researching it...

RED PLANET - A Colonial Boy on Mars by Robert A. Heinlein.
published by Scribners.
................................................. ............

Publisher's page info:

Copyright 1949 by
Robert A. Heinlein
G-6. 58 ( V )

Rights reserved Yadda Yadda Yadda

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Grateful acknowledgment is made to the
Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona, for per-
mission to use the photograph of the Mars
Globe by Dr. Percival Lowell which appears
on the end papers of the book.
................................................. ............

Description:

Hardcover with dust jacket.
Black cloth covers with small red 'tiles' over words 'RED PLANET'

Dust jacket scene NOT printed on covers also, as with some later editions.

DJ has scene of stylized space man confronting strange alien veggies in
red and pink ink, with all descriptive lettering ( title, etc. ) in
white. Recommendations for Rocket Ship Galileo and Space Cadet on back
of DJ in pink lettering.
................................................. ............

Now...I don't think it's a first printing because I've heard that
Scribners put a letter 'A' on the pub page for first printings during
this era, but no other date than 1949 is shown. Does that 'V' mean this
was a 22nd printing!? If so, was that high a print run technically still
considered part of the first edition? The thing just doesn't 'feel' like
a book club edition - though the DJ was price clipped so I'm just not
sure ( but why bother to price clip where there is no price? ).

Anyone know if I'm on the right track about this thing's pedigree?


To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)
DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example .]

"Gnome de Plume" wrote...

RED PLANET - A Colonial Boy on Mars by Robert A. Heinlein.
published by Scribners.

Publisher's page info:

Copyright 1949 by
Robert A. Heinlein
G-6. 58 ( V )


Sixth (G) printing, June 1958. The V is a code identifying the printer.


Now...I don't think it's a first printing because I've heard that
Scribners put a letter 'A' on the pub page for first printings during
this era, but no other date than 1949 is shown. Does that 'V' mean this
was a 22nd printing!? If so, was that high a print run technically still
considered part of the first edition?


As publishers define "edition," no matter how high the printing number, it
is still part of the first edition. But for collectors of modern firsts,
"first edition" is a shorthand that refers only to the first printing of the
first edition.


The thing just doesn't 'feel' like
a book club edition - though the DJ was price clipped so I'm just not
sure ( but why bother to price clip where there is no price? ).


Many people clip the jackets of BCEs to disguise their origins when giving
them as gifts.


--
Jon Meyers
(To reply, lose
your way)

Jon Meyers wrote:

"Gnome de Plume" wrote...

RED PLANET - A Colonial Boy on Mars by Robert A. Heinlein.
published by Scribners.

Publisher's page info:

Copyright 1949 by
Robert A. Heinlein
G-6. 58 ( V )

Sixth (G) printing, June 1958. The V is a code identifying the printer.

Now...I don't think it's a first printing because I've heard that
Scribners put a letter 'A' on the pub page for first printings during
this era, but no other date than 1949 is shown. Does that 'V' mean this
was a 22nd printing!? If so, was that high a print run technically still
considered part of the first edition?

As publishers define "edition," no matter how high the printing number, it
is still part of the first edition. But for collectors of modern firsts,
"first edition" is a shorthand that refers only to the first printing of the
first edition.

The thing just doesn't 'feel' like
a book club edition - though the DJ was price clipped so I'm just not
sure ( but why bother to price clip where there is no price? ).

Many people clip the jackets of BCEs to disguise their origins when giving
them as gifts.

--
Jon Meyers
(To reply, lose
your way)

Thanks! That was the info I needed.

Can I ask ( which is to say: would you tell ) where you got it? My hours
of Googling brought me dozens of capsule reviews and symopsis' of the
book...but no publishing info. And ABE just showed me, once again, how
many people there were out there willing to misrepresent something as a
1st that clearly wasn't ( and then ask a fortune for it ).

--

Not a replacement for genuine human interaction.

"Gnome de Plume" wrote...
Jon Meyers wrote:
"Gnome de Plume" wrote...

RED PLANET - A Colonial Boy on Mars by Robert A. Heinlein.
published by Scribners.

Publisher's page info:

Copyright 1949 by
Robert A. Heinlein
G-6. 58 ( V )

Sixth (G) printing, June 1958. The V is a code identifying the printer.

Thanks! That was the info I needed.

Can I ask ( which is to say: would you tell ) where you got it?


McBride, Bill. A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions,
Sixth Revised Edition. (Hartford, CT: McBride/Publisher, 2000).

Or, for more thorough information,

Zempel, Edward N. & Verkler, Linda A. (Editors) First Editions: A Guide to
Identification, Fourth Edition (Peoria, IL: Spoon River Press, 2001).

McBride is a small, saddle-stitched booklet that retails for $15.95. Z&V is
a 680-page hardcover that retails for $60. Both are available from some
bookstores and online sellers, or direct from the publishers, at
http://www.jumpingfrog.com/pocketguides/index.php
or
http://www.spoonriverpress.com/1st-eds.htm


--
Jon Meyers
(To reply, lose
your way)