How to tell if you have an early edition or first edition of
Shel Silversteins famous book The Giving Tree.
This book is still in print, you can buy it at any store selling children's books. Its a great
story and is a popular gift because the message is so meaningful. Because of this finding
a true first edition can mean a thousand emails and still no concrete answers.
I am often asked for first editions. I try and keep a replenished stock of first and early editions
in my inventory at all times. So over the years I’ve done extensive research on this title.
Q. What is the difference from a first edition and an early reprint.
A. Nothing on the book itself = both first editions and early reprints have the same
publisher details.
First editions and early reprints have the following title page:
Front side:
Harper & Row, Publishers
New York, Evanston and London
Back side.
THE GIVING TREE
Copyright © 1964 by Shel Silverstein
Printed in the United States of America. All rights Reserved.
Library of Congress catalog card number : 64-11840
MUST match EXACTLY; This signifies books printed from 1964 thru 1969, including
a first edition.
Q. Then how do you know if it is a true first edition?
A. Only the dust jacket signifies a true first edition if and only if it is not price-clipped
and the original price is $2.50 and the book matches the above title page details.
{**If you don’t know what price clipped means: A book that is price clipped is when the original
printed price on the dust jacket has been clipped so as to give as a gift. At times it can severely
effect the value of a book}
There are two different dust jacket styles for this book. The first and early editions have
a portrait shot from the waist up of Silverstein with dark wavy/curly hair cut short and a beard,
he is wearing a striped shirt with suspenders. This dust jacket was used thru 1975.
** All early fronts are the same + Back of early and first dust jackets
The other dust jacket which is much more common is a portrait shot of Silverstein from
the collar up, bald, with a beard, sporting a wide toothy grimace. Almost scary.
If the dust jacket is price clipped, there is no way to confirm the printing history.
If the book has an early dust jacket is not price clipped the price can be any thing from
$2.50 thru $6.95. All of which were printed prior to 1975.
In 1971 the book was reprinted with a change in the back side of the title page to read:
THE GIVING TREE
Copyright © 1964 by Shel Silverstein
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.
Standard Book Number 06-025665-6 (Trade Edition)
Standard Book Number 06-025666-4 (Harpercrest Edition)
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 64-11840
This too signifies an early edition, but not a true first. When looking to invest in a true
first edition you have to be particularly careful, as booksellers often don’t know the
issues with any book’s history, and The Giving Tree is a prime example. I generally
order anything that might be an early print, and 1 in 10 will be an actual book prior to
1969. All bought from reputable sellers, but they have sent me the 6 line title page
rather than the 4 line ones. It can be very frustrating.
Any edition other than the above [Harper and Row] mentioned are not early and not first editions.
This book has published by:
Harper and Row [potentially early]
Harper Collins [later edition]
Harper Crest [later edition]
Evil Eye [later edition, still in print]
Snake Eye [later edition, still in print]
It has also been published in other languages by foreign publishers. French, Hebrew, Spanish etc.
Q. What can I expect to pay for the various editions?
The following are values for books without gift inscription or writing of any sort. Both end papers present and intact. Not clipped or damaged.
A. True first, 4 line back of title page, dust jacket [curly hair] not price clipped in very good cond. $900 to $1500. condition varies value
True first, 4 line back of title page, in POOR dust cover [curly hair] not price clipped book GOOD cond. $75 to $225.
First thus, 4 line back of title page, dust jacket [curly hair] "price clipped" in very good cond. $100 to $350. condition varies value
Early reprint in early dj [curly hair] not price clipped. , 6 line back of title page, $50 to $150.
Early reprint in early dj [curly hair] "price clipped", 6 line back of title page, $25 to $165. condition varies value
Early reprint without dust jacket , 4 line back of title page, good cond. $5 to $50. No way to identify if it is a true fist without dust cover.
Early reprint without dust jacket , 6 line back of title page, $1 to $25. Market varies.
Any other edition 1979 and later [book is still in print] $1 to $15
**Condition is always a factor, clean, not ex library, little or no previous owner name or inscriptions.
I am always on the look out for these early editions. I don't think it is any sellers intention to mislead,
but you really have to know your stuff if you want an early edition or true first. I send back more than
half of the books that were represented one way and then turned out to be something different. This is
the very reason I command top dollar for early editions, because it is a lot of work to locate them. I’m
willing to do the leg work.
If you think you have an early edition, I can help you identify it and if it is in my price range, I will
probably just buy it.
Here is the photo page of first and early editions:
For a larger version of this photo paste this address into your browser:
http:// [no space] s63.photobucket.com/albums/h126/max_rainet/books/pc-402.jpg
Blessings, Max Rainet.
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