How many copies were printed of the first US edition of "The Sun Also
Rises" and how much would it cost to purchase one today?

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Clarification of Question by jill9672-ga on 07 Oct 2003 16:24 PDT

I should think that this is clear, but I am referring to the 1926
novel by Ernest Hermingway, published by Scribners.

5090 copies of the first edition of Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Sun
Also Rises" were printed in New York by Charles Scribner's Sons in
1926. The cover price was $2.00. An intact copy, in its original
jacket, would probably cost between $10,000 and $75,000 if bought
today.

Regarding the cost of a first edition of "The Sun Also Rises," an
interesting situation exists. "Uncorrected" first editions, which
contain a certain spelling error, are worth much more than "corrected"
versions, which - while they are true "first editions" - came
chronologically later in the run, and are more numerous than the
printing with the error. In such a case, although both versions are
entitled to be called "first edition," the two versions are
distinguished from one another by the use of the terms "first issue"
and "second issue."

"HEMINGWAY, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises. NY: Scribner, 1926. The first
edition, first issue, with 'stoppped' on page 181, line 26. The total
first printing of this novel was 5090 copies, and by all appearances
the first issue was much smaller than the corrected second issue."

Ken Lopez, Bookseller
http://lopezbooks.com/124/124-05.html

"As with stamps, misprints are far costlier than the corrected
versions. The first printing of Hemingway's 'The Sun Also Rises' had a
typo that has boosted its price up to $75,000, versus $10,000 for the
corrected first edition, Bauman said."

Stanford University: Conservation OnLine
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/exlibris/2002/10/msg00196.html

"When is a first edition not a 'first edition?' It happens when
unstated changes are made during production of the book. Suppose a
spelling error is noticed halfway through the first print run. The
presses may be stopped, the error corrected, and then printing
resumes. That spelling error is an issue point, or simply a 'point,'
and to book collectors it creates two distinct 'states' of the first
edition. The earlier state will be more valuable than the later, even
though both are technically first editions.

It may seem like hair-splitting, but the value implications can be
dramatic. Suppose you have a first edition of Hemingway's 'The Sun
Also Rises.' If you go to page 181, line 26 and find the word
'stoppped' - misspelled with three ps - your copy is probably worth
thousands of dollars more than copies where that error is corrected...
But it is a common misconception that errors or irregularities in
books make them more valuable. Unlike stamps or coins, such is not the
case with books. The only significance of issue points is their
ability to establish a chronology within the first edition. It just
happens that the significant points are usually printing errors,
because logic points to a 'before' and an 'after' in those instances.
The assumption is that 'stoppped' was noticed and changed to 'stopped'
rather than vice versa, and collectors place a premium on the earlier
state."

Back Creek Books
http://www.backcreekbooks.com/columns/03042001.html

"Hemingway, Ernest The Sun Also Rises (NY, 1926).
1st edition, 1st printing. 5090 printed. Near fine in near fine 1st
state dustjacket with small edgetears, tiny nicks at the corners but a
sharp and rare jacket, still awfully pretty and it's never been
repaired or restored. 70,000"

Biblioctopus
http://www.biblioctopus.com/catalog20/cat20.html

Google search strategy:

Google Web Search: "the sun also rises" + "first edition"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22the+sun+also+rises%22+%22first+edition

Google Web Search: "the sun also rises" + "first issue"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22the+sun+also+rises%22+%22first+issue

I hope this information is useful. If anything I've said is unclear,
or if a link does not function, please request clarification; I'll be
glad to offer further assistance before you rate my answer.

Best regards,
pinkfreud

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Request for Answer Clarification by jill9672-ga on 07 Oct 2003 18:44 PDT

Thanks for the quick answer... I just need abit of clarification...If
5090 copies were printed in the first issue, do you know then how many
total were printed in the first edition?  Thanks!

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Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 07 Oct 2003 20:07 PDT

I have consulted a friend who is an expert in collectible books. It is
her understanding that the figure of 5090 includes the entire first
edition of "The Sun Also Rises." Due to the rather lax record-keeping
of the times, it is not known precisely how many of these 5090 were
first issue. As the Ken Lopez link says,

"The total first printing of this novel was 5090 copies, and by all
appearances the first issue was much smaller than the corrected second
issue."

Ken Lopez, Bookseller 
http://lopezbooks.com/124/124-05.html 

Here's another quote from the Ken Lopez site that supports a figure of
5090 for the entire first edition:

"The entire first printing -- first, second, third and later issues --
consisted of only 5090 copies, and the book went through ten printings
in the first year. Only a very small number of copies have the first
issue text and first issue dust jacket."

Ken Lopez, Bookseller 
http://www.lopezbooks.com/96/96-03.html

It's not surprising that no record was made of the exact point in the
run when the typographical error was corrected. Going from the first
issue to the second was a routine thing which would not have seemed
memorable at the time, since Hemingway's immense literary reputation
had not yet been established.

~pinkfreud

Thnak for helping me out!  You replying to my request for
clarification so quickly was greatly appreciated- I'm very happy with
your answer.

Thank you very much for the five-star rating and the tip! This was an
enjoyable question to research. For several years I worked in a
wonderful used book store, and the subject of book collecting is of
considerable interest to me. I can't afford to own much in the way of
"collectibles," but learning about them is always fun.

~pinkfreud