Pynchon 1st Editions

[the Robot Vegetable]

On Sat, 23 Aug 1997, R ed Bug wrote:

> There were, I believe, six printings of the hardcover edition of GR. The
> editions are identical except for the number of the printing indicated.
> The first edition doesn't say "first edition"; there's just no printing
> number, e.g. "second printing."

	My Viking hardback is, I believe, a second printing. I
am abysmally ignorant inthese matters, but the countdown on the
copyright page runs:

	10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

which I "believe" to mean the 2nd printing.  It also notes
"First Published in 1973 by The Viking Press"

The fellow I bought it from (for $15. marked down from $25) is
fairly astute and mercenary, leading me to believe it is not very
valubale.  Can anyone tell me otherwise?

> On Sat, 23 Aug 1997 Alanballow at aol.com wrote:
> > <<   They also had a 1st of the Viking Compass GR paperback for $50, but no 
> >       hc GR.
> >       >>
> >    Wasn't that the ONLY 1st of GR?  I bought one new and don't recall a
> > hardback GR.

	Hmm,  I will have to go back to the bookstore I visited
yesterday in a town not too far from here.  There waswhat is undoubtably
a copy of the the 1st printing Viking Compass paperback, in good but
not great condition, selling for $12.

	veg