# Is "Collected Poems 1921-1931" by William Carlos Williams a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Collected Poems 1921-1931 by William Carlos Williams (The Objectivist Press, 1934) is identified by: First edition, The Objectivist Press, New York, 1934, viii, 134, [ii] pages, in a stated edition of 500 copies printed by J.J. The US Objectivist Press edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, The Objectivist Press, New York, 1934, viii, 134, [ii] pages, in a stated edition of 500 copies printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, with a preface by Wallace Stevens
- Bound in red (crimson) cloth with a printed paper label to the spine; the fore and tail edges are uncut
- Issued by subscription
- The original dust jacket is printed in red and is scarce
- Publisher imprint reads The Objectivist Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Carlos Williams |
| Publisher | The Objectivist Press |
| Year | 1934 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, The Objectivist Press, New York, 1934, viii, 134, [ii] pages, in a stated edition of 500 copies printed by J.J. Little and… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, The Objectivist Press, New York, 1934, viii, 134, [ii] pages, in a stated edition of 500 copies printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, with a preface by Wallace Stevens. Bound in red (crimson) cloth with a printed paper label to the spine; the fore and tail edges are uncut. Issued by subscription. The original dust jacket is printed in red and is scarce.

## Is this the true first?
The US Objectivist Press edition is the true first. It is notable as the inaugural Objectivist Press book, launching the press in January 1934, and for Wallace Stevens's preface.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition was issued. Copies in the original red-printed jacket are especially scarce.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Collected Poems 1921-1931* by William Carlos Williams a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/collected-poems-1921-1931
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.