On December 23, 1993, Howard Woolmer, a book dealer and McCarthy’s friend, met Dan Halpern, publisher of The Ecco Press. He was interested in obtaining information for a McCarthy bibliography he was working on. Among other things, he learned that proof copies of The Stonemason had been ordered but had not yet been delivered to the publishing house. Indeed, a quick check of the first 50 pages of the proof shows that it was printed from a photocopy marked “Master Set 1st pass,” now held in The Ecco Press Archive, which was faxed to the publishing house on December 7, 1993.

On the other hand, in a letter dated “24 II 1994,” Bill Crager, director of publicity and marketing at Ecco, explained that “all the galleys of The Stonemason are gone.” Therefore, this proof was issued in January or February 1994, preceding the first trade edition by three to four months.

In the same meeting with Halpern, Howard Woolmer asked him to print 25 extra proofs, committing to purchase all of them himself. Apparently, this was not possible, as in a later note for his McCarthy bibliography, Woolmer gave the number of copies printed as 41.

A review limited to the first 50 pages shows several small differences between this proof and the first trade edition:

Cast of Characters: “Mrs. Weaver” instead of “Mary Weaver.”

Page 33, line 5: “CURTAIN” wrongly spaced.

Page 38, line 7: “…justice or just about the law?” instead of “…justice in your classes or just about the law?”

Page 44, line 13: “Smart’s he is” instead of “Smart as he is.”

Page 50, line 23: “…what he was already” instead of “what he already was.”

Page 50, line 24: “water bucket” instead of “waterbucket.”

RECIPIENT: the book is inscribed to the Irish collector and McCarthy’s friend Philip Murray. It was inscribed in 2004 during a visit McCarthy paid to Murray in Sligo, Ireland, Murray’s hometown.

TYPESCRIPTS: a valuable photocopied typescript is held in The Ecco Press Archive. It consists of unbound pages. The first page features the ICM logo printed in black (ICM being the agency that represented McCarthy) and “The Stonemason A Play in Five Acts Cormac McCarthy” in black felt pen in McCarthy’s hand. McCarthy added in red pen: “Set from this copy only” and his signature. The inner pages contain extensive corrections in McCarthy’s hand. The typescript apparently precedes the photocopy marked “Master Set 1st pass,” now held in The Ecco Press Archive, which was faxed to the publishing house on December 7, 1993. It was therefore sent by ICM to the publisher in fall 1993.

Another copy of the same typescript is in the Woolmer collection, which is part of the Wittliff Collection at the University of Texas in San Marcos. It consists of 102 unbound pages + “2A” following “2” + 85A + 85B, printed on one side only. Like the copy held in The Ecco Press Archive, this is titled on the first page in McCarthy’s hand, in black ink and capital letters: “THE STONEMASON / A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS / CORMAC MCCARTHY.” Additionally, it is inscribed on the first page: “For Howard / All the best / Cormac.” The inner pages are heavily corrected (in copy).

COLLECTING TOPICS: The Stonemason proofs have always been scarce, given their very short print run. In spite of that, prices have not risen recently as they have for other McCarthy titles. This is probably because The Stonemason is not considered a high point in the author’s work. In 2010, copies could be found in a range between $450 and $750. Rare Book Hub lists only one copy at auction, sold in 2022 for $455. Just two copies were listed between July 2023 and January 2024: one sold for $670, and the asking price for the other was $980. As of March 2026, only one copy was offered on the market at $950. Scarce.

However, signed or inscribed copies are definitely rare. Such a copy is lacking even in the extensive collection of McCarthy’s friend and forthcoming biographer Laurence Gonzales. Only two copies are known to exist: this one and another, flat-signed by McCarthy in black felt pen on the half-title page, which is part of the Woolmer collection at the University of Texas.