Patri’s White Collar – Confusion about Bindings of the 3 editions

Given the scarcity of the first three editions of Patri’s White Collar, there has been some confusion as to how each was bound. I have confidence in the following observations, but I invite collectors to comment.

1st Edition Binding 1939 – white enamelled metal comb

The 2016 Dover edition has an introduction that suggests the binding was a white plastic spiral – this appears to be incorrect.
May 23, 2022 email – Tito Patri to Ken Martens: Tito (son of G. Patri) stated, “I vaguely recollect that the very first edition (printed in the sun room of our house in Corte Madera) employed the metal comb.”
An examination of 5 copies (# 9, 57, 101,139, and 146) all show the same type of metal comb binding (not spiral) with a white finish. In most cases, the finish shows some wear, with the bare metal showing through.
A magnet applied to copy #101 was attracted to the binding, i.e. the comb is made of metal

Metal comb binding with wear at the edges

2nd Edition Binding 1940 – wire loop

The wire, often referred to as wire-o, twin-loop, or double-loop binding, has pre-formed pairs of small wire loops that run along a C-shaped spine resembling a comb.