{ "$schema": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/index.json", "name": "First-Edition Points Identifier — Publisher Decision Rules", "description": "Machine-readable publisher-by-publisher first-edition identification rules powering the First-Edition Points Identifier tool. Each publisher entry carries identification methods, a guided decision flow (questions, answers, and the first-edition verdict each answer leads to), and notable points of issue. Covers the major American and British trade houses plus the New Mexico and Southwest regional presses documented on this site. Rules are distilled only from existing published guide content — no values, no dollar figures, no invented conventions.", "source": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition-identification-guide", "tool": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition-identifier", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "lastUpdated": "2026-06-14", "methodology": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/book-authentication-methodology-albuquerque", "publisher": { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/#org", "name": "New Mexico Literacy Project", "url": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org" }, "verdictLegend": { "first": "Consistent with a true first edition, first printing. Confirm with the title-specific point of issue before you celebrate.", "later": "This is a later printing or a later edition, not the first printing.", "notfirst": "This is not the publisher's trade first edition (book club, reprint house, or wrong imprint).", "inconclusive": "The copyright page alone cannot settle it. You need to check a physical point of issue or compare against a documented first.", "arc": "This is a pre-publication copy (proof or advance review copy), not the first edition." }, "globalRules": [ "The number line (printer's key) is the strongest single tool for books printed after the mid-1970s: the lowest number present is the printing. If '1' is present, it is a first printing. Order (ascending, descending, alternating) does not matter.", "When a stated 'First Edition' line and the number line disagree, believe the number line — removing the '1' requires a physical change to the plate, while a stale statement does not.", "Always confirm the imprint is the original publisher. A book first published by one house but carrying a reprint house's copyright page is not a first edition.", "Always rule out a book club edition: remove the dust jacket and check the rear board for a blind stamp, and check the front flap for a missing retail price." ], "data": [ { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/a-r-editions", "name": "A-R Editions", "slug": "a-r-editions", "region": "USA (Madison, WI; later Middleton, WI)", "imprints": [ "Recent Researches in Music (series)", "Computer Music and Digital Audio Series", "A-R Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "1962-present (scholarly music-edition house): Publishes critical/scholarly editions of music (the 'Recent Researches in Music' series, begun 1964) and musicology. Identify by the series volume number and the critical-edition apparatus; the original issue is stated by the copyright year on the verso. Printings of a given critical edition are rarely distinguished, so the series volume number plus copyright year is the working identifier.", "All eras: A first issue carries the original copyright year with no 'corrected/second printing' note; corrected reissues add such a note. There is no consumer-style number line; this is a scholarly-edition house." ], "notablePoints": [ "Specialist publisher of scholarly critical editions of music, founded 1962 at Yale by Gary Aamodt and Clyde Rykken (the 'A' and 'R'); moved from Madison to Middleton, Wisconsin in the 1990s.", "The flagship 'Recent Researches in Music' series (Renaissance, Baroque, and other periods) began in 1964 and is identified by series volume number, not a trade number line.", "Significant for academic music collecting; printings are seldom distinguished." ], "era": "1962-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/a-roman", "name": "A. Roman & Co.", "slug": "a-roman", "region": "San Francisco, California (West US)", "imprints": [ "A. Roman & Co.", "Anton Roman" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1857–c.1875: pioneer San Francisco bookseller-publisher of California/Western literature; first editions carry the 'A. Roman & Co., San Francisco' imprint and a dated title page. No first-edition statement and no number line — identify by imprint and the absence of a later-printing notice.", "Publisher of the early Overland Monthly (founded 1868, edited by Bret Harte); the magazine bore the 'A. Roman & Company, San Francisco' imprint during Roman's ownership through June 1869. For periodical-origin works confirm the issue by the dated imprint and binding/wrapper state.", "Eastern co-imprints (New York) sometimes appear on the same title — the San Francisco imprint state is the Western first issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Anton Roman (1828–1903), a Gold Rush–era bookseller, was a key early West Coast publisher and founded the Overland Monthly that launched Bret Harte; he sold the magazine to John Carmany in 1869.", "Foundational for California/Western Americana first editions; standard 19th-century imprint/date identification applies." ], "era": "c.1857–c.1875" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/as-barnes-and-company", "name": "A. S. Barnes & Company", "slug": "as-barnes-and-company", "region": "New York, NY (USA); earliest activity Hartford, CT and Philadelphia, PA", "imprints": [ "A. S. Barnes & Co.", "A. S. Barnes & Burr (partnership, c.1857-1865)", "Barnes (educational/textbook lists, e.g. National Series)" ], "idMethods": [ "19th century through mid-20th century: designation of later printings was erratic. A first printing is identified either by the line 'First American Edition (year)' on the copyright page when present, or, when no such line appears, by the same date appearing on the title page as on the copyright page with no additional printings listed. Absence of any later-printing notice combined with date agreement is the working test.", "Later 20th century: the firm noted later printings on the copyright page more consistently, so a copyright page with no later-printing entries indicates a first printing; number lines appear on more recent titles, with the lowest digit present indicating the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Alfred Smith Barnes learned the trade under D. F. Robinson & Co. in Hartford, CT, publishing educational titles (Davies's mathematics, Emma Willard's histories), moved to Philadelphia about 1840, and the firm was established as A. S. Barnes & Co. in New York City in 1865.", "A leading 19th-century American textbook and educational publisher, known for the National Series of readers and science texts, Davies's arithmetics, and Steele's 'Fourteen Weeks' science series.", "When present, the 'First American Edition (year)' line on the copyright page is the clearest tell; otherwise rely on title-page and copyright-date agreement with no later-printing notice.", "Distinguish the 19th-century textbook house from the mid-20th-century A. S. Barnes & Co. trade and sports-book publisher operating under the continued name; the company name and back catalog passed to John Barnes Pratt after a 1917-era split." ], "era": "c.1838-late 20th century (A. S. Barnes & Co. in New York from 1865)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ac-mcclurg", "name": "A.C. McClurg & Co.", "slug": "ac-mcclurg", "region": "Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US)", "imprints": [ "A.C. McClurg & Co.", "Jansen, McClurg & Co. (predecessor, 1872-1886)" ], "idMethods": [ "1872-1886 (as Jansen, McClurg & Co.): first editions carry the Jansen, McClurg & Co. imprint on the title page with no 'First Edition' statement; identify by the dated title page and absence of any later-printing notice.", "1886-1899: imprint reads 'A.C. McClurg and Co.' with no first-edition statement; a first printing is identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date and absence of any later-impression notation. Many titles were printed for McClurg by W. F. Hall Printing or the Lakeside Press (R. R. Donnelley), Chicago.", "1900-1930s: continued reliance on the dated title page; later printings often added 'Published (month, year)' impression lines on the copyright page, so absence of such later dates indicates a first printing. For key titles, especially Edgar Rice Burroughs, first state is determined by binding and printer's-imprint points rather than any printed statement.", "Tarzan of the Apes (1914): the true first edition, first state, has the W. F. Hall Printing Co. printer's imprint set in two lines of Old English (black-letter) type on the copyright page, and the first-state binding lacks the acorn device at the foot of the spine (the acorn appears on a later binding state). About 10,000 first-edition copies were produced across three states." ], "notablePoints": [ "Began in 1844 as a Chicago retail bookstore and stationer; the publishing arm grew from Jansen, McClurg & Co. (1872) into A.C. McClurg & Co. (1886).", "Original book publisher of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Tarzan and Barsoom novels, the firm's most collected output.", "Burroughs first editions are identified by binding state and the Old-English printer's imprint, not by any 'First Edition' wording.", "The trade, wholesale, and bookselling operations were larger than the publishing line, which wound down by the 1930s." ], "era": "1844-c.1930s (publishing imprint c.1872-1930s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/al-bancroft", "name": "A.L. Bancroft & Co. / H.H. Bancroft & Co.", "slug": "al-bancroft", "region": "San Francisco, California (West US)", "imprints": [ "H.H. Bancroft & Co.", "A.L. Bancroft & Co.", "The History Company (successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1856–c.1870 (H.H. Bancroft & Co.): West Coast bookseller-publisher founded by Hubert Howe Bancroft; first editions carry the H.H. Bancroft imprint with a dated title page and no first-edition statement.", "c.1870–1886 (A.L. Bancroft & Co.): after Hubert Howe Bancroft withdrew from management (he resigned active management 1868; his brother Albert Little Bancroft took over and renamed the firm c.1869–1871), this imprint form brackets the period. Bancroft's multivolume Works/Histories of the Pacific States were issued by subscription — identify volumes by stated volume number and dated title page; binding grade is a subscription price variant, not a separate edition.", "1886–c.1900 (The History Company): later issues of the Histories carry this successor imprint; copies so imprinted are not the A.L. Bancroft first issue.", "No first-edition statement; subscription multivolume sets are identified by volume/series state and imprint era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Hubert Howe Bancroft's San Francisco firm produced the monumental 39-volume subscription-published Works/Histories of the Pacific States of North America, sold through canvassing book agents.", "The imprint succession (H.H. Bancroft & Co. → A.L. Bancroft & Co. → The History Company) is the dating key; subscription bindings are price variants, not editions.", "A core house for Western/Pacific Americana." ], "era": "1856–c.1900" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/abc-clio", "name": "ABC-CLIO", "slug": "abc-clio", "region": "United States (Santa Barbara, CA)", "imprints": [ "ABC-CLIO", "Greenwood (post-2008)", "Praeger (post-2008)", "Libraries Unlimited", "Linworth", "Clio Press (UK, historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "1953-c.1990: Founded 1953 by Eric Boehm as a bibliographic/abstracting and reference house (the abstract serial America: History and Life dates to the 1960s). Reference works and bibliographies are identified by EDITION statement and copyright year; a first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notice. Serial and abstract volumes are identified by volume number.", "c.1990-present: Where a number line appears on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicates the printing. For its core encyclopedias and reference sets the meaningful unit is the edition statement plus copyright year, not first-printing points; the first-printing collecting premium is minimal because this is a library reference market.", "Post-2008: Acquired the Greenwood Publishing Group from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2008), gaining the Greenwood, Praeger, and Libraries Unlimited imprints; corporate copyright-page style was then applied across those lines. ABC-CLIO was itself later acquired by Bloomsbury." ], "notablePoints": [ "Name derives from the firm's databases (ABC = American Bibliographical Center) and Clio, the muse of history.", "Pure reference and library house; value lies in content currency and edition, not first-edition points.", "Became parent of the Greenwood and Praeger imprints in 2008." ], "era": "1953-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/abingdon-press", "name": "Abingdon Press", "slug": "abingdon-press", "region": "Nashville, Tennessee, USA (formerly New York)", "imprints": [ "Abingdon Press", "Dimensions for Living", "formerly Abingdon-Cokesbury Press", "formerly The Methodist Book Concern" ], "idMethods": [ "The Methodist Book Concern (founded 1789) and early Abingdon (imprint from the early 1900s): in the 19th and early 20th centuries no number line; identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice; some titles state an edition. The Methodist Book Concern imprint dates a book before about 1939.", "Abingdon-Cokesbury Press (1940-1954): the merged imprint name brackets this era; copyright year plus the absence of a reprint notice indicates a first printing, though printing statements are inconsistent.", "Abingdon Press (1954-present), mid-20th century onward: explicit printing and edition statements appear; later printings are noted by an added printing line or year.", "1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing.", "Major reference sets (The Interpreter's Bible, The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, The New Interpreter's Bible) are heavily reprinted, so a first requires a clean impression line; the bookstore/retail brand Cokesbury on a binding may indicate the retail arm rather than the Abingdon imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Abingdon Press is the book-publishing arm of the United Methodist Publishing House; its lineage traces to The Methodist Book Concern, established by John Dickins in 1789, the oldest church publishing house in the United States.", "Imprint-name chronology is a strong era tell: Methodist Book Concern (to about 1939), then Abingdon-Cokesbury Press (1940-1954, after the 1939 reunification of the northern and southern Methodist churches), then Abingdon Press (1954-present).", "It publishes major reference sets (The Interpreter's Bible, The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, The New Interpreter's Bible) that are heavily reprinted, so firsts require a clean impression line.", "The retail arm is Cokesbury; the Cokesbury name on a binding may indicate the bookstore/retail brand rather than the Abingdon imprint." ], "era": "1789-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/abrams-childrens-amulet", "name": "Abrams Books for Young Readers / Amulet Books", "slug": "abrams-childrens-amulet", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Amulet Books", "Abrams Books for Young Readers", "Abrams Appleseed (board/picture)", "Abrams ComicArts (graphic, crossover)", "Abrams Fanfare", "Cameron Kids (Cameron + Company)", "Magic Cat (distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (lowest digit present = the printing)", "Many Abrams children's titles also state 'First edition [year]' on the copyright page", "Amulet typically prints a '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' number line; presence of the 1 indicates first printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Harry N. Abrams is an art-book house (founded 1949); Amulet (launched 2004) is its middle-grade/YA fiction imprint", "Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Amulet, 2007) is the marquee collected title; true firsts are identified by the full number line down to 1, with later printings raising the lowest digit and adding bestseller/award flags to the jacket", "Modern number-line convention is reliable for this house" ], "era": "Abrams 1949–present; Amulet 2004–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/abstract-studio", "name": "Abstract Studio", "slug": "abstract-studio", "region": "USA (Houston, TX)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Creator-owned publisher (Terry Moore): on Abstract Studio's own floppy issues, the first printing carries no printing statement in the indicia; later printings are explicitly marked (for example, the second printing states 'SECOND PRINTING').", "Collected trade paperbacks and 'pocket book' editions: the copyright/indicia page states the printing and year; a first printing carries no later-printing statement.", "Because runs are small and self-distributed, many issues and collections were reprinted; the indicia printing statement, or its absence, is the key tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded around 1994 by Terry Moore to self-publish 'Strangers in Paradise' (the Abstract Studio volume two run, 1994-1996); later published 'Echo', 'Rachel Rising', 'Motor Girl', 'Five Years', and 'Parker Girls'.", "Correction: the original 1993 three-issue 'Strangers in Paradise' miniseries (volume one) was published by Antarctic Press, NOT Abstract Studio. Abstract Studio did not exist in 1993. The first Antarctic Press printing of issue #1 carries no printing statement and lists a print run of 3,000; the second printing states 'SECOND PRINTING'. Do not attribute the 1993 first printing to Abstract Studio.", "Single-creator house with no sub-imprints; all Abstract Studio material carries the Abstract Studio indicia, and printing is determined by the indicia statement or its absence." ], "era": "1994-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ace-books", "name": "Ace Books", "slug": "ace-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Ace", "Ace Doubles (back-to-back 'tête-bêche' format)", "Ace Science Fiction Specials" ], "idMethods": [ "Primary method (pre-1968): a first printing carries NO printing statement and NO later-printing line on the copyright page. Ace applied this inconsistently, so treat the absence of a printing notice as suggestive, not conclusive.", "Use the Ace serial/catalog number (letter-prefixed code, e.g. 'D-xxx', 'F-xxx', 'G-xxx', or post-1968 five-digit numeric like '12345') printed on cover/spine to date and place the edition. The LETTER prefix primarily encodes the cover PRICE and era (D=35c 1952-62, S=25c 1952-56, F=40c 1961-67, G=50c, M=45c, H=60c, A=75c, N=95c 1968), not strictly the printing order. Reprints were frequently reissued under a new/changed serial number at a higher price, so a higher price or changed prefix for the same title signals a later state.", "Caution on 'First Ace printing' / '1st Ace printing' wording: per Ace reference sources this phrase means the first time ACE published the title and IMPLIES a prior hardback or paperback edition exists elsewhere -- it is NOT evidence of a first edition of the work. Do not treat it as a true-first tell.", "Price increases on later printings of the same/related serial number are a reliable later-STATE indicator. There is no well-documented, consistent Ace convention of an explicit 'First Ace printing: ' statement followed by a standard number line with '1' present; do not rely on a number line as the primary Ace first-printing test." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1952 by A. A. Wyn (Ace Magazine Company, New York); Donald A. Wollheim spearheaded the paperback list, added SF in 1953, and was the influential editor (~1952-1971) before founding DAW Books with Elsie Wollheim (named for his initials; first titles April 1972).", "Ace Doubles (1952-1973) bind two novels tete-beche (head-to-toe) with two front covers; first-printing identification keys on the serial number and price rather than a printing statement. The final D-series double appeared Aug 1973; post-1974 'Ace Doubles' were arranged conventionally.", "Ace Science Fiction Specials -- the acclaimed Terry Carr-edited first series (started 1967, into the early 1970s) -- are sought as paperback firsts (Le Guin, Lafferty, Russ). A second Specials series (1984) carried debut firsts such as Gibson's Neuromancer.", "Pre-1968 mass-market firsts rarely state anything on the copyright page, so the no-later-printing-line rule combined with the serial-number/price (and price-increase) tells is the main practical handle.", "Now an imprint of Penguin Random House, operating within the Berkley Publishing Group as its SF imprint (Berkley/Ace)." ], "era": "1952–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ace-books-crime", "name": "Ace Books (crime / mystery)", "slug": "ace-books-crime", "region": "USA (New York, NY — A. A. Wyn / Ace Magazines)", "imprints": [ "Ace Double (tête-bêche)", "Ace Books (singles)", "Ace mystery D-series", "Ace G/S/F/K letter-price series" ], "idMethods": [ "1952-c.1968 (D-series Ace Doubles, mystery): two novels bound tête-bêche (back-to-back, dos-à-dos) under a single D-prefix catalog number; the mystery doubles begin at D-1 (Keith Vining's Too Hot for Hell backed with Samuel W. Taylor's The Grinning Gismo, 35 cents, 1952). The D-number identifies the pairing. A first printing is identified by NO additional printing being listed on the copyright page — Ace's standard paperback first-edition convention, which the house applied INCONSISTENTLY (some firsts carry no statement and some reprints are also unmarked).", "Letter-price prefix logic: the D, G, S, F and K prefixes correspond to price points and bracket the issue era (the D-series is earliest, from 1952). Many Ace crime titles are reprints; the Double format frequently pairs a reprint with an original.", "Paperback originals versus reprints: where one half of a Double is an original, the Ace edition is that text's first; a copyright page lacking a prior-publisher acknowledgment confirms it.", "From about 1968-1973 onward, Ace moved toward standard number-line identification (first printing = lowest digit present). Note that the D and S prefixes denote price, not Double versus Single — some D-series titles are not tête-bêche.", "Reliability caveat: because Ace used the 'no additional printings listed' method inconsistently, corroborate firsts with catalog-number date ranges (e.g., the published Ace D/G/S checklists and Wikipedia Ace-double lists) rather than the copyright page alone." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn; first editor Donald A. Wollheim (later of DAW).", "The tête-bêche 'Ace Double' is the line's signature — two complete novels, two front covers, no conventional back cover.", "The mystery D-series (from D-1, 1952) predates the famous SF doubles; both are prized by collectors.", "First-printing identification is among the weakest of the major houses because the no-statement method was used inconsistently — lean on catalog-number checklists.", "Distinct from later Ace under Charter/Berkley/Grosset (1970s onward), which used number lines.", "The D/S prefixes indicate price, not Double versus Single; not every D-series title is tête-bêche." ], "era": "1952-present (crime doubles c.1952-c.1973)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/action-books", "name": "Action Books", "slug": "action-books", "region": "USA (Notre Dame, Indiana)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "May state 'First Edition' with the year; many small-run titles carry no number line at all.", "Check the copyright leaf for any later-printing statement; its absence supports a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2005 by Joyelle McSweeney and Johannes Göransson to publish work — including Aase Berg and Lara Glenum — that journals embraced but trade houses found too extreme. Specializes in international poetry in translation and the transnational avant-garde.", "Housed at the University of Notre Dame English Department; small runs, with reprints uncommon." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/addison-wesley", "name": "Addison-Wesley (technical/STM)", "slug": "addison-wesley", "region": "United States (Reading, MA / Boston)", "imprints": [ "Addison-Wesley", "Addison-Wesley Professional", "Benjamin Cummings (sister science imprint)", "Pearson (current owner)" ], "idMethods": [ "1942-c.1970: Founded 1942 (first title was Francis Weston Sears' 'Mechanics'); mathematics, physics, and computer-science textbooks and monographs. Early titles are identified by edition statement, with a first printing indicated by the absence of a later-printing notice; revised texts carry an edition statement.", "c.1970-present: A number line on the copyright page is the standard printing indicator (lowest digit = printing). Addison-Wesley Professional computing classics are identified by edition number together with the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Donald Knuth's 'The Art of Computer Programming' (Vol. 1, 1968) and many foundational computer-science texts make Addison-Wesley a key STM-collecting house; printing is read from the number line.", "Now part of Pearson.", "Sister imprint Benjamin Cummings handled life-sciences and physiology textbooks." ], "era": "1942-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/adhouse-books", "name": "AdHouse Books", "slug": "adhouse-books", "region": "USA (Richmond, Virginia; founded 2002, largely wound down around 2020 with backlist out of print)", "imprints": [ "AdHouse Books" ], "idMethods": [ "2002 to around 2020: design-forward small-press graphic-novel and art-book first printings are identified by the indicia or colophon printing statement, with a first printing stating an original date or 'First printing' and the uncommon reprints stating a later printing. Some titles carry a number line ending in 1.", "Many AdHouse titles (the Project: anthology series, Paul Pope's PulpHope art book, Scott Morse, and Afrodisiac by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca) had single small print runs, so most surviving copies are first printings; still, a few popular titles were reprinted, so verify the colophon.", "Limited and signed editions and convention exclusives state their limitation separately from the printing line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Run by designer Chris Pitzer; known for high production values and curated anthologies such as the 'Project:' series.", "Small print runs mean first-printing scarcity is driven mainly by run size rather than by multiple printings.", "Largely wound down publishing around 2020, with the backlist out of print and collectible; the imprint has still appeared at conventions afterward.", "Afrodisiac (2010, Eisner-nominated) and Paul Pope's PulpHope are notable design-collectible titles." ], "era": "2002-around 2020" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/akashic-noir", "name": "Akashic Books (Noir Series)", "slug": "akashic-noir", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Akashic Books", "Akashic Noir Series (city-based crime anthologies)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern copyright-page number line ending in '1' for the first printing; usually a 'First printing' / 'First edition' statement as well.", "Many Noir Series titles are trade-paperback originals — the paperback is the first edition; a few have hardcover library states with their own line.", "Series identification by the '[City] Noir' title and Akashic colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1996 (Johnny Temple); the Noir Series (Brooklyn Noir, etc.) are original anthologies — first BOOK appearance of the stories, so genuinely collectible firsts.", "Trade paperback original status means there is no earlier hardcover to chase.", "Some popular titles reprinted quickly — confirm the full number line ending in '1'." ], "era": "1996-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/albert-and-charles-boni", "name": "Albert & Charles Boni", "slug": "albert-and-charles-boni", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Paper Books", "Bonibooks (reprint series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1923–1930s: No statement of edition on the copyright page of first printings; subsequent printings ARE noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing.", "Title-page year usually present; a title-page year matching the copyright-page year with no added printing line supports a first printing. (Confirmed example: Thornton Wilder's 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey,' 1927 — the first printing shows 1927 on both title and copyright pages with no other printings listed.)" ], "notablePoints": [ "A separate, later firm (founded 1923, by purchasing and renaming Lieber & Lewis) run by Albert Boni — co-founder of the earlier Boni & Liveright — with his brother Charles; not to be confused with Boni & Liveright.", "In 1926 the Boni brothers purchased the business of their uncle, Thomas Seltzer, Inc., absorbing its list (including D. H. Lawrence titles).", "Albert Boni had earlier co-founded the Washington Square Players and the Little Leather Library, and later co-developed microfilm work (Readex).", "Published Thornton Wilder's 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey' (1927), which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1928.", "Later issued the Paper Books / Bonibooks paperback series (c.1929–1943), an early American paperback venture." ], "era": "1923–c.1939" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/aleph-book-company", "name": "Aleph Book Company", "slug": "aleph-book-company", "region": "India (New Delhi)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published in India in [year] by Aleph Book Company' (sharing the Rupa address, 7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi).", "A first printing is typically stated as 'First edition' or 'First impression [year]' with no later-impression notice; later impressions add impression lines.", "Some titles also carry a descending number line; the digit 1 present indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded May 2011 by David Davidar in partnership with R. K. Mehra and Kapish Mehra of Rupa Publications India.", "Publishes literary fiction and high-quality non-fiction (history, biography); authors have been shortlisted for or won the Booker, JCB, Sahitya Akademi, and other prizes, with smaller curated print runs.", "Copyright-page form follows the Rupa house style given the shared parent and address." ], "era": "2011-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/knopf", "name": "Alfred A. Knopf", "slug": "knopf", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Borzoi Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" (1947–present)", "Borzoi running-wolfhound device", "“A Note on the Type” colophon at the rear" ], "notablePoints": [ "Borzoi colophon and “A Note on the Type” page authenticate genuine Knopf production rather than a book club reprint." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/algonquin-books-chapel-hill", "name": "Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill", "slug": "algonquin-books-chapel-hill", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Algonquin Young Readers", "Shannon Ravenel Books (editorial line)" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page on early printings", "Full descending number line ending in 1 (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); lowest digit present = printing number, so a true first shows the '1'", "Founded 1983 (Louis Rubin / Shannon Ravenel), Chapel Hill, NC; became a Workman imprint and is now part of Hachette Book Group via Workman — number-line conventions are standard modern American trade", "Cross-check the stated-edition line against the number line; both should agree for a true first printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "A confirmed dealer point of reference: Julia Alvarez 'Something to Declare' (1998) first printing carries a full number line", "Early-1980s titles (pre-Workman distribution maturity) can be scarce; rely on number line plus stated 'First Edition'", "Book-club editions are uncommon for Algonquin literary titles but watch for absent number line / 'Book Club Edition' on any reprint-house copies", "Workman/Algonquin did NOT have an idiosyncratic house code; treat as conventional stated-first + number-line" ], "era": "1983–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/alice-james-books", "name": "Alice James Books", "slug": "alice-james-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Beatrice Hawley Award titles", "Kundiman Poetry Prize titles" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: 'First Edition' on the copyright page, often with a descending number line; lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "First shows no later-printing notice.", "Early cooperative-era titles (1970s) were small-run; verify printing statements individually." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1973 as a poets' cooperative in Cambridge, Massachusetts (named for Alice James, sister of Henry and William James); now affiliated with the University of Maine at Farmington.", "Cooperative origin means very small early print runs — early firsts are scarce.", "Standard modern conventions on current list." ], "era": "1973–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/allen-and-unwin-australia", "name": "Allen & Unwin (Australia)", "slug": "allen-and-unwin-australia", "region": "Australia", "imprints": [ "Allen & Unwin", "A&U Children's", "Inspired Living", "Crows Nest (location imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings state \"First published [Year]\" with the descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); lowest digit = printing", "Copyright page names 'Allen & Unwin' Australia and shows the original year with no later-impression line", "First printing = number line ending in 1 + no reprint notation" ], "notablePoints": [ "Became fully independent of the UK parent in 1990 — Australia's largest independent trade publisher", "Leading literary list (Tim Winton among others); follows standard modern number-line convention", "Distinct corporate entity from George Allen & Unwin UK despite shared heritage" ], "era": "1990-present (Australian independent)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/allen-lane", "name": "Allen Lane", "slug": "allen-lane", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Allen Lane", "Allen Lane The Penguin Press", "Penguin Press (current serious non-fiction hardcover line)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published [year]' / 'First published in Great Britain [year] by Allen Lane'; a first carries no later-impression note. Penguin convention identifies firsts by the 'First published' statement (reprints read 'First Penguin edition' or note a reprint).", "Penguin-family number line on modern titles; a first printing ends in '1' (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2', the Penguin odd-up/even-down style).", "Allen Lane is Penguin's hardcover imprint, so an Allen Lane hardcover can be the true first of a work also issued later in Penguin paperback — do not assume the paperback is the first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1967 as Penguin founder Allen Lane's eponymous hardback imprint for serious non-fiction (history, science, politics, economics, philosophy); distinct from the mass-market Penguin paperback line.", "The original imprint carried the fuller name 'Allen Lane The Penguin Press' on early copyright pages.", "Modern Allen Lane titles follow Penguin Random House number-line conventions." ], "era": "1967–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/allen-press", "name": "Allen Press", "slug": "allen-press", "region": "Kentfield, Marin County, California (San Francisco Bay Area), USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1939-1985: first/only-edition status is established by the COLOPHON limitation statement; there is no 'First Edition' wording and no number line. Editions were small (commonly on the order of 100-140 copies) and hand-set, and the colophon records limitation, date, paper, and types.", "Early period (Lewis and Dorothy Allen, from 1939): identify by the colophon limitation and the Allen Press device; many titles are on named handmade papers recorded in the colophon.", "Mature period: the colophon remains controlling and the copy number is frequently hand-numbered; 'The Allen Press Bibliography' is the standard cross-check for points and limitation figures.", "Because no trade printings exist, every copy is the limited edition described in the colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Operated entirely by Lewis and Dorothy Allen on a hand press from 1939; every book is effectively a first edition, as nothing was reprinted.", "First book (1939) was 'The Trail of Beauty' by Lewis Allen's father, Harris Sterns Allen, in an edition of 100 copies.", "Inspired by Aldus Manutius, William Morris, John Henry Nash, and the Grabhorns.", "Watch that the press's own 'Allen Press Bibliography' itself appeared in more than one state/edition." ], "era": "1939-1985" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/alma-books", "name": "Alma Books / Alma Classics", "slug": "alma-books", "region": "UK (Richmond, London), fiction and classics in translation", "imprints": [ "Alma Books", "Alma Classics", "Calder Publications (acquired)", "Oneworld Classics (former name of Alma Classics)", "Overture (music imprint)", "Herla (poetry)" ], "idMethods": [ "2005-present (Alma Books): a first printing is shown by a descending number line with 1 lowest, alongside 'First published by Alma Books Limited in '.", "Oneworld Classics (launched 2007, a joint venture with Oneworld Publications) was renamed Alma Classics in 2012 after Alma took full control. For these classics and translation reissues the relevant first is the first Oneworld Classics or Alma Classics edition; the original work's date does not govern, and a newly commissioned translation carries its own copyright year.", "Alma holds the Calder Publications back-list. A Calder title reissued under Alma carries Alma imprint data and is not the original John Calder first printing, so do not conflate the two." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2005 by Alessandro Gallenzi and Elisabetta Minervini in Richmond, London.", "The classics imprint began as Oneworld Classics and was renamed Alma Classics in 2012; this is distinct from the separate company Oneworld Publications.", "Holds the Calder back-list, so Alma reissues of authors such as Beckett are not the original Calder firsts." ], "era": "2005-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/amadeus-press", "name": "Amadeus Press", "slug": "amadeus-press", "region": "US (Portland, Oregon, originally; later New York under Hal Leonard)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Use the descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' indicates a first printing.", "Classical-music/opera reference and biography; no distinctive prose first-edition statement is documented — rely on the number line.", "Where no number line is present on early titles, the stated copyright year serves as the principal date, but is weaker evidence of a true first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Specialist in classical music, opera, and performance reference; began as an imprint of Timber Press of Portland, Oregon, was acquired by Hal Leonard in 2006, and was sold to Rowman & Littlefield in December 2018.", "Imprint and distribution data on the copyright page dates the era through those ownership changes.", "Niche collector demand for opera and composer reference firsts." ], "era": "1980s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/american-antiquarian-society", "name": "American Antiquarian Society", "slug": "american-antiquarian-society", "region": "Worcester, Massachusetts, USA (learned society, founded 1812)", "imprints": [ "American Antiquarian Society", "Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society (serial)", "AAS scholarly monographs and bibliographies" ], "idMethods": [ "Society publishing, not trade firsts. Much of its historical output is the 'Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society,' identified by volume and date of the serial (the new series ran from 1880; the Proceedings ceased with volume 118, part 2, in October 2008).", "Monographs and bibliographies (often co-published with or distributed by university presses): follow standard scholarly practice — a number line where present, otherwise dated single printings.", "Some titles were issued in stated limited editions (members' editions) — identify by the limitation statement.", "Historically associated with major American bibliographies: AAS published the final volumes (13-14) of Charles Evans's 'American Bibliography'; such reference works have distinct editions identified by edition statement and year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Primary identifier for the journal is serial volume/date (Proceedings, new series from 1880, ceased 2008).", "Co-published monographs follow the partner press's conventions.", "Better known as a research library and learned society than as a trade publisher.", "Limited members' editions exist for some titles; AAS completed Charles Evans's 'American Bibliography' (vols. 13-14, 1955 and 1959)." ], "era": "1812-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/american-tract-society", "name": "American Tract Society", "slug": "american-tract-society", "region": "New York / Boston (US religious publishing)", "imprints": [ "American Tract Society", "ATS (New York)", "ATS (Boston)" ], "idMethods": [ "1825–c.1876: a stereotype-driven religious publisher whose tracts and books are largely undated and carry no first-edition statement. 'Identification' is by the assigned tract/series number, the New York vs. Boston imprint, and the stereotype-plate state, not by an edition statement.", "Undated books and tracts are dated by external evidence (the method documented by the American Antiquarian Society / S.J. Wolfe): the bound-in 'Publications of the American Tract Society' catalog, the form of the imprint and typeface, and the society's changing New York address — for example the shift to the 150 Nassau Street address and the wording/typeface of that imprint line.", "Premium/gift bindings (gilt, presentation) are binding variants, not separate editions; the same stereotype text was reprinted indefinitely, so a textual 'first printing' is generally not determinable and these are not collected by edition.", "Annual Reports and periodicals (e.g., the American Messenger) are dated by year on the title page or cover, which serves as the edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Formed 1825 in New York by the merger of the New York Religious Tract Society (1812) and the New England Tract Society (1814, later the American Tract Society of Boston); a massive evangelical stereotype publisher of tracts and devotional books.", "Stereotype plates produced decades of near-identical reprintings (some tracts in millions of impressions), so textual first printings are usually indeterminate and collectors track imprint city, address, typeface, and catalog state instead.", "Numbered tract series (each title keeping its series number across reprints) provide the most reliable internal identification system, though the number alone does not date a copy." ], "era": "1825–present (peak 19c)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/amistad", "name": "Amistad", "slug": "amistad", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Amistad" ], "idMethods": [ "True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: the words \"First Edition\" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1 (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1).", "If \"First Edition\" is stated but the lowest digit in the number line is higher than 1, it is a later printing of the first edition, not a first printing; on many later printings the \"First Edition\" statement is removed entirely." ], "notablePoints": [ "African-American interest imprint; founded as the independent Amistad Press in 1986 and acquired by HarperCollins in 1999.", "Now part of HarperCollins's Mariner Books Group following the 2024 U.S. trade reorganization.", "Oldest imprint devoted to the African-American market; leans toward literary fiction and narrative nonfiction." ], "era": "1986–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/anchor-books", "name": "Anchor Books", "slug": "anchor-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Anchor Bible (reference)", "Anchor/Vintage adjacencies" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Anchor Books edition (Month Year)' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.", "Predominantly a quality trade-paperback REPRINT line — 'first Anchor edition' is usually NOT the first edition of the work.", "Trace true firsts to the original Doubleday / Nan A. Talese / Knopf hardcover.", "Line ending in 1 + 'First Anchor Books edition' = first of that paperback printing only." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1953 by Jason Epstein at Doubleday — credited as the pioneering 'quality paperback' (trade paperback) imprint in the US.", "Now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group within Penguin Random House (paired with Vintage).", "Confusion point: an Anchor edition is almost always a reprint; do not treat as a true first.", "Some Anchor titles were originals — verify before assigning first-edition status." ], "era": "1953–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ancient-city-press", "name": "Ancient City Press", "slug": "ancient-city-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 0-941270", "Santa Fe, New Mexico imprint/address", "Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence", "Printing-history list on some titles" ], "notablePoints": [ "Small Santa Fe regional press; works by Marta Weigle, Marc Simmons, and Dennis Slifer." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/and-other-stories", "name": "And Other Stories", "slug": "and-other-stories", "region": "UK (Sheffield/London), translated and literary fiction", "imprints": [ "And Other Stories" ], "idMethods": [ "2011-present: a first printing is shown by a descending number line on the copyright page with 1 present; the copyright page also reads 'First published in by And Other Stories'.", "Many titles are subscriber-supported. The publisher prints the names of the supporters of that specific book at the back of the first print run as a thank-you; a later reprint may drop that list, so its presence is a corroborating first-issue tell rather than a definitive one.", "For a translated work the English-language And Other Stories edition is the relevant first; the original-language first-publication date is recorded separately." ], "notablePoints": [ "The subscriber model means early printings often carry supporters' names at the back, a useful corroborating tell.", "Published early English-language firsts of prize-winning translated authors such as Yuri Herrera.", "Because reprints may remove the subscriber list, check both the number line and the presence of that list." ], "era": "2011-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/andersen-press", "name": "Andersen Press", "slug": "andersen-press", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Andersen Press", "Andersen Press USA (US distribution via Lerner)" ], "idMethods": [ "British convention: a first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); lowest digit = printing", "Usually NO 'First edition' statement — identify via the full number line plus the 'First published in [year] by Andersen Press' line" ], "notablePoints": [ "UK independent founded in 1976 by Klaus Flugge; named for Hans Christian Andersen", "Elmer (David McKee) and the Little Princess / Preston Pig titles are flagship collectibles — UK Andersen firsts are identified by the complete number line", "US editions reach the market via Lerner (Andersen Press USA) and are later co-editions, not the true UK first" ], "era": "1976–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/andrews-mcmeel-publishing", "name": "Andrews McMeel Publishing", "slug": "andrews-mcmeel-publishing", "region": "US (Kansas City, Missouri)", "imprints": [ "Andrews and McMeel (earlier name)", "Andrews, McMeel & Parker (earlier name)", "AMP! Comics for Kids", "Andrews McMeel Universal (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.", "Comic-strip collections (the core catalog) are dated by copyright year and carry the number line; some titles also print an explicit 'First Printing' / 'First Edition' line.", "For mass-market humor and comic collections the number line is the reliable signal; calendar and gift product often omit a usable key." ], "notablePoints": [ "Premier US humor/cartoon publisher: collected newspaper-strip volumes — Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson), The Far Side (Gary Larson), Garfield (Jim Davis), Doonesbury — drive the strongest first-printing demand.", "The publishing arm was established in 1973 out of Universal Press Syndicate (founded 1970 by Jim Andrews and John McMeel); earlier imprint names (Andrews and McMeel; Andrews, McMeel & Parker) help date pre-1990s printings, with corporate parent Andrews McMeel Universal formed in 1997.", "Calvin and Hobbes and Far Side treasuries/anthologies have notable first-printing points — verify the number line and dust jacket/price.", "Calendars and many gift books are not 'first edition' collectibles in the usual sense." ], "era": "1970s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/andre-deutsch", "name": "André Deutsch", "slug": "andre-deutsch", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "André Deutsch", "Allison & Busby (associated)", "Deutsch Children's" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions state \"First published [Year]\" or \"First published in Great Britain [Year] by André Deutsch Limited\" on the copyright page; later printings noted", "First printing = statement present with no subsequent-impression lines", "Later titles may carry a number line ending in 1", "Confirm clean copyright page" ], "notablePoints": [ "Quality post-war literary list: John Updike (UK), Philip Roth (UK), V.S. Naipaul, Jean Rhys ('Wide Sargasso Sea', 1966), Norman Mailer (UK)", "Many titles are UK issues of American books — the US edition is often the true world first; verify precedence", "Founded 1951 by André Deutsch" ], "era": "1951-present (imprint within other groups later)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/angel-hair-books", "name": "Angel Hair (Angel Hair Books / magazine)", "slug": "angel-hair-books", "region": "New York (Lower East Side / St. Marks Place) and Bolinas, California (Anne Waldman & Lewis Warsh)", "imprints": [ "Angel Hair (magazine, 6 issues 1966-69)", "Angel Hair Books", "Boke (related Warsh imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1966-1978: mimeograph, offset, and occasional letterpress chapbooks and booklets. Identification is per-title via stapled-wrappers collation; most titles are single editions with no printing statement, so a copy matching the standard bibliography (the Granary 'Angel Hair Anthology' checklist) is the first.", "Magazine: six issues, Spring 1966-Spring 1969 — identify by issue number and contents; there were no reprints, so any genuine issue is the original. Most issues carried uniform letterpress paper wrappers (printed by The Chapel Press); one issue had a decorated mimeographed wrapper.", "Some books exist in a plain mimeo/offset trade state plus a small signed or hardbound sub-issue; the signed or limited state is noted on a colophon when one is present.", "Mimeo-revolution production means stapled bindings, colored-paper wrappers, and small runs are the norm; complete wrappers and covers are key collation points." ], "notablePoints": [ "Edited and published by Anne Waldman and Lewis Warsh (married at the time), beginning from their St. Marks Place apartment and later associated with Bolinas, California; a central organ of the second-generation New York School and the St. Mark's Poetry Project milieu.", "Published many books and chapbooks plus the magazine, with contributors including Ted Berrigan, Alice Notley, Bernadette Mayer, Clark Coolidge, Joe Brainard, Ron Padgett, John Wieners, Tom Clark, and Kenward Elmslie.", "Archive held at NYU's Fales Library; the Granary Books anthology 'Angel Hair Sleeps with a Boy in My Head' (2001) is the standard reference and reprint source.", "A quintessential mimeograph-revolution press — identification leans on bibliography and physical collation rather than any printing line." ], "era": "1966-1978" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/angry-robot-books", "name": "Angry Robot Books", "slug": "angry-robot-books", "region": "UK (Nottingham; under HarperCollins UK 2008–2010, then Osprey, then Watkins Media)", "imprints": [ "Strange Chemistry (defunct YA imprint, 2012–2014)", "Exhibit A (defunct crime imprint, 2013–2014)", "Datura Books (current crime-fiction imprint, launched 2022)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade paperback and hardcover originals state the 'First published' year and carry a number line on the copyright page; the first printing is the state in which the lowest number present is '1'. UK printings commonly use a split-style line (e.g. 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2), but the exact sequence varies by printer, so rely on the lowest digit present rather than a fixed string.", "UK and US/simultaneous editions can differ in number line and ISBN — distinguish the UK first from a US printing by the imprint address and ISBN block, not by the stated year alone.", "Strange Chemistry (YA) and Exhibit A (crime) carried their own copyright-page indicia during their short 2012–2014 runs." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2008 by Marc Gascoigne as a science-fiction/fantasy imprint of HarperCollins UK (first titles July 2008); Gascoigne bought it out in partnership with Osprey Publishing in 2010 when HarperCollins exited; Osprey sold it to Watkins Media (Etan Ilfeld) in 2014. The parent name and address on the copyright page date the printing era.", "Strange Chemistry and Exhibit A were both closed in June 2014, making their titles short-window collectibles.", "A trade publisher identified by number line; not a limited-edition house." ], "era": "2008–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/annick-press", "name": "Annick Press", "slug": "annick-press", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Annick Press" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: number line on the copyright page ending in 1; lowest digit present = the printing.", "Many titles also carry 'First published in [year]' wording on the copyright page.", "For early titles (late 1970s through mid-1980s) issued before number lines were used, identify the first by the 'First published' statement plus first-issue cover and format, not a line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Toronto independent founded 1975 by Rick Wilks and Anne Millyard (originally as Books By Kids; later renamed Annick from the founders' names).", "Published Robert Munsch's The Paper Bag Princess (1980) and Love You Forever (1986); these bestsellers exist in multiple format and printing variants, so match the format and verify the number line where one is present.", "The number-line convention is reliable for modern titles; the earliest titles must be identified by format and cover points rather than a line." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/aperture-foundation", "name": "Aperture Foundation", "slug": "aperture-foundation", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Aperture", "Aperture Masters of Photography", "The PhotoBook Review (periodical)", "Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards titles" ], "idMethods": [ "The copyright/colophon page is the primary locus: look for 'First edition' stated and/or a number line. Modern Aperture titles (1990s–present) typically carry a descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1), with presence of the 1 indicating a first printing.", "Many monographs are single-printing; the absence of any 'Second printing'/'Reprinted' line, plus the original ISBN and jacket-flap price, supports a first.", "Reprints are usually noted explicitly ('Second printing' / 'Reprinted [year]') on the colophon; later printings may also update the printer or binder credit.", "Limited/special editions carry a signed-and-numbered colophon statement plus a tipped-in or boxed original print; the limitation statement (e.g. 'one of 100') defines that issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1952 (the magazine launched that spring in San Francisco); the book program began in 1965 with 'Edward Weston: The Flame of Recognition.'", "1970s–80s Aperture monographs often lack a number line; rely on stated 'First edition', year, and the original distributor (Aperture has been distributed at various times by outside trade houses).", "The distributor named on the title page changed over the decades; a distributor name does not change first-printing status but helps date the issue.", "Highly collected titles (e.g. the Diane Arbus monograph, 1972) have well-documented printing points and many later printings; verify against the specific title's known points, not house rules alone." ], "era": "1952–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/applause-theatre-cinema", "name": "Applause Theatre & Cinema Books", "slug": "applause-theatre-cinema", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Use the descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' indicates a first printing.", "No distinctive house first-edition statement is documented — rely on the number line rather than on wording.", "Acting-edition play scripts and anthologies are frequently reprinted; confirm the '1' is present and check for added printing notices." ], "notablePoints": [ "Theatre- and film-book specialist (play texts, screenplays, performing-arts reference); a performing-arts companion to Backbeat, Amadeus, and Limelight.", "Ownership chain dates the printing: Hal Leonard took a majority stake in 2000 and acquired the company fully in 2004, then sold it (with the other performing-arts imprints) to Rowman & Littlefield in December 2018; in 2024 Rowman & Littlefield sold Applause and several sisters to Bloomsbury.", "Collectible interest is title-specific (notable screenplay or theatre firsts)." ], "era": "1980s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/aqueduct-press", "name": "Aqueduct Press", "slug": "aqueduct-press", "region": "USA (Seattle, Washington)", "imprints": [ "Conversation Pieces (series)", "Heirloom Books (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade paperback and hardcover originals; the first printing is identified by the stated-edition line ('First edition') with the copyright year, plus a number line on the copyright page where one is present and the lowest digit shown indicates the printing.", "'Conversation Pieces' carries a volume number that is a SERIES index (bibliographic sequence), not a printing-state or limited-run number — do not read the volume number as a limitation." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2004 by L. Timmel Duchamp; specializes in feminist speculative fiction (broadly defined to include SF, fantasy, and the fantastic).", "Predominantly single-printing trade editions, so the first is identified by the stated-edition line rather than by a hand-numbered limitation.", "The 'Conversation Pieces' chapbook/short-book series is numbered by volume; that index is easily mistaken for a limitation but is purely a series sequence." ], "era": "2004–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/aralia-press", "name": "Aralia Press", "slug": "aralia-press", "region": "West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1983-present: First/only edition by the COLOPHON or broadside imprint line; the press of Michael Peich. It specializes in poetry (single poems and small collections), frequently issued as signed limited broadsides and pamphlets. The colophon or imprint line states the limitation (commonly on the order of 100-250 copies) and the date, and many are SIGNED by the poet.", "Broadsides: identify by the Aralia Press imprint, the poet's signature, and the stated limitation; these are often first appearances of individual poems by major poets (Wilbur, Hecht, Justice, Hollander, and others).", "Pamphlets and chapbooks: colophon-controlled, hand-set, letterpress-printed, and hand-numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Michael Peich, Emeritus Professor of English at West Chester University, founded Aralia in 1983 as a teaching press and a vehicle to support new poets; he also helped found and direct the West Chester Poetry Conference.", "Many items are first printings of poems by major American poets, where the poet's signature plus the limitation are the identification tells.", "Output is small-format (broadsides and pamphlets) rather than folios, using hand-set type and letterpress printing." ], "era": "1983-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/archipelago-books", "name": "Archipelago Books", "slug": "archipelago-books", "region": "Brooklyn, New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Archipelago Books", "Elsewhere Editions (children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "2003-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing; many translations also carry 'First Archipelago Books Edition' or 'First Edition' wording. The house publishes predominantly paperback originals with the distinctive square French-flap format, so the first state is that trade paperback.", "Elsewhere Editions (launched 2017): the children's-in-translation imprint follows the same standard number-line practice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2003 by Jill Schoolman; a nonprofit devoted to literature in translation.", "Distinctive square, French-flapped paperback format.", "Because most titles are first English translations, the Archipelago edition is typically the first English-language printing of the text — a key bibliographic point." ], "era": "2003-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/arion-press", "name": "Arion Press", "slug": "arion-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Andrew Hoyem (proprietor)", "M & H Type (its in-house foundry/typecasting arm)", "successor to Grabhorn-Hoyem" ], "idMethods": [ "Each title is a single limited edition with a letterpress colophon stating the total limitation (typically 300–400 copies)", "Colophon is hand-numbered in Arabic numerals; a separate run of 'hors de commerce' copies is numbered in ROMAN numerals (not for sale, complimentary distribution)", "Colophon frequently carries original signatures — Andrew Hoyem (printer/designer) and/or the author and artist", "Handmade/mouldmade paper, hand-set or M & H-cast metal type, original commissioned art; no number line — the numbered, often-signed colophon is the sole identifier" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1974 by Andrew Hoyem from the dissolved Grabhorn-Hoyem partnership (Edwin & Robert Grabhorn lineage)", "Landmark: the 1979 folio Ulysses with Robert Motherwell etchings (edition of 150) — among the most celebrated American fine-press books", "Because each book is a one-time limited printing, there are no later trade printings to confuse; the question is condition and which numbered/lettered subset", "Some titles have a deluxe sub-state (e.g., extra suite of prints, special binding) at a lower limitation number range" ], "era": "1974–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/arkham-house", "name": "Arkham House", "slug": "arkham-house", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Arkham House", "Mycroft & Moran (mystery/detective sister imprint)", "Stanton & Lee (general sister imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-mid-1960s: a true first generally shows the SAME year on the title page and the copyright page (and there were typically no reprints to confuse it)", "Arkham did not number lines; the Frank Utpatel-designed colophon/device (introduced 1944) appears at the rear — reprints, when they occurred, were noted there", "Late 1960s onward: copyright page begins stating 'First Edition' or 'First Printing ()' and notes later printings", "Early 1980s onward (under James Turner): explicit 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page, with later printings noted" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1939 by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei expressly to preserve H. P. Lovecraft in hardcover ('The Outsider and Others', 1939)", "Most early Arkham titles had a single small print run and were never reprinted, so an unstated copyright page is NORMAL for a first — do not mistake the absence of 'First Edition' for a later issue", "Key high spots ('The Outsider and Others' 1939, 'Beyond the Wall of Sleep' 1943) have specific binding/jacket points and tiny print runs", "Mycroft & Moran and Stanton & Lee are Arkham's sibling imprints; same era conventions apply", "Reference: 'Arkham House: The First 20 Years 1939–1959' (Derleth) and Sheldon Jaffery / Leon Nielsen bibliographies" ], "era": "1939–present (convention shifts ~mid-1960s and early 1980s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/arsenal-pulp-press", "name": "Arsenal Pulp Press", "slug": "arsenal-pulp-press", "region": "Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia)", "imprints": [ "Arsenal Pulp Press", "Pulp Press (predecessor name)", "Tillacum Library (Indigenous-focused imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern Arsenal Pulp titles state 'first edition' and carry a number line on the copyright page (lowest digit '1' present indicates a first printing).", "Predecessor 'Pulp Press' (1970s) titles: identify by the Pulp Press imprint and the original copyright year, with no later-printing notes.", "Reprints are common for bestselling cookbooks and queer-lit staples; verify the number line still retains '1.'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Originated in 1971 in Vancouver (as Scriveners'/Pulp Press; it issued the magazine Three-Cent Pulp from 1972 to 1978) and was renamed Arsenal Pulp Press in 1982 after selling its typesetting and printing operations. Known for LGBTQ literature, Indigenous voices, cultural studies, graphic novels, and cookbooks.", "The imprint name change (Pulp Press to Arsenal Pulp Press, 1982) is a useful dating tell.", "The Tillacum Library imprint focuses on Indigenous authors (originally managed by Randy Fred) and follows the parent copyright-page convention." ], "era": "1971-present (as Pulp Press 1971-1982; Arsenal Pulp Press 1982-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/artisan-books", "name": "Artisan", "slug": "artisan-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Follows the Workman house convention: the copyright page generally carries a printing statement (often a dated 'First printing' or 'Printed in...' line) together with a number line ending in 1 on the true first printing.", "On later printings the dated printing statement is revised and/or the low digits drop out of the number line. When in doubt, read the number line and the printing statement together rather than relying on either alone." ], "notablePoints": [ "Artisan is Workman's high-design, heavily illustrated imprint, founded in 1994; it is home to many landmark modern cookbooks, including Thomas Keller's 'The French Laundry Cookbook' (1999), and titles by Dorie Greenspan, Nancy Silverton and Jacques Pepin.", "Lavishly produced cookbooks that draw real collector interest, so first-printing verification matters; confirm both the printing statement and the number line.", "Now part of Hachette Book Group, which acquired Workman Publishing in 2021; identification conventions were unchanged by the ownership change." ], "era": "1994-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ash-tree-press", "name": "Ash-Tree Press", "slug": "ash-tree-press", "region": "Penyffordd (Chester) UK, then Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada", "imprints": [ "Ash-Tree Press Annual Macabre", "Ghost Story Press (assoc.)" ], "idMethods": [ "1993/1994-c.2013: titles are limited-edition cloth hardcovers; the stated limitation (typically 200-600 numbered copies) on the colophon identifies the first - no trade reprint exists to confuse it.", "Earliest items (1993): e.g., M.R. James 'Two Ghost Stories: A Centenary,' 200 numbered copies in pictorial boards WITHOUT dust wrapper - format itself is a tell.", "Mid/late titles: octavo, publisher's cloth (often burgundy) with bright/copper spine lettering and a glossy pictorial dust jacket; limitation commonly 500-600.", "Imprint location dates the era: 'Penyffordd, Chester' (UK) = earlier; 'Ashcroft, BC' (Canada) = later, after the Rodens relocated.", "Later, Ash-Tree also issued e-book and POD lines; physical limited hardcover with numbered colophon = the collectible first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Christopher and Barbara Roden (mid-1990s); specializes in resurrecting Victorian/Edwardian supernatural fiction.", "World Fantasy Award-winning press (1997 Special Award, Non-Professional); flagship 'Annual Macabre' series.", "Relocated from the UK (Penyffordd, Chester) to Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada - imprint address is a reliable era marker." ], "era": "1993-c.2013" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ashendene-press", "name": "Ashendene Press", "slug": "ashendene-press", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "C. H. St John Hornby (founder)" ], "idMethods": [ "Hand-press limited editions, most using Hornby's proprietary 'Subiaco' type (and later the 'Ptolemy' type), with hand-illuminated initials in some copies", "Printed colophon stating the limitation; copies on paper plus a few on VELLUM (distinct higher state)", "Press device and colophon authenticate; fine handmade paper", "No number line — colophon limitation, Subiaco/Ptolemy type identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1895 (private) by C. H. St John Hornby (Chelsea/Shelley House, London); with Kelmscott and Doves, one of the 'big three' English private presses", "Masterpiece: the Ashendene Dante ('Lo Inferno...'/the complete Tutte le opere, 1909) and the Don Quixote (1927–28)", "Vellum vs. paper and hand-illumination are the principal state distinctions", "Standard reference: the Ashendene Press 'A Descriptive Bibliography' (the press's own 1935 catalogue)" ], "era": "1895–1935" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/atheneum-byr", "name": "Atheneum Books for Young Readers", "slug": "atheneum-byr", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Margaret K. McElderry Books", "Anne Schwartz Books (historical)", "Richard Jackson Books / a Richard Jackson Book (historical)", "Jean Karl Books (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Through 1986: explicitly states 'First Edition' on the copyright page", "Late 1980s onward: number line on copyright page with '1' present (1 indicates first printing); 'First Edition' statement also frequently used alongside", "First printing requires the number line to include / end in 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Atheneum founded 1959; its children's department became a powerhouse (Newbery winners: E.L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files 1967, The Westing Game 1978)", "Margaret K. McElderry Books (est. 1971) was the first eponymous children's imprint in US publishing; follows Atheneum house ID style. Now part of Simon & Schuster Children's", "Atheneum was absorbed into Macmillan then Simon & Schuster; imprint name persists. Older 'A Margaret K. McElderry Book' / 'A Jean Karl Book' lines on title pages help date but are not printing indicators" ], "era": "1959–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/atlantic-monthly-press", "name": "Atlantic Monthly Press", "slug": "atlantic-monthly-press", "region": "Boston, MA / New York, NY (US)", "imprints": [ "Grove/Atlantic (parent since 1993)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1925: did not use a first-edition statement, did not consistently put the publication date on the title page, and did not always list later printings — identification relies on dust jacket, ads, and binding points.", "Late 1920s–1930s: 'Published (Month, Year)' on the copyright page with no additional printings listed indicates a first printing. From 1940 onward 'First Edition' was added above the 'Published' line, while 'Published (Month, Year)' carried over onto reprints (with 'First Edition' removed).", "Since 1988: first printings state 'First Edition' and 'First Printing' on the copyright page (this convention predates and is independent of the 1993 Grove/Atlantic merger).", "Modern (Grove/Atlantic era): copyright-page printing statement and/or a number row with '1' for a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "From 1925, Little, Brown handled publication of Atlantic Monthly Press books, so Little, Brown copyright-page practice became the standard for dating these printings (look for the joint imprint).", "Merged into Grove/Atlantic in 1993; since then it has been the hardcover literary imprint of Grove/Atlantic.", "Distinguish the early-20th-century Boston Atlantic Monthly Press from the modern Grove-era imprint — the identification rule differs by era." ], "era": "1917–present (Grove/Atlantic imprint since 1993)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/atria-books", "name": "Atria Books", "slug": "atria-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Washington Square Press", "Emily Bestler Books", "Marysue Rucci Books", "37 INK", "Atria/Primero Sueño Press", "One Signal", "Howard Books (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' or 'First Atria Books hardcover edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1.", "Simon & Schuster-family convention: explicit 'First [Imprint] edition (Year)' statement is the reliable signal.", "Number line ending in 1 alongside the statement confirms first printing.", "Reprints note 'Second edition' or shift the line / drop the statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2002 (originally 'Atria' from Latin for entry hall); a flagship S&S commercial/literary imprint.", "Part of Simon & Schuster. S&S imprints characteristically use the verbose 'First [Imprint] hardcover edition' wording.", "Emily Bestler Books and Marysue Rucci Books are eponymous editor imprints under Atria — same convention.", "Washington Square Press is largely a trade-paperback reprint line — usually NOT a first." ], "era": "2002–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/auckland-university-press", "name": "Auckland University Press", "slug": "auckland-university-press", "region": "Auckland, New Zealand", "imprints": [ "Auckland University Press", "Auckland University Press / Oxford University Press (joint imprint, 1970-1986)", "Holloway Press (associated fine-press)" ], "idMethods": [ "1966-1970: The press's earliest titles were produced under the Oxford University Press imprint on behalf of the University of Auckland; the OUP imprint dates a title to this earliest period. A first printing shows 'First published [year]' with no reprint note.", "1970-1986: Titles bear the joint 'Auckland University Press / Oxford University Press' imprint with 'First published [year]', '© [year]', and 'Printed in New Zealand'; a first printing is keyed by the matching year and the absence of a reprint line. The joint imprint is itself a strong dating tell for this window.", "1986-present (independent): 'First published [year] by Auckland University Press' with a New Zealand National Library CIP block; from roughly the mid-1990s a descending number line (lowest digit = printing) accompanies the full ISBN/CIP data, so a complete line ending in 1 with no reprint note indicates a first printing. Number-line use follows the standard scholarly convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Began publishing in 1966 and was formally named Auckland University Press in 1972; New Zealand's leading scholarly and poetry press, with a major NZ poetry list.", "The relationship with Oxford University Press is a strong dating tell: earliest titles (1966-1970) carried the OUP imprint, and a joint AUP/OUP imprint ran 1970-1986 before full independence in 1986.", "Small print runs for poetry first editions make CIP and number-line confirmation important on the copyright page." ], "era": "1966-present (publishing from 1966; formally named Auckland University Press 1972; independent of OUP from 1986)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/augsburg-fortress", "name": "Augsburg Fortress (and predecessors Augsburg Publishing House & Fortress Press)", "slug": "augsburg-fortress", "region": "Minneapolis, Minnesota (Augsburg) / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Fortress)", "imprints": [ "Fortress Press (academic)", "Augsburg Books (trade)", "Sparkhouse", "formerly Muhlenberg Press", "1517 Media (corporate brand 2016-2024)" ], "idMethods": [ "Augsburg Publishing House (1891-1988): no number line in early years; identify a first printing by the copyright year together with the absence of any added reprint or later-printing notice. Some early Minneapolis Lutheran material is in Norwegian. Later printings carry an added printing line.", "Muhlenberg Press era (to ~1962): identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice; printing statements are inconsistent. The imprint name brackets the window (Muhlenberg before about 1962, Fortress after).", "Fortress Press (founded 1962): scholarly Protestant theology house; earliest single copyright year with a clean printing line and no added impression history indicates the first printing.", "Augsburg Fortress (1988 merger) to present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing. Academic Fortress titles often show a year line plus an impression line.", "Read the impression/number line rather than any single copyright year on heavily reprinted titles." ], "notablePoints": [ "Augsburg Fortress was formed in 1988 by the merger of Augsburg Publishing House (Minneapolis, founded 1891) and Fortress Press (Philadelphia), following the creation of the ELCA from the LCA and ALC.", "Fortress Press is the major scholarly Protestant theology imprint (the English-edition Bonhoeffer Works, Tillich, biblical-studies monographs); academic firsts are identified by the first copyright year plus a clean impression line.", "Muhlenberg Press, traceable to the United Lutheran Church in America, was the principal forerunner of Fortress Press, which superseded it around 1962.", "The corporate parent rebranded as 1517 Media in 2016 (echoing the 1517 date of Luther's theses) but reverted to the Augsburg Fortress name in October 2024; 1517 Media is therefore a former, not current, brand." ], "era": "1855/1891-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/august-house-publishers", "name": "August House Publishers", "slug": "august-house-publishers", "region": "South (Little Rock, Arkansas; later Atlanta, Georgia)", "imprints": [ "August House", "August House LittleFolk (children's picture books)", "Marsh Cove Productions / Marsh Media (parent since 2005)" ], "idMethods": [ "1978-1990s (Parkhurst/Looney Little Rock era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug on the earliest poetry and literary titles; a first printing is identified by a matching copyright date and the absence of any later-printing notation. As the house moved into folklore and storytelling, copyright pages increasingly carried number lines.", "1990s-2005 (folklore/storytelling peak, Little Rock): Standard small-press practice — a number line on the copyright page where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a present '1' = first printing); LittleFolk picture books typically combine a number line with a 'First Edition' statement, and later printings drop the '1.'", "2005-present (Marsh Cove Productions / Marsh Media ownership, Atlanta children's focus): follows children's-publisher practice — lowest digit present in the number line = printing, often with a stated 'First Edition'; the imprint and copyright line reflecting the new owner and Atlanta location is the era tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1978 by Ted Parkhurst and Jon Looney in Little Rock as an Arkansas poetry press; six titles published by 1979.", "Evolved into a leading U.S. publisher of storytelling and folklore titles; Ted Parkhurst began a partnership with the National Storytelling Festival in 1989, and Liz Smith Parkhurst built the folklore list.", "Launched the August House LittleFolk picture-book imprint, which drew the attention of Marsh Cove Productions of Atlanta.", "Sold to Marsh Cove Productions in 2005; now a children's-focused house — Arkansas versus Atlanta imprint data is the era tell.", "Early poetry chapbooks and limited issues may carry colophon or limitation statements rather than number lines." ], "era": "1978-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ave-maria-press", "name": "Ave Maria Press", "slug": "ave-maria-press", "region": "Notre Dame, Indiana, USA", "imprints": [ "Ave Maria Press", "Sorin Books", "Forest of Peace", "Christian Classics (acquired)" ], "idMethods": [ "1865-mid 20th c. (Ave Maria magazine era): a Holy Cross publishing apostolate whose early output was magazine-centered. On books of this period there is no number line; the copyright year together with the absence of any reprint or later-printing notice points to a first printing. An imprimatur dates only the approval of the text, not the impression.", "Mid 20th c.-1980s: explicit printing statements appear inconsistently. A copyright year paired with a clean printing line, and no later-printing notice, indicates a first printing.", "1990s-present: a standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present marks the printing, so a line that still includes 1 indicates a first printing.", "Catholic-publishing caution: read the impression line, not the imprimatur or nihil obstat date, to determine the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded May 1, 1865 by Edward Sorin, C.S.C., founder of the University of Notre Dame, to publish the Ave Maria magazine; it is one of the oldest continuously operating Catholic publishers in the United States and remains a ministry of the Congregation of Holy Cross.", "Imprints include Sorin Books (launched 1999) and Forest of Peace and Christian Classics (both acquired in 2003).", "Devotional, catechetical, and Catholic-school textbook focus; firsts of popular titles were printed in large runs.", "The imprimatur-date trap applies: the approval date is not the printing date." ], "era": "1865-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/avery", "name": "Avery", "slug": "avery", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Avery", "TarcherPerigee (sister imprint within Penguin Publishing Group)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1 (for example 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest number present indicates the printing", "As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, Avery titles generally do NOT carry an explicit \"First edition\" statement — rely on the number line, not on wording" ], "notablePoints": [ "Health, wellness, and cooking imprint within Penguin Publishing Group, part of Penguin Random House", "Came into Penguin Random House through Penguin's lineage" ], "era": "1976–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/avid-reader-press", "name": "Avid Reader Press", "slug": "avid-reader-press", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Avid Reader Press" ], "idMethods": [ "\"First Avid Reader Press ... edition\" or \"First Edition\" statement on the copyright page plus a number line ending in 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Literary and nonfiction imprint within Simon & Schuster (announced 2018, launched July 2019; co-founded by Jofie Ferrari-Adler and Ben Loehnen)", "Follows Simon & Schuster first-edition conventions" ], "era": "2019–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/avon-books", "name": "Avon Books", "slug": "avon-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Avon Romance", "Avon Impulse", "Avon Inspire", "Avon Red", "Bard (former)", "Camelot/Flare (children's-YA, former)" ], "idMethods": [ "Mass-market paperback originals: copyright page shows 'First Avon … Printing (Month Year)' / 'First Edition'; a true first lists ONLY the first printing.", "Number line where present: lowest number 1 indicates first printing.", "Absence of any later-printing notation is the core test for paperback originals.", "Modern HarperCollins-era Avon follows the HC line-to-1 convention on the copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1941 as a mass-market paperback house; the dominant US romance imprint, so a huge share of Avon titles are paperback FIRSTS.", "Acquired by HarperCollins (via the Hearst/Morrow acquisition, 1999); now a HarperCollins romance imprint.", "Romance collectors treat the Avon mass-market original as the true first edition.", "Older Avon paperbacks identified by series number and printing line rather than a stated 'First Edition'." ], "era": "1941–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bw-huebsch", "name": "B. W. Huebsch", "slug": "bw-huebsch", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "c.1902–1925: First printings show the SAME date on the title page as on the copyright page with no additional printings listed; any later-printing line, or a title-page date later than the copyright date, indicates a reprint.", "A seven-branched menorah device appears as a Huebsch house mark; treat it as a publisher identifier, not by itself a first-printing point.", "Caveat: some Huebsch titles were issued from imported British sheets (e.g., Joyce's 'Dubliners,' 1916, from Grant Richards sheets), so for those the British printing points and the bibliographic record govern, not a U.S. number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded c.1900–1902 by Benjamin W. Huebsch; a pioneering modernist publisher.", "First U.S. publisher of James Joyce's 'Dubliners' and 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' (1916), D. H. Lawrence's 'Sons and Lovers' (1913), and Sherwood Anderson's 'Winesburg, Ohio' (1919).", "Merged into the newly formed Viking Press in 1925; Huebsch became an editor and vice-president at Viking, and post-1925 titles carry the Viking imprint.", "The 1925 Viking absorption is the firm's terminal date — a 'B. W. Huebsch' imprint dates a book to before that merger." ], "era": "1900–1925 (absorbed by Viking Press)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/back-bay-books", "name": "Back Bay Books", "slug": "back-bay-books", "region": "US (Boston/New York)", "imprints": [ "Back Bay Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade-paperback first printing carries a 'First Back Bay ... edition: [month year]' statement on the copyright page, typically accompanied by a full descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Trade-paperback imprint of Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group); follows standard Little, Brown / Hachette number-line conventions.", "Largely a reprint imprint: the Back Bay edition is usually NOT the true first edition of the work, only the first Back Bay printing. Verify whether an earlier Little, Brown hardcover or other-publisher first exists before describing a copy as a 'first edition.'" ], "era": "1993–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/backbeat-books", "name": "Backbeat Books", "slug": "backbeat-books", "region": "US (San Francisco, later New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Standard descending number line on copyright page; '1' present indicates first printing.", "No reliable house 'First Edition' statement — use the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Music-book imprint (guitar/gear, band biographies, the 'All Music Guide' reference series).", "Ownership chain affects catalog continuity but not the number-line rule: originated as the renamed Miller Freeman Books music division (renamed Backbeat c.2001), under CMP -> acquired by Hal Leonard (2006) -> sold to Rowman & Littlefield (Dec 2018) alongside Applause, Amadeus Press, and Limelight Editions.", "Sister music-reference imprints to watch under the same owners: Applause (theatre/cinema), Amadeus Press (classical/opera), Limelight Editions." ], "era": "1990s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bad-moon-books", "name": "Bad Moon Books", "slug": "bad-moon-books", "region": "Garden Grove, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "2007-present (publishing arm; bookselling earlier): titles issued in tiered states - LETTERED (26 copies, A-Z, leather, custom slipcase/traycase, signed), numbered LIMITED hardcover (typically 100-300, signed, often slipcased), and occasional TRADE; the limitation page identifies the state.", "Lettered = 26 leather-bound traycased signed copies (top state); numbered limited = roughly 100-300 signed copies; trade = unsigned/unnumbered first.", "First title: Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way by Weston Ochse (2007); earlier 'Bad Moon' references are to the bookselling/catalog business, not the press." ], "notablePoints": [ "Owned by Roy K. Robbins; began as a rare/out-of-print bookseller, then started publishing in 2007.", "2011 HWA Specialty Press of the Year (award announced/shared in 2012); several titles won Bram Stoker Awards.", "Standard three-tier model (lettered/numbered/trade) typical of modern collectible-horror presses." ], "era": "2007-present (press)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/baen-books", "name": "Baen Books", "slug": "baen-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Baen" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page carries a 'First printing, ' statement; first printings show no later-printing notation", "Many Baen titles use a number line with '1' present — lowest digit indicates the printing", "Baen catalog/ISBN and the stated first-printing date are the cross-check (paperback originals are the 'first' for most titles)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1983 by Jim Baen; heavy in military SF and space opera (Weber, Ringo, Flint)", "Predominantly mass-market and trade paperback originals, so the paperback is frequently the true first edition", "Distributed historically by Simon & Schuster, so later printings may carry S&S distribution language" ], "era": "1983–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/baker-publishing-group", "name": "Baker Publishing Group", "slug": "baker-publishing-group", "region": "US (Ada, Michigan; founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan)", "imprints": [ "Baker Books", "Baker Academic", "Bethany House", "Brazos Press", "Chosen Books", "Revell (Fleming H. Revell)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1' (often paired with a descending year line, e.g., '24 23 22 21 20 / 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Most trade titles do not state the words 'First Edition'; identification is driven by the number line.", "Academic imprints (Baker Academic, Brazos) follow the same convention; later printings drop the lowest digits." ], "notablePoints": [ "Baker Publishing Group is the umbrella for six divisions: Baker Books, Baker Academic, Bethany House, Brazos Press, Chosen, and Revell. Revell (Fleming H. Revell, founded 1870) was a much older independent house with offices in Chicago, New York, Toronto, London, and Edinburgh; Baker did not acquire it until 1992, so pre-1992 Revell books follow older, looser conventions and frequently state nothing.", "Bethany House (acquired 2003) is a major Christian-fiction imprint with large print runs and many reprintings, so the number line is essential for dating a printing.", "Chosen Books (charismatic/spiritual-gifts list) uses the same modern number-line system." ], "era": "Baker Book House founded 1939; Revell acquired 1992, Bethany House acquired 2003" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ballantine-books", "name": "Ballantine Books", "slug": "ballantine-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Del Rey", "Fawcett (Crest/Gold Medal/Premier)", "Ivy", "Wellspring", "One World", "Owl Books (early)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on copyright page; first printing has the '1' present. Modern PRH-era Ballantine uses the full descending line '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' with no edition statement, OR with 'First Edition' stated.", "Mass-market paperback originals: copyright page reads 'First Edition: (Month Year)' or 'First Printing: (Month Year)' with NO later printings listed.", "Trade hardcovers/trade paperbacks under Ballantine often state 'First Edition' plus number line ending in 1.", "Absence of any later-printing notation is the core test for the paperback originals." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1952 by Ian and Betty Ballantine; pioneer of the simultaneous hardcover/paperback original. A Ballantine PAPERBACK can be the true first edition of a title (e.g. many SF works), so 'first' may be a mass-market.", "Acquired by Random House 1973; now a Penguin Random House imprint, so post-1970s number-line convention follows RH-family style (line to 1).", "Del Rey (SF/fantasy, est. 1977) follows the same Ballantine line-to-1 convention.", "Fawcett titles (Gold Medal, Crest) carry their own pre-merger printing statements; Gold Medal paperback originals are collected as firsts." ], "era": "1952–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ballantine-del-rey", "name": "Ballantine Books / Del Rey", "slug": "ballantine-del-rey", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Ballantine", "Del Rey", "Del Rey/LucasBooks", "Fawcett (Crest/Gold Medal, later absorbed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Paperback originals: first printing has NO additional printings listed on the copyright page", "Reprints of titles first issued elsewhere: copyright page states 'First Printing: ' or 'First Edition: ' together with a number line containing '1'", "Del Rey titles follow Ballantine practice (number line with '1' and/or stated first printing/date)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Ballantine founded 1952 (Ian & Betty Ballantine); historically issued simultaneous hardcover + paperback in early years, complicating 'true first' for some 1950s titles", "Del Rey launched 1977 (Judy-Lynn and Lester del Rey) as Ballantine's SF/fantasy imprint — published Terry Brooks, Stephen R. Donaldson, and the Star Wars line", "Del Rey moved out from under the Ballantine division within Random House in 2013", "Ballantine's 1965 authorized paperback of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' has its own famous points vs. the unauthorized Ace edition" ], "era": "1952–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/balzer-and-bray", "name": "Balzer + Bray", "slug": "balzer-and-bray", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a 'First Edition' statement and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page. Titles published 2008-2024 follow HarperCollins house style; titles from 2024 forward follow Macmillan Children's house style" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2008 by Alessandra Balzer and Donna Bray as a HarperCollins imprint", "Moved from HarperCollins to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group effective April 2024, so the parent house and its copyright-page conventions differ before and after that date", "For both eras the number line, not a possibly-retained 'First Edition' statement, is the deciding evidence" ], "era": "2008-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bantam-mystery", "name": "Bantam (mystery/thriller mass-market)", "slug": "bantam-mystery", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Bantam Books", "Bantam Crime Line", "Black Lizard (later Vintage Crime/Black Lizard under Random House)" ], "idMethods": [ "Bantam used a code on the copyright page indicating printing and date in some eras; in the modern era a descending number line ending in '1' marks the first printing.", "Mass-market originals: the paperback is the first edition; reprints of hardcovers are firsts-thus only.", "Bantam serial/control number plus printing statement ('First Bantam edition / month year') fixes the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Black Lizard (founded by Barry Gifford, later absorbed into Random House's Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) reprinted noir (Jim Thompson, David Goodis) — those are reprints of mid-century firsts, valuable as revivals but not original firsts.", "Bantam Crime Line was a 1980s-90s mystery imprint; identify by the Crime Line logo plus number line.", "Don't confuse a 'First Bantam edition' (first paperback) with the true first hardcover from another house." ], "era": "1945-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bantam-books", "name": "Bantam Books", "slug": "bantam-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Bantam Spectra", "Spectra", "Domain", "Crime Line", "Loveswept", "Bantam Classics", "Bantam Dell" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page printing statement: classic Bantam used a printed-line phrase such as 'Bantam edition / (date)' with a printing history; a true first lists only the first printing.", "Modern Bantam (post-merger) uses a descending number line; first printing retains '1' (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').", "Historically Bantam used a numeric/letter code; for mass-market originals look for a single printing line with no subsequent printings noted.", "Bantam hardcovers state 'First Edition' / 'FIRST EDITION' with the number line in PRH era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1945 (Ian Ballantine among founders); primarily a paperback house, so many Bantam firsts are mass-markets (e.g. paperback originals).", "Merged into Bantam Doubleday Dell (1986), then absorbed into Random House (1998); now Penguin Random House. Post-1998 convention follows RH line-to-1 style.", "Spectra was the SF/fantasy imprint (1985–c.2011); follows Bantam line conventions.", "Bantam frequently issued the FIRST printed appearance of a title as a paperback original, so condition/edition collectors must not assume the hardcover is the first." ], "era": "1945–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bantam-spectra", "name": "Bantam Spectra", "slug": "bantam-spectra", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Spectra (SF/fantasy line of Bantam)", "Bantam" ], "idMethods": [ "Follows standard Bantam/Bantam Spectra practice: the copyright page carries a full descending number line and a 'A Bantam Spectra Book / [Month Year]' statement; if the number line includes '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') it is a first printing. Lowest digit in the line = the printing number.", "For Bantam Spectra mass-market paperbacks (1985-present) the printing is determined by the lowest number in the digit line, NOT by a separate letter code. (Note: the letter+digit date-code key on the last text/copyright page is a Dell paperback convention; do not rely on a 'letter-coded printing key' to identify a Spectra first printing.)", "Hardcover Spectra firsts use the number-line-with-1 convention, typically '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' with a stated month/year; later printings drop the low digits." ], "notablePoints": [ "Spectra launched 1985 as Bantam's dedicated SF/fantasy imprint (later Bantam Spectra / Bantam Dell under Random House) - confirmed.", "Published George R. R. Martin's 'A Game of Thrones' (1996). CORRECTION: the Bantam Spectra hardcover is the US first, not the world 'true first' - the UK Voyager/HarperCollins edition precedes it and is the true first edition. A US Bantam first printing shows the '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' line and Bantam Spectra hardcover points; the Book Club Edition (BCE) is a separate, lower-value variant lacking the price/with a blind-stamp gutter dot.", "Many Spectra titles appeared simultaneously or near-simultaneously in hardcover and trade/mass paperback, AND some titles (e.g., AGOT) were published abroad first - always confirm both format priority and country priority before calling a copy the 'true first'." ], "era": "1985–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/barbarian-press", "name": "Barbarian Press", "slug": "barbarian-press", "region": "Mission, British Columbia, Canada (established 1977 in Kent, England; relocated to Mission, BC in 1978)", "imprints": [ "Endgrain Editions (single-engraver wood-engraving series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1977-present: First/only edition by the COLOPHON limitation; the press of Crispin and Jan Elsted. The colophon states the limitation (standard editions commonly a few hundred copies, plus a smaller deluxe state), the type (frequently hand-set metal), the paper, and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed.", "Many titles are issued in MULTIPLE STATES: a standard edition and a deluxe/special edition (extra suites, finer binding, sometimes leather, occasionally lettered rather than numbered). The colophon and the binding distinguish the states; verify the state against the press prospectus. Example: 'Endgrain' (1995) was limited to 430 copies, of which 50 special copies were leather-bound with a signed tipped-in frontispiece.", "Wood-engraving-rich titles (the 'Endgrain' anthology and the ongoing Endgrain Editions series, plus Shakespeare's 'Pericles') are key works; engraver credits in the colophon are an authenticity tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "A leading contemporary Canadian fine press with a strong wood-engraving tradition; the press was established in 1977 in Kent, England (where the Elsteds worked with Graham Williams at the Florin Press) and moved to Mission, British Columbia in 1978.", "Watch for numbered versus lettered or deluxe states; the special/leather-bound copies are the scarcer state.", "All books are limited firsts with no trade printings; design and typesetting are by Crispin Elsted and the presswork by Jan Elsted." ], "era": "1977-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/barefoot-books", "name": "Barefoot Books", "slug": "barefoot-books", "region": "UK/US", "imprints": [ "Barefoot Books" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles state 'First edition [year]' or 'This [hardback/paperback] edition first published in [year]'", "The lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1992 in England by Nancy Traversy and Tessa Strickland (initially London and the Bath area); the US office moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts around 2000 and is now in Concord, Massachusetts", "Illustrated multicultural and folktale picture books, frequently issued with accompanying CD or sing-along editions", "Multiple format issues (hardback, paperback, with-CD) each carry their own 'first published' line — match the format in hand to its own first printing" ], "era": "1992-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bart-house", "name": "Bart House", "slug": "bart-house", "region": "USA (New York, NY — Bartholomew House)", "imprints": [ "Bart House", "Bart House Mysteries" ], "idMethods": [ "1944-c.1946 (entire run): a short-lived WWII-era mass-market paperback line (parent Bartholomew House) with titles numbered sequentially from #1 (roughly 30 titles). First printing identified by the catalog number plus absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page; the original 25-cent price and wartime paper-conservation notices help date the issue.", "The line mixed reprints with some originals. For a reprint, 'first' means the first Bart House printing — the earliest issue carrying no reissue note. The most celebrated title is H.P. Lovecraft's The Weird Shadow Over Innsmouth (Bart House #4, 1944), an early standalone Lovecraft paperback.", "Series numbering is the primary identifier; the line ended after only a couple of years, so all titles are scarce and printing-level data is thin — corroborate against a Bart House checklist such as the BookScans defunct-publishers database." ], "notablePoints": [ "An imprint of Bartholomew House; one of many small WWII-era paperback houses that briefly competed with Pocket, Avon, Dell and Popular Library.", "Very short run (c.1944-1946); all titles uncommon, roughly 30 numbered issues.", "Best known to collectors for The Weird Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft (Bart House #4, 1944)." ], "era": "1944-c.1946" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bartholomew", "name": "Bartholomew (John Bartholomew & Son)", "slug": "bartholomew", "region": "United Kingdom (Edinburgh)", "imprints": [ "Bartholomew Half-Inch maps", "The Times Atlas of the World (Bartholomew cartography)", "Bartholomew Survey Atlas", "Bartholomew road atlases" ], "idMethods": [ "Maps and atlases are dated by the imprint name, copyright year, and any printed revision date in the sheet margin; for the famous Half-Inch series, the marginal printing/revision year identifies the specific printing.", "19th century to 1919: 'John Bartholomew & Co.' Edinburgh imprint (the firm also traded as the Edinburgh Geographical Institute); identify by title-page edition and date.", "1919 to 1980s: 'John Bartholomew & Son Ltd'; the Half-Inch to the Mile layered-relief series is identified by the marginal revision year, and the layered-contour ('Bartholomew colouring') style is a house signature.", "Times Atlas of the World: Bartholomew supplied the cartography from 1922 onward; identify by the named edition (Comprehensive/Concise) and copyright year on the title page, a first printing carrying no later revision-year list.", "1989 to present: merged into HarperCollins as Collins Bartholomew; modern copyright-page dating applies." ], "notablePoints": [ "Pioneer of layered hypsometric (color-relief) tinting; the 'Bartholomew colouring' is a recognizable house signature developed by John George Bartholomew.", "Cartographic engine behind the Times Atlas of the World from 1922.", "Imprint evolution (John Bartholomew & Co. to & Son Ltd to Collins Bartholomew in 1989) brackets the era.", "Half-Inch series sheets are collected and dated by their marginal revision year; the National Library of Scotland holds the Bartholomew Archive." ], "era": "1826-present (as Collins Bartholomew)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/basic-books", "name": "Basic Books", "slug": "basic-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Basic Books", "PublicAffairs", "Seal Press", "Bold Type Books", "Basic Venture (2024)", "Basic Liberty (2024)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group house practice", "A 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page is common on Basic's serious-nonfiction titles but is not universal; the full number line is the reliable signal" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1950; serious-nonfiction publisher (history, science, politics, biography, psychology). Now the flagship of the Basic Books Group within Hachette Book Group", "The Basic Books Group comprises Basic Books, PublicAffairs, Seal Press, Bold Type Books (formerly Nation Books), Basic Venture (business/economics, 2024) and Basic Liberty (conservative analysis, 2024)", "Entered Hachette via the April 2016 acquisition of Perseus Books' publishing operations — pre-2016 Basic titles are Perseus imprints", "Ownership change (Perseus → Hachette, 2016) is the key dating caveat" ], "era": "1950–present (Hachette since 2016)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/beacon-books", "name": "Beacon Books / Beacon Signal", "slug": "beacon-books", "region": "US (New York City)", "imprints": [ "Beacon", "Beacon Signal", "Beacon Galaxy Science Fiction Novels (acquired SF series, 1959-1961)", "Softcover Library (successor brand, mid-1960s onward)" ], "idMethods": [ "Beacon used B-prefixed catalog numbers on the cover and spine (the early B-100 through roughly the B-700s, with Softcover Library taking over near B-800); the number identifies the title and approximate era.", "First printing: most Beacon titles are paperback originals that were never reprinted, so absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page is the working test, and essentially all surviving copies are first printings.", "The Beacon Galaxy science-fiction sub-series and the later Softcover Library rebrand carry their own numbering and mark distinct eras." ], "notablePoints": [ "Beacon (Universal Publishing & Distributing Corp., founded 1954) became one of the largest mid-century softcore/sleaze paperback-original houses; the first title was Orrie Hitt's She Got What She Wanted (1954). For its original titles the Beacon paperback IS the true first, since no hardcover exists.", "From 1959 to 1961 Beacon took over the existing Galaxy Science Fiction Novels reprint series under its own numbering. These are licensed reprints, not Beacon originals, and Beacon frequently retitled them and inserted mild sexual content, so a Beacon Galaxy title is not the first appearance of that science-fiction novel and should not be treated as one.", "Renamed Softcover Library in the mid-1960s while keeping the lighthouse colophon; that successor branding and numbering marks the later, post-Beacon-proper era." ], "era": "1954-mid-1960s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bear-and-company", "name": "Bear & Company", "slug": "bear-and-company", "region": "USA (Santa Fe NM early 1980s-2000; then Rochester VT under Inner Traditions)", "imprints": [ "Bear & Company", "Bear Cub Books (later)" ], "idMethods": [ "Early 1980s-2000 (independent, Santa Fe NM, founders Gerry Clow and astrologer Barbara Hand Clow): the copyright page states 'First Edition'; the book typically carries a Santa Fe address. A number line is not consistent in the early years, so use the edition statement plus the first-publication year, with the Santa Fe imprint confirming a pre-acquisition printing.", "2000-present (imprint of Inner Traditions, Rochester VT): follows Inner Traditions house practice, a descending number line with the lowest number indicating the printing, alongside a 'First Edition' statement; a Rochester VT address confirms a post-acquisition printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "An independent New Mexico New-Age house best known for Jose Arguelles (The Mayan Factor, tied to the 1987 Harmonic Convergence) and Barbara Hand Clow titles, collected in their original Santa Fe form.", "The address is the cleanest era tell: a Santa Fe NM imprint marks the independent (pre-2000) first editions, while a Rochester VT imprint marks the Inner Traditions era.", "Inner Traditions later reissued many Bear titles, so verify the original Santa Fe first printing for the most sought-after books." ], "era": "1980-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/belford-clarke", "name": "Belford, Clarke & Co.", "slug": "belford-clarke", "region": "Chicago, New York & San Francisco (Midwest/US, originally Toronto)", "imprints": [ "Belford, Clarke & Co.", "Belford Bros. (Toronto)", "Belford-Clarke Company", "Rose-Belford" ], "idMethods": [ "1879–1892: a cheap-reprint house notorious for unauthorized reprints (famously pirating Mark Twain). For its many reprint/piracy titles the 'Belford, Clarke & Co.' imprint, the city order on the title page, the dated title page, and the bound-in advertisement state identify the earliest issue — there is no first-edition statement and no number line.", "Because so many titles are reprints or piracies, 'first edition' of the work usually belongs to another publisher; for Belford-Clarke's own copyrighted titles, rely on the dated title page and bound-in catalog dating to separate earliest from later issues.", "Imprint and city-order changes (the Toronto Belford Bros. lineage; later Belford-Clarke Company / Rose-Belford forms) help bracket the date of an issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "1880s Chicago/New York (and San Francisco) cheap-edition publisher, infamous for pirated reprints of British and American authors before stronger copyright enforcement; building burned in an 1886 fire and the firm was out of business by 1892.", "Reprint nature means edition identification turns on authorized-vs-pirated status and advertisement/imprint state rather than first-printing statements." ], "era": "1879–1892" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bellevue-literary-press", "name": "Bellevue Literary Press", "slug": "bellevue-literary-press", "region": "New York, NY (US)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "First printings state 'First Edition' on the copyright page.", "The printing is read from the lowest number present in the number line, not from the direction of the row. The Tinkers first printing, for example, carries the line '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' (odd ascending then even descending), so the presence of the '1' — not a row that 'ends in 1' — marks the first printing.", "Later printings drop the lower numbers." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonprofit press affiliated with the Bellevue Literary Review / NYU School of Medicine, founded 2007, publishing at the intersection of the arts and sciences.", "Published Paul Harding's first novel Tinkers (2009), which won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction; the small first printing (about 3,500 copies) was reprinted many times, so the number line is decisive for identifying a true first.", "Convention here is the modern US trade default rather than a house rule documented in the standard references; medium confidence." ], "era": "2007–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/berkley-jove", "name": "Berkley / Jove", "slug": "berkley-jove", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Berkley", "Jove", "Ace (sister, SF)", "Charter", "Berkley Caliber", "Penguin Putnam mass-market lines" ], "idMethods": [ "Mass-market originals: copyright page shows a printing statement; a true first reads 'Berkley/Jove edition / (Month Year)' or 'First printing' with NO later printings listed.", "Modern lines use a descending number line; presence of 1 indicates first printing.", "For paperback originals, the absence of any reprint notation is the primary test.", "Stated 'First edition' rare on mass-markets; rely on printing-history line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Predominantly mass-market houses, so MANY Berkley/Jove/Ace titles are paperback FIRSTS (genre fiction, SF, romance, thrillers).", "Now part of the Berkley Publishing Group within Penguin Random House (via Penguin Putnam / G.P. Putnam's Sons lineage).", "Ace Books (SF) is the famous sibling — Ace Doubles (tête-bêche two-novels-in-one) are collected by their serial 'D-'/'F-'/'G-' designations.", "Genre collectors treat the paperback original as the true first edition; later hardcover book-club or reprint editions are not." ], "era": "1955–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bethany-house", "name": "Bethany House Publishers", "slug": "bethany-house", "region": "Bloomington / Minneapolis, Minnesota (now under Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan)", "imprints": [ "Bethany House (fiction & nonfiction)", "formerly Bethany Fellowship Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1950s-1970s (Bethany Fellowship / Bethany Fellowship Press): small missionary-fellowship press; no number line. Copyright year and absence of a reprint notice indicate a first printing; printing statements are inconsistent.", "1970s-1990s (Bethany House Publishers): explicit printing statements and additive printing/year lines, with later printings noted. Janette Oke's prairie-romance firsts (from 'Love Comes Softly', 1979) fall in this era — identify by copyright year, the early printing line, and original cover art.", "1990s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing. A year line plus an impression line is typical; presence of 1 indicates a first printing.", "2003-present (Baker era): copyright pages follow Baker Publishing Group conventions; number line, lowest digit equals the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Grew out of Bethany Fellowship, a missionary training community near Minneapolis; the publishing arm was formalized as Bethany House and long the leading evangelical fiction (especially Christian romance) house.", "Acquired by Baker (Baker Book House / Baker Publishing Group); the sale was announced in late 2002 and completed in early 2003.", "Janette Oke is the signature author — 'Love Comes Softly' was published in 1979; her early firsts are the most collected Bethany titles, and later cover-art reissues are commonly mistaken for firsts.", "Distinct from Augsburg/Fortress despite both being Minnesota Lutheran-adjacent — Bethany is independent-evangelical, not denominational." ], "era": "1956-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bfi-publishing", "name": "BFI Publishing (British Film Institute)", "slug": "bfi-publishing", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "BFI Film Classics", "BFI TV Classics", "BFI Modern Classics", "BFI Screen Guides" ], "idMethods": [ "Standard UK descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.", "Long-running monograph series (notably BFI Film Classics, launched 1992) often went through many reprints — read the number line carefully, since later printings of popular titles otherwise look identical.", "The trade/distribution-partner statement on the copyright page helps date the printing era (see notable points)." ], "notablePoints": [ "BFI's book program changed distribution partners over time: originally in-house BFI Publishing, later via Palgrave Macmillan, and since 2018 in partnership with Bloomsbury. The partner shown on the copyright page indicates the printing era.", "The compact BFI Film Classics and TV Classics monographs are the most collected; first printings of early or out-of-print titles on cult films draw the most interest.", "Always confirm '1' in the number line — series reprints are frequent." ], "era": "1980s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/biblioasis", "name": "Biblioasis", "slug": "biblioasis", "region": "Canada (Windsor, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Biblioasis", "Biblioasis International Translation Series", "Untimely Meditations (essays)", "CanLit Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern small literary press: first printings generally state 'first edition' on the copyright page and frequently carry a number line ('1' present = first printing).", "Translation Series and essay titles follow the same copyright-page convention.", "Because print runs are small and reprints are frequent for prize winners, verify the absence of a later-printing statement and that the number line retains '1'." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Dan Wells as a Windsor, Ontario bookstore in 1998; began publishing in 2004 (first titles were poetry collections by Salvatore Ala and Goran Simic). Among Canada's most acclaimed small presses.", "Frequent Giller Prize attention drives multiple printings; in 2015 two Biblioasis titles were Giller-shortlisted (Anakana Schofield's 'Martin John' and Samuel Archibald's 'Arvida'). Prize-winner and shortlist firsts must be confirmed by first-printing indicators, since post-award reprints are common.", "The Biblioasis International Translation Series is a distinct, collectible run of works in translation." ], "era": "2004-present (publishing; bookstore from 1998)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bilingual-press-editorial-bilingue", "name": "Bilingual Press / Editorial Bilingüe", "slug": "bilingual-press-editorial-bilingue", "region": "USA — founded 1973 at Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti); at Arizona State University (Tempe) since 1986", "imprints": [ "Bilingual Press / Editorial Bilingüe (also widely cited as Bilingual Review Press)", "Bilingual Review / La Revista Bilingüe (associated journal, first issued 1976)", "Clásicos Chicanos / Chicano Classics series" ], "idMethods": [ "1973-present: A first printing is indicated by 'First Edition' / 'Primera Edición' wording on the copyright page and/or a descending number line whose lowest digit is 1; absence of any later-printing or reprint notice on an otherwise-original title is consistent with a first printing. As with most academic/small-press houses, practice is not perfectly uniform across the long backlist, so confirm against the specific copyright page rather than assuming a single fixed convention.", "Bilingual and dual-language titles: the press's own copyright-page printing statement governs the Bilingual Press edition; for a translated or dual-language work this is the first Bilingual Press printing regardless of any prior Spanish-only or English-only publication elsewhere.", "Clásicos Chicanos / Chicano Classics series reissues earlier Chicano works — for those, the Bilingual Press printing statement, not the original composition or first-publication date, identifies the Bilingual Press printing.", "Distinguish the book imprint from the associated journal (Bilingual Review / La Revista Bilingüe), which is a separate serial." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1973 by Gary D. Keller (Gary Francisco Keller); originated at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, and moved to Arizona State University, Tempe, in 1986 when Keller joined what became the Hispanic Research Center.", "A leading press for Chicano/Latino literature and scholarship, established when mainstream houses largely ignored Chicano writing; backlist exceeds 150 titles in English, Spanish, and bilingual editions.", "Published authors including Rolando Hinojosa, Miguel Méndez, Alejandro Morales, and Denise Chávez; the Clásicos Chicanos series recovered foundational Chicano texts.", "The bilingual / dual-language format and series-based recovery publishing are the distinctive identification considerations; the house is frequently referenced as 'Bilingual Review Press,' which collectors should treat as the same publisher." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/binford-and-mort", "name": "Binford & Mort (Binfords & Mort)", "slug": "binford-and-mort", "region": "Portland, later Hillsboro, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "Binfords & Mort", "Binford & Mort Publishing", "Metropolitan Press (predecessor)" ], "idMethods": [ "Imprint-name era tell: the publishing arm began in 1930 under the Metropolitan Press umbrella (Metropolitan Press itself dated to a Portland printing business founded in 1899). The name 'Binfords & Mort' was adopted in 1938 after Ralph Mort became a partner. A 'Metropolitan Press' imprint therefore points to roughly 1930-1938, while 'Binfords & Mort' dates a title to 1938 or later.", "1930-c.1960 (heyday): First editions of this era typically carry NO number line. Identify by a copyright year that matches publication, the correct period imprint, and the absence of any later-printing or reissue statement; later printings are usually noted as 'Second printing,' etc.", "c.1960 onward: The no-number-line convention continued, and many titles were reprinted from standing plates over decades. A first printing requires the absence of any added printing notice and, ideally, an original dust jacket without later price or printing changes.", "Backlist caution: the firm is still active (later in Hillsboro, Oregon) and continues to reprint regional staples, so verify the original copyright and first-printing state rather than trusting a recent-looking copy." ], "notablePoints": [ "The publishing operation grew out of the Binfords' Metropolitan Press (a Portland printing firm dating to 1899) and began issuing Pacific Northwest books around 1930; the 'Binfords & Mort' name dates from 1938, when Ralph Mort joined as partner.", "Once among the largest book publishers in the Pacific Northwest and a major force in regional literature, especially from 1930 to 1960.", "Definitive regional references include 'Oregon Geographic Names' (Lewis A. McArthur; Binford & Mort published its early editions), 'History of Oregon Literature,' and 'Dictionary of Oregon History' — perennials with many printings, so first-printing identification matters.", "Still a small active publisher (relocated to Hillsboro, Oregon), continuing to reprint its backlist, so many copies are late printings that can be mistaken for firsts." ], "era": "1930-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bird-and-bull-press", "name": "Bird & Bull Press", "slug": "bird-and-bull-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Henry Morris (proprietor and papermaker)" ], "idMethods": [ "Letterpress limited editions printed on Morris's own HANDMADE PAPER (he made the paper as well as printing) — paper character is a house signature", "Printed colophon with small stated limitation (often ~100–300), hand-numbered; many signed by Henry Morris", "Specialist subject matter (history of papermaking, marbling, fine printing) with tipped-in paper/marbling specimens — presence and completeness of specimens authenticates the first issue", "No number line — colophon limitation and the handmade-paper stock identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1958 by Henry Morris (Pennsylvania); the leading American private press devoted to the literature and specimens of papermaking and decorated paper", "Books often contain tipped-in samples of handmade or marbled paper — missing specimens reduce completeness/value", "Editions are small; each is effectively a single limited printing", "Highly prized by book-arts collectors for both content and the paper itself" ], "era": "1958–c.2013" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/birkhauser", "name": "Birkhäuser", "slug": "birkhauser", "region": "Switzerland (Basel) / United States (Boston)", "imprints": [ "Birkhäuser Verlag", "Birkhäuser Boston", "Springer Basel (current parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "1879-c.1985: Founded 1879 in Basel by Emil Birkhäuser; the scientific program (mathematics, physics, civil engineering, architecture) developed from the 1920s-1940s onward. German-language works state edition as 'Auflage'; a first edition reads '1. Auflage' (or carries the earliest issue with no later-Auflage statement). English-language titles from the Birkhäuser Boston office (opened 1979) are identified by edition statement, with a first printing shown by the absence of any later-printing notice.", "c.1985-present: Acquired by Springer in 1985. English-language titles carry a number line (lowest surviving digit = printing); German titles continue to use 'Auflage.' Modern titles follow Springer house style and may print a DOI. Note that the architecture/design program was sold to ACTAR in 2010 while the natural-sciences program remained with Springer." ], "notablePoints": [ "Distinguished mathematics and physics monograph and series publisher (e.g., the 'Progress in Mathematics' series).", "Now a Springer brand; 'Auflage' is the reliable German-language edition tell.", "Boston (US) and Basel (Swiss) issues can differ — check the imprint city on the title and copyright pages." ], "era": "1879-present (Springer brand)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/birlinn-ltd", "name": "Birlinn Ltd", "slug": "birlinn-ltd", "region": "Scotland (Edinburgh)", "imprints": [ "Birlinn", "Polygon", "John Donald", "Mercat Press (acquired 2007)", "Arena Sport", "BC Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Birlinn Ltd' (West Newington House, 10 Newington Road, Edinburgh) with a descending number line; a first printing has the digit 1 present.", "The imprint line names the specific Birlinn imprint (Polygon, John Donald, etc.); match the imprint to attribute the book correctly within the group.", "A first state shows the first-published year, the 1 in the number line, and no later-impression notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1992 by Hugh Andrew; a major independent Scottish trade publisher.", "Acquired Polygon (2002), the John Donald academic imprint, and Mercat Press (2007), consolidating several Scottish lists.", "Largely Scottish-interest non-fiction; literary fiction and poetry are published mostly through the Polygon imprint." ], "era": "1992-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bitter-lemon-press", "name": "Bitter Lemon Press", "slug": "bitter-lemon-press", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Bitter Lemon Press" ], "idMethods": [ "UK convention: first printings carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the imprint page, with 'First published in [year] by Bitter Lemon Press' stated; the lowest digit present is the printing.", "Translated titles state the original title, translator and original-language publication date — the Bitter Lemon line marks the first English-language edition, which is the relevant point for this house.", "Issued chiefly in B-format trade paperback (some hardcover); a full number line with no later-printing notation marks the first English-language edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Small independent founded 2003 by Swiss brothers François and Frédéric (Fred) von Hürter with Laurence Colchester; specializes in translated literary crime/noir (Carofiglio, Glauser, Padura).", "Almost all titles are first English-language editions of works already published abroad — collectors value them as the first appearance in English, not as world firsts.", "Print runs are small; the copyright-page number line is the practical identification tool, as no dedicated published first-edition guide exists for this house." ], "era": "2003–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/black-belt-press", "name": "Black Belt Press", "slug": "black-belt-press", "region": "South (Montgomery, Alabama)", "imprints": [ "Black Belt Press", "Junebug Books (children's, later carried to NewSouth)", "Black Belt Publishing" ], "idMethods": [ "1989-2000 (active era under BBCG, Inc.): Standard small-press convention. First printing is typically identified by a number line on the copyright page in which the lowest number present indicates the printing (a present '1' means first printing); some titles instead state 'First edition' or 'First printing.' Where neither is present, a title-page date matching the copyright date plus the absence of a later-printing notation indicates the first printing.", "Continuity caution: Randall Williams and the Junebug Books children's imprint carried directly into NewSouth Books (founded 2000, Montgomery), so late Black Belt and early NewSouth titles share staff and conventions. Identify the actual imprint named on the copyright page to assign the correct house." ], "notablePoints": [ "Montgomery, Alabama independent; the Black Belt Press imprint began publishing in 1989 under BBCG, Inc., with H. Randall Williams (there from 1986) as a founding principal. It published Alabama/Southern history, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and folklore and was, by the mid-1990s, the state's leading independent press.", "Effectively the predecessor of NewSouth Books: when Williams and Suzanne La Rosa founded NewSouth in 2000, the team and the Junebug Books imprint carried over, and Black Belt was discontinued as an active imprint that year.", "The dormant Black Belt Press name was later revived as an imprint under NewSouth, Inc.; backlist titles were partly reissued by NewSouth.", "Long-tail house with thin bibliographic documentation; rely on per-copy copyright-page evidence." ], "era": "1989-2000 (original imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/black-inc", "name": "Black Inc. (Schwartz Books / Schwartz Media)", "slug": "black-inc", "region": "Australia (Melbourne, VIC)", "imprints": [ "Black Inc.", "Nero", "Piccolo Nero", "Schwartz City", "La Trobe University Press", "Quarterly Essay (series)", "Australian Foreign Affairs (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing the copyright page states 'Published by Black Inc. [year]' (or the relevant imprint, e.g. 'Published by Nero'), shows no reprint line, and the stated year matches the copyright year. This statement is the primary first-printing signal.", "Recent titles often carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', where the lowest digit present indicates a first printing; treat as supporting evidence, as the line is not applied to every title across the group's imprints.", "The imprint colophon identifies the sub-brand: La Trobe University Press (a 2017 joint venture with La Trobe University) and Nero/Piccolo Nero each carry distinct imprint statements though produced by the same parent." ], "notablePoints": [ "Parent is Schwartz Publishing / Schwartz Media, founded by Morry Schwartz in the 1980s; the Black Inc. imprint dates to roughly 1999–2000, not the early-to-mid 1990s.", "Quarterly Essay (since 2001) and The Monthly (since 2005) are periodicals; Quarterly Essay issues are numbered and dated and are identified by issue number, not a book number line.", "La Trobe University Press launched 2017 as a Black Inc./La Trobe joint imprint, so a co-branded copyright page dates the book to 2017 or later." ], "era": "c.1999–2000–present (Schwartz parent from the 1980s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/black-lizard-books", "name": "Black Lizard Books", "slug": "black-lizard-books", "region": "USA (Berkeley, California - a division of Creative Arts Book Company)", "imprints": [ "Black Lizard (original Creative Arts series)", "Vintage Crime/Black Lizard (Random House successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1984-1990 (Creative Arts / Barry Gifford era, original Black Lizard): paperback reprints of 1930s-1960s noir in a deliberately pulpy mass-market look; the first Black Lizard printing carries the Creative Arts Book Company imprint and Berkeley address and shows no additional-printing line on the copyright page. Later printings add a printing notice.", "1990-present (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, Random House / Knopf Doubleday): after Random House acquired the Black Lizard name in 1990, titles appear as trade paperbacks under 'Vintage Crime/Black Lizard.' A first Vintage edition is stated as 'First Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Edition, [month year]' with a full descending number line ending in 1. This is a different entity from the original Berkeley series.", "Collector caution: the original Berkeley-era Black Lizard editions (1984-1990) are the scarce, sought-after state; the later Vintage trade paperbacks are common reprints carrying the same brand name but a different format and publisher." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded and edited from 1984 by Barry Gifford as a division of Creative Arts Book Company (Berkeley); released over ninety titles between 1984 and 1990.", "Revived Jim Thompson's reputation, helping lead to film adaptations of his work.", "Reprinted Goodis, Thompson, Willeford, Rabe, Whittington, Williams and Lionel White, plus Gifford and Nisbet originals.", "In 1990 Don Ellis sold the line (including unprinted titles under contract) to Vintage/Random House, which merged it with Vintage Crime - same brand name, different trade format and house." ], "era": "1984-1990 (original); 1990-present (Vintage successor)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/black-sparrow-press", "name": "Black Sparrow Press", "slug": "black-sparrow-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Black Sparrow Books (later David R. Godine continuation)", "Sun Dog Press (associated)" ], "idMethods": [ "TITLE-PAGE COLOR is the master point: a first printing has a title page printed in two or more colors; ALL later printings have a title page in black only. This is the single most reliable Black Sparrow first-edition tell.", "Copyright page of a first lists no additional printings.", "Multi-tier issue structure per title: (1) lettered signed/limited (e.g., 26 lettered A–Z) often with original holograph or artwork, (2) numbered signed limited (e.g., 250–300 copies) on better paper with a limitation/colophon leaf at the rear, (3) trade hardcover (cloth/boards), (4) trade paperback wrappers — all four can be 'firsts' of the first printing; tier is identified by the limitation statement.", "Limitation/colophon leaf at the BACK states the print run and signing; signed-limited copies are numbered and signed there.", "Deluxe/limited bindings done by Earle Gray Book Binding Company (most BSP deluxe books 1968–2002)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1966 by John Martin in Los Angeles; defining publisher of Charles Bukowski (Post Office 1971, Women 1978), plus Paul Bowles, John Fante, Wyndham Lewis, Diane Wakoski, Robert Kelly.", "Distinctive Barbara Martin cover design (bold typographic wrappers) is a house signature but is NOT itself a printing point.", "Common confusion: a black-only title page on a Bukowski title that 'looks first' is actually a later printing — always check title-page color.", "After the press closed (2002), Black Sparrow name/backlist split: David R. Godine continues 'Black Sparrow Books'; HarperCollins/Ecco acquired the Bukowski list — later corporate reissues are not BSP firsts." ], "era": "1966–2002 (original press)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/black-sun-press", "name": "Black Sun Press", "slug": "black-sun-press", "region": "Paris, France", "imprints": [ "Black Sun Press (Harry & Caresse Crosby)", "formerly Éditions Narcisse (1927–1928)" ], "idMethods": [ "1927–1952: expatriate fine press. Each title issued once in a stated LIMITED edition; identify by the COLOPHON/limitation page giving the total number of copies (often with subsets on different papers — Japan vellum, Holland, etc.) and the individual copy number.", "The earliest imprint (1927 into 1928) reads 'Éditions Narcisse'; the name changed to 'Black Sun Press' in 1928 — the imprint name on the title page/colophon dates the issue.", "Paper-state subsets (deluxe vellum/Japan copies vs ordinary numbered copies) are distinguished in the limitation statement and are the key variant.", "Published early/first appearances of major modernists (Crane, Lawrence, MacLeish, Hemingway, Joyce, Jolas) — for these the Black Sun issue can be a true first edition of the text; confirm via the limitation and the standard Crosby/Black Sun bibliographies." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Harry and Caresse Crosby in April 1927 as Éditions Narcisse (named for their whippet), renamed Black Sun Press in 1928.", "Often a genuine first printing of important modernist texts — high collectibility; the longest-lived of the 1920s Paris expatriate presses.", "Paper-state subsets (vellum/Japan vs ordinary numbered copies) drive desirability.", "Colophon limitation governs identification; there is no number line." ], "era": "1927–c.1952 (Paris operation ran to 1936; firm officially continued to Caresse Crosby's death in 1970)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bloomsbury-publishing", "name": "Bloomsbury Publishing", "slug": "bloomsbury-publishing", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Bloomsbury", "Bloomsbury Children's", "Methuen (acquired)", "A&C Black (acquired)", "Continuum" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a full descending number line \"10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1\" on the copyright page; the lowest number (1) present = first printing", "Copyright page should show only the original publication year and no later printer/edition statement", "Some later titles also print the words \"First Edition\" on the copyright page alongside the number line", "First printing = number line ending in 1 AND no mention of a subsequent edition, later date, or different publisher" ], "notablePoints": [ "Harry Potter is the defining case: 'Philosopher's Stone' (1997) true first = number line 10...1, '1 wand' listed twice on p.53, 'Joanne Rowling' credit, Thomas Taylor cover, print run of only ~500 hardcovers — among the most valuable modern firsts", "Chamber of Secrets (1998) & Prisoner of Azkaban (1999) firsts: number line 10...1, no later-printing/edition statement", "Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows firsts say \"First Edition\" on the copyright page", "Founded 1986 — a relatively young house, so number-line convention applies throughout" ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/boa-editions", "name": "BOA Editions, Ltd.", "slug": "boa-editions", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "American Poets Continuum Series", "Lannan Translations Selection Series", "BOA Short Fiction Prize", "A. Poulin, Jr. New Poets of America Series" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' and/or carries a descending number line (lowest digit present = printing number).", "Series designation 'American Poets Continuum Series, No. NNN' appears on the copyright/series page and dates/places the title.", "First with no later-printing notice; later printings add a printing line or advance the number line.", "Early BOA letterpress chapbooks/broadsides and signed limiteds carry a rear colophon/limitation statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1976 by A. Poulin, Jr. in Brockport/Rochester, New York; nonprofit poetry and translation press.", "Published Lucille Clifton, Li-Young Lee, W.D. Snodgrass, Dorianne Laux; the American Poets Continuum Series is the flagship numbered line.", "Early titles were small-run and sometimes letterpress — verify printing statements individually for 1970s–80s items." ], "era": "1976–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bobbs-merrill", "name": "Bobbs-Merrill Company", "slug": "bobbs-merrill", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Bobbs-Merrill", "Pegasus (later)" ], "idMethods": [ "Early firsts (pre-1920s): a month only on the copyright page, with no printing statement.", "Pre-1920s: a bow-and-arrow device (the Bobbs-Merrill colophon) on the copyright page was the era's first-edition signal — but applied inconsistently. Note: standard dealer references (Quill & Brush, ILAB/Biblio) place this device in the PRE-1920s period, not the 1920s as commonly misstated.", "After ~1920: firsts generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page, the printed statement having largely superseded the device — still inconsistent.", "From 1936: firsts state 'First Edition' OR 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and the publisher became markedly more consistent (a statement is generally expected on a true first from this point on)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Notoriously inconsistent before 1936 — they frequently omitted ANY statement of printing, so absence of a statement is not conclusive either way for pre-1936 titles.", "The bow-and-arrow device, when present, is a positive first-edition indicator, but its absence does not rule out a first; it belongs primarily to the pre-1920s era rather than the 1920s.", "Publisher of children's/Americana (Raggedy Ann, the orange/black biographies series) where points vary title-by-title; always cross-check the specific title against a points guide such as FEDPO." ], "era": "1900s-1950s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/boni-liveright", "name": "Boni & Liveright / Horace Liveright", "slug": "boni-liveright", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Boni & Liveright", "Horace Liveright Inc.", "Liveright Publishing", "Modern Library (early, before sale to Random House)" ], "idMethods": [ "No statement of printing on the copyright page of firsts; later printings designated 'second printing', etc.", "Therefore: absence of any later-printing notice = first printing (for the vintage era).", "From the 1970s (revived Liveright): a number line with '1' present indicates a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Originated the Modern Library series before selling it to Bennett Cerf/Random House in 1925 — a key bibliographic crossover.", "Major 1920s modernist house (Eliot's 'The Waste Land', Hemingway's 'In Our Time' US, Faulkner, Pound, Hart Crane) — these high-spots have detailed title-level points.", "Boni & Liveright (1917-1928) → Horace Liveright Inc. (1928-1933) → Liveright Inc.; the imprint name on the title page dates the copy." ], "era": "1917-1933 (revived 1970s+)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bookcraft", "name": "Bookcraft", "slug": "bookcraft", "region": "Salt Lake City, Utah, USA", "imprints": [ "Bookcraft", "Bookcraft Pubs.", "absorbed into Deseret Book 1999" ], "idMethods": [ "1942-1960s: Independent LDS publisher founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton (Marvin Wallin became associated later). No number line; identify firsts by copyright year and absence of a reprint or later-printing notice.", "1960s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines appear; later printings noted by an added line or year. Bruce R. McConkie's 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958) and its substantially revised second edition (1966) are Bookcraft titles, and the 1958 first versus 1966 revised second is the key collecting distinction.", "1980s-1999: standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing.", "Post-1999: the imprint was absorbed by Deseret Book, and later 'Bookcraft' printings follow Deseret Book conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton; the leading independent (non-Church-owned) LDS publisher for most of the 20th century, a counterpart to the Church-owned Deseret Book.", "Publisher of Bruce R. McConkie's controversial 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958; substantially revised second edition 1966); first versus second edition is the signature Bookcraft collecting point.", "Acquired by Deseret Management Corporation in April 1999 and combined with Deseret Book's publishing division; the Bookcraft name continued for a time as a Deseret imprint.", "Early titles are catalogued alongside Deseret titles in the Flake-Draper Mormon bibliography." ], "era": "1942-1999 (imprint continued under Deseret Book)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/boom-studios", "name": "BOOM! Studios", "slug": "boom-studios", "region": "USA (Los Angeles, CA)", "imprints": [ "BOOM! Box", "KaBOOM! (all-ages)", "Archaia", "BOOM! Studios (main)" ], "idMethods": [ "Floppy issues: a first printing carries no printing statement in the indicia; later printings are explicitly stated ('Second Printing' and higher).", "Trade paperbacks and hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states 'First Printing' with month and year (and often a print-run count); a first printing shows the earliest single date and no later-printing line.", "The 5-digit UPC supplement on floppies is meant to encode the printing in its fifth digit (1 = first printing), but it is populated inconsistently and should be treated only as a weak corroborating clue, not a primary point. Archaia (the prestige hardcover imprint) uses book-trade-style copyright pages with dated first-printing statements and sometimes a number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2005 by Ross Richie. Archaia (founded 2002 by Mark Smylie) was acquired in 2013 and became a wholly owned imprint known for premium hardcovers (Mouse Guard, Jim Henson properties); these went to multiple printings, making the dated first-printing line decisive.", "'Lumberjanes' (BOOM! Box) and various licensed all-ages titles (KaBOOM!, rebranded from BOOM! Kids in 2011) reuse cover art across printings, so the indicia date is the point.", "Book-trade graphic novels were distributed via Simon & Schuster from 2009; BOOM! was acquired by Random House (Penguin Random House) in 2024, after which book editions follow that group's distribution and printing-statement formatting." ], "era": "2005-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bowling-green-popular-press", "name": "Bowling Green State University Popular Press", "slug": "bowling-green-popular-press", "region": "Bowling Green, Ohio", "imprints": [ "Popular Press", "Popular Culture Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1969-c.1985: Small scholarly press; generally no first-printing statement; later printings noted when they occurred. A first printing is indicated by matching title-page and copyright dates with no later-printing line, with the CIP/ISBN block present. (The press was founded in 1967 to publish the Journal of Popular Culture and began publishing books in 1969.)", "c.1985-2002: A number line on the copyright page where used; the lowest number present indicates the printing. Many titles were printed only once (popular-culture monographs).", "Post-transfer (c.2002-2003 onward): The list was acquired by the University of Wisconsin Press; later 'Popular Press' titles carry Wisconsin imprint and number-line conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Ray and Pat Browne (pioneers of academic popular-culture studies) at Bowling Green State University in 1967 to publish the Journal of Popular Culture; the press began issuing books in 1969.", "The list was transferred to the University of Wisconsin Press around 2002-2003 (after Pat Browne's 2002 retirement); post-transfer titles are Wisconsin imprints.", "A foundational publisher for the field of popular-culture studies, with many single-printing scholarly titles." ], "era": "1967-c.2002 (independent)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/boyds-mills-and-kane", "name": "Boyds Mills & Kane", "slug": "boyds-mills-and-kane", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Boyds Mills Press (now Astra Young Readers)", "Calkins Creek (American history)", "Wordsong (poetry)", "Kane Press", "Kane Miller (world picture books)", "Hippo Park", "mineditionUS" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, frequently accompanied by 'First edition [year]' wording; the lowest digit indicates the printing", "Kane Miller world-picture-book co-editions often state 'First American edition' and may show the foreign original-edition date alongside it" ], "notablePoints": [ "Boyds Mills Press began in 1990 as the trade imprint of Highlights for Children; in 2019 Highlights sold the book program to Kane Press (owned by Beijing's Thinkingdom), forming Boyds Mills & Kane", "In September 2021 the children's program was reorganized under the Astra Books for Young Readers division of Astra Publishing House; the former Boyds Mills Press trade imprint specifically was renamed Astra Young Readers (not the company as a whole)", "Calkins Creek publishes American history; Wordsong is the only US children's poetry imprint; Kane Miller specializes in importing and co-editing world picture books", "Reliable modern number-line convention" ], "era": "1990-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bradbury-evans", "name": "Bradbury & Evans", "slug": "bradbury-evans", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Bradbury & Evans", "Bradbury, Agnew & Co. (from 1865)", "Punch (proprietors)" ], "idMethods": [ "Originally printers who became publishers: 19th-century firsts carry no edition statement — use title-page date, absence of any later-printing notice, and correct imprint.", "For Dickens novels issued in monthly parts, the true 'first' is the original part-issue (paper wrappers, with the correct inserted advertisements/'Dickens advertiser' and plates in the right states) — the bound first edition is a separate, later object.", "When collecting parts, completeness of all wrappers, slips, and advertisements and correct plate states are the points that determine value; collate against Hatton & Cleaver for Dickens parts.", "After 1865 the imprint becomes Bradbury, Agnew & Co. — imprint style helps date the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publisher/printer of Dickens from 1844 (Dombey and Son, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Little Dorrit) and proprietor of Punch and the Daily News.", "Part-issue collecting (the famous monthly wrappers) is a specialist area with elaborate, plate-state-dependent points — a wrong rule here is costly.", "Became Bradbury, Agnew & Co. in 1865; continued as printers of Punch into the 20th century.", "Because the firm was primarily printers, many imprints read as joint publisher/printer lines." ], "era": "1830s–20th c. (Dickens publishing 1844–1858)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bradt-guides", "name": "Bradt Travel Guides (Bradt Guides)", "slug": "bradt-guides", "region": "United Kingdom (Chalfont St Peter / Bath)", "imprints": [ "Bradt Travel Guides", "Bradt 'Backpacking and Trekking' titles", "Bradt Wildlife / Slow Travel guides" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by edition number plus copyright-page printing detail; a first printing shows the edition's debut year and no later reprint years.", "1974-1980s: founded by Hilary Bradt (with George Bradt); the origin title 'Backpacking Along Ancient Ways in Peru and Bolivia' (1974) was written while travelling in Peru and issued without a spine, more pamphlet than book. Earliest small-run printings are identified by crude production, a single debut year, and the 'Bradt Enterprises' / 'Bradt Publications' imprint.", "1990s-2000s: 'Bradt Publications' then 'Bradt Travel Guides Ltd'; standard copyright page with an edition number ('2nd edition' etc.) and number line, with the first printing the earliest listed.", "2010s-present: Bradt Guides (Bath); conventional edition and number-line identification." ], "notablePoints": [ "Hilary Bradt's 1974 Peru/Bolivia backpacking guide is the foundational first and is regarded as the first guide to the Inca Trail; Bradt specializes in offbeat and 'first guidebook to' countries (e.g. early Madagascar, Eritrea).", "Imprint evolution (Bradt Enterprises -> Bradt Publications -> Bradt Travel Guides Ltd) brackets the era.", "Collected by edition number; pioneer titles to obscure destinations are the prizes.", "Standard number-line conventions from the 1990s onward." ], "era": "1974-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/brentanos-publishing", "name": "Brentano's (publishing division)", "slug": "brentanos-publishing", "region": "New York, USA (also London/Paris bookstores)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1928: no marking on first editions; subsequent/later printings were noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "1928 onward: began stating 'First printed 19—' (the words 'First printed' followed by the year) on the copyright page of first editions, continuing to note subsequent printings." ], "notablePoints": [ "Long-running bookselling firm (founded 1853 by August Brentano) whose publishing division was active mainly in the 1900s–1933.", "Published George Bernard Shaw's authorized American editions and Gertrude Stein's 'The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas' (1933).", "The publishing arm failed during the Depression (1933); the bookstores continued separately.", "The 1928 shift to 'First printed 19—' is a clean identification boundary." ], "era": "1853–1933 (publishing division; bookstores longer)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/brick-books", "name": "Brick Books", "slug": "brick-books", "region": "Canada (London, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Brick Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Poetry-only small press: first printings show the publication-year copyright with no later-printing statement; many modern titles state 'first edition' and may carry a number line.", "Small runs mean most titles are single printings, so absence of reprint notes plus the original copyright year is the working rule.", "Award-shortlisted poetry titles can reprint; verify the printing statement or number line for prize-winner firsts." ], "notablePoints": [ "Canada's oldest poetry-only press, founded 1975 in London, Ontario by poets Don McKay and Stan Dragland; it grew out of the magazine 'Brick / A Journal of Reviews.'", "Name disambiguation: the literary magazine 'Brick' (now Toronto-based, associated with the Michael Ondaatje circle) is a SEPARATE entity from Brick Books the poetry publisher; do not conflate.", "Multiple Governor General's Award winners and Griffin Poetry Prize nominees (with wins); prize-winner firsts are the most desirable points." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bridget-williams-books", "name": "Bridget Williams Books", "slug": "bridget-williams-books", "region": "New Zealand (Wellington)", "imprints": [ "Bridget Williams Books", "BWB", "BWB Texts (short-book series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1990-present: Independent Wellington publisher founded in 1990 by Bridget Williams, who bought the New Zealand list she had developed as managing director of Allen & Unwin NZ when its parent was sold. First editions are identified by a 'First published 19xx/20xx by Bridget Williams Books' statement on the copyright/imprint page; reprints add 'Reprinted' lines, so a first printing carries no reprint history below the 'First published' line.", "From 1995 to 1998 some titles appeared under a joint imprint with Auckland University Press before the house returned to fully independent status; check the imprint line for this period. From 2013, BWB Texts (a series of short books, issued first as e-books then as paperbacks) each constitute a single first printing unless a reprint line is added — identify by the series and the 'First published' year. Where a number line appears on trade titles, the lowest number indicates the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Leading New Zealand publisher of history, politics and Treaty of Waitangi / Maori scholarship, with strengths in women's history (authors include Anne Salmond and Judith Binney).", "The BWB Texts series (from 2013) is a distinctive short-book line, launched first as e-books.", "Founder Bridget Williams co-founded Port Nicholson Press (1981) and was managing director of Allen & Unwin NZ before establishing this eponymous house in 1990." ], "era": "1990-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bull-thistle-press", "name": "Bull Thistle Press", "slug": "bull-thistle-press", "region": "Vermont, USA (letterpress poetry)", "imprints": [ "Bull Thistle Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 20th c.: small hand-letterpress poetry chapbooks and broadsides. Identification = a COLOPHON limitation statement giving a small numbered edition; the first is the stated edition with no later-printing notice. There is no number line.", "Signed and numbered limited copies are noted on a colophon where issued; broadsides are identified by the stated limitation and any signature.", "Single-edition fine-press production, so a copy matching the colophon's stated limitation and the physical collation is the first; reprints are rare to nonexistent.", "Identify by the imprint name on the colophon and, where possible, by the printer's or associated poet's bibliography." ], "notablePoints": [ "A Vermont long-tail letterpress poetry imprint, lightly documented; its publications are held in the Small Press Collection at the University at Buffalo Poetry Collection.", "Follows conventional small hand-press practice: numbered runs, wrappers or broadsides, and colophon-stated limitations.", "Identification relies on collation and the colophon rather than any printing line." ], "era": "late 20th c. (c.1980s-2000s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/burning-deck-press", "name": "Burning Deck Press", "slug": "burning-deck-press", "region": "USA (Providence, Rhode Island)", "imprints": [ "Série d'Ecriture (translation series)", "Dichten= (German translation series)", "Lost Roads Publishers (associated)" ], "idMethods": [ "Letterpress craft house: identification is colophon-driven. A rear colophon typically states the edition size and distinguishes signed/numbered copies from the trade run; number lines are not the relevant signal for the early titles.", "Many titles were printed in a single small edition with no reprint statement; the colophon's stated edition size, combined with the absence of any later-printing notice, identifies the issue.", "Signed/numbered limitation copies are a distinct state from the unsigned trade copies of the same edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1961 by Keith and Rosmarie Waldrop while graduate students; the press closed in 2017 after roughly 247 publications. Central to experimental American poetry and to French and German poetry in translation.", "All Burning Deck titles were hand-set and printed on the Waldrops' own letterpress until 1985, after which the press moved to offset. The early letterpress titles are the most collected and are identified by their colophons rather than number lines.", "Série d'Ecriture and Dichten= are translation sub-series; the series leaf dates the title.", "Lost Roads Publishers (associated with C.D. Wright and Forrest Gander) is a distinct press, not a Burning Deck imprint proper." ], "era": "1961–2017" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ct-publishing", "name": "C&T Publishing", "slug": "ct-publishing", "region": "Lafayette / Concord, California, USA", "imprints": [ "C&T Publishing", "Stash Books", "FunStitch Studio", "Kansas City Star Quilts (acquired)" ], "idMethods": [ "1983-present (independent, founded by Carolie & Tom Hensley): Quilting, sewing and fiber-craft specialist. First printing is identified by a descending number line, commonly '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', with the lowest digit present giving the printing. C&T also frequently prints a 'Printed in [year]' and a 'First Printing' or edition statement on the copyright page. Spiral-bound and lay-flat formats are common but do not affect first-state identification.", "2010-present: Added Stash Books (modern sewing, launched 2010) and FunStitch Studio (children's craft) sub-imprints, and acquired the Kansas City Star Quilts list in 2015 (with its My Stars and Star Stitch imprints). The number-line convention is unchanged; revised editions carry an explicit 'Second Edition' or similar statement and a new number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1983 by Carolie and Tom Hensley (the 'C' and 'T'), owners of The Cotton Patch quilt shop in Lafayette, CA; their first book was An Amish Adventure. Sons Todd and Tony Hensley bought the company in 1990; it remains independent.", "Launched Stash Books (2010) and FunStitch Studio sub-imprints, and acquired Kansas City Star Quilts (2015).", "Pattern and technique books often include tip-in or pull-out pattern sheets — confirm the pattern sheets are present for a complete first state.", "Explicit printing and edition statements make first printings relatively easy to confirm." ], "era": "1983-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cv-mosby", "name": "C. V. Mosby Company", "slug": "cv-mosby", "region": "United States (St. Louis, MO)", "imprints": [ "C. V. Mosby", "Mosby", "Mosby-Year Book", "Mosby Elsevier", "Times Mirror / Mosby (parent era)", "Elsevier (current)" ], "idMethods": [ "1906-c.1950: Incorporated 1906 by Charles Vernon Mosby in St. Louis as a medical, dental, nursing, allied-health and veterinary publisher. Texts are identified by the numbered EDITION on the title page and spine. The first printing of an edition is indicated by the absence of a later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page.", "c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; later impressions appear as dated reprint lines. First printing = the edition's original dated line with no later 'Reprinted' lines.", "1989 (Mosby-Year Book): Times Mirror merged C. V. Mosby with Year Book Medical Publishers (and Wolfe Publishing and PSG Publishing) to form the 'Mosby-Year Book' imprint; copyright pages from this period reflect that name. A number line becomes increasingly common (lowest digit = printing).", "c.1990-present (Mosby/Elsevier): Number line on the copyright page, lowest digit = printing, under Elsevier house style; the EDITION number remains the primary identification and value unit for continuously revised clinical and nursing references.", "Ownership: independent, acquired by Times Mirror in 1967, then Harcourt General in 1998, then Reed Elsevier in 2001; now an Elsevier imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Leading nursing and allied-health publisher (e.g., 'Mosby's' nursing references and 'Mosby's Medical Dictionary') collected and used by edition.", "The 'Mosby-Year Book' imprint dates specifically from the 1989 Times Mirror merger with Year Book Medical Publishers.", "Now Mosby/Elsevier; modern titles carry Elsevier coded printing lines." ], "era": "1906-present (imprint continues under Elsevier)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cambridge-up", "name": "Cambridge University Press", "slug": "cambridge-up", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Edition statement on title/copyright page", "Number line (modern era)", "Absence of later-printing notice (older titles)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Academic-press conventions; printing distinctions matter less to scholarly buyers than to literary collectors." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/candlewick-press", "name": "Candlewick Press", "slug": "candlewick-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Walker Books (UK sister company)", "Templar Books", "Nosy Crow (distributed)", "Big Picture Press", "Candlewick Studio", "MIT Kids Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Full descending number line on copyright page; first printing ends in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) — the number-line position of '1' is the authoritative first-printing signal", "Often states 'First edition' or 'First U.S. edition' on the copyright page (Candlewick is the US arm of UK Walker Books, so many titles are 'First U.S. edition' of a prior UK Walker printing)", "Library binding / reinforced trade editions exist; check copyright page number line not binding" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1992 (Somerville, MA) as the US arm of Walker Books UK; employee/independent-owned", "Major titles: Guess How Much I Love You, the Mega/Maisy line, Kate DiCamillo (Because of Winn-Dixie, Tale of Despereaux — Newbery), Judy Moody, M.T. Anderson", "A US 'First U.S. edition' is NOT the true world first if a Walker Books UK edition preceded it — distinguish first-printing-of-this-edition from first-in-the-world" ], "era": "1992–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/canongate-books", "name": "Canongate Books", "slug": "canongate-books", "region": "Scotland (Edinburgh)", "imprints": [ "Canongate", "Canongate Classics", "Payback Press", "Rebel Inc.", "Pocket Canons", "Black Thorn (crime, launched 2019)", "Severn House (separate company acquired by Canongate in 2017)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern trade titles (1990s onward) carry a British-style number line on the copyright page; a first printing has the digit 1 present, e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'.", "Copyright page also states 'First published in [year] by Canongate Books Ltd' (Edinburgh address); a first state has no later-impression notice and a number line that still includes the 1.", "For high-spot modern firsts such as Yann Martel's 'Life of Pi', confirm both the 1 in the number line and the 'First published in Great Britain by Canongate' statement, and beware book-club and export states.", "Early Canongate (1970s-80s) titles predate consistent number lines; rely on the stated 'First published' year and the absence of any reprint notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1973 by Stephanie and Angus Wolfe Murray; near-collapse and a 1994 management buyout led by Jamie Byng revitalised it.", "'Life of Pi' (Canongate) is the famous Canongate modern first and won the 2002 Booker Prize; dealers most commonly catalogue the UK Canongate first as 2002, though the date is easily confused with the 2001 Knopf Canada original edition, so verify the copyright-page statement rather than assuming a year.", "Pocket Canons (1998, Bible books with new introductions), Payback Press (1995), and Rebel Inc. (1996) are collectible 1990s imprints.", "Production and number-line consistency differ between the pre-1994 Wolfe Murray era and the post-Byng era, so identify the era before relying on a number line." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/carnegie-mellon-university-press", "name": "Carnegie Mellon University Press", "slug": "carnegie-mellon-university-press", "region": "USA (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)", "imprints": [ "Carnegie Mellon Poetry Series", "Carnegie Mellon Classic Contemporary Series" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "Series designation ('Carnegie Mellon Poetry Series') appears on the title or copyright leaf; firsts may also state 'First edition' with a year.", "Classic Contemporary Series titles are REISSUES of previously published collections — the CMU printing is not the world first edition; verify the original publisher and date before treating a CMU copy as a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "University-press poetry program established in 1972 (initially as Three Rivers Press; founder and director Gerald Costanzo). The Classic Contemporary Series specifically brings out-of-print collections back into print, a common 'false first' trap.", "For a true first edition of a Classic Contemporary title, confirm the original publisher; the CMU reissue carries reprint or first-CMU-printing language rather than world-first priority." ], "era": "1972–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cassell", "name": "Cassell & Co.", "slug": "cassell", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Cassell", "Cassell Military", "Ward Lock (sibling)", "Weidenfeld & Nicolson (later corporate group, Orion)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-early-1920s: year printed on the TITLE PAGE of the first edition with the copyright page left blank; later printings carry a later copyright-page date or reprint note", "Early 1920s onward: \"First published [Year]\" or \"First published in Great Britain [Year]\" stated on the copyright page of firsts; subsequent printings noted", "First printing = era-appropriate (title-page date pre-1920s / copyright statement after) with no reprint notation", "Modern Cassell uses number lines" ], "notablePoints": [ "Published Winston Churchill ('The Second World War', 'A History of the English-Speaking Peoples'), H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson ('Treasure Island' in book form, 1883)", "The pre-1920s blank-copyright-page / title-page-date practice mirrors early Heinemann and is a common confusion", "Now part of the Orion/Hachette group" ], "era": "1848-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/catapult", "name": "Catapult", "slug": "catapult", "region": "New York, NY (US)", "imprints": [ "Counterpoint (sibling)", "Soft Skull Press (sibling)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings state 'First Edition' (or 'First hardcover edition') on the copyright page.", "A descending number line ending in 1 accompanies it; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Reprints update the line and typically drop the 'First Edition' statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2015; Catapult, Counterpoint, and Soft Skull operated together as a single house and have been distributed by Penguin Random House since 2021 (Counterpoint had merged into Catapult in 2016).", "The trade book program (as distinct from the Catapult online magazine and classes) carries the standard 'First Edition' plus number-line convention.", "Modern, standard convention — reliable but confirm per title for a brand-new house." ], "era": "2015–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/celadon-books", "name": "Celadon Books", "slug": "celadon-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Celadon" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing shows a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the number line is the reliable tell" ], "notablePoints": [ "Standalone literary and commercial imprint, a Macmillan division launched in 2017", "Published the US first edition of Delia Owens's Where the Crawdads Sing (2018); first printings show a full number line to 1 (later Reese's Book Club paperbacks were issued separately and are not the Celadon first)" ], "era": "2017-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/celestial-arts", "name": "Celestial Arts", "slug": "celestial-arts", "region": "San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA (later a Berkeley-based Ten Speed Press imprint)", "imprints": [ "Celestial Arts" ], "idMethods": [ "1969-1983 (independent, founded by Hal Kramer in the San Francisco Bay Area): began with rock posters and broadsides, then new-age, health, cookery, and self-help how-to. First printings: earliest copyright year; number lines are variable and often absent in the 1970s and early 1980s, so identify by the absence of any later-printing notation together with the stated cover price.", "1983-c.2011 (Ten Speed Press imprint, Berkeley CA): Ten Speed Press acquired Celestial Arts in 1983 and ran it as a subsidiary imprint. From that point Celestial Arts follows Ten Speed's number-line convention ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing), and after Random House/Crown acquired Ten Speed in 2009, the Penguin Random House/Crown conventions. Vegetarian and whole-foods cookery is a core line. The imprint wound down around 2011." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1969 by Hal Kramer in the San Francisco Bay Area; began with rock posters and broadsides, then moved into health, cookery (notably vegetarian/whole-foods), and new-age titles.", "Acquired by Ten Speed Press in 1983 and run as a subsidiary imprint, not around 2000.", "Followed Ten Speed into Random House/Crown when Ten Speed was acquired in 2009; the imprint ceased issuing new titles around 2011.", "The Ten Speed number-line tell applies from 1983 onward; earlier independent titles need earliest-copyright and cover-price verification." ], "era": "1969-c.2011" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cemetery-dance", "name": "Cemetery Dance Publications", "slug": "cemetery-dance", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Cemetery Dance", "CD Publications", "Graveyard Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "Limited states identified by a signature/limitation sheet near the front, e.g. 'This is one of 1000 signed Limited copies'", "Traycased LETTERED editions run either 26 (A–Z) or 52 (AA–ZZ) signed copies; there are NO second printings of lettered editions", "Numbered signed editions state the run on the limitation sheet; trade hardcovers follow standard number-line-with-1 / no-later-printing practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1988 by Richard Chizmar; the leading modern horror specialty press (Stephen King, Bentley Little, Bradbury)", "Tiered releases (Trade / Signed Numbered Limited / Signed Lettered Traycased) — identify state by the limitation sheet, not just the copyright page", "Frequent very long lead times mean some announced limiteds differ from delivered states; verify the actual limitation leaf" ], "era": "1988–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cengage-learning", "name": "Cengage Learning (reference/technical, incl. Course Technology)", "slug": "cengage-learning", "region": "United States (Boston / Stamford, CT)", "imprints": [ "Cengage", "Course Technology", "Gale (reference; see separate entry)", "Delmar (technical/trade)", "South-Western", "Wadsworth", "Thomson Learning (former name)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-2007 (as Thomson Learning): Technical and reference titles are identified by edition statement plus copyright year; a number line, where present, indicates the printing (lowest surviving digit = printing).", "2007-present (Cengage): The number line is standard on the copyright page (lowest surviving digit = printing). For continuously revised technical and reference texts the EDITION number is the identification unit. Course Technology (computing/certification) and Delmar (trades) follow this convention.", "The Gale reference imprint under Cengage is identified by edition, volume, and year — see the separate Gale entry." ], "notablePoints": [ "Formed when a private-equity consortium bought Thomson Learning's education assets and renamed it Cengage Learning in July 2007; it houses the Gale reference line.", "Technical, certification, and trades focus — currency of edition is the practical value driver, not first-printing points.", "The number line is the printing tell; the edition number is the identification unit." ], "era": "2007-present (lineage to Thomson Learning)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/center-for-western-studies", "name": "Center for Western Studies (Augustana University)", "slug": "center-for-western-studies", "region": "Sioux Falls, South Dakota", "imprints": [ "CWS Press", "The Center for Western Studies" ], "idMethods": [ "1978–c.2000: Small academic/regional press; first printings generally carry no 'first edition' statement. Later printings are noted when they occur (uncommon given small runs). A first printing shows a single copyright date matching the title page with no later-printing line; a Library of Congress CIP block is present on most titles.", "c.2000–present: A number line appears on many titles on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. CIP/ISBN block standard. Where no number line is present, treat a single un-annotated copyright date as the first printing.", "Limited/signed states and conference-proceedings volumes (the Dakota Conference series) exist — check for limitation or series statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1964 by Herbert Krause; formally established by Augustana's board in 1970; publishing books on South Dakota and the Northern Plains since the late 1970s (more than 75 titles).", "Affiliated with Augustana University (formerly Augustana College), Sioux Falls; it is both an archive/repository and a publisher, and is the only continuously operating academic press in South Dakota.", "Small print runs mean most titles never reach a second printing, so the absence of later-printing notation is a reliable first-printing indicator.", "Publishes the Dakota Conference proceedings and Northern Plains regional history and Native American studies." ], "era": "1978–present (Center founded 1964)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/centipede-press", "name": "Centipede Press", "slug": "centipede-press", "region": "USA (Lakewood, Colorado)", "imprints": [ "Millipede Press (trade-paperback sister imprint)", "Cocytus Press (early imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Ultra-limited fine press: a printed limitation page (often at the rear) states a small numbered run, with the copy number and signatures identifying the issue; runs are usually in the low hundreds", "States are distinguished by binding and enclosure — cloth-bound copies in a slipcase are numbered in Arabic numerals, while full-leather deluxe copies in a traycase are designated with Roman numerals or letters and carry additional signed material", "Most titles appear in a single deluxe edition, so the presence of the limitation leaf and completeness of signed plates and enclosure are the identifiers; note that limitation pages occasionally contain errors" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2001 by Jerad Walters; renowned for oversized, heavily illustrated fine-press horror and weird/SF books (Masters of the Weird Tale series, Thomas Ligotti) and winner of the HWA Specialty Press Award in 2013", "Print runs are tiny and most titles exist in a single state, so the first is effectively the only edition; completeness (slipcase or traycase, signed plates) and condition drive collectibility", "Millipede Press was the press's trade-paperback arm rather than an old name that was simply rebranded; Cocytus Press was another early imprint" ], "era": "2001–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chapman-hall", "name": "Chapman & Hall", "slug": "chapman-hall", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Chapman & Hall", "Chapman and Hall, Limited (from 1880)" ], "idMethods": [ "No edition statement on early firsts: identify by title-page date, absence of later-printing wording, and (for serialized novels) by the original part-issue versus the bound volume.", "For Dickens part-issues (Pickwick, Nicholas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewit, Our Mutual Friend, Edwin Drood), correct plates/etchings, advertisement slips, and wrapper states are the diagnostic points; Pickwick is the classic plate-state minefield (Buss versus Phiz plates, etc.).", "Bound first editions: complete plates in correct states, half-titles, and original cloth; collate against Eckel and Hatton & Cleaver for Dickens.", "'Chapman and Hall, Limited' imprint (after incorporation in 1880) dates a printing to 1880 or later." ], "notablePoints": [ "Dickens's principal early publisher (Pickwick Papers 1836–37 onward) and publisher of Carlyle, Trollope (later), Thackeray, and Meredith (who was a reader for the firm).", "Pickwick Papers in parts is among the most point-laden books in English collecting (plate states, text points, address slips).", "Incorporated as a limited company in 1880 (the year Edward Chapman retired); imprint style is a reliable dating aid.", "Both Chapman & Hall and Bradbury & Evans published Dickens at different periods — which firm's imprint appears helps place the title." ], "era": "1830–1930 (Dickens era 1836–1870)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/scribners-vintage", "name": "Charles Scribner's Sons", "slug": "scribners-vintage", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Scribner", "Scribner Library", "Scribner Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1930: Scribner seal/device plus month-and-year of publication on copyright page; first printings either carry matching dates on title page and copyright page or show no later printings noted.", "The famous capital 'A' on the copyright page denotes a first printing. Introduced late 1929 and used 1930-1973.", "Classic form 'A-3.64[H]': A = printing (A=1st, B=2nd...), 3.64 = March 1964 date, [H]=hardcover / [P]=paperback. Presence of leading 'A' = true first.", "Later printings drop the 'A' or advance it to B, C, etc.", "After 1973 the letter code was abandoned in favor of a descending number line ending in 1." ], "notablePoints": [ "The single 'A' is the single most reliable Scribner point for 1930-1973 and is widely faked/misread — verify it is a standalone 'A' tied to the date code, not a random letter.", "Hemingway's 'The Old Man and the Sea' (1952): first issue has the 'A' on the copyright page plus the Scribner seal; absence of the 'A' = later printing.", "Some pre-1930 firsts have no statement at all — rely on matching title/copyright dates and absence of any 'reprinted' notice.", "Distinct from the modern Scribner imprint (now part of Simon & Schuster) which uses a Random-House-style number line." ], "era": "1846-1978 (vintage convention 1930-1973)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/scribners", "name": "Charles Scribner's Sons", "slug": "scribners", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "The Scribner “A” on the copyright page (c.1930–1973)", "Number line (1974–present)", "Scribner seal / device" ], "notablePoints": [ "A BOMC edition of The Old Man and the Sea was distributed at the same time — distinguish it by the absence of the Scribner seal and the presence of a rear-board blind stamp." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/charlesbridge-publishing", "name": "Charlesbridge Publishing", "slug": "charlesbridge-publishing", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Charlesbridge", "Charlesbridge Teen (YA, launched 2016)", "Imagine (adult trade/nonfiction)", "Charlesbridge Moves (middle-grade, from 2024)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing", "Many titles also state 'First edition [year]'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Watertown, Massachusetts independent founded in 1989; known for STEM-rich nonfiction picture books", "Charlesbridge Teen launched in 2016; Imagine (acquired 2010) is the adult trade/nonfiction imprint; Charlesbridge Moves, built from the acquired Move Books and led by Eileen Robinson, debuted titles in 2024 as a high-interest middle-grade line that blends prose with graphic-novel inserts rather than a pure graphic-novel imprint", "Reliable modern number-line convention; little legacy ambiguity given the 1989 founding" ], "era": "1989-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chatto-and-windus", "name": "Chatto & Windus", "slug": "chatto-and-windus", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "The Hogarth Press (acquired/merged)", "Chatto & Windus", "Vintage (later sibling under Random House)" ], "idMethods": [ "No first-edition statement is the norm. Per the authoritative QBbooks/Bookman's and ILAB publisher guides: 'In general, no statement on first editions, although sometimes states \"Published by Chatto & Windus\" (without a date); subsequent printings noted.' Identify a first printing by the ABSENCE of any later-printing/reprint statement, not by any positive device.", "The sometimes-present statement is 'Published by Chatto & Windus' WITHOUT a date, plus the printer's imprint (often R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh, in the early-mid 20th c.). Treat the claimed 'First published in Great Britain [Year]' formula as a general modern-British convention, not a verified Chatto-specific point.", "Chatto may have added a descending number line in the early 1990s; under Random House (purchased 1987) / Vintage (Penguin Random House), a number line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.", "First printing = no later-printing statement present (the key test for this publisher), corroborated where applicable by a number line ending in 1 on post-1990 titles." ], "notablePoints": [ "CORRECTION: The 'encircled-R on first editions, removed on reprints' device is NOT a Chatto & Windus practice. It is the documented convention of RINEHART & CO. (an American publisher), per the ILAB and QBbooks publisher guides. Attributing it to Chatto & Windus is a fabrication; do not use it as a Chatto identification point.", "Published Aldous Huxley ('Brave New World', Chatto & Windus, 1932 — verified), Iris Murdoch (her UK publisher; e.g. 'An Unofficial Rose', 1962), Wilfred Owen ('Poems', Chatto & Windus, 1920), and Richard Hughes.", "In 1946 Chatto & Windus took over the running of the Hogarth Press (founded 1917 by Leonard and Virginia Woolf) — a takeover, not a merger of equals; some titles carry the Hogarth imprint.", "Ownership: purchased by Random House in 1987; as of recent years an imprint of Vintage Publishing UK under Penguin Random House." ], "era": "1855-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cheloniidae-press", "name": "Cheloniidae Press", "slug": "cheloniidae-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Alan James Robinson (founder/artist)" ], "idMethods": [ "Small letterpress limited editions with hand-numbered, often-signed colophons; original Robinson wood engravings/etchings (natural-history/animal subjects — the press name is the sea-turtle family)", "Deluxe states typically add an extra suite of signed prints and a special binding, stated in the colophon at a lower number range", "Signed by Alan James Robinson and collaborating writers; no number line — colophon is definitive" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded c.1979 by Alan James Robinson (Easthampton, MA); known for finely illustrated natural-history and literary titles (e.g., works on Poe's 'The Raven', Aesop, bestiaries)", "Wood-engraved animal imagery is the house hallmark", "Very limited output; deluxe vs. standard distinction is the main state question", "Often confused only with other Pioneer Valley (MA) presses (Gehenna, Pennyroyal) due to shared engraving milieu" ], "era": "c.1979–1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chilton-book-company", "name": "Chilton Book Company", "slug": "chilton-book-company", "region": "Philadelphia / Radnor, Pennsylvania, USA", "imprints": [ "Chilton (trade)", "Chilton Books", "Chilton's (automotive manuals)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1958-c.1970: trade first printings generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement; a stated later printing rules out a first.", "c.1970s onward: a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing.", "Automotive and technical manuals: numbered by EDITION/YEAR of coverage, not by a printing line — do not apply trade first-printing logic to the repair-manual series." ], "notablePoints": [ "Best known for Chilton automotive repair manuals; the trade division (Chilton Books) published Frank Herbert's 'Dune' first edition (1965), the marquee Chilton collectible.", "True 'Dune' first: Chilton Books, 1965, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page, 1965 as the only date, and NO number line; book-club and later printings printed from the same plates are commonly confused with it.", "Trade publishing later wound down while the manuals line continued under subsequent owners (Haynes/Cengage)." ], "era": "c.1958-c.1990 (trade)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chin-music-press", "name": "Chin Music Press", "slug": "chin-music-press", "region": "Seattle, Washington (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "Chin Music Press" ], "idMethods": [ "2002-present: Independent literary press (Seattle, Pike Place Market) known for design-driven, finely produced books. First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit indicates the printing) and often an explicit 'First edition, YEAR' statement. Because the press emphasizes physical bookmaking (special bindings, slipcases), verify the binding and production details against the format described for the stated first edition.", "Era tell: founders Bruce Rutledge and Yuko Enomoto established the press in 2002 while living in Tokyo, so early titles focus on contemporary Japan; the Pike Place Market storefront opened in 2014, which helps date later imprint states." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2002 by Bruce Rutledge and Yuko Enomoto while based in Tokyo; later relocated to Seattle, with a Pike Place Market store opening in 2014.", "Began with books on contemporary Japan and expanded to other subjects; the name plays on a Mark Twain phrase and a baseball term.", "Design-forward production (special bindings and slipcases) means production format is itself a first-edition point to verify.", "Acts as a small Pacific Northwest literary publisher and has worked with designers drawing on Japanese book aesthetics." ], "era": "2002-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chizine-publications", "name": "ChiZine Publications (CZP)", "slug": "chizine-publications", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "ChiTeen (YA)", "ChiGraphic" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade first printings state 'First edition' on the copyright page, typically with a number line where the lowest digit present marks the printing; CZP is a trade house, so the number-line / stated-edition method is the primary tell.", "Imprint branding on the title page (ChiTeen for YA, ChiGraphic for comics/graphic work) identifies the line; otherwise the parent CZP copyright-page conventions apply." ], "notablePoints": [ "Originated 1997 as the webzine 'Chiaroscuro' / ChiZine.com (Brett Savory, joined 1999 by Sandra Kasturi); the book-publishing line dates from 2008.", "The press effectively collapsed following the November 2019 controversy over nonpayment and workplace conduct; few if any new printings followed, so the original CZP printing is generally the first and only state.", "A trade publisher rather than a limited-edition house — expect stated-edition/number-line identification, not hand-numbered limitations." ], "era": "2008–c.2019" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chronicle-books", "name": "Chronicle Books", "slug": "chronicle-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Chronicle Books", "Chronicle Prism", "Chronicle Chroma", "Princeton Architectural Press (owned)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on copyright page; first printing shows the complete descending line ending in 1", "Stated 'First Edition' / 'First published in [year]' appears on many titles, but high-design gift/illustrated titles often rely on the number line alone", "San Francisco publisher founded 1967; design-forward illustrated nonfiction, gift, and cookbooks — conventional modern identification", "Reprint/printing notes sometimes include manufacturing country and date but those are not edition points" ], "notablePoints": [ "Gift and stationery-adjacent titles are reprinted heavily; the number line is the most reliable printing indicator since stated-firsts are inconsistent across the catalog", "Owns Princeton Architectural Press (which carries its own imprint name on the title page but uses the same number-line convention)", "No proprietary house key" ], "era": "1967–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/chronicle-levine-querido", "name": "Chronicle Books (children's) / Levine Querido", "slug": "chronicle-levine-querido", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Chronicle Kids", "Levine Querido (distributed by Chronicle)", "Handprint Books (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Chronicle: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; frequently states 'First edition' and the year", "Levine Querido (founded 2019 by Arthur A. Levine): number line to 1; states 'First edition' — a distinct company from the former Arthur A. Levine Books at Scholastic", "First printing requires number line reaching 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Chronicle is a design-forward independent (San Francisco) with heavily collected picture books and novelty formats", "IMPORTANT distinction: 'Arthur A. Levine Books' at Scholastic (1996–2019, Harry Potter US) vs 'Levine Querido' (2019–, independent, Chronicle-distributed) are different entities — do not conflate when attributing firsts", "Levine Querido has rapidly accrued Newbery/Printz honors (e.g. Pura Belpré, Printz)" ], "era": "1967–present (Chronicle); Levine Querido 2019–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cinco-puntos-press", "name": "Cinco Puntos Press", "slug": "cinco-puntos-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Stated “First Edition” (primary method)", "Number line when present", "ISBN prefix", "Distinguish from post-2021 Lee & Low reprints" ], "notablePoints": [ "Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Joe Hayes, Luis Alberto Urrea, and Dagoberto Gilb are flagship Cinco Puntos authors. Watch for Lee & Low reprints sold as firsts." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/citadel-press", "name": "Citadel Press", "slug": "citadel-press", "region": "New York / Secaucus, New Jersey, USA", "imprints": [ "Citadel Press", "The Citadel Press", "Lyle Stuart, Inc. (parent, from c.1970)", "Citadel (under Carol Publishing, then Kensington)" ], "idMethods": [ "Earlier independent era (c.1942-c.1960): a first printing is indicated by a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page or by the absence of any later-printing statement; a stated later printing rules out a first.", "Under Lyle Stuart (c.1970-1989): firsts are commonly identified by the absence of a later-printing notice, and some titles add a number line, in which case the lowest digit (1) present indicates a first printing.", "Under Carol Publishing (1989-2000) and Kensington (2000 onward): standard number-line conventions apply, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1942 as an independent New York house; known for film books (the 'Films of...' series), reference, and popular non-fiction.", "Became associated with Lyle Stuart, Inc., with Lyle Stuart serving as president from 1970 to 1989; the imprint then passed to Carol Publishing (Steven Schragis), with the sale of Lyle Stuart, Inc. and its imprints effective January 1989.", "After Carol Publishing's bankruptcy, Citadel Press was acquired by Kensington Publishing in 2000, which still runs it as a non-fiction imprint. Because the imprint persisted through several owners, the parent name on the copyright page (Lyle Stuart vs. Carol vs. Kensington) helps fix the era." ], "era": "1942-present (independent and Lyle Stuart era to 1989)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/city-lights-books", "name": "City Lights Books / City Lights Publishers", "slug": "city-lights-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Pocket Poets Series", "City Lights Spotlight (poetry)", "Open Media", "City Lights/Grey Fox", "Sister Spit" ], "idMethods": [ "Early titles: a first has no additional printings listed on the copyright page (no number line in the early Beat era).", "Later titles: copyright page either states 'First Edition' or simply shows no later-printing notice; modern titles add a descending number line (1 present = first).", "Pocket Poets cover-state points: Nos. 1–6 have the pasted-on wraparound printed paper label tipped to the wrapper; from No. 7 a printed cover simulating that label design was used; from No. 21 (1967) illustrated covers begin — wrong cover state flags a later printing/issue.", "Original price on the rear wrapper is a state point on early issues (e.g., Howl, Pocket Poets No. 4, priced 75¢ at upper-left of rear panel on the first printing).", "Pocket Poets series number (printed on the cover) fixes the title's place in the series." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1953 (bookstore) by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin; publishing arm launched 1955 with the Pocket Poets Series.", "Ginsberg's HOWL AND OTHER POEMS (Pocket Poets No. 4, 1956) is the landmark point-of-issue title: the genuine first printing was printed by Villiers in England, 1,000 copies; later printings are common — distinguish by printer statement, price, and absence of later-printing notice.", "Pictures of the Gone World (Pocket Poets No. 1, 1955, 500 copies) is the scarce series debut.", "Saddle-stapled printed wrappers are normal for the series; condition of the tipped-on label matters on Nos. 1–6." ], "era": "1955–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/clarke-irwin", "name": "Clarke, Irwin & Company", "slug": "clarke-irwin", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Clarke Irwin", "Irwin Publishing (successor, from 1984)" ], "idMethods": [ "1930 to 1950s: founded 1930 by William H. Clarke and John C. W. Irwin (with Irene Irwin Clarke). First editions are identified by a dated copyright page with no later-printing notice; some carry 'First published' statements. Many titles are Canadian co-editions or licensed issues of UK/US books, so establish whether a copy is a true first or a licensed Canadian issue.", "1950s to 1970s: trade, educational, and literary publishing; printing histories are sometimes listed, with later printings adding notices. No fully consistent number line.", "1970s to 1983: some later titles adopt a number line, lowest number indicating the first printing. The firm was forced into receivership in 1983; assets passed to the Book Society of Canada, which became Irwin Publishing Inc. in 1984." ], "notablePoints": [ "A respected Toronto literary and educational house, 1930 to 1983.", "Published the abridged 1951 school edition of Emily Carr's Klee Wyck; note the 1941 first edition and Governor General's Award winner was Oxford University Press (Toronto), not Clarke Irwin, so the Clarke Irwin Carr collectible is the later abridged text, not the prize-winning first.", "Forced into receivership in 1983; the trade backlist and educational lists passed to successor Irwin Publishing. Distinct from Irwin-Dorsey and other unrelated 'Irwin' imprints." ], "era": "1930-1983" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/clarkson-potter", "name": "Clarkson Potter", "slug": "clarkson-potter", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Clarkson Potter", "Potter Style", "Potter Craft" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern (Crown / Penguin Random House) convention: a true first printing states \"First Edition\" on the copyright page and carries a full number line whose lowest digit is 1; both signals normally appear together.", "The lowest digit of the number line is the decisive tell. On heavily reprinted cookbooks the words \"First Edition\" can persist into later printings, so rely on a number line ending in 1, not the wording alone.", "Early independent Clarkson N. Potter era (1959–1970s): less consistent. Subsequent printings were typically noted while firsts often were not, so treat the absence of any later-printing notice plus the earliest stated copyright year as the first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Premier US cookbook and lifestyle imprint: titles by Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa), Martha Stewart, Yotam Ottolenghi (US editions), and Deb Perelman (Smitten Kitchen).", "Founded 1959 by Clarkson N. Potter; later absorbed into the Crown Publishing Group and now Penguin Random House.", "Because flagship cookbooks reprint many times, the number line ending in 1 is more reliable than the 'First Edition' wording alone." ], "era": "1959–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/claxton-remsen-haffelfinger", "name": "Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger", "slug": "claxton-remsen-haffelfinger", "region": "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Mid-Atlantic US)", "imprints": [ "Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger", "J.A. Bancroft & Co. (predecessor)", "E. Claxton & Co. (direct successor, c.1880–1884)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1869–1880: first editions carry the full three-partner 'Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger, Philadelphia' imprint; there is no printed 'First Edition' statement, so identify by imprint form, the dated title page, and the absence of any later-printing notice.", "Dating tell: the three-partner imprint name is itself a date bracket. After George Remsen's death in 1880 the firm continued as E. Claxton & Co. (to its 1884 failure), so copies bearing the E. Claxton imprint from the same plates are later issues, not the original three-partner first.", "Address changes provide a finer date bracket: 819–821 Market Street (c.1868–1872), then 624–626–628 Market Street (1873–1880). For gift books and juveniles, the first issue is often judged by binding/gilt and by bound-in advertisement-catalog dates, which should not postdate the title page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Mid-1870s Philadelphia trade, gift-book, and juvenile house publishing literature, illustrated gift books, and series for the young; it corresponded with Walt Whitman in 1877–1878.", "Part of a chain of Philadelphia imprint successions; the firm-name change (three partners, then E. Claxton & Co. after Remsen died in 1880) is the main dating handle.", "No formal first-edition statement, so standard 19th-century date and issue-point identification applies." ], "era": "c.1869–1880" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/clear-light-publishers", "name": "Clear Light Publishers", "slug": "clear-light-publishers", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefixes 978-0-940666 and 978-1-57416", "Negative-evidence (no reprint language)", "Number line when present" ], "notablePoints": [ "Native American cultural documentation, Pueblo history, and Southwest photography." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/coach-house-press", "name": "Coach House Press / Coach House Books", "slug": "coach-house-press", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Coach House Press (1965-1996)", "Coach House Books (1997-present)", "Coach House Printing" ], "idMethods": [ "Fine-press / small-press model: identification is colophon-driven. Check the back-of-book colophon for printing details, type and paper notes, and any limitation statement; a stated single printing with no later-printing note indicates a first.", "Many early Coach House titles were letterpress and produced in-house under the Coach House Printing device; signed or limited issues carry numbered or lettered colophons, and the limitation statement establishes the point.", "Most titles did not go to second printings (small literary runs), so the absence of any reprint statement plus the first-appearance copyright year is the working rule.", "Modern Coach House Books (post-1997) usually states 'first edition' on the copyright page and may carry a number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1965 by Stan Bevington; a landmark experimental and concrete-poetry CanLit press associated with bpNichol, early Michael Ondaatje, Christian Bök ('Eunoia'), and early Anne Carson.", "Critical era break: in 1991 the operation split into Coach House Printing (Bevington) and the trade publisher Coach House Press, which declared bankruptcy in 1996; the successor Coach House Books was founded in 1997. The pre-1997 Press and the post-1997 Books are bibliographically distinct, so date the imprint name carefully when attributing a 'first'.", "Known for elaborate designed colophons and occasional unconventional formats (fold-outs, unusual bindings); these design points are themselves issue points for collectors.", "Bök's 'Eunoia' (2001, Coach House Books) is a notable modern collectible with multiple printings; a first printing must lack later-printing indicators." ], "era": "1965-1996 (Press); 1997-present (Books)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/coffee-house-press", "name": "Coffee House Press", "slug": "coffee-house-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Coffee House Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated 'First Edition' / 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page on early printings is common for literary titles", "Descending number line ending in 1 indicates first printing (contemporary standard)", "Nonprofit literary press, Minneapolis, founded 1984 (grew out of Allan Kornblum's Toothpaste Press); fine-press lineage means some titles have notably designed copyright/colophon pages", "Letterpress/limited or signed states exist for some early titles — distinguish a trade first from a signed/limited issue" ], "notablePoints": [ "Toothpaste Press (Kornblum's earlier West Branch, Iowa letterpress imprint, 1970s) is the antecedent and uses true fine-press colophons with limitation statements — a separate identification regime from the trade Coffee House line", "For Coffee House trade titles, rely on stated-first + number line; no idiosyncratic house point", "Watch for absent number line indicating later printing on reprinted award winners" ], "era": "1984–present (Toothpaste Press antecedent 1970s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/collins-crime-club", "name": "Collins Crime Club", "slug": "collins-crime-club", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "William Collins, Sons (parent)", "Collins Crime Club", "Collins White Circle (paperback line)" ], "idMethods": [ "Collins (UK) generally did NOT use 'First Edition' statements or number lines in the classic era; firsts are identified by the absence of later-printing/reprint notices on the copyright/verso page combined with a publication date matching the jacket.", "For collected authors (Agatha Christie etc.), identification is point-driven: jacket price, rear-panel advertisements, and the famous Crime Club 'gunman' device on the jacket. 'A Crime Club Sixpenny' lettered in the gunman's arm dates the cheaper line.", "First-state jacket points are documented title-by-title (e.g., specific rear-panel ads — OXO, H. Samuel, Bravingtons — on early-1930s sixpenny issues).", "Cross-reference gadetection's Collins Crime Club UK first-editions list and Christie bibliographies (nocloo, collectingchristie)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Ran 6 May 1930 to April 1994; ~2,012 titles. Pre-war firsts in jacket are the prize, with vivid gunman-device jacket art.", "Easy to confuse the cloth Crime Club hardback first with the Collins White Circle paperback reprint — White Circles are paperbacks and never the true first.", "US Dodd, Mead / Dell Mapback editions of the same Christie titles are separate publications, not the UK Collins first; dating and points differ entirely.", "Date-matching is essential: Collins reprinted popular titles quickly with no obvious printing statement, so a copy must be tied to first-state jacket points, not just the verso." ], "era": "1930-1994" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/columbia-university-press", "name": "Columbia University Press", "slug": "columbia-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Columbia Classics in Asian Literature", "Wallflower Press (film)", "Woodrow Wilson Center Press (distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states later printings/editions; a first printing carries the copyright line with no subsequent-printing notice. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.", "Revised and expanded editions are explicitly dated and numbered on the copyright page.", "Many translation series (e.g., Translations from the Asian Classics) are reprinted/revised — check the printing history line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Standard academic convention: later printings noted rather than the first affirmatively marked (pre-number-line era).", "Wallflower Press (film studies) and other acquired imprints may show their own pre-Columbia printing history." ], "era": "1893–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/concordia-publishing-house", "name": "Concordia Publishing House", "slug": "concordia-publishing-house", "region": "St. Louis, Missouri, USA", "imprints": [ "Concordia (CPH)", "Concordia Academic Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1869-1920s: official publisher of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, with much early output in German. No number line; identify firsts by copyright year, German vs. English text, and absence of a reprint or 'Auflage' notice. German editions may state 'Auflage' (edition/printing) numbering as the printing tell.", "1920s-1960s: English output grows; explicit printing statements appear inconsistently. Copyright year plus absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first. The American Edition of 'Luther's Works' (CPH with Fortress, from the mid-1950s) has volume-by-volume firsts identified by first copyright year and absence of a 'reprinted' line.", "1960s-1980s: printing statements and printing-history lines, with later printings noted by an added line or year.", "1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing. CPH typically prints a year line plus a 1-through-n impression line; presence of 1 indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1869; the publishing house of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) — conservative/confessional Lutheran, distinct from the ELCA/predecessor bodies' Augsburg Fortress. The oldest publishing company west of the Mississippi.", "Co-publisher (with Fortress/Muhlenberg) of the 55-volume American Edition of Luther's Works (planning began in the early 1950s, publication mid-1950s onward); CPH produced a substantial share of the volumes, which are heavily reprinted, so firsts require care.", "Large body of German-language Lutheran material from the 19th to early 20th c.; 'Auflage' numbering is the German-era printing tell.", "Publisher of 'The Lutheran Hymnal' (1941) and Synod catechetical/liturgical materials with their own printing histories, plus 'Portals of Prayer'." ], "era": "1869-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/constable", "name": "Constable & Co. Ltd", "slug": "constable", "region": "UK (London; historic predecessor Edinburgh)", "imprints": [ "Constable", "Archibald Constable & Co.", "Constable & Company", "Constable & Robinson (from 1999)", "The Westminster Library" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 1890s to about 1920 (the modern London Archibald Constable & Co.): firsts typically carry the date on the title page with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings remove the title-page date or add an impression note. Dated rear advertisement catalogs assist with dating.", "About 1920 to about 1960: 'First published (year)' on the copyright page; a first impression lists no reprints, while later printings add dated reprint lines.", "About 1960 to about 1999: 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Constable & Co. Ltd' on the verso, with a first printing showing no additional impression statement.", "1999 onward (as Constable & Robinson, later under Little, Brown / Hachette from 2014): a descending number line typically appears, with the lowest digit indicating the printing (1 = first). Use the dated 'First published' statement as the primary confirmation." ], "notablePoints": [ "The firm traces to the Edinburgh bookseller-publisher Archibald Constable (in business from 1795), Walter Scott's publisher, whose business suffered the 1826 financial collapse; the twentieth-century collected list is published by the modern London firm Archibald Constable & Co. (e.g. early George Bernard Shaw, the Constable edition of Conrad, Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897).", "Distinguish the historic Edinburgh house from the modern London firm when dating early issues.", "Became Constable & Robinson in 1999; now Constable, an imprint of Little, Brown (Hachette UK), which acquired Constable & Robinson in 2014." ], "era": "c.1890-present (modern firm); historic Edinburgh house from 1795" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/conway-maritime-press", "name": "Conway Maritime Press", "slug": "conway-maritime-press", "region": "London, United Kingdom", "imprints": [ "Conway Maritime Press", "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships (reference series)", "Anatomy of the Ship series" ], "idMethods": [ "1972-c.2000 (founded 1972, UK naval and maritime specialist): the copyright page states 'First published [year] by Conway Maritime Press' with no reprint line on a first; later printings add 'Reprinted [year]' lines. A sole 'First published' statement indicates the first.", "Reference series such as 'Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships' are issued in dated volumes by coverage span (e.g. 1860-1905, 1906-1921); the volume's coverage period and first-published date identify the first, with later impressions noting reprints.", "c.2000s-present (under Anova, then Bloomsbury from 2014): the 'First published'/reprint-line convention continues; 'Anatomy of the Ship' titles are occasionally reissued in revised form, stated explicitly." ], "notablePoints": [ "An authoritative naval reference publisher ('All the World's Fighting Ships', 'Anatomy of the Ship'); firsts of out-of-print Anatomy volumes are collected.", "The 'Anatomy of the Ship' series was published in conjunction with the US Naval Institute Press, which issued its own American editions of many titles.", "Acquired by Bloomsbury from Anova in 2014, joining its Adlard Coles Nautical list; the Conway imprint persists for naval titles." ], "era": "1972-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/copper-canyon-press", "name": "Copper Canyon Press", "slug": "copper-canyon-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: first printing typically stated as 'First Printing' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page, frequently accompanied by a descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) — lowest digit 1 present indicates the first printing.", "Absence of any later-printing line on the copyright page, combined with the stated first/number line, confirms a first.", "Letterpress / fine-press limited editions exist for some titles with a rear colophon stating the limitation and any signing — these are a separate, more valuable issue identified by the colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1972 (Denver) by Sam Hamill, Tree Swenson, Bill O'Daly, Jim Gautney; since 1974 in Port Townsend, Washington. Nonprofit, poetry-only.", "Publishes W.S. Merwin, Pablo Neruda (translations), Ted Kooser, Jim Harrison, Ocean Vuong; strong design/letterpress heritage (Hamill/Swenson were printers).", "Because it is a small nonprofit press, number-line/stated-first practice has been fairly consistent in the modern era but verify per title — some early-1970s titles predate uniform copyright-page conventions." ], "era": "1972–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cormorant-books", "name": "Cormorant Books", "slug": "cormorant-books", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario; founded Dunvegan, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Cormorant Books", "Stoddart (related, historic distribution)", "Cormorant / Bayeux Arts (historic association)" ], "idMethods": [ "Literary fiction/nonfiction/translation house: modern titles state 'first edition' and carry a descending number line ('1' present = first printing) on the copyright page.", "Award-attention titles (Giller / Governor General's) reprint — verify the number line retains '1' and there is no later-printing statement.", "Older (pre-2000, Dunvegan-era) titles: rely on the original copyright year and the absence of reprint notes." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1986 by Jan and Gary Geddes on their farm outside Dunvegan, Ontario; the early program leaned to poetry, then Jan Geddes shifted it toward fiction around 1990. Later relocated to Toronto; known for literary fiction and works in translation from Quebec.", "Ownership/era changes: Marc Côté became publisher in 2001, and the house passed through the Stoddart/General Publishing distribution collapse era (around 2002) before continuing under new ownership — the corporate history is choppy, so use imprint plus copyright year to pin the era.", "Published Nino Ricci's 'Lives of the Saints' (1990, Governor General's Award winner); prize-attention firsts are the desirable points." ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cornell-maritime-press", "name": "Cornell Maritime Press", "slug": "cornell-maritime-press", "region": "Founded New York City 1938; later operated from Centreville / Cambridge, Maryland, USA (now under Schiffer)", "imprints": [ "Cornell Maritime Press", "Tidewater Publishers (regional Chesapeake line)" ], "idMethods": [ "1938-c.1990 (founded 1938 by Felix Cornell to supply U.S. Merchant Marine textbooks): standard merchant-marine, seamanship, and navigation references. A first printing carries no later-printing notation; later printings add a 'Second printing' or revised-edition statement. A first equals the sole copyright date with no reprint line.", "Long-running professional reference titles (merchant-marine license study guides and seamanship texts) were revised across many editions. For these the EDITION number or date is the key identifier, and a first printing of a given edition has no later-printing line beneath that edition's statement.", "2009-present (acquired by Schiffer Publishing of Atglen, Pennsylvania): post-acquisition reissues follow Schiffer's house number-line convention. The original Centreville/Cambridge, Maryland imprint signals the independent Cornell era." ], "notablePoints": [ "A standard professional-mariner publisher through much of the 20th century, where revised editions of license-prep and seamanship texts matter more than collector 'firsts'.", "Tidewater Publishers covered Chesapeake Bay regional maritime subjects and folklore.", "Now an imprint within the Schiffer Publishing portfolio (Cornell Maritime Press / Tidewater Publishers)." ], "era": "1938-present (independent until 2009)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cornell-university-press", "name": "Cornell University Press", "slug": "cornell-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Comstock Publishing Associates", "ILR Press", "Three Hills", "Northern Illinois University Press (acquired)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions stated on the copyright page. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.", "Copyright page prints a printing line ('First published 19xx'); revised editions are dated and numbered.", "Comstock (natural history/science) and ILR (labor) imprints follow the same conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1869; among the oldest US university presses.", "Comstock Publishing Associates is the long-running natural-science imprint — an imprint identifier, not a printing indicator.", "Standard academic later-printing-noted convention for older books; use the number line for modern reprints with unchanged copyright years." ], "era": "1869–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cosmopolitan-book-corporation", "name": "Cosmopolitan Book Corporation", "slug": "cosmopolitan-book-corporation", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Cosmopolitan Book Corporation", "Hearst's International Library Co. (predecessor, 1913–1919)", "International Magazine Company / Hearst (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "1919–1931 (as Cosmopolitan Book Corporation): First printings carry the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page. This is the reliable tell — its absence, or a later-printing notice, indicates a reprint. (Reference compilations drawn from Zempel & Verkler list Cosmopolitan as running a stated 'First Edition' line.)", "1913–1919 (as Hearst's International Library Co.): No standardized first-edition statement is documented for this earlier imprint; identify by the Hearst's International Library imprint name plus a copyright-page date with no later-printing notice.", "After the 1931 sale to Farrar & Rinehart: titles continuing on the Cosmopolitan list follow Farrar & Rinehart practice; treat as a successor imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Hearst's trade-book arm: began 1913 as Hearst's International Library Co., renamed Cosmopolitan Book Corporation in 1919.", "Sold to Farrar & Rinehart in 1931; the Cosmopolitan list (developed under Saul Flaum) helped launch Farrar & Rinehart — the key ownership-change and dating fact.", "Distinct from Cosmopolitan magazine, though both Hearst properties." ], "era": "1913–1931 (1913–1919 as Hearst's International Library Co.; renamed Cosmopolitan Book Corporation 1919; sold to Farrar & Rinehart 1931)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/counterpoint-press", "name": "Counterpoint Press", "slug": "counterpoint-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Counterpoint", "Soft Skull Press", "Catapult (former)", "Shoemaker & Hoard (antecedent)" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page typical for literary titles", "Descending number line ending in 1 on first printings (modern standard)", "Originally founded 1994 (Jack Shoemaker / Frank Pearl, Washington DC), reconstituted in Berkeley; complex lineage merging Counterpoint, Shoemaker & Hoard, and Soft Skull — current Counterpoint dates to 2007 consolidation", "Read stated-first and number line together" ], "notablePoints": [ "Corporate history is tangled (Perseus-era Counterpoint, Shoemaker & Hoard, then 2007 Berkeley consolidation under Charlie Winton) — the imprint name on the title page dates the era but identification convention is constant", "Distributes/published with Soft Skull and (formerly) Catapult under the same group; each carries its own imprint name but conventional identification", "No proprietary house key" ], "era": "1994–present (consolidated 2007)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/countrysport-press", "name": "Countrysport Press", "slug": "countrysport-press", "region": "USA (founded Traverse City, Michigan; backlist later acquired by Down East Enterprise, Rockport, Maine; operations associated at points with New Albany, Indiana and Selma, Alabama)", "imprints": [ "Countrysport Press", "Countrysport, Inc." ], "idMethods": [ "1980s-1990s (independent era): Trade firsts generally state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page, or carry a descending number line in which the lowest digit present indicates the printing ('1' present = first printing). Treat the printed statement, not the binding, as the primary tell.", "1980s-2000s: Many flagship wingshooting and fly-fishing titles were also issued in signed, numbered LIMITED editions (often full leather with gilt stamping, top-edge gilt, ribbon marker, and slipcase). Identify these by the limitation/colophon page (e.g., a stated edition of a few hundred copies signed by author and/or illustrator); this limited state is a senior issue distinct from the trade first.", "2001 onward (after Down East Enterprise acquired the Countrysport list and folded its own Silver Quill imprint in): copyright pages follow standard number-line practice; cross-check any stated limitation against the trade printing to assign state. Because the list changed hands, copyright-page conventions are not perfectly uniform across the full run." ], "notablePoints": [ "Specialist publisher of upland/wingshooting, fine-shotgun, sporting-dog, and fly-fishing literature; associated with authors such as Michael McIntosh and Gene Hill and with sporting wildlife art; known for high production values (leather bindings, ribbon markers, illustrated plates).", "Frequently issued the same title in two parallel states: an affordable trade first and a signed/numbered deluxe leather limited — a two-tier structure collectors must parse via the colophon.", "The Countrysport list was acquired by Down East Enterprise (Rockport, Maine), which folded its Silver Quill outdoors imprint into it; the imprint's handling across owners means conventions are not perfectly uniform." ], "era": "1980s-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/covici-friede", "name": "Covici-Friede", "slug": "covici-friede", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Pascal Covici (predecessor)", "Covici-McGee (Chicago predecessor)", "The Colt Press (associated)" ], "idMethods": [ "1928–1937: First editions carry no statement of printing on the copyright page; every later printing states its printing (e.g. 'Second Printing'). The absence of any printing statement indicates the first printing.", "The Chicago predecessor Covici-McGee stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page of its first editions; the Pascal Covici imprint (c.1924–1928) followed similar small-press practice.", "Many Covici-Friede titles were limited or signed editions with explicit limitation statements — check the limitation notice to establish limited-versus-trade priority." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1928 in New York by Pascal Covici (formerly Covici-McGee, then Pascal Covici, Chicago) and Donald Friede (formerly vice-president at Boni & Liveright).", "Published Radclyffe Hall's 'The Well of Loneliness' (1928, US, a censorship cause célèbre) and Hecht & MacArthur's 'The Front Page' (1928).", "Signed John Steinbeck in 1934; published 'Tortilla Flat' (1935), 'In Dubious Battle' (1936) and 'Of Mice and Men' (1937) — Covici later followed Steinbeck to Viking as his editor.", "Declared bankruptcy in 1937; the list and editor (Covici) moved to Viking Press.", "Imprint name dates the book: 'Covici-McGee' = Chicago to roughly 1924; 'Pascal Covici' = c.1924–1928; 'Covici-Friede' = 1928–1937." ], "era": "1928–1937 (predecessors from 1922)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/coward-mccann", "name": "Coward-McCann", "slug": "coward-mccann", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Coward-McCann", "Coward, McCann & Geoghegan (later)" ], "idMethods": [ "Generally inconsistent in marking first editions; subsequent printings were usually noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice is the baseline signal (always cross-check title-level point guides).", "Until the mid-1930s: a torch-design colophon on the copyright page typically marked first editions; the torch portion of the colophon was removed on subsequent printings.", "After 1935: 'First American Edition' stated on the copyright page for books first published OUTSIDE the US; NO statement made on books first published in the US (so a US-first book carries no edition statement at all)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Because the house was inconsistent, specific titles should always be cross-checked against title-level point guides rather than relying on the general convention.", "Do NOT confuse Coward-McCann with Reynal & Hitchcock. The torch-colophon convention is Coward-McCann's OWN and is NOT shared with Reynal & Hitchcock. Per ILAB/qbbooks, Reynal & Hitchcock made no statement on first editions until 1947 (subsequent printings noted); there is no documented R&H torch colophon. The claim of a 'shared torch-colophon convention / related design lineage' is unsupported and misleading." ], "era": "1928-1970s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cranium-press", "name": "Cranium Press", "slug": "cranium-press", "region": "San Francisco, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "c.1966-1980s: First/only edition by the COLOPHON or imprint line; the press of Clifford Burke, a key figure in the San Francisco small-press and poetry scene. The colophon states the limitation, the type, and the date; output is heavy on broadsides and poetry pamphlets.", "Broadsides: identify by the Cranium Press imprint line and any stated limitation; many were small runs for Bay Area poets (Cranium Press broadsides are documented from at least 1967).", "Note Clifford Burke's authorship of 'Printing Poetry' (1980) and 'Printing It'; the press is closely tied to the West Coast poetry-printing movement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Clifford Burke's press, central to the Bay Area mimeo and letterpress poetry revival of the late 1960s and 1970s.", "Output skews to broadsides, pamphlets, and small poetry editions rather than fine folios.", "Limitation statements can be informal, and the absence of a stated number is common for ephemera, so attribution often rests on the imprint line itself." ], "era": "c.1966-1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/crc-press", "name": "CRC Press", "slug": "crc-press", "region": "United States (origin Cleveland, OH; later Boca Raton, FL)", "imprints": [ "CRC Press", "Chemical Rubber Company (origin)", "Lewis Publishers (acquired)", "Auerbach", "Taylor & Francis / CRC (current)" ], "idMethods": [ "Origin 1903-c.1970: The Chemical Rubber Company was founded in 1903 in Cleveland, Ohio (by the Friedman brothers) as a rubber-laboratory-supply firm; its publishing arm became CRC Press. It is famous for the 'CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics', which grew from a short Rubber Handbook first issued around 1913-1914. The handbook and other reference works are identified by EDITION number and year and are collected or used by edition, not by first-printing points; the first printing of an edition is indicated by the absence of a later-printing notice.", "c.1970-2003: Expanded into engineering and science monographs and references (acquiring Lewis Publishers and the Auerbach line); a number line where present uses the lowest digit for the printing, while the edition statement governs revised references. The publishing operation moved to Florida (Boca Raton).", "Post-2003: Acquired by Taylor & Francis (an Informa subsidiary); modern titles carry the CRC/Taylor & Francis imprint and house number-line style, and CRC is now also presented under Routledge/Taylor & Francis branding." ], "notablePoints": [ "The periodically revised 'CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics' (grown from a Rubber Handbook of c.1913-1914) is a landmark reference; the edition number is the key, and it has reached over 100 editions.", "Now a Taylor & Francis imprint (Informa).", "Reference and handbook focus — usefulness and value track edition currency." ], "era": "1903-present (Taylor & Francis imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/creative-age-press", "name": "Creative Age Press", "slug": "creative-age-press", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Creative Age Press, Inc." ], "idMethods": [ "1942-c.1951: First printings generally carry no consistent printed 'First Edition' statement. Identify a first by the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page; later printings, when issued, are typically noted. The title page reads 'Creative Age Press' and is usually dated.", "After the c.1951 acquisition by Farrar, Straus (then Farrar, Straus & Young), continuing titles follow Farrar, Straus copyright-page practice rather than independent Creative Age practice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1942 by the Irish medium and parapsychology patron Eileen J. Garrett; published a mix of literary and metaphysical/parapsychology titles in the 1940s.", "Acquired by Farrar, Straus & Young around 1951, which brought authors such as Robert Graves and Gerald Sykes onto the Farrar, Straus list; this ownership change ends the independent imprint.", "Wartime paper restrictions affect paper and binding state on 1940s titles, so rely on the reprint-noted convention rather than physical heft for identification." ], "era": "1942-c.1951" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fawcett-crest", "name": "Crest / Fawcett Crest", "slug": "fawcett-crest", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Crest", "Fawcett Crest", "Fawcett Premier" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: Fawcett gave no general first-edition statement but DID note subsequent printings, so a first is identified by the ABSENCE of any later-printing line; documented firsts read 'First Crest printing, Month Year' (later 'First Fawcett Crest printing, Month Year').", "The catalog number, often with a letter-price prefix, is a title/price-era identifier, not a printing count.", "A price bump on the same catalog number indicates a reprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Crest, launched September 1955, was Fawcett's paperback-REPRINT imprint, the companion to the Gold Medal paperback-originals line; a Fawcett Crest book is therefore almost always NOT the true first of the work, so locate the prior hardcover.", "Premier, also launched September 1955, was Fawcett's nonfiction/quality reprint imprint.", "Collector shorthand: 'Gold Medal' on the spine signals a possible paperback original or true first, while 'Crest' or 'Premier' signals a reprint." ], "era": "1955-1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/crippen-landru", "name": "Crippen & Landru", "slug": "crippen-landru", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Regular Series (current authors)", "Lost Classics Series (vintage/posthumous authors)" ], "idMethods": [ "Most titles issued in TWO simultaneous states: (1) a clothbound edition, signed and numbered (limited, e.g., 'one of 150/300/400 copies'), and (2) a trade softcover. The limitation page/colophon states the number and signature.", "Limited clothbound copies are numbered (e.g., '16/400') and signed by the author and/or editor; many include a separately printed bonus chapbook/pamphlet laid in — presence of the chapbook is a state point.", "Trade softcover is the first softcover edition (not a reprint of the cloth); identify by copyright-page edition statement and absence of limitation/signature.", "Cloth lettered on the spine in metallic ink; binding cloth color and spine lettering are described per title." ], "notablePoints": [ "Small specialist press (founded 1994, Norfolk VA, later Cincinnati OH) publishing single-author mystery short-story collections — the cloth signed/numbered state is the premium collectible.", "The laid-in chapbook is frequently separated/lost; a complete signed/numbered copy must include it.", "Lost Classics titles collect deceased authors, so 'signed' applies to the editor, not the author — read the limitation wording carefully.", "Douglas Greene (founder); 25th-anniversary 'Silver Bullets' (2019) documents the press." ], "era": "1994-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/crossway", "name": "Crossway", "slug": "crossway", "region": "Wheaton (Crossway division); parent Good News Publishers founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA", "imprints": [ "Crossway Books", "Good News Publishers (parent/tract arm)", "ESV Bibles" ], "idMethods": [ "1938-1978 (as Good News Publishers): primarily a tract publisher; the book imprint did not yet exist. For the rare early book, rely on copyright year and absence of any reprint or later-printing notice.", "Crossway division established late 1978 under Lane T. Dennis. From inception, trade titles carry a number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a first printing shows a full line ending in (or otherwise containing) 1.", "2001-present: publisher of the English Standard Version (ESV), first released October 2001 (the ESV Classic Reference Bible). Trade titles use a number line, often alongside a year line, with the lowest value indicating the printing. ESV Bibles carry separate textual-edition codes distinct from trade-book printing lines." ], "notablePoints": [ "Crossway is the book-publishing arm of Good News Publishers, a nonprofit founded in 1938 by Clyde and Muriel Dennis; the Crossway division was established in late 1978.", "Reformed/conservative evangelical orientation; publisher of the ESV Bible since 2001 and of authors such as John Piper, R.C. Sproul, and Wayne Grudem.", "Because Crossway used number lines from the division's start, era-segmentation is simple: number line throughout, lowest digit equals the printing.", "The ESV text has been revised periodically (2001, 2007, 2011, and the 2016 'permanent text'); collectors track these text editions separately from the printing number." ], "era": "1938-present (Crossway book division established late 1978)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/crown-publishers", "name": "Crown Publishers", "slug": "crown-publishers", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Harmony Books", "Clarkson Potter", "Three Rivers Press", "Crown Forum", "Crown Archetype", "Broadway Books (later)", "Hogarth (US)", "Watson-Guptill (former)", "Bell Publishing", "Crown Business" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1970s: NO first-edition statement; first printings identified by the ABSENCE of any later-printing notation on the copyright page. Later printings were noted.", "1970s onward: began using both a number row AND the words 'First Edition'.", "From c.1980: stated 'First Edition' together with a descending number line ending in 1 — the modern reliable test.", "Trade imprints (Clarkson Potter, Harmony, Three Rivers) follow Crown/RH-family convention: 'First Edition' + number line to 1." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1933 (out of the remainder firm Outlet Book Company); known for affordable trade and reference titles.", "Acquired by Random House 1988; now the Crown Publishing Group within Penguin Random House.", "Pre-1970s identification is easy to get wrong — rely on absence-of-reprint-line logic, not on a stated 'First Edition' that won't be there.", "Three Rivers Press is largely a trade-paperback reprint line — usually NOT a true first." ], "era": "1933–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cuala-press", "name": "Cuala Press", "slug": "cuala-press", "region": "Ireland", "imprints": [ "Dun Emer Press (1902–1908, the original name)", "Cuala Press (from 1908)", "run by Elizabeth Corbet 'Lolly' Yeats; editorial by W. B. Yeats" ], "idMethods": [ "Hand-press limited editions on Irish handmade paper, printed with Caslon type; printed colophon giving a small stated limitation (often a few hundred)", "The Cuala (or earlier Dun Emer) device/colophon and the 'Press' statement identify the issue and era — Dun Emer (1902–08) vs. Cuala (1908 on)", "First Yeats editions: many W. B. Yeats first appearances were issued by Cuala in small limitations — identify by the colophon and the dated Cuala imprint", "No number line — colophon limitation and the Dun Emer/Cuala imprint distinguish" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1902 as the Dun Emer Press by Elizabeth Yeats (part of the Arts and Crafts / Celtic Revival); renamed Cuala Press 1908; central to the Irish Literary Revival", "Many genuine FIRST EDITIONS of W. B. Yeats, Synge, Lady Gregory, and others — unlike most fine presses, Cuala issued original first appearances, so these ARE collectible firsts", "Dun Emer (1902–08) vs. Cuala (1908+) is the key dating distinction", "Also issued hand-coloured prints and broadsides; the press was family-run (Yeats sisters)" ], "era": "1902–1946 (Dun Emer 1902–08; Cuala 1908–46, later revivals)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cupples-leon", "name": "Cupples & Leon Company", "slug": "cupples-leon", "region": "New York, NY", "imprints": [ "Cupples & Leon", "Cupples & Leon series books" ], "idMethods": [ "1902–c.1930s: publisher of inexpensive children's series books and early comic-strip reprint volumes. First printings carry no edition statement; the earliest printing is identified by the rear advertised-title list (a list ending with the latest series title dates the printing), the copyright-page state, and binding/jacket art. As with Grosset & Dunlap series books, the advertised-title-list method is the core dating tool.", "c.1930s–1956: continued series books and comic-strip reprint volumes (Bringing Up Father, Mutt and Jeff, Little Orphan Annie, and others). Later printings are distinguished by expanded ad lists and altered cover art; there is no number line or first-edition statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Major early-20th-century series-book and comic-strip-reprint publisher, founded 1902 by Victor I. Cupples and Arthur T. Leon.", "First-printing identification relies on the rear advertised-title list and the format/binding state; there are no edition statements.", "Left the comic-strip reprint field in 1934 to concentrate on juvenile fiction; the firm was acquired by Platt & Munk in 1956." ], "era": "1902–1956" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/curbstone-press", "name": "Curbstone Press", "slug": "curbstone-press", "region": "USA (Willimantic, CT)", "imprints": [ "Curbstone Press (independent 1975-2010)", "Curbstone Books (imprint of Northwestern University Press 2010-present)" ], "idMethods": [ "Independent era (1975-2010): first printing identified by 'First edition'/'First printing' and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "On bilingual/translation titles, the first English-language Curbstone printing is governed by the Curbstone copyright-page statement, regardless of any prior Spanish-language publication.", "Northwestern era (2010-present): follows Northwestern University Press house practice — a 'First [Edition]' statement with number line; first printing = line ending in 1. Treat post-2010 titles as Northwestern UP for identification purposes." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1975 in Willimantic, Connecticut by Judith Doyle and Alexander 'Sandy' Taylor (who met as students at the University of Connecticut); mission centered on human rights, social justice, and Latin American literature.", "Published Claribel Alegria, Roque Dalton, Luis J. Rodriguez ('Always Running'), and Ernesto Cardenal in translation.", "After the founders' deaths (Taylor 2007, Doyle 2009), the roughly 160-title backlist was acquired by Northwestern University Press in 2010 and continues as the Curbstone Books imprint.", "Era split matters: independent Curbstone (collectible) versus Northwestern-era Curbstone Books (academic-press ID rules)." ], "era": "1975-2010 independent; 2010-present as Northwestern UP imprint" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/custom-house", "name": "Custom House", "slug": "custom-house", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Custom House" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing shows a complete number line counting down to 1 (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) with no later-printing notice", "Often accompanied by a printed \"FIRST EDITION\" statement on the copyright page, following standard HarperCollins/William Morrow practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Literary fiction and nonfiction imprint announced in October 2015 under William Morrow at HarperCollins, with its first titles appearing in spring 2016 (e.g., Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent)", "Founding editorial director was Geoff Shandler; the imprint later passed to new leadership and has effectively been wound down, so it is primarily relevant to mid-2010s through early-2020s titles", "Identification follows HarperCollins/Morrow conventions rather than any house-specific rule" ], "era": "2016–c.2023" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/appleton", "name": "D. Appleton & Company", "slug": "appleton", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "D. Appleton", "Appleton-Century (1933+)", "Appleton-Century-Crofts" ], "idMethods": [ "Numerical identification in parentheses/brackets at the FOOT OF THE LAST PAGE of text: '(1)' = first printing, '(2)' = second, etc.", "May occasionally have used a 'First Edition' statement instead of the foot-of-last-page number.", "Match title-page date with single date on copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "The point is at the END of the book (last text page), not the copyright page — a frequent miss for those checking only the front matter.", "Became Appleton-Century in 1933 (merger with Century Co.), then Appleton-Century-Crofts — the foot-of-page number convention can persist." ], "era": "1830s-1940s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/d-lothrop-and-co", "name": "D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company", "slug": "d-lothrop-and-co", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA)", "imprints": [ "D. Lothrop & Co.", "D. Lothrop Company (incorporated style)", "Lothrop Publishing Company (1895 reorganization)", "Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. (post-1904 successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1868-c.1887 (D. Lothrop & Co.): no printed edition statement; a juvenile, religious, and gift-book house. First printing by title-page date matching copyright date and the earliest-dated bound-in catalogue; many juveniles are undated on the title page, so rear-advertisement dating usually governs.", "c.1887-1892 (D. Lothrop Company): same no-statement practice. Daniel Lothrop died in March 1892.", "1895-1904 (Lothrop Publishing Company): the assets of D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company were reorganized under a new Lothrop Publishing Company organized under Maine law in April 1895; conventions continued unchanged. The firm went bankrupt and its list was bought by Lee & Shepard in 1904.", "No number lines were used. For the Pansy (Isabella Macdonald Alden) and Margaret Sidney juveniles, the earliest-state terminal advertising list is the key first-printing tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publisher of the 'Five Little Peppers' books (Margaret Sidney / Harriet Lothrop) and the 'Pansy' books (Isabella Macdonald Alden); home of the Wide Awake and Pansy juvenile magazines.", "Heavily reprinted juveniles with undated title pages make the bound-in advertising catalogue the primary dating tool.", "Lineage merged into Lothrop, Lee & Shepard in 1904." ], "era": "1868-1904" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/van-nostrand", "name": "D. Van Nostrand Company", "slug": "van-nostrand", "region": "United States (New York / Princeton, NJ)", "imprints": [ "D. Van Nostrand", "Van Nostrand", "Van Nostrand Reinhold (post-1968)", "Litton Educational (parent era)" ], "idMethods": [ "1848-c.1940: Founded 1848 by David Van Nostrand; scientific, technical, military, and engineering reference (the 'Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia' began in 1938). Early titles generally carried no first-printing statement, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any later-printing or later-impression notice; later printings and editions were explicitly noted.", "c.1940-1968: Edition statements appear on revised references, and a number line was adopted gradually (lowest surviving digit = printing where present). 'Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia' is identified by its edition.", "1968-c.1997 (Van Nostrand Reinhold): In 1968 Litton acquired D. Van Nostrand and Chapman-Reinhold and merged them into Van Nostrand Reinhold; STM/technical and art/architecture titles under the VNR imprint follow contemporary number-line convention. The line passed to International Thomson and was acquired by John Wiley & Sons in 1997." ], "notablePoints": [ "'Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia' (from 1938) is the flagship reference — collected and cited by edition.", "The 1968 Litton merger that created Van Nostrand Reinhold dates the later era; the line was later dispersed and finally absorbed by Wiley in 1997.", "Nineteenth-century scientific and technical firsts are identified by the absence of a later-impression notice." ], "era": "1848-c.1997 (as active imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/da-capo-press", "name": "Da Capo Press", "slug": "da-capo-press", "region": "US (New York / Boston)", "imprints": [ "Da Capo Lifelong Books", "Da Capo (revived Grand Central / Hachette music imprint, 2020s)" ], "idMethods": [ "Earliest era (founded 1964 as a music-reprint division of Plenum Publishing): primarily a reprint and facsimile house, so many 'first' Da Capo printings are reissues of older works — 'first edition' here means first Da Capo printing, not first-ever publication.", "Trade era (general trade from the mid-1970s, under Perseus from 1999 and Hachette from the 2010s): standard descending number line on the copyright page (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest digit indicates the printing, and the presence of 1 indicates a first printing.", "No consistent separate 'First Edition' statement across the catalog — rely on the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Heavy reprint catalog (especially music, jazz, dance, and science): verify whether a title is an original Da Capo publication or a licensed reprint before describing it as a 'first edition.'", "Ownership chain: Plenum (1964) -> Perseus Books Group (1999) -> Hachette (folded into Hachette Books/Perseus) -> Grand Central revived the 'Da Capo' name as a music imprint in the 2020s. The number-line convention is stable across these eras.", "Collected mainly for jazz, rock, and classical biographies and music reference." ], "era": "1964-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dalkey-archive-press", "name": "Dalkey Archive Press", "slug": "dalkey-archive-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Review of Contemporary Fiction (journal)", "Context", "Best European Fiction series" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' / 'First printing' often with a descending number line; '1' indicates first printing.", "Many Dalkey titles are reprints/translations of older works — the Dalkey edition is a 'first thus' (first Dalkey/first US/first English-language edition), which the copyright page and translation/first-publication notes clarify.", "First lacks later-printing notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1984 by John O'Brien (named for Flann O'Brien's The Dalkey Archive); grew out of the Review of Contemporary Fiction; based variously at Illinois State / Champaign and Dublin; now under Deep Vellum (acquired 2021).", "Specializes in avant-garde and translated literature — most collectible 'firsts' are first-English-language or first-US editions ('first thus'), not first-ever editions of the work.", "Check translation copyright and 'first published in [language] in [year]' notes to understand exactly which 'first' a copy represents." ], "era": "1984–present (Deep Vellum from 2021)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dark-harvest", "name": "Dark Harvest", "slug": "dark-harvest", "region": "Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA", "imprints": [ "Night Visions (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1984-1991: horror specialty press best known for the Night Visions anthology series; titles were issued as limited signed firsts alongside trade hardcover firsts - the signed/numbered limitation page identifies the limited first state.", "Night Visions volumes: limited, signed first editions (signed by the contributors, and sometimes the introducer and artist); limitation counts varied by volume - some were limited to around 500 numbered copies, others to roughly 850 - so read the actual stated limitation rather than assuming a fixed number.", "Trade hardcover firsts state 'First Edition' on the copyright page and were released alongside the limited issues; out-of-series presentation copies also exist.", "Series-number caution: Night Visions saw retitling and renumbering across US/UK editions, so match the contents and the stated volume number, not just the cover title." ], "notablePoints": [ "Active 1984-1991, based in Arlington Heights, Illinois; defined by the Night Visions showcase series (contributors included Barker, King, McCammon, Simmons, Martin and Koontz).", "Night Visions is regarded as one of the most important horror short-fiction showcases of the 1980s.", "Signed-limited plus trade two-state model typical of 1980s collectible horror; both states are genuine firsts, distinguished by the limitation page." ], "era": "1984-1991" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dark-horse-comics", "name": "Dark Horse Comics", "slug": "dark-horse-comics", "region": "USA (Milwaukie, OR)", "imprints": [ "Dark Horse Manga (formerly Studio Proteus / Dark Horse Manga)", "Maverick", "Berger Books", "DH Press (prose)", "Comics' Greatest World", "Legend (Frank Miller/John Byrne shared imprint, 1990s)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the indicia/copyright page states 'First edition:' or 'First printing:' with month and year; later printings update the wording.", "Many Dark Horse collected editions print a printing-history line that adds dates as printings accrue — a first printing shows a single date.", "Floppy issues: a first printing has no printing statement; later printings state the printing in the indicia.", "ISBN-bearing book editions are distributed to the book trade (historically via Penguin Random House Publisher Services), so standard number-line/printing-statement book conventions apply." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1986 by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse Presents #1, July 1986). The 1990s 'Legend' imprint (Sin City, Hellboy, Next Men) was a creator-owned branding label, not a separate first-printing rule, and ended in 1998.", "Hellboy and Sin City collections went through many printings, and the Sin City editions were re-formatted and re-titled over time, so match the specific edition title plus the stated first-printing date.", "Dark Horse held the Star Wars comics license from 1991 (Dark Empire) until the license returned to Marvel for 2015; era of publication, not just the title, identifies the publisher." ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/david-mckay-company", "name": "David McKay Company", "slug": "david-mckay-company", "region": "Philadelphia / New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Ives Washburn (acquired imprint)", "McKay", "Longmeadow (later)" ], "idMethods": [ "1882-c.1950: NO reliable first-edition statement of any kind; firsts and reprints are often indistinguishable from the copyright page alone — rely on earliest-state points, binding, jacket, and title-page imprint variants.", "c.1950-c.1975: later printings begin to be noted on the copyright page, so the ABSENCE of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "c.1975 onward: a number-line system is used; the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded September 1882 in Philadelphia by David McKay, who apprenticed at J.B. Lippincott; published Walt Whitman's later 'Leaves of Grass' printings and a broad popular and reference list.", "The pre-1950 'no statement at all' era is a known trap — McKay firsts of that period require point-by-point bibliographic confirmation.", "Acquired by Random House in 1986; the McKay name faded thereafter." ], "era": "1882-c.1990" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/david-philip-publishers", "name": "David Philip Publishers", "slug": "david-philip-publishers", "region": "South Africa (Cape Town)", "imprints": [ "David Philip", "Africasouth Paperbacks", "New Africa Books (successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd' (Claremont / Cape Town); the first printing has no reprint or later-impression line.", "British-style convention — no number line; rely on the 'First published' year together with the absence of an impression/reprint notice.", "An Africasouth Paperbacks series line dates the paperback state; a New Africa Books imprint line (post-2000) indicates the later corporate era, not a David Philip-era first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 by David and Marie Philip during apartheid-era censorship; a leading independent anti-apartheid house that published Gordimer, Soyinka, and anti-apartheid scholarship.", "After the Philips' 1999 retirement it was bought by New African Investments Ltd and merged into New Africa Books in the early 2000s — the imprint name dates the era and changes attribution.", "Oppositional / anti-censorship press; some titles were banned, making certain firsts scarce." ], "era": "1971-c.2000 (succeeded by New Africa Books)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/david-r-godine", "name": "David R. Godine, Publisher", "slug": "david-r-godine", "region": "US (Boston / Jaffrey, New Hampshire)", "imprints": [ "Nonpareil Books", "Black Sparrow Books (acquired Black Sparrow Press list)", "Verba Mundi" ], "idMethods": [ "Generally prints a 'First edition' or 'First printing' statement on the copyright page; later printings note the printing.", "Many titles also carry a number line; '1' present = first printing.", "Fine-press/limited and letterpress titles are identified by colophon (stating limitation number, paper, and press) rather than a trade number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Distinguished Boston literary and fine-printing house (founded 1970) celebrated for typography, letterpress, and well-made trade books — design quality is central to collectibility.", "Acquired the Black Sparrow Press literary list (Bukowski, Bowles and others) and continues reprints as Black Sparrow Books; distinguish original Black Sparrow Press firsts from Godine's Black Sparrow Books reissues. Original Black Sparrow firsts characteristically show a title page printed in two or more colors, with no additional printings listed.", "Limited/letterpress editions: rely on the colophon and stated limitation, not on a printer's key." ], "era": "1970-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/daw-books", "name": "DAW Books", "slug": "daw-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "DAW (no sub-imprints; named for Donald A. Wollheim)" ], "idMethods": [ "PRIMARY tell is the DAW 'collector's number' (sequential book number), NOT a conventional number line — through June 1984 it sat inside the yellow logo box on the front cover/spine; from mid-1984 it was moved to the copyright page", "First printings carry a 'First Printing, ' statement on the copyright page; absence of any later-printing notation plus the first-printing date confirms a first", "Cross-check the DAW book number against the title's known first-printing number; reprints reuse the same collector's number, so rely on the printing statement / price for state" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 by Donald A. Wollheim — first mass-market house owned by and named after an individual; long famous for uniform bright-yellow spines (yellow-spine era ~1971–mid 1980s)", "Because most DAW titles were paperback originals, the 'first edition' IS the paperback — there is usually no prior hardcover", "DAW hardcover/club tie-ins and later Penguin-distributed printings carry different copyright-page language", "Now an imprint under Astra Publishing House (post-2022); historically distributed by NAL/Penguin" ], "era": "1971–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dc-collected-editions", "name": "DC Comics (collected editions: TPB / HC / Omnibus / Absolute / Archive)", "slug": "dc-collected-editions", "region": "USA (Burbank, CA / New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "DC Omnibus", "Absolute Edition", "DC Archive Editions", "DC Finest", "DC Compact Comics", "Deluxe Edition", "Black Label (collected)", "Vertigo (collected, 1993-2020)" ], "idMethods": [ "Indicia/copyright page carries the publisher block ('Copyright © [year] DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.'), ISBN, and a printing statement: a first printing states 'First Printing', often with no later dates, or a single publication line.", "Modern DC collected editions use a descending number line in the indicia ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest number present is the printing, so '1' present indicates a first printing.", "Reprints add a printing-history line or update the number line by dropping the '1'; first printings have only the original date and the full number line ending in 1.", "Direct-vs-newsstand is not relevant to the ISBN book editions; it applies only to the original floppy issues being collected." ], "notablePoints": [ "Watchmen is the canonical example of DC reprint-printing tracking: the collected edition has gone through 20-plus printings (the GCD documents a Twenty-Fourth Printing), each explicitly stated in the indicia, while the 1987 first printing carries the original single-printing indicia and a number line ending in 1.", "Absolute Editions and Archive Editions are premium oversized lines, usually single or few printings, with an edition statement; printing is still verified via indicia.", "Vertigo collected editions (1993-2020) carry Vertigo branding but follow the same DC indicia/number-line convention; post-2020 mature material moved to Black Label.", "DC Finest and DC Compact Comics are recent value-reprint lines; edition/printing is identified by indicia date and number line.", "For the original floppy issues: a first printing has no printing statement; reprints are marked (for example 'Second Printing') on cover or indicia. This matters for original-issue collecting, not the book collections." ], "era": "collected-edition program: 1980s-present (Archive Editions since 1989; Absolute since 2005; Omnibus line from the mid-to-late 2000s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/deep-vellum", "name": "Deep Vellum Publishing", "slug": "deep-vellum", "region": "Dallas, Texas, USA", "imprints": [ "Deep Vellum", "Dalkey Archive Press (acquired November 2020; relaunched April 2022)", "A Strange Object", "Phoneme Media", "La Reunion" ], "idMethods": [ "2013-present (Deep Vellum imprint): First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. Titles are predominantly translation-focused paperback originals, so the first state is the trade paperback.", "Dalkey Archive under Deep Vellum (relaunch from 2022): reissued and new Dalkey titles carry Deep Vellum's imprint and follow its number-line practice; check the imprint/publisher line and copyright date to distinguish a Deep-Vellum-era Dalkey printing from an original John O'Brien-era Dalkey first (Dalkey was founded 1984 in Illinois)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2013 by Will Evans in Dallas; a nonprofit that also operates the Deep Vellum Books bookstore (opened 2015 in the Deep Ellum neighborhood).", "Acquired A Strange Object and Phoneme Media in 2019 and the assets of Dalkey Archive Press in November 2020 (relaunching Dalkey in April 2022) — so a post-acquisition Dalkey book is a Deep Vellum production, a critical distinction from John O'Brien-era Dalkey firsts.", "Predominantly first English translations, making many Deep Vellum editions the first English-language printing of the text." ], "era": "2013-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/delacorte-press", "name": "Delacorte Press", "slug": "delacorte-press", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Delacorte", "Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence (co-imprint on Vonnegut-era titles)" ], "idMethods": [ "\"First printing\" or \"First Edition\" stated on the copyright page, frequently paired with a number line ending in 1", "Vonnegut-era Delacorte / Seymour Lawrence books: look for an explicit \"First printing\" statement on the copyright page (e.g. Slaughterhouse-Five is a stated first printing)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Hardcover home of many Kurt Vonnegut firsts, published as Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence — a high-value collecting area", "Within the Random House Publishing Group, part of Penguin Random House" ], "era": "1921–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dell-mapbacks", "name": "Dell (Mapbacks / paperback originals)", "slug": "dell-mapbacks", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Dell Books", "Dell Mapbacks (1943-1951)", "Dell First Edition (paperback originals, 1953+)", "Dell Great Mystery Library" ], "idMethods": [ "Dell-number identification: every Dell paperback carried a sequential Dell number. Mapbacks run roughly #5 to ~#550 (books #1-4 had no map). The Dell number plus the back-cover map/keyhole-eye logo establishes the series and approximate date.", "First printing of a given Dell number is identified by the absence of any reprint/printing notice on the copyright page and a price matching the era; many Dell mapbacks are effectively single-printing, so the issue point is the Dell number itself.", "Back cover bears a pictorial 'map' (or chart/blueprint) of the scene of the crime, with a front-cover banner sometimes reading 'with crime map on back cover'; 'eye-in-keyhole' logo on the front.", "Dell First Editions (from 1953, prefix 'A###' / 'First Edition' line) are paperback ORIGINALS — the paperback IS the first edition; look for the 'Dell First Edition' designation." ], "notablePoints": [ "Mapbacks (1943-1951): the back-cover map (many by illustrator Ruth Belew) is the defining feature; maps faded out by 1951.", "A 'Dell First Edition' (post-1953) is a true first printing of an original work and has no prior hardcover — distinct from Dell mapback REPRINTS of hardcover novels (e.g., Christie titles originally from Dodd, Mead), which are reprints, not firsts.", "Condition-sensitive: spine, map clarity, and cover gloss drive value; price on cover helps date.", "Do not confuse with later glue-bound Dell reprints that reused numbers/series names." ], "era": "1943-1960s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dell-publishing", "name": "Dell Publishing", "slug": "dell-publishing", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Delacorte Press", "Dell Laurel", "Laurel-Leaf", "Yearling", "Dial Press (under Dell)", "Dell Dragonfly" ], "idMethods": [ "Mass-market originals: copyright page shows a printing statement; a true first lists only 'First printing (date)' or a number line including 1 with no later printings.", "Delacorte Press hardcovers (the Dell trade-hardcover line) typically state 'First printing' / 'First Edition' and use a number line ending in 1.", "Older Dell mapbacks/paperbacks identified by series number and the absence of reprint notations rather than a stated edition.", "Modern Dell (PRH) uses a descending number line; presence of 1 = first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Dell was historically a paperback/magazine house; Delacorte Press (est. 1921, revived as Dell's hardcover imprint) is where Dell hardcover firsts appear.", "Vintage 'Dell mapbacks' (1940s–50s, maps on rear cover) are collected by their series numbering.", "Became Bantam Doubleday Dell, then folded into Random House (1998) → Penguin Random House. Post-merger follows RH number-line convention.", "Yearling/Laurel-Leaf are children's/YA reprint lines — usually NOT firsts." ], "era": "1942–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dennis-mcmillan-publications", "name": "Dennis McMillan Publications", "slug": "dennis-mcmillan-publications", "region": "US (Miami Beach, FL; later Tucson, AZ)", "imprints": [ "Dennis McMillan Publications" ], "idMethods": [ "The first edition is a signed, numbered limited: a printed limitation page (often in a distinctive ink such as red) states the total edition and gives the copy number, signed by the author on the limitation page.", "Hardcover, usually issued in dustjacket; the limitation statement and author signature on the limitation/colophon leaf are the controlling first-edition points.", "Some titles had a scarcer lettered or specially-bound deluxe sub-state above the numbered run — check whether the copy is numbered or lettered, lettered being the scarcer state.", "Place/date on the copyright page tracks the publisher's relocations (Miami Beach in the late 1980s), useful for confirming a genuine first-issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Small fine-press operation run by bookseller Dennis McMillan; celebrated for Charles Willeford titles — notably Kiss Your Ass Good-bye (1987, 400 copies signed and numbered by Willeford on a red-printed limitation page), plus Fredric Brown pulp-recovery material.", "These are genuine first editions of often previously-unpublished or uncollected work — high collector interest driven by tiny runs and author signatures.", "Because runs are so small, condition of the limitation page and presence of the signature are decisive; later trade reprints by other houses are NOT the McMillan first." ], "era": "1980s–2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/deseret-book", "name": "Deseret Book Company", "slug": "deseret-book", "region": "Salt Lake City, Utah, USA", "imprints": [ "Deseret Book", "Bookcraft (acquired 1999)", "Shadow Mountain", "Eagle Gate", "Ensign Peak" ], "idMethods": [ "1866-1920s (Deseret News Bookstore / early roots): The LDS Church's official bookstore and publisher; lineage traces to George Q. Cannon & Sons (1866), purchased by the Deseret News in 1901 to become the Deseret News Bookstore. No number line; identify firsts by copyright year and absence of any reprint or later-printing notice. Nineteenth-century LDS imprints are scarce and identified bibliographically (Flake-Draper LDS bibliography).", "1919/1920 (Deseret Book Company formed October 1919 by merger of the Deseret News Bookstore and the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore; name adopted 1920) - 1960s: printing and edition statements appear inconsistently; earliest copyright year plus a clean printing line indicates a first.", "1960s-1980s: number and printing-history lines emerge; earliest single year with no added printings indicates a first.", "1980s-present: standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing.", "Shadow Mountain (the national, general-market imprint) and Eagle Gate follow the same number-line convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Formed in October 1919 from the merger of the Deseret News Bookstore and the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore, with the Deseret Book Company name adopted in 1920; deeper roots to George Q. Cannon & Sons (1866).", "Owned by the LDS Church through Deseret Management Corporation, making it effectively the official LDS publisher and retailer.", "Acquired Bookcraft in 1999 and combined the lists; launched Shadow Mountain for the national market.", "Early LDS imprints are catalogued in the Flake-Draper Mormon bibliography, the authoritative reference for the early firsts; large devotional print runs mean most modern firsts are common while the scarce items are the early Salt Lake imprints." ], "era": "1866/1919-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/destiny-books", "name": "Destiny Books", "slug": "destiny-books", "region": "USA (imprint of Inner Traditions, Rochester VT)", "imprints": [ "Destiny Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1980s-present (imprint of Inner Traditions): follows the same standard modern-trade practice as the Inner Traditions parent, a descending number line such as '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' in which the lowest number indicates the printing (a line ending in 1 marks a first printing), typically alongside a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page. The Destiny Books imprint name signals the occult, pagan, and divination subject line within the Inner Traditions family rather than a separate dating system.", "General: revised editions are restated with a fresh number line and 'Second Edition' (or similar) wording, so verify both the edition statement and the line." ], "notablePoints": [ "An Inner Traditions imprint, not an independent house, focused on New Age and metaphysical titles, divination, tantra and sacred sexuality, and pagan and occult traditions, and it often publishes English translations of French and German works.", "Identification follows the Inner Traditions parent's practice (descending number line plus 'First Edition' statement), which is standard modern-trade convention rather than a documented house-specific point.", "The imprint name is a subject tell, not a separate identification system." ], "era": "1980s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/detective-book-club", "name": "Detective Book Club (Walter J. Black)", "slug": "detective-book-club", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Walter J. Black, Inc.", "Detective Book Club (3-in-1 omnibus volumes)" ], "idMethods": [ "These are BOOK-CLUB editions by design — they are NOT first editions. Identification is the inverse skill: recognizing a DBC volume so it is not mistaken for a first.", "Tells: three novels bound in one omnibus volume; uniform binding/jacket styling across the series; no original publisher's price; cheaper paper; often 'Detective Book Club' on spine/jacket and a club-selection note.", "Blind-stamped dimple or absence of a true first-edition statement; jacket lacks an original publisher price." ], "notablePoints": [ "Crucial as a confusion-avoider: a DBC 3-in-1 reprints novels that first appeared from houses like Doubleday Crime Club, Morrow, Dodd Mead — the original publisher's separate hardcover is the first, not the club volume.", "Often mistaken online for firsts because they reproduce the original jacket art on the omnibus.", "No collectible 'first printing' status; value is nominal." ], "era": "1942-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dewi-lewis-publishing", "name": "Dewi Lewis Publishing", "slug": "dewi-lewis-publishing", "region": "UK (Stockport/Manchester)", "imprints": [ "Dewi Lewis Publishing", "Dewi Lewis Media (related imprint)", "Cornerhouse Publications (Dewi Lewis's earlier publishing operation, 1987–1994)" ], "idMethods": [ "Colophon states 'First published in [year] by Dewi Lewis Publishing'; for a first there is no added reprint line, and this first-published statement is the primary identifier.", "Reprints are stated ('Reprinted [year]' or 'Second edition'); UK convention adds reprint lines rather than deleting from a descending number line.", "Most titles are single-printing photobooks, so the absence of a reprint line together with the original ISBN supports a first.", "Occasional special or signed editions carry a numbered limitation statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1994 by Dewi Lewis and Caroline Warhurst. Before that Lewis established and ran Cornerhouse Publications in Manchester from 1987 until 1994 — a Cornerhouse-imprint photobook belongs to that earlier, separate lineage.", "Award-recognized house (Paris Photo–Aperture Photobook of the Year 2018; Rencontres d'Arles Author Book Prize 2018; PHotoEspaña 2014) with titles by Martin Parr, William Klein, Sergio Larrain and others; prize-winning firsts may carry stated reprints.", "US distribution has been handled through a US distribution arrangement; a US-distributed copy is the same UK edition, not a separate first." ], "era": "1994–present (Cornerhouse Publications lineage 1987–1994)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dey-street-books", "name": "Dey Street Books", "slug": "dey-street-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Dey Street", "Harper Pop (related, 2025)" ], "idMethods": [ "True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: \"First Edition\" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1.", "On later printings the lowest digit rises above 1 and the \"First Edition\" statement is typically removed." ], "notablePoints": [ "Pop-culture / nonfiction imprint within HarperCollins, launched in 2009 as It Books and renamed Dey Street Books with its first list in fall 2014.", "Harper Pop is a newer licensed / pop-culture imprint launched in winter 2025; Dey Street's publisher Carrie Thornton is among those overseeing it.", "Known for celebrity memoirs and irreverent pop-culture nonfiction." ], "era": "2014–present (as It Books 2009–2014)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dial-byr", "name": "Dial Books for Young Readers", "slug": "dial-byr", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Dial Press (historical adult parent)", "Dial Easy-to-Read" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern (Penguin/Dial era): full descending number line on copyright page; first printing reaches '1' (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)", "Often paired with 'First Edition' or 'First American Edition' statement", "Mid-20th century Dial Press parent: pre-mid-1960s matched title-page and copyright-page dates; late 1960s stated 'First Printing (Year)'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Dial BFYR is now a Penguin Young Readers (Penguin Random House) imprint; inherits Penguin number-line house style", "Famous titles: Lois Lowry, the 'Brian's Saga' Gary Paulsen, Eric Carle reissues, Bill Peet. Caldecott/Newbery contenders frequent", "Watch for Reading Rainbow / book-club tie-in editions of Dial picture books lacking price" ], "era": "1924–present (children's imprint formalized 1961)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dial-press", "name": "Dial Press", "slug": "dial-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Dial Books for Young Readers (children's, now separate under Penguin)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-mid-1960s (classic Dial, incl. early Baldwin/Mailer firsts): first edition identified by the SAME DATE appearing on both the title page and the copyright page, with no later-printing statement. Early imprints may read 'Lincoln MacVeagh / The Dial Press.'", "Mid/late-1960s to ~1980: first printings stated 'First Printing (Year)' on the copyright page, with subsequent printings explicitly noted.", "Circa 1980s onward: a descending number line/number row; presence of '1' indicates first printing. This convention began under Doubleday-era ownership, BEFORE the Random House revival — it is not exclusively a modern Random House practice.", "Modern Random House-era Dial: follows standard Random House practice — typically 'First Edition' stated with a number line descending to 1; but verify against the era the copyright page reflects rather than assuming." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1923 by Lincoln MacVeagh (first book imprint issued 1924) — the claim's 'Founded 1924' is off by a year; 1924 is the first publication, not the founding.", "Published James Baldwin, Norman Mailer, Thomas Berger, Elizabeth Bowen, Frank Yerby. Ownership churn: Dell (60% 1963, wholly owned 1969) -> Doubleday (1976) -> adult imprint dissolved 1985 -> revived (under Bantam/Doubleday/Dell, carried into Random House when BDD was sold) -> now Random House Publishing Group imprint within PRH. The claim's 'revived under Random House 2001' is imprecise: the revival lineage began under BDD, not Random House, and the specific 2001 date is not well-supported.", "Dial Books for Young Readers split off (children's division sold to E.P. Dutton in 1976) and is now a Penguin Random House children's imprint — a DIFFERENT line; do not conflate with the adult Dial Press. (Confirmed correct.)", "Because of the ownership churn the controlling convention depends on the printing's era — check the copyright page. (Confirmed correct.) The single most useful early-era test is the matching date on title page and copyright page, which the claimed methods omit entirely." ], "era": "1924–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/disney-hyperion", "name": "Disney-Hyperion / Disney Publishing Worldwide (children's)", "slug": "disney-hyperion", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Disney-Hyperion", "Hyperion Books for Children (legacy)", "Disney Press", "Freeform Books (former YA)", "Rick Riordan Presents", "Disney Books", "Marvel Press (children's)", "Disney Lucasfilm Press" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a number line that includes 1", "Lowest digit present in the number row = the printing; 1 indicates first edition, first printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Formerly Hyperion Books for Children; the children's list rebranded as Disney-Hyperion in 2008", "Rick Riordan Presents launched in 2018 (first title Aru Shah and the End of Time, 2018) and follows the same 'First Edition' + number-line rule", "Caution on Disney novelty and licensed movie tie-in titles: number lines can be absent or unreliable on mass-market tie-ins, so trust the stated 'First Edition' plus number line only on trade titles", "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Miramax/Hyperion, 2005) firsts carry title-specific jacket and number-line points" ], "era": "1991–present (Hyperion children's); Disney-Hyperion brand from 2008" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dk-eyewitness", "name": "DK Eyewitness (Dorling Kindersley)", "slug": "dk-eyewitness", "region": "United Kingdom (London); Penguin Random House", "imprints": [ "DK Eyewitness Travel Guides", "DK Eyewitness Top 10 Guides", "DK Eyewitness Back Roads", "DK Eyewitness (Eyewitness Books reference)" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by the copyright-page number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' (lowest digit present = printing) combined with a 'First published in [year]' statement and any 'Reprinted with revisions' year list.", "1993-2000s: series launched 1993, copyright held by 'Dorling Kindersley Limited, London'. A true first printing shows the original publication year and carries NO 'Reprinted with revisions' year list.", "Revised editions: the copyright page accumulates a 'Reprinted with revisions' year list, and the number line on a revised reprint will have lost the '1' — both mark a non-first printing.", "2010s-present: under Penguin Random House; the same number-line plus revision-year-list convention continues." ], "notablePoints": [ "Number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' with the lowest digit indicating the printing, confirmed from physical copies.", "Key tell: the 'Reprinted with revisions' YEAR LIST on the copyright page — a first printing has none.", "Series founded 1993; 'Dorling Kindersley Limited, London' copyright line, later 'DK, a division of Penguin Random House'.", "The photo and cutaway 3D-illustration format is the brand signature." ], "era": "1993-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dodd-mead", "name": "Dodd, Mead & Company", "slug": "dodd-mead", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Dodd, Mead", "Red Badge Mystery", "Apollo Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "Prior to 1976: firsts have NO additional printings listed on the copyright page (no number line, no later-printing notice).", "Late 1976 onward: a sequence of numbers on the copyright page with '1' present indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "For pre-1976 titles the only reliable signal is the absence of any later-printing notice — there is no positive 'First Edition' statement to rely on.", "Long-running house (Agatha Christie's US publisher) — title-level points often matter more than the house rule." ], "era": "1870s-1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dodd-mead-red-badge", "name": "Dodd, Mead & Company (Red Badge Detective)", "slug": "dodd-mead-red-badge", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Dodd, Mead & Co.", "Red Badge Detective (crime imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Dodd, Mead generally stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page for firsts; the statement is removed on later printings (standard mid-century practice).", "Red Badge Detective books carry the Red Badge device/colophon; first printing = 'First Edition' stated with no later-printing notice and a price-present jacket.", "Match jacket price and rear-panel ads to first-state points for collected authors." ], "notablePoints": [ "Agatha Christie's primary US hardcover publisher for much of her career — Dodd, Mead firsts are the US firsts (distinct from UK Collins Crime Club firsts).", "Book-club reprints (Detective Book Club, Dollar Mystery Guild) of Dodd, Mead titles are common look-alikes; the BCE lacks 'First Edition' and has club tells.", "For Christie and similar, the US Dodd, Mead first usually post-dates the UK Collins first — note 'first US edition,' not world first." ], "era": "1930s-1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/donald-m-grant-publisher", "name": "Donald M. Grant, Publisher", "slug": "donald-m-grant-publisher", "region": "USA (West Kingston, Rhode Island)", "imprints": [ "Grant/Hampton Falls", "co-publications with Underwood-Miller" ], "idMethods": [ "Limitation/colophon page states the print run; many titles issued in signed limited and trade states — the limitation leaf and signature identify the limited first", "Trade firsts: confirm 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page where present, with no later-printing notice; verify the illustrator plates and binding/slipcase match the issued state", "Stephen King 'The Gunslinger' (1982) first Grant edition: 'First Edition' stated on copyright page, brown/maroon cloth boards gilt-lettered, Michael Whelan plates, unclipped jacket; no later-printing statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1964; specialist in lavishly illustrated SF/fantasy/Western, notably Robert E. Howard Conan volumes and Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' originals", "'The Gunslinger' (1982) and 'The Drawing of the Three' (1987) Grant editions are the true firsts long before the mass-market reprints — high-value points titles", "Grant did several co-imprint/limited runs; check the title page for a co-publisher (e.g. Underwood-Miller), which changes the issue state" ], "era": "1964-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dorothy-a-publishing-project", "name": "Dorothy, a Publishing Project", "slug": "dorothy-a-publishing-project", "region": "St. Louis, Missouri, USA", "imprints": [ "Dorothy, a Publishing Project" ], "idMethods": [ "2010-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback originals, so the first state is the trade paperback; 'First edition' wording appears on some titles, but the number line is the consistent tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Danielle Dutton (with Martin Riker); the press's first two titles appeared in 2010, and it is distributed in partnership with Coffee House Press.", "Publishes exactly two books per year, both released together each fall — a small, easily tracked list.", "Drew wide attention for Nell Zink and Renee Gladman titles; firsts are scarce because of small print runs." ], "era": "2010-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/doubleday-imprint", "name": "Doubleday", "slug": "doubleday-imprint", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Nan A. Talese", "Anchor (paper sister)", "Image (religious)", "Doubleday Religion", "Currency (business)", "Galilee", "Crime Club (historic)", "Zenith/Dolphin (historic paper)" ], "idMethods": [ "1897–c.1920s (Doubleday & McClure / Doubleday, Page): first editions have the SAME date on title page and copyright page with no other printings mentioned.", "Early 1920s–1927: began stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page (not always on books first published outside the US); by 1927 (Doubleday, Doran) used 'First Edition' consistently.", "Mid-1958–early 1959: numerical gutter code (1–52) on the last page of text indicating the WEEK of printing. Early 1959–1987: added a LETTER code before the week code indicating the YEAR.", "c.1990s–present: uses a descending number row; presence of 1 indicates first printing. Throughout: any mention of later printings means it is NOT a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Name evolution: Doubleday & McClure (1897) → Doubleday, Page (c.1900) → Doubleday, Doran (1927) → Doubleday & Co. (1947) → part of Bantam Doubleday Dell → Random House/PRH (1998).", "The 1958–1987 gutter/colophon code (letter+number) is a famous, decodable Doubleday point — the letter gives the year, the number the week.", "Doubleday is notorious for book-club editions (it ran large book clubs): BCEs typically lack a price on the jacket, have a blind-stamp 'dot' or square on the lower-right rear board, and are smaller/lighter — a classic confusion with trade firsts.", "Nan A. Talese is the prestige literary imprint (Atwood, McEwan, Ondaatje) — follows modern Doubleday number-line convention." ], "era": "1897–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/doubleday", "name": "Doubleday", "slug": "doubleday", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" on the copyright page (no statement on later printings)", "Gutter codes (mid-1958 to mid-1987) as a dating cross-reference" ], "notablePoints": [ "The Literary Guild, Mystery Guild, and Doubleday Book Club run through this house; their club editions carry a five-digit code block on the jacket and a rear-board blind stamp — not the same as the trade first." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/douglas-and-mcintyre", "name": "Douglas & McIntyre", "slug": "douglas-and-mcintyre", "region": "Canada (Vancouver/Madeira Park, British Columbia)", "imprints": [ "Douglas & McIntyre", "Greystone Books", "New Society Publishers (historic; returned to prior owners 2013)", "Groundwood (historic, before moving to House of Anansi)", "D&M Publishers (corporate parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern D&M trade titles state 'First edition' and/or carry a number line ('1' present = first printing) on the copyright page.", "Co-publications (D&M frequently co-published with US/UK houses) require establishing the Canadian first by date and the D&M imprint on the title page.", "For older titles, absence of any later-printing/reprint statement plus the first-appearance year is the working rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 by James Douglas and Scott McIntyre, Vancouver; leading western-Canadian trade and art-book publisher (Bill Reid, Robert Bringhurst, Haida/Northwest Coast titles, David Suzuki).", "Greystone Books imprint launched 1993 (under Rob Sanders) for nature and popular-science titles.", "Critical era/ownership change: parent D&M Publishers filed a Notice of Intention under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act in October 2012; in February 2013 the Douglas & McIntyre list was bought by Howard and Mary White (Harbour Publishing) and continued as 'Douglas and McIntyre (2013) Ltd.', Greystone Books was sold to a Heritage House-led group and became the independent Greystone Books Ltd., and New Society Publishers returned to prior owners. Post-2013 D&M and Greystone are SEPARATE companies; attribute imprint and era carefully.", "Groundwood originated under D&M before becoming part of House of Anansi; older Groundwood titles may bear D&M-era imprint data." ], "era": "1971-2012 (original D&M Publishers); 2013-present (Douglas & McIntyre 2013 Ltd.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dover-publications", "name": "Dover Publications", "slug": "dover-publications", "region": "Mineola (formerly New York), New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Dover Publications", "Dover Thrift Editions", "Calla Editions", "Ixia Press", "Echo Point (distribution-adjacent)" ], "idMethods": [ "1941-present (general rule): Dover is overwhelmingly a reprint/republication house; most of its books are NOT first editions of their texts. The copyright page states the original publication and reads, in substance, 'This Dover edition, first published in [year], is an unabridged [and/or unaltered] republication of the work originally published by [X] in [year].' For collectors, the relevant 'first' is the FIRST DOVER EDITION, dated by that republication statement.", "1941-c.1970: On early Dover editions the first Dover printing is identified by the republication statement's year together with the absence of any later-printing line; the price was often printed on the rear cover, and many early titles carry no number line.", "c.1970-present: Many Dover titles carry a number line; the first Dover printing shows the full sequence ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or a letter line) with the lowest value present indicating the printing. The 'This Dover edition, first published in [year]' statement remains the primary tell. Dover ORIGINALS (a minority of the list) are true first editions, identified by the absence of any prior-publication statement plus the number line.", "2000s-present: Under later corporate ownership (Courier, then INscribe Digital/Ingram-adjacent) the republication-statement convention continues; Thrift Editions and Pictorial Archive lines are clearly labeled." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1941 by Hayward and Blanche Cirker, named for their apartment building; built on inexpensive unabridged reprints of public-domain and out-of-print works.", "Critical for identification: Dover's craft, needlework, clip-art, stencil, pattern, and 'Dover Pictorial Archive' originals ARE true first editions, identified by the LACK of a prior-publication statement.", "The 'This Dover edition, first published in [year], is an unabridged republication...' wording dates the first Dover edition precisely.", "Permission-free clip-art and needlework compilations are a Dover signature; some are originals and some are republications, so the copyright statement must be read in each case." ], "era": "1941-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dover-publications-music", "name": "Dover Publications (Music & Performing Arts)", "slug": "dover-publications-music", "region": "USA (New York; Mineola, NY)", "imprints": [ "Dover", "Dover Music Scores", "Dover Books on Music" ], "idMethods": [ "1941-present (general rule): Dover is overwhelmingly a REPRINT publisher; most music scores and music/film/theatre books are unabridged republications of earlier editions, so the relevant 'first' is the first Dover edition. Identify it by the copyright/credits page statement: 'This Dover edition, first published in YYYY, is an unabridged [/ slightly corrected / new] republication of the work originally published by [publisher], [year].'", "All eras — first Dover printing tell: A true first Dover printing carries no later-printing notation; later Dover printings are commonly re-run silently, so collectors rely on the 'first published in YYYY' Dover statement together with any printing/manufacturing code (often on the last text page or inside back cover).", "Music scores: Dover full-size and miniature scores reproduce older engraved plates (frequently Breitkopf & Hartel, Peters, etc.); the 'Dover edition first published YYYY' line dates the Dover issue, while the reproduced plates retain the ORIGINAL publisher's plate numbers — do not mistake those for Dover firsts.", "ISBN era (c.1968-present): Dover added ISBNs and standardized self-cover paperbacks; the edition statement remains the 'This Dover edition, first published in YYYY...' formula." ], "notablePoints": [ "Almost never an original-publication first edition; value lies in the affordable reprint rather than in collectible firsts.", "Reproduced scores carry the ORIGINAL engraver's plate numbers — a frequent point of confusion.", "Identify the first Dover edition by the explicit 'This Dover edition, first published in YYYY...' republication statement.", "Headquartered in New York, later Mineola, NY; the printing operation passed to Courier/LSC." ], "era": "1941-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/doves-press", "name": "Doves Press", "slug": "doves-press", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "T. J. Cobden-Sanderson & Emery Walker (founders)" ], "idMethods": [ "Hand-press limited editions in the single proprietary 'Doves' type; austere typography with no illustration, occasional calligraphic initials by Edward Johnston (often hand-painted in red)", "Printed colophon with stated limitation; copies on paper plus a small number on VELLUM (distinct sub-state)", "The Doves bindery dove device / the press colophon authenticates; handmade paper", "No number line — colophon limitation and the Doves type identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1900 by T. J. Cobden-Sanderson and Emery Walker (Hammersmith); celebrated for the Doves Bible (1903–05) — a monument of pure typography", "Cobden-Sanderson famously threw the Doves type punches and matrices into the Thames (1916–17) to keep it from Walker — so the type was never reused; this story underlies the press's mystique", "Vellum copies and the Doves Bible are the apex; paper copies are the standard state", "Distinguish from later Doves-type revivals (digital facsimiles) — not the original press" ], "era": "1900–1916" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/down-east-books", "name": "Down East Books", "slug": "down-east-books", "region": "New England (Camden / Rockport, Maine)", "imprints": [ "Down East Books", "Down East Enterprise (parent, formerly)", "Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield (current owner-distributor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1967-1980s (Down East Magazine/Enterprise era): No reliable 'First Edition' slug on early titles. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching the publication year with no later-printing notation; later printings add an explicit statement. Early titles often credit 'Down East Magazine' or 'Down East Enterprise, Camden, Maine.'", "1980s-2000s: Mixed practice. Some titles state 'First Edition' or 'First printing'; a number line (lowest number present indicates the printing) appears on later titles. Where no printing statement is present, the matching copyright date plus the absence of any later-printing notation is the practical first-printing tell.", "c. 2015-present (Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield ownership): Follows the Globe Pequot/Rowman & Littlefield house convention - a copyright-page printing line and/or number line in which the lowest digit present indicates the printing; the imprint line reads 'Down East Books, an imprint of ...'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Began publishing in 1967 (first title 'Leroy the Lobster and Crabby Crab') and has issued well over 1,000 Maine and New England titles.", "Originated as the book division of Down East magazine (the magazine itself passed to the Fernald family in 1976); the book line later separated and was acquired into the Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield group.", "Post-acquisition copyright pages carry the corporate 'an imprint of ...' language, a quick era tell.", "Regional nautical, nature, cookbook, history, and children's titles dominate the list." ], "era": "1967-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dramatists-play-service", "name": "Dramatists Play Service", "slug": "dramatists-play-service", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Dramatists Play Service Acting Edition", "DPS" ], "idMethods": [ "1936–present (acting-edition model): founded in 1936 by members of the Dramatists Guild. Publishes inexpensive paperbound acting editions intended for licensing, not collectible trade firsts. These are typically reset and reprinted continuously without edition statements, and printings are generally not distinguished bibliographically. Identify by the copyright year or years on the verso and by the standard DPS acting-edition format (plain card cover, cast and scenery requirements, royalty notice).", "All eras — first-issue tell: the earliest issue carries only the original copyright year, with no added later copyright dates and no revised-edition note. Later states accrue additional copyright years (revisions) and updated royalty and contact information. The DPS address and royalty-fee text on the back cover can roughly date a copy.", "Ownership for dating later copies: DPS was acquired by Broadway Licensing in 2021 (as part of Broadway Licensing Global, alongside Playscripts and Stage Rights). Broadway Licensing Global was then acquired by Concord Theatricals in 2025. The acting-edition format and identification conventions are unchanged, but newer copies may carry Broadway Licensing or, later, Concord Theatricals imprint or contact updates." ], "notablePoints": [ "Acting editions are licensing tools, not designed as collectible firsts, so printings are usually indistinguishable; use copyright-year accretion and back-cover royalty text to date a copy.", "Often publishes the first printed appearance of a contemporary play, so the DPS acting edition can be the true first edition of the text even though it is humble in format.", "Ownership chain for dating: independent until 2021, then Broadway Licensing (2021), then part of Concord Theatricals (2025)." ], "era": "1936–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/drawn-and-quarterly", "name": "Drawn & Quarterly", "slug": "drawn-and-quarterly", "region": "Canada (Montreal, QC)", "imprints": [ "Petits Livres (children's)", "D+Q (manga/reprint line incl. Tatsumi, Moomin)" ], "idMethods": [ "Book-trade publisher: the copyright page states 'First edition' and/or 'First printing' with a month and year; many titles also carry a descending number line (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') where the lowest digit equals the printing.", "First printing = the lowest number in the line is '1' and/or explicit 'First edition' wording with no later-printing statement.", "Distributed in the US by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (a Macmillan imprint), so many D+Q copyright pages follow Macmillan-style number-line formatting; confirm the '1' is present in the line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1990 by Chris Oliveros; the anthology magazine 'Drawn & Quarterly' debuted in April 1990 and predates the book program, and is identified by issue indicia.", "High-demand titles (Chester Brown, Seth, Adrian Tomine, Lynda Barry, Moomin hardcovers) frequently went to multiple printings, so the number line / printing statement is the decisive point.", "Some Tomine and Seth titles were co-published or distributed differently across editions — verify the stated edition wording per title." ], "era": "1990-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/duell-sloan-and-pearce", "name": "Duell, Sloan & Pearce", "slug": "duell-sloan-and-pearce", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Duell, Sloan & Pearce", "Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown (joint distribution imprint, from 1951)" ], "idMethods": [ "1939–1961: First printings are marked either with the words 'First Edition' OR with a Roman numeral 'I' on the copyright page. Later printings are denoted similarly — e.g., 'Second Printing' or 'II.' The presence of 'First Edition' or 'I' (with no later-printing designation) indicates a first printing. (Confirmed by qbbooks and IOBA lists derived from Zempel & Verkler.)", "From 1951: Little, Brown handled manufacturing, warehousing, promotion, and selling; the two firms stayed independent but books carried both imprints. The joint 'Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown' imprint dates a title to 1951 or later.", "From March 1961: the firm became an affiliate of Meredith Publishing Company; later imprints are a Meredith property — apply successor rules." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1939 by Charles Halliwell Duell, Samuel Sloan, and Charles A. Pearce (former Harcourt editors).", "Published Archibald MacLeish, John O'Hara, Erskine Caldwell, Anaïs Nin, Conrad Aiken, Wallace Stegner, E. E. Cummings, Howard Fast, and Benjamin Spock; entered a Little, Brown distribution agreement in 1951 (the joint imprint is a dating tell).", "The explicit 'First Edition'/Roman-numeral-'I' convention makes identification more reliable than its no-statement contemporaries — but verify, as some titles use only the numeral." ], "era": "1939–1961 (independent imprint; became a Meredith affiliate March 1961)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/duke-university-press", "name": "Duke University Press", "slug": "duke-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Console-ing Passions series", "Latin America Otherwise series" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles carry a number line on the copyright page; lowest number present = printing ('1' = first).", "First printings otherwise show only the copyright line; later printings/editions noted.", "Revised editions explicitly dated and numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Strong cultural-studies, queer-theory, and Latin American studies list; heavily reprinted theory titles keep the same copyright year — rely on the number line.", "Standard academic convention." ], "era": "1921–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dutton", "name": "Dutton", "slug": "dutton", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "E.P. Dutton (historic)", "Dutton Children's Books", "Plume (trade paper, sister)", "New American Library/NAL (sister under Penguin)" ], "idMethods": [ "Historic E.P. Dutton (founded 1852): first printings often identified by the absence of later-printing statements; many mid-century titles state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing'.", "Number line / 'W' codes and date codes appear on some 20th-century Dutton books.", "Modern Dutton (Penguin): states 'First Edition' with a descending number line ending in 1.", "Presence of 1 in the line plus the stated First Edition = first in the modern era." ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the oldest US houses (E.P. Dutton, est. 1852); diverse list including Winnie-the-Pooh US editions.", "Acquired by Penguin (Dutton/NAL) in the 1980s–90s; now a Penguin Publishing Group imprint within PRH.", "Pre-modern Dutton requires absence-of-reprint logic; the famous Pooh/Milne titles have specific bibliographic points beyond house convention.", "Plume (trade paperback) is largely a reprint line — usually NOT a first." ], "era": "1852–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ep-dutton", "name": "E. P. Dutton & Company", "slug": "ep-dutton", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Dutton", "Everyman's Library (US distribution)", "Obelisk" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1929: same date on title page and copyright page, no additional printings listed.", "1929 onward: state 'First Published (year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page.", "1993 onward: 'First Printing (month, year)' plus a number sequence with '1' present." ], "notablePoints": [ "The matching-date rule covers the earliest period; the explicit statement covers the bulk of the 20th century.", "US publisher of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh titles — those have famous title-specific points beyond the house rule." ], "era": "1880s-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/earthling-publications", "name": "Earthling Publications", "slug": "earthling-publications", "region": "Northborough, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "Earthling Halloween Series", "Earthling Modern Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "c.2000-present: signed limited hardcovers; the numbered/lettered limitation page identifies the first - generally single-printing limited editions.", "Halloween Series (2004-present): standard volumes limited to 300 signed and numbered copies (plus a small lettered/deluxe state for some); the '#/300' limitation identifies the standard limited first.", "Series numbering tell: Mr. Dark's Carnival by Glen Hirshberg (2004) was an ultra-limited run of only 15 signed copies and is counted as #0; Blood Red is #1 - so the canonical series number on early titles is itself an identification point.", "Lettered/traycased deluxe states (often 26 copies, A-Z) exist for many Halloween titles; identify by the lettered colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Run by Paul Miller; specializes in limited-edition horror/dark fantasy.", "Annual Halloween Series (one horror novel/novella each October) is the press's signature line and reliably sells out.", "Reputation built on consistent 300-copy signed/numbered limiteds with high production values." ], "era": "c.1998-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/easton-press", "name": "Easton Press", "slug": "easton-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "MBI / Easton Press (a division of MBI, Inc.)", "100 Greatest Books Ever Written", "Books That Changed the World", "Masterpieces of Science Fiction", "Signed First Edition Society" ], "idMethods": [ "Most Easton Press volumes are leather-bound REPRINTS (not firsts) — full leather, gilt edges, moiré endpapers, satin ribbon marker, raised spine bands, and a hubbed gilt-stamped spine", "Their genuine first editions come via the 'Signed First Edition' / 'Signed First Edition Society' programs: a bound-in signature leaf signed by the author, plus statements identifying it as a first edition, typically on the title page and the signature page", "A Collector's Notes pamphlet often accompanies the volume; a numbered 'edition' COA or limitation may appear for special signed/limited runs", "No publisher number-line; identify state by the signature leaf and the series/limitation statement, not a copyright-page key" ], "notablePoints": [ "Easton Press reprints are NOT collectible firsts of the text — many sellers misrepresent them; only the Signed First Edition Society volumes (author-signed at point of publication) carry first-edition significance", "Distinguish from Franklin Library (its main historical competitor): Easton continues to operate; Franklin ceased", "Deluxe Limited Editions (smaller numbered runs) exist for some titles and carry a stated limitation", "Sealed-in-shrinkwrap, with the COA/Collector's Notes intact, is the desirable state" ], "era": "1975–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ecco", "name": "Ecco", "slug": "ecco", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Independent Ecco Press era (1971–1999): typically stated 'First Edition' / 'First printing' and/or first printings identified by absence of later printings; many were trade paperbacks and poetry.", "HarperCollins-era Ecco (1999–present): states 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.", "Reliable modern test: 'First Edition' + line-to-1.", "Some literary reprints carry 'First Ecco edition' wording — distinguish first edition of the work from first Ecco printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 by Daniel Halpern as an independent literary house (poetry, fiction, the famous Antaeus magazine and Neglected Books series).", "Acquired by HarperCollins in 1999; now a HarperCollins literary imprint (Cormac McCarthy paperbacks, Joyce Carol Oates, etc.).", "Era split is important: independent-era Ecco lacks the HC number line; modern Ecco follows HC convention.", "Distinct from the 'Ecco' children's or other unrelated lines — verify imprint on the title page." ], "era": "1971–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ecco-press", "name": "Ecco Press", "slug": "ecco-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Ecco (HarperCollins imprint from 1999)", "The Ecco Companions", "Art of the Poetic Line / poetry series" ], "idMethods": [ "Independent era (1971–1999): copyright page typically states 'First Edition' or 'First Printing'; number line may appear on later titles (descending, 1 = first).", "HarperCollins era (1999 onward): follows Harper convention — 'FIRST EDITION' stated AND a number line; on Harper imprints the presence of the '1' in the number line is the decisive point.", "First lacks later-printing notice in both eras." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 by Daniel Halpern in New York; significant poetry list and the influential Ecco/Antaeus connection; acquired by HarperCollins in 1999 and now operates as a Harper imprint.", "Era caveat is crucial: a pre-1999 Ecco first is an independent-press book; post-1999 Ecco firsts follow HarperCollins identification rules (see harpercollins entry).", "Strong reprint/'Neglected Books of the Twentieth Century' series — those are 'first thus' editions, not first-ever printings." ], "era": "1971–present (HarperCollins from 1999)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ecw-press", "name": "ECW Press", "slug": "ecw-press", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "ECW Press", "Misfit (YA/genre)", "a misFit book" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern ECW titles state 'first edition' and carry a number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.", "For pop-culture/nonfiction titles that reprint, verify that the number line drops digits on later printings.", "Earlier ECW (Essays on Canadian Writing era) scholarly/literary titles: rely on the copyright year and the absence of reprint statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Originated from the critical journal 'Essays on Canadian Writing' (hence ECW), founded 1974 by Jack David; David launched the book-publishing imprint ECW Press in 1979 with Robert Lecker, who left the company in 2003.", "Evolved into a broad independent trade house (literary fiction, poetry, music and pop-culture nonfiction, sports, true crime).", "Eclectic list; recent titles follow standardized modern practice (stated first edition plus number line). Pre-1990 scholarly-imprint conventions are less standardized and should be checked individually." ], "era": "1974 (journal founded); 1979-present (book publishing)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/edinburgh-university-press", "name": "Edinburgh University Press", "slug": "edinburgh-university-press", "region": "Edinburgh, Scotland", "imprints": [ "Edinburgh University Press", "Edinburgh Classic Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "1949-c.1990: British-convention copyright page. First printing typically states 'First published [year]' with '© [year] Edinburgh University Press' and carries NO reprint note; matching title-page and copyright dates with no reprint or new-edition line indicate a first printing. Later printings add 'Reprinted [year]' or 'Second edition [year]'.", "c.1990-present: 'First published [year]' on the verso, frequently accompanied by a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression). A full line running to 1 with no reprint statement indicates a first printing. Note this is a British-convention impression line, not a US edition statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1949 (marked its 75th anniversary in 2024); became a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh in 1992 and gained charitable status in 2004.", "One of the larger UK academic presses, strong in philosophy, law, Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, and Scottish studies.", "Follows standard British 'First published / Reprinted' practice rather than the US descending-number-line edition convention throughout most of its history." ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/epicenter-press", "name": "Epicenter Press", "slug": "epicenter-press", "region": "Fairbanks, Alaska then Kenmore, Washington (Alaska / Pacific NW)", "imprints": [ "Epicenter Press", "Coffeetown Press (sister)", "Camel Press (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "1988-c.2000 (Fairbanks era): First printings often carry no number line; identify by a copyright/publication year that matches first appearance and by a 'First printing' or 'First edition' statement where present. The imprint address (Fairbanks, then the Seattle area) on the copyright page is a useful era tell.", "c.2000-present: Descending number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing. Many titles are trade-paperback originals, so a stated 'first edition' may mean the first paperback printing rather than a hardcover.", "Velma Wallis's 'Two Old Women' (1993): the Epicenter edition precedes the later HarperCollins/HarperPerennial trade-paperback license, so the true first is the Epicenter printing. Verify the Epicenter imprint and Alaska origin rather than mistaking a HarperCollins reprint for the first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1988 in Fairbanks, Alaska, by Kent Sturgis and Lael Morgan; became a leading trade publisher of Alaska nonfiction.", "Later moved its editorial/business office to the Seattle area (Kenmore, Washington).", "Signature title: 'Two Old Women' by Velma Wallis (1993), a Western States Book Award winner translated into many languages with well over a million copies sold; the scarcer Epicenter first is the collectible.", "Affiliated with the Seattle-area Coffeetown Press and Camel Press as sister imprints under common management." ], "era": "1988-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/eremite-press", "name": "Eremite Press", "slug": "eremite-press", "region": "Leeds (Northampton area), Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Eremite Press was the imprint name Leonard Baskin used for his Gehenna Press output from 1983 (beginning with Unknown Dutch Artists) through 1989 (ending with Fancies, Bizarries & Ornamented Grotesques), with the 1988 title Icones Librorum Artifices an exception. The name was adopted to avoid a publishing-rights dispute after rights had been sold to a Belgian publisher, Jacques de la Cave; it is not a 1950s imprint. After 1989 Baskin reverted to the Gehenna Press name.", "Identify by the Eremite Press imprint on the title page or colophon, dated within the 1983-1989 window, paired with Baskin-circle fine-press production (wood engravings, hand-press work). As fine-press limited editions, copies are typically identified and authenticated by a printed colophon stating the total limitation and, where applicable, the copy number; treat the colophon as the primary point. Cross-check any attribution against published Gehenna Press bibliographies, since the imprint was short-lived and obscure." ], "notablePoints": [ "Eremite Press is not a separate 1950s house but the imprint Baskin's Gehenna Press operated under from 1983 to 1989, mostly after the Baskins returned from England to Leeds, Massachusetts (Northampton area) in 1984.", "The imprint was used to sidestep a title/ownership dispute over the Gehenna Press name following a sale of publishing rights to Jacques de la Cave in the early 1980s.", "Very small, fine-press output; verify attributions and limitation details against Gehenna Press bibliographies and the colophon rather than relying on the imprint alone." ], "era": "1983-1989" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/estes-and-lauriat-dana-estes", "name": "Estes & Lauriat / Dana Estes & Company", "slug": "estes-and-lauriat-dana-estes", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "Estes & Lauriat (1872-1898)", "Dana Estes & Company (1898-1914)", "Aldine Publishing Co. (cheap-reprint imprint formed by Estes)" ], "idMethods": [ "No house first-edition statement; for 19th-century books match the title-page date to the copyright date and look for the absence of any later-printing or later-edition notice.", "The imprint name dates the book: 'Estes & Lauriat' = 1872-1898; 'Dana Estes & Company' = 1898 onward — the 1898 partnership split is a clean cutoff.", "Caution: this firm was a heavy reprinter and price-cutter of standard authors and illustrated gift books (and ran the Aldine cheap editions), so many Estes books are reprints or later editions rather than firsts — verify a true first by title-level points." ], "notablePoints": [ "Dana Estes and Charles E. Lauriat founded Estes & Lauriat in August 1872; Lauriat left the publishing firm in 1898 and Estes continued as Dana Estes & Co.", "Estes formed the Aldine Publishing Co. to issue inexpensive royalty editions of standard authors — a flag that many of its lines are reprints rather than firsts.", "Dana Estes & Co. ran until about 1914; treat 'first edition' claims skeptically given the reprint-heavy output.", "Best known for illustrated children's and gift books." ], "era": "1872-1914; antiquarian" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/europa-editions", "name": "Europa Editions", "slug": "europa-editions", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Europa Editions", "Europa World Noir", "Europa Compass (nonfiction)", "Tonga Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First publication [year] by Europa Editions' / 'First Edition'; English-translation first printings note the translation copyright and first English-language publication", "Descending number line ending in 1 where present (modern standard)", "US-based (New York) English-language arm of Italy's Edizioni E/O, founded 2005; identification is conventional", "Distinguish 'first English-language edition' (the Europa printing) from the original-language first edition published abroad" ], "notablePoints": [ "For translated works (e.g., Elena Ferrante), the Europa Editions printing is the first English-language edition, NOT the world first — a key distinction for collectors who must decide which 'first' they want", "Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels first English printings are the notable collectible firsts in this catalog; verify via copyright-page first-publication statement and number line", "Uniform paperback-original format is standard; many titles have no hardcover first" ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fw-media", "name": "F+W (F+W Media / F+W Publications / Writer's Digest Books)", "slug": "fw-media", "region": "Cincinnati, Ohio, USA", "imprints": [ "Writer's Digest Books", "North Light Books", "Krause Publications", "Interweave", "Adams Media", "Popular Woodworking Books", "HOW Books", "Fons & Porter / The Quilting Company", "David & Charles (UK, owned)", "Betterway Books", "Memory Makers" ], "idMethods": [ "1913-2002 (F&W Publishing / F&W Publications; founded 1913 in Cincinnati, the name drawn from its early magazines Farm Quarterly and Writer's Digest): practical how-to, craft, and art-instruction publisher (North Light art instruction, Writer's Digest, Popular Woodworking, Betterway). First printing: earliest copyright year with a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on book titles, lowest digit present = printing.", "2002-2019 (F+W Media; aggressive acquisition era): acquired Krause (2002), David & Charles, Interweave, Adams Media and many craft and hobby brands. The number-line convention continues across imprints; copyright pages read 'F+W Media, Inc.' First printing = full number line ending in 1.", "2019 (Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed March 2019; assets sold June 2019): Penguin Random House acquired F+W's book lists at the June 2019 auction; the magazine and e-commerce brands went to other buyers. Post-2019 reprints of former F+W titles carry Penguin Random House or successor imprints, marking a clear provenance break." ], "notablePoints": [ "Roots in 1913 in Cincinnati; the company name derives from its early magazines Farm Quarterly and Writer's Digest, and it grew into a craft, hobby, and how-to conglomerate as F+W Media.", "Owned North Light (art and craft instruction), Popular Woodworking, Interweave, Krause, David & Charles, Adams Media, and Fons & Porter.", "Filed Chapter 11 in March 2019; Penguin Random House bought the book assets at the June 2019 auction.", "For first-edition purposes, treat each imprint's number-line convention as consistent; the 2019 sale is the key dating break." ], "era": "1913-2019 (as F+W; book assets continue under successors)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fa-davis", "name": "F. A. Davis Company", "slug": "fa-davis", "region": "United States (Philadelphia, PA)", "imprints": [ "F. A. Davis", "Davis", "Davis's (nursing/medical references)" ], "idMethods": [ "1879-c.1960: Founded 1879 by Frank Allston Davis; a medical, nursing, and allied-health house. On continuously revised references the EDITION statement on the title page is the identification unit, and a first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing or impression notice on the copyright page.", "c.1960-present: A number line, where present, indicates the printing (lowest digit shown = that printing). For flagship references that are reissued by edition (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Davis's Drug Guide), the edition number rather than a 'First Edition' slug is what collectors and users key on." ], "notablePoints": [ "Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, first published by the firm in 1940, is the flagship and is collected and used by edition.", "One of the oldest independent, family-managed medical publishers in America, still independent and based in Philadelphia.", "Nursing- and allied-health-market focus; identification turns on edition currency rather than printing slugs." ], "era": "1879-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/f-tennyson-neely", "name": "F. Tennyson Neely", "slug": "f-tennyson-neely", "region": "Chicago & New York, with a London branch (US subscription/mail-order and cheap-library publisher)", "imprints": [ "F. Tennyson Neely", "Neely's Library / Neely's Booklet Library (series)", "F. Tennyson Neely Co." ], "idMethods": [ "1888–c.1903: cheap-library and mail-order publisher; issues carry the 'F. Tennyson Neely' imprint (Chicago and New York, with London added in 1897) — no first-edition statement, so identify by imprint form, dated title page, and advertisement/bound-in-ad state.", "Series titles (Neely's Library/Booklet Library): the series number and the bound-in ad list date the issue; reused plates make catalog/ad state the practical first-issue tell.", "Priority between cloth and paper-wrapper issues is judged by advertisements and price, not by any printed statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Firm founded in Chicago in 1888; New York branch and, in 1897, a London branch followed. Neely claimed to publish roughly a book a day at peak.", "Issued genuine first editions of notable titles, including Robert W. Chambers' 'The King in Yellow' (1895); also published Oppenheim, Anthony Hope, and others.", "Typical late-19c cheap-series identification: rely on advertisement/series state, not edition statements.", "Firm went bankrupt in 1899 amid accounting irregularities; Neely reestablished it in 1901 and it failed again by 1903." ], "era": "1888–c.1903" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/faber-and-faber", "name": "Faber & Faber", "slug": "faber-and-faber", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Faber & Gwyer (predecessor, 1925-1929)", "Faber Finds", "Faber Children's", "Faber & Faber Poetry" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings state \"First published in [Year]\" (often \"First published in mcmxxxx\") on the copyright/verso page, with no list of later impressions", "Prior to 1968 the year was set in ROMAN NUMERALS (e.g. 'First published in mcmliv'); from 1968 onward Arabic numerals were used — a key dating tell", "Since WWII the month was generally dropped from the statement (pre-war statements sometimes named the month)", "Later impressions add a 'Second impression / Reprinted [year]' line beneath the original statement; presence of such a line rules out a first printing", "In the modern era (later 20th c. onward) Faber adopted a descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); lowest digit = printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Roman-to-Arabic numeral switch at 1968 is the single most useful Faber dating shortcut", "T.S. Eliot was a director; Faber poetry firsts (Eliot, Auden, Hughes, Larkin, Heaney, Plath) are heavily collected and dust jackets/price-clipping matter greatly", "Golding 'Lord of the Flies' (1954) firsts have specific points; the statement is in Roman numerals", "Book-club reprints and US co-editions are common confusions" ], "era": "1929-present (Faber & Gwyer from 1925)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/faber-music", "name": "Faber Music", "slug": "faber-music", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "A printed-music publisher (scores, songbooks, contemporary classical): most product is sheet music identified by a plate/catalog number and edition designation, not by a trade-book printer's number line.", "First issues of a given score are identified by the original plate number and the absence of later-impression notices; reprints often carry a 'Reprinted' notice with a year.", "Where Faber Music issues bound trade-style books, a number line may appear; otherwise rely on plate/catalog numbers." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1965 as a sister company to Faber and Faber, created largely to publish the music of Benjamin Britten, who was involved as a director until his death in 1976; it is a separate company from the literary Faber and Faber.", "Collectible chiefly for first printings of scores by major modern composers (Britten, Malcolm Arnold, Imogen Holst and others) and for licensed pop/rock songbook folios.", "Do not apply trade-book first-edition rules to engraved scores; sheet-music bibliography relies on plate numbers and impression notices." ], "era": "1965-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/uk-book-club-tells", "name": "Faber-style note: book-club & confusions (cross-publisher)", "slug": "uk-book-club-tells", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "The Reprint Society / World Books", "Book Society", "Companion Book Club", "Readers Union", "BCA (Book Club Associates)" ], "idMethods": [ "UK book-club editions typically OMIT the price from the dust-jacket flap and/or carry a small blind-stamped dot/dimple on the rear board (BCA, World Books) — these are NOT trade firsts even if the copyright page copies the first-edition statement", "Book-club copies often have cheaper paper, no price, a printed jacket credit line ('This edition... by arrangement with...'), and sometimes a stated 'Book Club edition'", "True UK trade first = priced dust jacket (un-clipped), 'First published [year]' statement, no club arrangement line, no blind dimple" ], "notablePoints": [ "The single most common UK first-edition error: a book-club reprint that copies the original 'First published' line verbatim. The dust-jacket price (or its absence) and the blind dot are the decisive tells", "Price-clipped jackets create ambiguity — examine paper, boards and the arrangement credit", "This applies across Cape, Heinemann, Collins, Hodder, Michael Joseph etc." ], "era": "1930s-1990s (peak UK book-club era)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/falcon-publishing", "name": "Falcon Publishing (FalconGuides)", "slug": "falcon-publishing", "region": "USA (Helena, Montana; later Guilford, Connecticut)", "imprints": [ "Falcon Press", "Falcon Publishing, Inc.", "FalconGuides", "Falcon (under Globe Pequot)" ], "idMethods": [ "1979-2000 (independent Falcon Press/Publishing, Helena, MT): Trade firsts state 'First Edition'/'First Printing' and/or use a descending number line ('1' present = first printing). Guidebooks are frequently revised, so a new edition is restated ('Second Edition') and re-dated.", "2000-present (Falcon as a Globe Pequot Press, later Rowman & Littlefield, imprint): Globe Pequot house style — descending number line where the lowest surviving digit gives the printing; a year line may accompany. Imprint reads 'FalconGuides' / 'Falcon, an imprint of Globe Pequot'.", "All eras: For the 'Hiking [State]'/'[State] Hiking Guide' and 'Best Easy Day Hikes' series, confirm EDITION currency (trail data, maps) in addition to the printing statement — many titles cycle through numerous editions, so a first printing of a later edition is not the original first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1979 in Helena, Montana, launching with a single title, 'Hiking Montana' by co-founder Bill Schneider; grew to more than 700 outdoor-recreation titles and became North America's leading outdoor-guide publisher before joining the Globe Pequot family in fall 2000.", "A leading guidebook publisher competing in the outdoor-recreation guide market through the 1990s-2000s.", "Now an outdoor imprint under Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield (FalconGuides), following that house's number-line conventions." ], "era": "1979-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fantagraphics-books", "name": "Fantagraphics Books", "slug": "fantagraphics-books", "region": "USA (Seattle, WA)", "imprints": [ "Eros Comix", "Fantagraphics Underground (FU)", "Coffee Table Books", "Graphics", "Boundaries" ], "idMethods": [ "Book-format collections follow standard book-trade conventions: the copyright page carries a 'First printing' or 'First edition' statement with month and year (e.g. 'First printing: September 2019').", "Subsequent printings update the statement to 'Second printing,' etc.; the absence of any higher-printing statement, together with the original stated month, is the first-printing tell.", "Most modern Fantagraphics hardcovers and trade paperbacks use an explicit printing-month line rather than a descending number line; check the line immediately under the copyright/ISBN block.", "For newsprint comic-magazine and floppy series (the original Love and Rockets run, Eightball, Hate), use the comic indicia: a later printing is explicitly stated ('Second printing') while a first printing carries no printing statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1976 by Gary Groth and Michael Catron. Pre-ISBN-era underground and magazine material is identified by issue indicia, not number lines.", "Love and Rockets exists in multiple formats (original magazine, later floppies, and collected books) — each format has its own first-printing point, so collectors distinguish the original 1980s magazine-size first issues from later collected reprints.", "Eros Comix (adult imprint, est. 1990) and the small-run Fantagraphics Underground (FU) line are separately branded but use the same first-printing-statement convention." ], "era": "1976-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fantasy-press", "name": "Fantasy Press", "slug": "fantasy-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Fantasy Press", "Polaris Press (sister imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade first edition: copyright page typically without later-printing notation; check against the known single print run (~3,000 copies)", "Signed/limited state is identified by a tipped-in or bound-in 'limitation leaf' after the title page, stating the limitation number and signed by the author (anywhere from ~250 to 500 numbered/signed copies per title)", "Trade copies lack the limitation leaf; presence of the numbered, author-signed leaf marks the limited issue" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1946 by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach in Reading, PA; published E. E. 'Doc' Smith's Lensman/Skylark, Heinlein, Williamson, van Vogt in hardcover", "Quality bindings, good paper, and interior illustrations are house hallmarks", "Signed limited issues (esp. Heinlein) command multiples of the trade price", "Polaris Press was a short-lived associated imprint" ], "era": "1946–1961" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fsg", "name": "Farrar, Straus and Giroux", "slug": "fsg", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "“First printed [Year]” / “First published [Year]” statement", "No number line — the statement is the sole identifier" ], "notablePoints": [ "Because there is no number line, the copyright-page wording is the sole textual identifier — read it carefully." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fsg-byr", "name": "Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers (FSG BYR)", "slug": "fsg-byr", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Margaret Ferguson Books (historical at FSG)", "Frances Foster Books", "Mirasol / libros juveniles", "R. Gobbato" ], "idMethods": [ "FSG house convention applies: descending number line on copyright page; first printing ends in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)", "FSG historically did NOT state 'First Edition' — relied on the number line; a first printing is identified by the line reaching 1 with no later-printing date added", "Some titles add 'First edition, (Year)' on copyright page in modern era; number line still controls" ], "notablePoints": [ "FSG BYR is prestige literary children's/YA: Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time (FSG, 1962 — Newbery), William Steig (Sylvester and the Magic Pebble — Caldecott; Shrek!), Roald Dahl US, Uri Shulevitz", "Because FSG often omitted the words 'First Edition', collectors MUST read the number line — absence of 'First Edition' wording is normal and not disqualifying", "Now part of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group" ], "era": "1946–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fawcett-gold-medal", "name": "Fawcett Gold Medal", "slug": "fawcett-gold-medal", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Fawcett Publications (parent)", "Gold Medal Books", "Fawcett Crest (reprints)", "Fawcett Premier" ], "idMethods": [ "Gold Medal pioneered the PAPERBACK ORIGINAL — so the Gold Medal paperback is itself the first edition (no prior hardcover) for most of its crime/noir list. Identification centers on first-PRINTING points, not first-edition statements.", "First printing is identified by the Gold Medal serial number and the copyright-page printing notice: a true first usually has NO 'Second printing'/'Third printing' line; later printings explicitly state the printing and often a later printing date.", "Gold Medal numbering began at 101 (e.g., 'The Persian Cat' = 103). The serial number and cover price help fix the printing/era; reissues were given new numbers and/or new cover prices.", "Watch the copyright page for 'First printing, [month year]' on early titles; a printing-history block listing multiple printings means it is a later issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1950 by Fawcett; defined mid-century noir (John D. MacDonald, Charles Williams, Day Keene, Gil Brewer). The paperback original = the first edition is the single most important concept here.", "Fawcett Crest is the REPRINT imprint (hardcover reprints in paperback) — a Crest edition is not a Gold Medal first.", "Reissues reused titles with new serial numbers and cover art; only the first printing with the original number/price and no printing-history block is the first.", "Cover-price changes (25c → 35c → 50c) are a quick era/printing tell." ], "era": "1950-1970s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fedogan-and-bremer", "name": "Fedogan & Bremer", "slug": "fedogan-and-bremer", "region": "Minneapolis, Minnesota / Nampa, Idaho, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1985-present: first printings typically state '1st Edition, First Printing' (or 'First Edition') on the copyright page, echoing Arkham House practice (e.g., The Sand Dwellers, 1998, so stated).", "Many titles were issued in both a trade hardcover and a signed/numbered limited state (commonly 100 numbered, sometimes larger, frequently slipcased and signed at the limitation/colophon page); the numbered limitation page identifies the limited first, its absence the trade first.", "Early titles were distributed via Arkham House; Arkham distribution markings on some stock do not change the Fedogan & Bremer first-edition status.", "Lettered/deluxe slipcased states exist for some titles; identify by the lettered limitation and signatures." ], "notablePoints": [ "Weird-fiction specialty press founded 1985 in Minneapolis by Philip Rahman and Dennis Weiler; the name derives from the founders' college nicknames.", "Notable for collecting/expanding former Arkham House authors and projects - e.g., publishing a Colossus collection under the title Arkham House had long announced for Donald Wandrei.", "Continued the Arkham aesthetic (cloth, dust jackets, weird-fiction canon) into the modern small-press era; later relocated to Idaho." ], "era": "1985-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/felony-and-mayhem-press", "name": "Felony & Mayhem Press", "slug": "felony-and-mayhem-press", "region": "US (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Felony & Mayhem Press", "Editorial categories (cover/spine-coded series, NOT separate imprints): Vintage, British, Foreign, Hard-Boiled, Espionage, Historical, Traditional" ], "idMethods": [ "Reprint house: the controlling point is the FIRST-THUS statement — copyright pages typically read 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' (often with a year) marking the first Felony & Mayhem printing.", "Many titles carry no number line and no printing statement; where the dated 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' wording is present it is the identifier, and absence of a number line does not by itself prove a later printing for this house.", "Color-coded spine/category banners (Vintage, British, Hard-Boiled, etc.) signal editorial category only and do not change the copyright-page identification rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded June 2005 by Maggie Topkis, co-owner of New York's Partners & Crime mystery bookstore (Greenwich Village); reissues out-of-print mysteries, issues first US paperback editions of previously hardcover titles, and US editions of overseas books.", "Because most titles are reprints, these are 'first thus' / first-US-paperback collectibles rather than original first editions.", "The colored category bands are a marketing/editorial taxonomy across a single imprint — they are not distinct publishing imprints with separate identification rules." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fence-books", "name": "Fence Books", "slug": "fence-books", "region": "USA (Albany, New York)", "imprints": [ "Motherwell Prize (formerly the Alberta Prize)", "Ottoline Prize", "Fence Modern Poets Series" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page; lowest number = the printing.", "Many titles state 'First Edition' with the year.", "Single-printing titles are common; rely on the stated edition plus the absence of any reprint notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Book imprint of Fence magazine; the magazine was founded by Rebecca Wolff in 1998 and Fence Books followed around 2001, now headquartered at the University at Albany.", "Prize-series labeling (Motherwell, formerly Alberta; Ottoline; Fence Modern Poets Series) dates or categorizes a title only and does not indicate the printing." ], "era": "2001-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fieldings-travel-guides", "name": "Fielding (Fielding's Travel Guides)", "slug": "fieldings-travel-guides", "region": "United States (New York; later Redondo Beach, CA)", "imprints": [ "Fielding's Travel Guide to Europe", "Fielding Worldwide", "Fielding's 'The World's Most Dangerous Places'" ], "idMethods": [ "Most titles are dated annuals: identify by the YEAR/edition in the title plus the copyright-page number line, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "1948-1980s: founded by Temple Fielding, whose landmark 'Fielding's Travel Guide to Europe' appeared in 1948 as the upscale counterpart to budget series such as Frommer's. The 1948 first edition was published by William Sloane Associates, not William Morrow; identify it by the 1948 date and the Sloane imprint. (Fielding sold rights to William Morrow only later in his career, so a Morrow imprint marks a later phase, not the original first.)", "1990s: Fielding Worldwide of Redondo Beach, California revived the brand using standard US number-line copyright pages; 'Fielding's the World's Most Dangerous Places' (first published 1998) is the notable cult title.", "Later printings add reprint years; a first printing of a given annual shows that year's debut date and the full number line ending in 1." ], "notablePoints": [ "Temple Fielding's 1948 Europe guide is the foundational 'upscale' travel guide; the year in the title is the practical identifier.", "The 1948 first edition was issued by William Sloane Associates; William Morrow is a later-era imprint for the series.", "'Fielding's the World's Most Dangerous Places' (Robert Young Pelton, Fielding Worldwide, 1998) is a cult collectible that spawned a Discovery/Travel Channel series.", "Modern editions follow standard US number-line conventions." ], "era": "1948-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fields-osgood-and-co", "name": "Fields, Osgood & Co.", "slug": "fields-osgood-and-co", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "Fields, Osgood & Co. (1868-1871)" ], "idMethods": [ "No stated-edition convention; use date agreement between title page and copyright date, with no reprint or later-printing notice present.", "Rear publisher's catalogue/advertisement sections are often dated and can aid printing priority, as with Ticknor and Fields." ], "notablePoints": [ "Direct successor to Ticknor and Fields after James T. Fields and James R. Osgood reorganized the firm in 1868 (Benjamin H. Ticknor admitted as a partner in 1870).", "Transitional imprint; superseded by James R. Osgood & Co. when Fields retired and his share was bought out on 1-2 January 1871.", "Listed separately because the imprint name on the title page distinguishes the 1868-1871 printing window." ], "era": "1868-1871; antiquarian" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/first-second-books", "name": "First Second Books (:01 First Second)", "slug": "first-second-books", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Imprint of Roaring Brook Press / Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (Holtzbrinck): the copyright page of a first printing states 'First edition' with the year and almost always carries a descending number line.", "First printing is identified by the Macmillan-style number line: the lowest number present (a '1' anywhere in the line, e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or the split two-row Macmillan arrangement) indicates the printing; later printings drop the lowest digit(s).", "Look for 'First edition, [year]' wording directly above or below the number line and confirm the lowest digit is '1.'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2006 by Mark Siegel and launched in U.S. stores in May 2006; because it is a Macmillan/Roaring Brook imprint it follows full traditional book-trade first-edition conventions, unlike most floppy-comic publishers.", "Best-sellers such as 'American Born Chinese' (Gene Luen Yang) went to many printings, so the dated 'First edition' line plus the number line is the authoritative point.", "Distinguish the First Second edition from any earlier serialized, web, or foreign edition of the same work." ], "era": "2006-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fitzcarraldo-editions", "name": "Fitzcarraldo Editions", "slug": "fitzcarraldo-editions", "region": "UK (London), literary fiction and essays in translation", "imprints": [ "Fitzcarraldo Editions", "Fitzcarraldo Editions Poetry", "First Decade Collection (limited)" ], "idMethods": [ "2014-present (standard trade): a first printing is shown by a full descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the copyright page also reads 'First published in by Fitzcarraldo Editions'. For a translated work, the English-language Fitzcarraldo edition is the relevant first, separate from the original-language first publication.", "House design is branding, not an edition point: fiction appears in solid International Klein Blue flapped-card covers with white text, non-fiction in white covers with blue text, and the blind-stamped bell-in-circle colophon is constant across printings. None of these distinguish a first from a later printing.", "First Decade Collection (2024, limited): ten linen-cased hardbacks in runs of 1,000 per title with a signed and numbered bookplate, belly band, and marbled endpapers. This is a separate later limited issue, not the original trade first; identify it by the numbered bookplate and do not conflate it with the first trade printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Two early authors on the list later won the Nobel Prize (Svetlana Alexievich, Olga Tokarczuk), which drives demand for early first printings.", "The blue (fiction) versus white (non-fiction) cover scheme is the press's signature but is not an edition state; every printing shares it.", "Early scarce titles such as the first English printing of Tokarczuk's Flights are sought after when the number line ends in 1.", "Uncoated flapped card covers were chosen to avoid plastic lamination, so flap and spine condition is a real factor in grading." ], "era": "2014-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/five-star-mystery", "name": "Five Star", "slug": "five-star-mystery", "region": "US (Waterville, ME — Thorndike Press / Gale, Cengage Learning)", "imprints": [ "Five Star First Edition Mystery", "Five Star Westerns", "Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy", "Five Star Expressions (romance)" ], "idMethods": [ "Library-oriented hardcovers: first printings are commonly identified by a full number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') on the copyright page and/or a stated 'First Edition' line.", "Some Five Star first printings carry no number line, with the edition indicated only on the copyright/title page — absence of a number line does not by itself prove a later printing for this house.", "The series wording 'Five Star First Edition' indicates an original publication rather than a reprint, which is the key collector distinction since Five Star also reissued earlier work before the line became exclusively first-edition.", "Distinguish clean trade-state firsts from large-print library rebinds and ex-library copies." ], "notablePoints": [ "Imprint of Thorndike Press / Gale (Cengage Learning); the Five Star imprint debuted in 1995, the Mystery line began in November 1998, and from August 2000 the Mystery line became exclusively first-edition publications.", "The 'First Edition' lines carry genuine original first editions — including short-story collections and novels by major authors that exist as a true first only in the small Five Star library printing.", "Small library runs make some Five Star firsts scarce; ex-library and large-print rebinds should be distinguished from clean trade-state firsts." ], "era": "Imprint 1995–present; Mystery line from 1998, exclusively first-edition publications from 2000" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/flatiron-books", "name": "Flatiron Books", "slug": "flatiron-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Flatiron", "Pine & Cedar Books (2025)" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing", "First printing: full line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and no later-printing notice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Commercial fiction and nonfiction imprint, a division of Macmillan, founded in 2014 on a deliberately small list with heavy editorial and marketing support", "Pine & Cedar Books is a new imprint launching under Flatiron in summer 2025, overseen by Christine Kopprasch, debuting with S. A. Cosby's King of Ashes", "The number line, following standard Macmillan practice, is the reliable tell" ], "era": "2014–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fodors-travel", "name": "Fodor's Travel", "slug": "fodors-travel", "region": "Founded in Europe (1936 London debut; Fodor's Modern Guides founded Paris 1949); US-based since the David McKay era and under US ownership today (New York)", "imprints": [ "Aldor Publications (original 1936 London publisher)", "Fodor's Modern Guides, Inc. (from 1949)", "David McKay Company (US publisher from c.1950)", "Random House / Penguin Random House (owner from 1986)" ], "idMethods": [ "Identified mainly by the EDITION and year printed on the cover and title page; the guides were revised on a regular (often annual) cycle, so the year is the principal identifier.", "Early and mid-century volumes are dated annual editions; the copyright/title-page year identifies that printing.", "Random-House-era Fodor's typically carries a standard descending number line alongside the edition statement, where the lowest digit indicates the printing of that edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Eugene Fodor helped pioneer the personality-driven, annually updated guidebook; the historic debut '1936... On the Continent' was published in London by Aldor Publications, not in the United States.", "Fodor's Modern Guides was founded in Paris in 1949, with David McKay Company becoming the US publisher about a year later; Random House acquired Fodor's (with McKay) in 1986 and it now sits under Penguin Random House.", "The annual-revision model means each year is effectively a new edition, so collector interest concentrates in the earliest and landmark volumes rather than routine updates." ], "era": "1936-present (Modern Guides line from 1949; US publishing from c.1950)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/folio-society", "name": "Folio Society", "slug": "folio-society", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Folio Society", "Letter Press Shakespeare (deluxe series)", "Folio Society Limited Editions (numbered)" ], "idMethods": [ "Most Folio Society books are illustrated REPRINTS (not first editions of the text) issued in a slipcase, NOT individually numbered — they are trade fine editions, not limited", "Identify the FIRST Folio printing by the dated 'Printed in...' / 'First published... by The Folio Society' statement and absence of a 'reprinted' line; later Folio reprints add reprint dates and may change the binding cloth", "The genuinely collectible Folio items are the explicitly NUMBERED LIMITED EDITIONS (e.g., the Letter Press Shakespeare, deluxe facsimiles) — these have a printed limitation leaf and number, often with a certificate", "Original slipcase (and any tissue/extra) is part of the desirable state; no commercial number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1947 by Charles Ede (London); a subscription society issuing handsomely illustrated editions of established texts — generally NOT rare-book 'firsts'", "DO NOT treat an ordinary Folio Society volume as a first edition of the work — it is a later illustrated reprint; only the stated numbered Limited Editions carry limitation value", "Early Folio Society titles (late 1940s–50s) and out-of-print sold-out limited editions command premiums", "Slipcase presence and edition (first Folio printing vs. later reprint, and standard vs. numbered limited) are the key distinctions" ], "era": "1947–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/foolscap-press", "name": "Foolscap Press", "slug": "foolscap-press", "region": "Santa Cruz, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1990-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of Peggy Gotthold and Lawrence G. Van Velzer. The colophon records the limitation (editions typically run about 90-200 copies), the types (handset metal type and/or photopolymer plates), the paper, the illustrators, and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed. There is no number line or 'First Edition' wording.", "Many titles feature inventive structures or bindings (accordion, tunnel, or custom enclosures) described in the colophon; the structure is an identification feature.", "Identify by the Foolscap Press imprint and the colophon limitation; everything is designed, printed letterpress, and bound in-house, then distributed directly." ], "notablePoints": [ "Run by Gotthold and Van Velzer, both of whom trained and worked in the Bay Area book-arts world (Arion Press, with bindery experience at Schuberth, and letterpress training at Cowell Press/UCSC and Yolla Bolly Press).", "Known for playful structural bindings and custom clamshell or enclosure work, all done in-house.", "All books are limited firsts; the colophon is definitive." ], "era": "1990-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/footprint-handbooks", "name": "Footprint (Footprint Handbooks)", "slug": "footprint-handbooks", "region": "United Kingdom (Bath); acquired by Bradt Guides in 2019", "imprints": [ "Footprint Handbooks", "Footprint Focus", "Footprint (the 'South American Handbook' lineage)" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by edition number plus copyright-page printing line; the 'South American Handbook' is an ANNUAL whose year and edition number on the title page are the identifier.", "1921/1924-1990s: the lineage began as the 'Anglo-South American Handbook' in 1921 under the Federation of British Industry; it became the 'South American Handbook' published by Trade & Travel Publications Ltd in 1924, and is one of the longest-running annual guidebooks. Early editions are identified by the annual edition number and year on the title page.", "1996-2000s: Trade & Travel Publications was renamed 'Footprint Handbooks' in August 1996; standard copyright page with an edition number and number line, first printing the lowest digit and debut year.", "2010s-present: Footprint, under Bradt Guides since 2019; conventional edition and number-line identification." ], "notablePoints": [ "Descends from a handbook first issued in 1921 as the 'Anglo-South American Handbook', becoming the annual 'South American Handbook' under Trade & Travel Publications in 1924 — among the oldest English-language travel annuals.", "Rebrand from Trade & Travel Publications to Footprint Handbooks in August 1996 brackets the era.", "The annual flagship is identified by edition year and number; other titles use number-line conventions.", "Strong on Latin America (Andean coverage in particular) and Asia depth." ], "era": "1921/1924-present (Footprint brand from August 1996)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fordham-university-press", "name": "Fordham University Press", "slug": "fordham-university-press", "region": "US (Bronx, New York)", "imprints": [ "Fordham University Press", "Empire State Editions (regional New York imprint, launched 2010)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright/first-published year with no list of later printings.", "Later printings add an explicit reprint or impression statement; the absence of such a statement is the first-printing signal." ], "notablePoints": [ "Empire State Editions is Fordham's regional imprint for New York City and Hudson Valley trade titles, established in 2010 to brand and market popular regional books; it is a sub-imprint, not a separate house.", "Smaller scholarly list with a Catholic and Jesuit focus; sparsely documented in collector references, so generic academic number-line conventions apply.", "Few high-value collectible firsts, so point-of-issue data is thin; rely on the standard single-year plus no-reprint-notice test." ], "era": "1907-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fords-howard-and-hulbert", "name": "Fords, Howard & Hulbert", "slug": "fords-howard-and-hulbert", "region": "New York City (Northeast USA)", "imprints": [ "J.B. Ford & Co. (predecessor)", "Ford, Howard & Hulbert (style variant)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1867-1871 (J.B. Ford & Co., predecessor): no edition statement; first printing by title-page/copyright date concordance and the earliest-dated bound-in catalogue.", "1871-c.1890s (Fords, Howard & Hulbert): no printed 'First Edition' statement; identify firsts by date concordance (title-page year equal to copyright year, with no later printings noted), priority binding, and the earliest-state terminal advertising list. No number line.", "For heavily reprinted titles (e.g. Henry Ward Beecher's works), use the rear advertising catalogue: it should not list titles published after the book in hand." ], "notablePoints": [ "New York house closely associated with Henry Ward Beecher and the Plymouth Church circle; published Beecher and related reform and religious authors.", "Evolved from J.B. Ford & Co., the earlier publisher of Beecher's Plymouth Church sermons.", "A small, now-defunct house with little formal bibliography, so catalogue-ad dating and date concordance are the practical identification tools." ], "era": "c.1871-c.1899" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/forever-romance", "name": "Forever", "slug": "forever-romance", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Forever", "Forever Yours" ], "idMethods": [ "Mass-market and trade printings: a 'First Edition: [month year]' statement on the copyright page together with a descending number line ending in 1 indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Romance and commercial women's fiction imprint within Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group; follows standard Hachette/GCP number-line conventions.", "Forever Yours is its digital-first/short-form romance line. Many titles are paperback or e-book originals, so the printing line is the primary tell." ], "era": "2009–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/forge-books", "name": "Forge Books", "slug": "forge-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Forge" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1; many titles also state \"First Edition\" with month and year on the copyright page, following Tor house style" ], "notablePoints": [ "Thriller, historical, and general-fiction sister imprint to Tor within Tor Publishing Group (the renamed Tom Doherty Associates), a Macmillan division", "Identification follows Tor conventions: confirm the number line against the edition statement rather than relying on either alone" ], "era": "1993-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/four-way-books", "name": "Four Way Books", "slug": "four-way-books", "region": "USA (New York, New York)", "imprints": [ "Levis Prize in Poetry (Larry Levis)", "Intro Prize in Poetry" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.", "Firsts typically state 'First Edition' with a year on the copyright page.", "Single-printing titles are common, so absence of a later-printing statement generally indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1993 by four writers — Jane Brox, Helen Fremont, Dzvinia Orlowsky, and Martha Rhodes — as a nonprofit poetry and short-fiction press; its first list of titles appeared in 1995. Martha Rhodes is the director and founding editor.", "Prize-series labels (Levis Prize, Intro Prize) date and categorize titles but do not by themselves establish printing state." ], "era": "1993–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fourth-estate", "name": "Fourth Estate", "slug": "fourth-estate", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Fourth Estate", "4th Estate", "William Collins (sister HarperCollins literary imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published in Great Britain in [year] by Fourth Estate' (early independent years sometimes 'Fourth Estate Ltd').", "Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1' (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' or '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').", "No subsequent-impression or reprint note appears on a true first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1984 by Victoria Barnsley as an independent in Notting Hill; acquired by HarperCollins in 2000, after which titles follow HarperCollins number-line conventions.", "Independent-era firsts (1984–2000) are the more sought-after; the original independent imprint details on the copyright page help confirm a pre-HarperCollins first.", "Hilary Mantel ('Wolf Hall', 'Bring Up the Bodies'), Anthony Doerr and Siddhartha Mukherjee (UK editions), and Carol Ann Duffy have appeared under Fourth Estate." ], "era": "1984–present (HarperCollins from 2000)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/frances-lincoln-childrens-books", "name": "Frances Lincoln Children's Books", "slug": "frances-lincoln-childrens-books", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Frances Lincoln Children's Books", "Lincoln Children's Books", "Wide Eyed Editions", "words & pictures", "Happy Yak", "QED (children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "British convention: a first printing has a full number line on the copyright page ending in 1; lowest digit present = printing", "Frequently NO 'First edition' statement; rely on the complete number line and the 'First published in [year]' line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Frances Lincoln founded as an independent in 1977; the children's list is now part of The Quarto Group, which acquired Frances Lincoln in 2011 (some titles carry the 'Lincoln Children's Books' brand)", "Many titles are co-editions or illustrated nonfiction — for co-productions a foreign original-edition date may also appear, but the UK number line governs the UK first", "Sister Quarto children's imprints (Wide Eyed Editions, founded 2014; words & pictures; QED) follow the same British number-line convention" ], "era": "1977–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/frank-amato-publications", "name": "Frank Amato Publications", "slug": "frank-amato-publications", "region": "USA (Portland, Oregon)", "imprints": [ "Frank Amato Publications", "Amato Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1970s-present: Fly-fishing and fly-tying firsts state 'First Edition' or 'First printing' and/or carry a descending number line ('1' present = first). Spiral-bound fly-pattern and regional river guides are frequently reprinted and revised, so confirm both the printing statement/number line and that the copy matches the edition in hand.", "All eras: Premium titles and the 'River Journal' single-river series were also issued in signed/numbered limited formats identified by a limitation page (the River Journal limiteds ran roughly 300-500 copies per title); the standard trade first is identified by the copyright-page printing line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Leading specialist fly-fishing and fly-tying publisher (also publisher of fishing periodicals including Salmon Trout Steelheader) based in Portland, Oregon, with a catalog of several hundred titles.", "Publisher of the 'River Journal' single-river guide series (issued in part as limited editions, c. 1993-2001); ongoing guidebook revisions make edition-tracking important." ], "era": "1970s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/frank-maurice", "name": "Frank-Maurice, Inc.", "slug": "frank-maurice", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "No reliable printed first-edition statement is documented for this obscure, short-lived house. Treat a copy as a first printing when the copyright page carries no later-printing or reprint notice, consistent with general 1920s trade practice in the Boni & Liveright orbit; later printings, when they exist, are typically noted.", "Because no single bibliographic rule is firmly established here, confirm priority by binding and dust-jacket state and by jacket pricing rather than relying on any printed statement, and keep confidence low on any individual title." ], "notablePoints": [ "A real but very obscure New York imprint of the mid-1920s; confirmed surviving titles include a two-volume Goethe study, indicating general literary and classical output rather than a large trade list.", "Operated in the orbit of the Horace Liveright / Boni & Liveright circle during the firm's mid-1920s restructuring; the precise corporate relationship and the origin of the 'Frank-Maurice' name are not firmly documented and should not be asserted as fact.", "Output was very small and records are sparse, so it is best treated as a long-tail imprint whose firsts are identified by physical points rather than by a stated convention." ], "era": "c.1924-1926" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/franklin-library", "name": "Franklin Library", "slug": "franklin-library", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Franklin Mint (parent)", "Signed First Edition Society", "100 Greatest Books of All Time", "Oxford Library of the World's Greatest Books", "Pulitzer Prize Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "Two distinct categories: (1) 'Signed First Edition' series — true first printings with a SEPARATELY BOUND-IN leaf bearing a GENUINE author autograph; (2) classics reprints where the introduction is signed but that signature is FACSIMILE (reprinted), not original", "Genuine signed firsts: author signature stands alone on its own conjugate/inserted leaf; facsimile signatures appear at the END of a printed introduction", "Binding tells: full genuine leather throughout the run; imitation leather and quarter-bound genuine leather only in the 1970s–80s; full-leather volumes carry a satin ribbon page-marker bound in", "Gilt page edges, moiré or silk endpapers, gilt spine decoration; no copyright-page number line — identify by the signature leaf type and series statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Franklin produced NO reprints of its own titles in the rare sense — but most volumes are reprints of classic TEXTS, so they are not collectible firsts of the work; the Signed First Edition Society volumes ARE genuine signed firsts (e.g., signed by living authors at publication)", "Key confusion: facsimile 'signed' introduction vs. a genuinely signed bound-in leaf — only the latter is an authentic autograph", "Quarter-bound and imitation-leather volumes are less valued than full genuine leather", "Franklin Library (Franklin Mint) ceased operations c.2000; values track the author and signature authenticity" ], "era": "1973–c.2000" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/frederick-a-stokes-company", "name": "Frederick A. Stokes Company", "slug": "frederick-a-stokes-company", "region": "New York, NY (USA)", "imprints": [ "White & Stokes (1881)", "White, Stokes & Allen (1883)", "Frederick A. Stokes & Brother (1887)", "Frederick A. Stokes Company (1890-1941)" ], "idMethods": [ "1881-1890 (White & Stokes; White, Stokes & Allen; Frederick A. Stokes & Brother): no first-edition statement. Date the book by the imprint name itself, which changed on a known schedule: 'White & Stokes' indicates 1881-1883, 'White, Stokes & Allen' 1883-1887, and 'Frederick A. Stokes & Brother' 1887-1890. A first printing is inferred when the title-page or copyright date agrees and no later-printing notice is present.", "1890-c.1910 (Frederick A. Stokes Company): no formal first-edition statement. A first printing is identified when the title-page date matches the copyright date with no later printings listed. A London branch was established in 1895, so 'London' on the title page indicates 1895 or later. Many titles of this era carry no date on the title page, throwing weight onto the copyright-page date.", "c.1900s-1920s: practice was not uniform across the list. On dated books a first printing's title-page year should equal the copyright year, while reprints add printing or impression lines; printing notations appear on some titles but not all.", "1930s-1941: the firm generally designated only later printings, leaving first printings unmarked; by about 1940 it began stating 'First published (year)' on the copyright page and continued to note subsequent printings. The firm was absorbed by J. B. Lippincott in 1941." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founder Frederick A. Stokes and Joel Parker White (with Frank Allen) came out of Dodd, Mead; the firm passed through four imprint names from 1881 to 1890, which themselves serve as a dating tool.", "The 1895 London branch is a useful dating boundary: 'London' on the title page means 1895 or later.", "Strong in fiction, juveniles, and lavishly illustrated gift books; the 'Lucile' editions are a documented example with collation states tied to roman-versus-arabic numerals and undated title pages.", "Acquired by J. B. Lippincott in 1941, after which many Stokes titles continued under the Lippincott imprint." ], "era": "1881-1941 (Frederick A. Stokes Company from 1890)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/free-press", "name": "Free Press", "slug": "free-press", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Free Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify chiefly by the general first-printing convention of the era: a \"First Edition\" or \"First Printing\" statement and/or a number line ending in 1; do not rely on an imprint-specific \"First Free Press edition\" wording, which was not consistently used" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1947 by Jeremiah Kaplan and Charles Liebman as an independent house focused on social science and religion; passed through Macmillan and was acquired by Simon & Schuster in 1994; largely folded into the S&S flagship by around 2012", "Most collectible titles predate full S&S integration, so era-appropriate (Free Press / Macmillan-era) identification practice applies rather than modern S&S house rules" ], "era": "1947–c.2012 (independent house, then Simon & Schuster imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fremantle-press", "name": "Fremantle Press (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)", "slug": "fremantle-press", "region": "Australia (Fremantle, WA)", "imprints": [ "Fremantle Press", "Fremantle Arts Centre Press (FACP, 1976–2007)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published [year] by Fremantle Arts Centre Press' (1976–2007) or 'Fremantle Press' (2007 onward); a first printing shows no 'Reprinted' line and a publication year matching the copyright year.", "Later printings add an explicit 'Reprinted [year]' line — important for heavily reprinted titles such as A.B. Facey's 'A Fortunate Life'; the first printing carries the bare statement only.", "Imprint-name era tell: a 'Fremantle Arts Centre Press' colophon indicates pre-2007; 'Fremantle Press' indicates 2007 onward. No formal descending number line is used.", "Because the statement alone is not absolutely diagnostic, confirm a first by the combination of the bare 'First published' line, a matching year, and the absence of any reprint/impression notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1976 by the Fremantle Arts Centre as an independent not-for-profit, with Ian Templeman as inaugural chief executive; renamed Fremantle Press in March 2007.", "Its first book was Elizabeth Jolley's 'Five Acre Virgin and Other Stories' (1976), an important Western Australian literary first. A.B. Facey's 'A Fortunate Life' (1981, FACP imprint) is a major collectible that was reprinted heavily, so the desirable state is the true first printing under the FACP imprint with no reprint line.", "Focus on Western Australian writers; many titles appear in card wrappers where condition strongly affects desirability." ], "era": "1976–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/frommers", "name": "Frommer's", "slug": "frommers", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "FrommerMedia (current owner, from 2013)", "Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel" ], "idMethods": [ "Identified by the EDITION/year statement on the cover and title/copyright page; the franchise revises on a regular cycle, so the year and stated edition are primary.", "The landmark first title 'Europe on the original price a Day' (1957) is the historic collectible, and the dollar figure in the title rose over the decades, so the title itself helps date the printing.", "Owner-era guides (Wiley and after) typically carry a standard descending number line alongside the edition statement, where the lowest digit indicates the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Arthur Frommer self-published 'Europe on the original price a Day' in 1957, helping launch budget-travel publishing; first printings are sought after, and the escalating dollar amount across successive titles is a built-in dating device.", "Ownership passed from Frommer to Simon & Schuster (1977), then through Pearson/IDG to John Wiley & Sons, then to Google (2012), then back to Arthur and Pauline Frommer as FrommerMedia (2013); the owner shown on the imprint page helps date the era.", "Routine later editions hold little collectible interest; the historic firsts and earliest titles are the collectibles." ], "era": "1957-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/fulcrum-publishing", "name": "Fulcrum Publishing", "slug": "fulcrum-publishing", "region": "Mountain West — Golden, Colorado (founded Denver)", "imprints": [ "Fulcrum Publishing", "Speaker's Corner Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1984–c.1995: First printings identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement; some titles state 'First Edition'.", "c.1995–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also print an explicit 'First Edition' line above the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1984 in Denver by Robert C. (Bob) Baron, a former Prime Computer executive; later based in Golden, Colorado.", "Independent publisher focused on conservation/stewardship, the American West, civics, Native American subjects, and nature writing.", "'Speaker's Corner' is its civics/current-affairs series, launched around 2004." ], "era": "1984-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/funk-and-wagnalls", "name": "Funk & Wagnalls", "slug": "funk-and-wagnalls", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Funk & Wagnalls", "Wagnalls Memorial", "Minerva Press (paperback)", "Funk & Wagnalls (under Reader's Digest/later owners)" ], "idMethods": [ "1877-c.1929: first editions carry no later-printing statement; occasionally a 'Published [month, year]' line appears on the copyright page. Identify a first by the absence of any later-printing notice.", "c.1929-c.1965: first editions state 'First published [month, year]' and show a Roman numeral 'I' (or Arabic '1') on the copyright page; later printings increment the numeral (II, III, ... / 2, 3, ...). The 'First published' line together with the 'I' / '1' indicates a first printing. Note occasional exceptions, such as Cheever's The Enormous Radio (1953), which carries the numeral but no first-edition statement.", "c.1965 onward (under various owners): conventions move toward a standard number line, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1877 by Isaac Funk and Adam Wagnalls; best known for the Standard Dictionary and the Funk & Wagnalls encyclopedia rather than for literary firsts.", "The 'First published [date]' line combined with the Roman-numeral 'I' (post-1929) is the most reliable Funk & Wagnalls first-printing marker.", "The trade imprint passed through Reader's Digest and other owners; the name survives mainly on reference works." ], "era": "1877-c.1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/putnam", "name": "G. P. Putnam's Sons", "slug": "putnam", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Philomel Books" ], "idMethods": [ "“First Impression” plus a number line", "Statement removed on later printings" ], "notablePoints": [ "Note the unusual wording — Putnam uses “First Impression” rather than “First Edition.”" ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/g-schirmer", "name": "G. Schirmer, Inc.", "slug": "g-schirmer", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics", "G. Schirmer", "Associated Music Publishers (AMP)", "Schirmer Books (trade book line, Macmillan era)" ], "idMethods": [ "1861-1892 (founding era): Printed music is identified by the engraved PLATE NUMBER at the foot of the page and the firm imprint 'G. Schirmer' with address; editions are distinguished by plate number, not by edition statements.", "1892-c.1960s (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, the yellow-cover series begun 1892): Each volume carries a 'Library Vol. No.' plus an engraving/plate number; reissues keep the same Library number, so printings are NOT bibliographically distinguished — identify the issue by plate number and copyright year. The familiar canary-yellow cover marks the series.", "1973-1986 (Schirmer Books, the trade/textbook book imprint founded 1973 as a Macmillan division): Trade music BOOKS use a descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Printed music continues plate-number identification.", "1986-present (Music Sales Group ownership; Hal Leonard exclusive print distributor since 1986; later rebranded Wise Music Group, 2020): G. Schirmer/AMP scores are distributed by Hal Leonard, so the copyright page may carry a Hal Leonard distribution credit. Scores keep plate/catalog numbers; the separate Schirmer Books trade imprint passed to Macmillan/Schirmer Reference and was later folded." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1861 by Gustav Schirmer Sr.; iconic yellow-cover 'Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics' since 1892 — printings within a Library number are generally indistinguishable, so use plate number plus copyright year.", "TWO Schirmers to separate: the MUSIC publisher (G. Schirmer, scores) and Schirmer Books / Schirmer Reference (the trade/textbook book line of the Macmillan era).", "Macmillan acquired G. Schirmer in 1968; Music Sales Group acquired Schirmer and AMP in 1986 with Hal Leonard as exclusive print distributor; now part of Wise Music Group.", "Plate number, not a number line, is the core identifier for engraved music." ], "era": "1861-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gw-carleton", "name": "G.W. Carleton & Co.", "slug": "gw-carleton", "region": "New York, New York (US trade)", "imprints": [ "Rudd & Carleton (1857–1861)", "G.W. Carleton", "G.W. Carleton & Co.", "Carleton, Publisher" ], "idMethods": [ "1857–1861 (Rudd & Carleton): first editions carry the 'Rudd & Carleton' imprint; there is no first-edition statement, so identify by imprint form, the dated title page, and the absence of any later-printing notice.", "1861–c.1886 (G.W. Carleton / G.W. Carleton & Co.): first printing is identified by the Carleton imprint, a dated title page agreeing with the copyright, and bound-in advertisement catalogs. The publisher's catalog (frequently dated and listing recent titles) is the principal issue-dating tell. There is no 'First Edition' wording.", "Carleton's distinctive cloth-and-gilt bindings and house device help confirm the period; later reissues from the same plates lack the earliest advertisement state.", "Mark Twain attribution caution: Carleton declined Twain's first book, and 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog' (1867) was published by C.H. Webb, not Carleton — confirm the imprint before attributing any Twain first to Carleton." ], "notablePoints": [ "George W. Carleton was a leading mid-19th-century New York publisher of humor and popular literature; the firm began as Rudd & Carleton.", "Published Artemus Ward and other humorists; Carleton famously passed on Mark Twain (declining his first book, and giving the 'Jumping Frog' sketch to Henry Clapp's Saturday Press in 1865).", "Advertisement-catalog dating is the key to separating first from later printings given plate reuse.", "The firm wound down in the mid-1880s, with lists and plates dispersed to other houses." ], "era": "1857–c.1886" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gale-research", "name": "Gale (Gale Research / Gale Group / Cengage Gale)", "slug": "gale-research", "region": "United States (Detroit / Farmington Hills, MI)", "imprints": [ "Gale Research", "Gale Group", "Gale (a Cengage company)", "St. James Press", "Charles Scribner's Sons Reference (acquired)", "Macmillan Reference USA", "Twayne Publishers", "UXL", "Greenhaven Press", "Lucent Books", "Thomson Gale (2000s)" ], "idMethods": [ "1954-c.1985: Founded 1954 in Detroit by Frederick Gale Ruffner Jr. as a reference-only house (Encyclopedia of Associations from 1956, Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literary Biography). Multi-volume reference sets are identified by VOLUME NUMBER and EDITION/copyright year; there is generally no first-edition point system because each new edition supersedes the prior. First printing = absence of a later-printing notice.", "c.1985-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but the meaningful unit for serial reference works is the edition number and volume number. Library-bound; the first-printing premium is effectively nil.", "Corporate eras: acquired by International Thomson/Thomson Corporation in 1985, branded Thomson Gale in the 2000s, then sold to Cengage in 2007 (Cengage Gale). The copyright-page imprint reflects the era's parent." ], "notablePoints": [ "Quintessential reference publisher; collectors and librarians track edition currency, not first printings.", "Acquired the Scribner and Twayne reference lines plus St. James Press, and issues Macmillan Reference USA.", "Contemporary Authors and the Dictionary of Literary Biography are flagship continuing serials." ], "era": "1954-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gallery-books", "name": "Gallery Books", "slug": "gallery-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Pocket Books (sister/legacy)", "Scout Press", "Saga Press (SF/fantasy)", "Gallery 13", "Threshold Editions (sister)", "Pocket Star", "Star Trek/franchise lines" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Gallery Books hardcover edition (Year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.", "Pocket Books legacy mass-markets: printing-history line; true first lists only the first printing.", "S&S-family convention: explicit 'First [Imprint] edition' statement plus line-to-1.", "Saga Press (SF/fantasy) uses the same stated-edition + number line approach." ], "notablePoints": [ "Gallery Books launched 2009 as the renamed/expanded Pocket Books trade hardcover program within Simon & Schuster.", "Pocket Books (founded 1939) was the first major US mass-market paperback house — many genre/franchise firsts are Pocket paperbacks.", "Threshold Editions is the conservative-politics S&S imprint; Saga Press is the SF/fantasy line — both follow S&S convention.", "Franchise tie-ins (Star Trek etc.) are collected differently; rely on the printing line." ], "era": "2009 (as Gallery)–present; Pocket 1939–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/garden-way-publishing", "name": "Garden Way Publishing", "slug": "garden-way-publishing", "region": "Charlotte / Pownal, Vermont, USA", "imprints": [ "Garden Way Publishing", "Country Wisdom Bulletins (predecessor of Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1970-1983 (publishing arm of Garden Way Inc.): gardening, homesteading, and country-skills how-to. First printings: earliest copyright year; many trade titles and saddle-stitched bulletins carry no number line, so identify by 'Garden Way Publishing' with a Charlotte or Pownal, Vermont imprint on the title page and the absence of later-printing notation. The imprint passed to the Storeys in 1983 (see Storey).", "Note: titles reissued after 1983 carry the Storey imprint, so a Garden Way Publishing imprint reliably indicates the pre-1983 first-state window." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing arm of Garden Way Inc. (maker of Troy-Bilt rototillers and garden carts); the Country Wisdom Bulletin pamphlet format carried forward into Storey's long-running Country Wisdom Bulletin series.", "In 1983 John and Martha Storey bought the publishing arm of Garden Way and formed Storey Communications in Pownal, Vermont, so a 'Garden Way Publishing' imprint reliably dates a book before 1983.", "Practical gardening and homesteading list; foundational to the later Storey catalog." ], "era": "c.1970-1983" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/garland-publishing", "name": "Garland Publishing", "slug": "garland-publishing", "region": "United States (New York)", "imprints": [ "Garland Publishing", "Garland Reference Library", "Garland STPM Press", "Garland Science (textbooks; later Taylor & Francis)" ], "idMethods": [ "1969-c.1990: Founded 1969 (by Gavin Borden); specialized in scholarly reference, facsimile reprint series, bibliographies, and the numbered 'Garland Reference Library of the Humanities / Social Sciences' series. Many titles are reprint or facsimile sets, so a first Garland edition is identified by the series-volume statement plus the absence of a later-printing notice; reference sets are identified by SERIES NUMBER rather than by printing.", "c.1990-2000s: A number line appears on the copyright page of newer titles, lowest digit = printing. Garland Science (cell and molecular biology textbooks, e.g. Alberts's 'Molecular Biology of the Cell') uses the standard number-line convention, and the edition number is the practical collecting and identification unit.", "Post-2003: Absorbed into Taylor & Francis / Routledge; later editions carry the Taylor & Francis or Routledge imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Two distinct faces: humanities reference and facsimile reprints (collected by series number) versus Garland Science life-science textbooks (collected by edition).", "Garland Science's 'Molecular Biology of the Cell' and 'Janeway's Immunobiology' are the famous STM titles.", "Now defunct as an independent name, having merged into Taylor & Francis." ], "era": "1969-c.2006" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gaspereau-press", "name": "Gaspereau Press", "slug": "gaspereau-press", "region": "Canada (Kentville, Nova Scotia)", "imprints": [ "Gaspereau Press", "Gaspereau Press Printers", "Devil's Whim chapbook series" ], "idMethods": [ "Fine-press / printer-publisher house: identification is colophon- and production-driven. Check the colophon (often at the back) for type, paper, press, and binding notes; Gaspereau prints and binds in-house, so production detail is integral to the book.", "Most titles are single small letterpress/offset printings, so the absence of any later-printing statement combined with the first-appearance copyright year establishes a first printing.", "Devil's Whim chapbooks and signed/limited issues carry limitation statements that define the point.", "When a title was reissued in a licensed trade edition after award attention, distinguish the original Gaspereau printing (its distinctive design) from the later trade reprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1997 by Andrew Steeves and Gary Dunfield in Kentville, Nova Scotia; known for fine-press, letterpress-influenced design with in-house printing and binding (Smyth-sewn paperbacks, cloth hardcovers, letterpress limiteds).", "Famous point: Johanna Skibsrud's novel The Sentimentalists won the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize, but Gaspereau's small hand-production (initial run reported around 800 copies) could not meet demand, so trade-paperback rights were licensed to Douglas & McIntyre. The original Gaspereau printing is the true collectible first, distinct from the higher-volume licensed Douglas & McIntyre trade edition.", "Production-distinctive: French-fold covers and letterpress wrappers; the design itself functions as an identifying feature." ], "era": "1997-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gehenna-press", "name": "Gehenna Press", "slug": "gehenna-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Leonard Baskin (founder/artist-printer)", "associated with Eremite Press collaborations" ], "idMethods": [ "Letterpress limited editions, most with a printed colophon stating a small limitation (often well under 300, some only a few dozen)", "Colophon often signed by Leonard Baskin (and/or collaborating poet, e.g., Ted Hughes, Anthony Hecht); original wood engravings/etchings by Baskin are integral", "Hand-numbered limitation; deluxe sub-states may add an extra signed print suite or special binding", "No number line — identify by the signed/numbered colophon and Baskin's engraved device" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1942 by Leonard Baskin (Northampton, MA; named for the biblical valley of Gehenna)", "Celebrated collaborations with Ted Hughes (e.g., 'Crow' related work, 'A Primer of Birds'), Anthony Hecht ('The Seven Deadly Sins')", "Books are art objects; Baskin's wood engravings and the press device authenticate", "Very small editions make every numbered copy scarce; condition of the prints matters" ], "era": "1942–2000 (Baskin d. 2000; some posthumous completion)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/allen-and-unwin", "name": "George Allen & Unwin", "slug": "allen-and-unwin", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Allen & Unwin", "Unwin Hyman (1986-1991)", "Unwin Paperbacks", "Allen & Unwin Australia (later separate)" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions state \"First published [Year]\" or \"First published in [Year]\" on the copyright page (frequently with the printer named), later printings noted with added impression lines", "First printing = the 'First published' statement with NO subsequent-impression notation", "Early/mid-20th-c. titles list later printings as 'Second impression [year]' etc. beneath the original line", "Confirm clean copyright page free of reprint lines" ], "notablePoints": [ "Published J.R.R. Tolkien — 'The Hobbit' (1937) and 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954-55) true firsts have famously intricate points: 'Hobbit' first issue with green cloth & dustjacket, and the LotR Fellowship 'first impression' with the corrected/uncorrected text and the well-known signature-line points", "Also Bertrand Russell, Arthur Waley translations", "Allen & Unwin Australia became an independent Commonwealth house — distinguish from the UK parent" ], "era": "1914-1990 (UK independent); Australian arm continues" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/george-h-doran", "name": "George H. Doran Company", "slug": "george-h-doran", "region": "New York, USA (founder Canadian-American)", "imprints": [ "Doubleday, Doran & Company (1927 merger successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1908–c.1920: inconsistent; first editions usually (but not always) bear a black oval colophon enclosing white script 'GHD' on the copyright page (sometimes the title page). The practice was not consistent until the early 1920s, so the colophon alone is not conclusive for this period.", "Early 1920s: the 'GHD' oval colophon on the copyright page, with no later-printing notice, becomes the reliable first-printing point.", "About 1925: began the general practice of printing 'First Edition' in the book or placing the GHD device under the copyright notice.", "Post-1927 (as Doubleday, Doran): first editions carry 'First Edition' on the copyright page under the Doubleday, Doran imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1908 by George H. Doran; strong in British authors (Arnold Bennett, Frank Swinnerton; Michael Arlen's 'The Green Hat').", "Merged with Doubleday, Page & Company in 1927 to form Doubleday, Doran & Company.", "The black-oval 'GHD' colophon is the best-known Doran first-edition tell; its inconsistency before the early 1920s is the key caveat.", "Imprint name is a dating aid: 'George H. Doran Company' = 1908–1927; 'Doubleday, Doran' = 1927 onward." ], "era": "1908–1927 (merged into Doubleday, Doran)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/george-routledge", "name": "George Routledge (George Routledge & Sons)", "slug": "george-routledge", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "George Routledge (bookseller from 1836; publisher from 1843)", "George Routledge & Co. (from 1851)", "George Routledge & Sons (from 1865)", "Routledge's Railway Library (yellowbacks)" ], "idMethods": [ "Primarily a reprint and cheap-edition house: most Routledge books are NOT first editions of the work — first establish whether Routledge issued the title first or is reprinting another publisher's edition.", "No edition statement on the firm's own firsts: use the title-page date, the imprint partnership style ('George Routledge & Co.' to 1864 vs '& Sons' from 1865), and dated rear advertisements to fix a printing.", "Routledge's Railway Library 'yellowbacks' (pictorial glazed boards) are cheap reprints dated by the rear catalogue/ads and series number, not first editions of the text.", "Collate against the author bibliography for any title where Routledge claims priority; treat plain Routledge reprints as later editions by default." ], "notablePoints": [ "Famous for the Railway Library yellowbacks — cheap pictorial-board reprints sold at railway bookstalls; collectible as a format but rarely first editions of the text.", "Imprint evolved George Routledge (bookselling 1836, publishing 1843) → George Routledge & Co. (1851) → George Routledge & Sons (1865, when son Edmund became a partner) — a useful dating aid.", "A reprint specialist, so the default assumption for a Routledge title is 'not the first edition' unless priority is proven.", "Took over management of Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner in 1912 and formally merged as Routledge & Kegan Paul in 1947." ], "era": "1836–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/georgetown-university-press", "name": "Georgetown University Press", "slug": "georgetown-university-press", "region": "US (Washington, D.C.)", "imprints": [ "Georgetown University Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.", "First printings carry a single year with no subsequent-printing list.", "Later printings or editions are explicitly stated; the absence of such a statement indicates the first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1964, originally as part of the School of Languages and Linguistics; strengths in linguistics, international affairs, ethics, and religion.", "Publishes the Al-Kitaab Arabic-language textbook series, the most widely used set of its kind in the United States, which goes through frequent new editions.", "Small scholarly list not separately itemized in first-edition guides; confirm the edition number before assessing the printing, because language and applied-linguistics texts are reissued often." ], "era": "1964-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/getty-publications", "name": "Getty Publications (J. Paul Getty Museum / Getty Trust)", "slug": "getty-publications", "region": "US (Los Angeles)", "imprints": [ "Getty Publications", "J. Paul Getty Museum", "Getty Research Institute", "Getty Conservation Institute", "Getty Trust Publications" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by the copyright page: it names the issuing Getty body and the publication year. For these scholarly/institutional titles the primary first-printing tell is the original publication year combined with the absence of any reprint or revised-edition statement.", "A descending number line is NOT a consistent Getty convention. Where a number line does appear, the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a line ending in 1 = first printing), but most Getty titles do not carry one, so do not treat its absence as evidence against a first.", "Most Getty scholarly titles and exhibition catalogues see a single printing; when reprints occur they are stated explicitly on the copyright page.", "Exhibition catalogues co-published with other museums may carry a co-publisher colophon; match the Getty first-published year and check for any later-printing line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Getty publications are scholarly and institutional; print runs are usually well-documented and most titles are not heavily reprinted.", "The imprint on the title page (Museum, Research Institute, Conservation Institute, or Trust) identifies the issuing program, not the printing.", "Open-content digital and print-on-demand later issues exist for some titles; a POD or revised digital-print copy is not the original first printing." ], "era": "1980s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gibbs-smith", "name": "Gibbs Smith", "slug": "gibbs-smith", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Gibbs Smith", "Gibbs Smith Education", "Peregrine Smith Books (earlier imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on copyright page indicating printing; first printing shows the full line ending in 1", "'First Edition' statement present on many trade titles; format follows modern American convention", "Layton, Utah publisher founded 1969 (as Peregrine Smith) by Gibbs M. Smith; Western Americana, architecture/design, cookbooks, humor", "Printing year and number line read together; revised editions stated explicitly" ], "notablePoints": [ "Earlier output under the 'Peregrine Smith' / 'Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., Peregrine Smith Books' imprint — same conventional identification; the imprint name on the title page dates the era", "Strong in regional Western art/architecture monographs that get reprinted; later printings drop the '1'", "No idiosyncratic house code" ], "era": "1969–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ginn-and-company", "name": "Ginn & Company (Ginn Brothers / Ginn, Heath & Co.)", "slug": "ginn-and-company", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA); printing plant in Cambridge from 1895", "imprints": [ "Ginn Brothers", "Ginn & Heath", "Ginn, Heath & Co.", "Ginn & Company", "Athenaeum Press (printing imprint, from 1895)" ], "idMethods": [ "1867-1876 (Ginn Brothers): educational/textbook publisher using no trade 'First Edition' statement. First printing by title-page/copyright date concordance; because textbooks were routinely revised, the absence of an 'edition' or revision note combined with matching dates indicates an early/first printing.", "1876-1885 (Ginn & Heath / Ginn, Heath & Co.): same convention, after Daniel Collamore Heath joined in 1876. An 'edition' or 'Revised Edition' statement, when present, indicates a later issue.", "1885 onward (Ginn & Company): textbooks frequently carry stacked copyright accretions; the earliest single copyright year with no added later copyrights and no 'revised' note marks the first printing. From 1895 the Athenaeum Press (Cambridge) colophon may appear and, because the plant opened in 1895, its presence rules out a pre-1895 printing.", "No number line was used in the 19th century; textbook collectors rely on the copyright-date stack (the earliest single year = first printing)." ], "notablePoints": [ "A leading American schoolbook/textbook house; not a literary-firsts house, but a major presence in the 19th-century Northeast trade and frequently encountered.", "Because textbooks are revised repeatedly, watch the stacked copyright dates: a single earliest year with no later copyrights or 'revised' wording signals the first printing.", "The Athenaeum Press, its Cambridge printing plant, opened in 1895; its colophon therefore both aids identification and marks a copy as 1895-or-later." ], "era": "1867-1900 (within slice); firm continued into the 20th century" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/giramondo-publishing", "name": "Giramondo Publishing", "slug": "giramondo-publishing", "region": "Australia (Sydney/Parramatta, NSW; Western Sydney University)", "imprints": [ "Giramondo", "Southern Latitudes (translation series)", "Giramondo Shorts (short-form series)", "HEAT (literary journal/magazine)" ], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing the copyright page states 'First published [year] ... by the Giramondo Publishing Company' with the issuing research-centre/university address, carries no reprint line, and the stated year matches. This statement is the primary first-printing signal.", "Print runs are small, so reprints are explicitly noted with an added 'Reprinted [year]' line when they occur; the absence of any such line indicates a first printing. Number lines are not a reliable tell for this house.", "Series identification: Southern Latitudes (translations) and the Giramondo Shorts short-form series carry distinctive series statements; HEAT issues are numbered serials, not book firsts." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1995 by Ivor Indyk and Evelyn Juers; the book imprint began in 2002, before which output was the journal HEAT (launched 1996, first series 1996–2000, second series 2001–2011).", "Publisher of major literary firsts and prize-winners (e.g. Alexis Wright, Gerald Murnane, Jessica Au); small runs make true firsts scarce, so the condition of card/wrappered editions matters.", "Address changes track the era: University of Newcastle (from 2001), then Western Sydney University Bankstown (from 2005), then Parramatta — the colophon address helps date the printing." ], "era": "1995–present (books since 2002)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gnome-press", "name": "Gnome Press", "slug": "gnome-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Gnome Press" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions generally STATE 'First Edition' on the copyright page — but this alone is NOT conclusive: in offset reprints Gnome sometimes left a prior publisher's 'First Edition' statement standing", "Confirm via binding measurements/bulk and priority dust-jacket points (rear-panel ad titles, jacket art state) documented title-by-title in the Gnome bibliography", "Beware copies bound from Gnome sheets but carrying a 'Doubleday Science Fiction' designation at the spine base — these are late reissues, NOT true Gnome firsts regardless of the copyright statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1948 by Martin Greenberg and David Kyle; published Asimov's 'Foundation' trilogy, Robert E. Howard's Conan in hardcover, and Clarke", "Famously undercapitalized — variant bindings/jackets and sheet reissues make point-by-point checking essential", "'Foundation' (1951) priority points: cloth binding of specified bulk; priority jacket rear panel advertises only three titles (Foundation; Tomorrow and Tomorrow / The Fairy Chessmen; The Sword of Conan)", "Definitive reference: 'Gnome Press: The Complete History and Bibliography'" ], "era": "1948–1962" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gnomon-press", "name": "Gnomon Press", "slug": "gnomon-press", "region": "Lexington, later Frankfort, Kentucky, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Jonathan Greene's literary press: poetry-focused; limited issues identified by the colophon limitation and signed/numbered states alongside trade paperbound issues.", "First printing: no later-printing statement present; a signed/numbered hardbound state is distinguished from the simultaneous wrappered trade state by binding and a numbered colophon.", "Identify by Gnomon's Kentucky/Appalachian and small-press literary list and by Greene's book design." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1965 by Jonathan Greene; originally in Lexington, later Frankfort, Kentucky. More a literary small press than a deluxe fine press, it issues signed/limited states of poetry and literary titles.", "Published authors include Wendell Berry, Robert Duncan, Jonathan Williams, James Still, and Gurney Norman.", "Distinguish the signed/limited issue from the ordinary trade issue; the premium attaches only to the limited state." ], "era": "1965-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gold-medal-books-fawcett", "name": "Gold Medal Books (Fawcett)", "slug": "gold-medal-books-fawcett", "region": "USA (Greenwich, Connecticut - Fawcett Publications)", "imprints": [ "Gold Medal Books", "Fawcett Gold Medal", "Crest (sister reprint imprint)", "Premier (sister imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1950-c.1962 (mass-market originals): paperback originals were the house specialty. Fawcett first issued a pair of unnumbered test anthologies (reprinting Fawcett magazine material) to clear a contractual loophole, then launched the numbered line beginning at 101 with Alan Hynd's 'We Are the Public Enemies' (101), 'Man Story' (102) and John Flagg's 'The Persian Cat' (103). A first printing of a given catalog number is identified by the printing-history block on the copyright page; a title showing only 'First printing, [month year]' (with no second/third) is the first. The catalog number alone does not prove a first printing, because reprints reused the same number with an updated printing line.", "1950s reprint tell: when Gold Medal reprinted a title it stated 'Second printing,' 'Third printing,' etc., often with dates and sometimes total-copies-in-print figures. The earliest dated printing line with no prior printing noted is the first.", "c.1962-1970s: numbering shifted to letter-prefixed price codes, with the catalog numbers climbing into the thousands over time. First printing is still shown by the stated printing history.", "Later Fawcett (under CBS from 1977, then distributed via Ballantine/Random House from 1982): adopts standard conventions - a stated Fawcett Gold Medal printing line plus a descending number line, with 1 present indicating the first printing.", "General rule across all eras: trust the stated printing line over the catalog number; Gold Medal was diligent about printing statements, which makes firsts relatively easy to confirm." ], "notablePoints": [ "Launched in 1950; pioneered the paperback original (no prior hardcover), so for a Gold Medal original the 'first edition' is the Gold Medal paperback itself.", "Home of John D. MacDonald, Richard S. Prather, Charles Williams, Day Keene, Gil Brewer, Donald Hamilton, Harry Whittington and MacKinlay Kantor.", "The cover number is a catalog/price code, not an edition number; later printings reuse the number with an updated printing line.", "Crest was Fawcett's reprint imprint; Gold Medal proper denotes originals.", "Acquired by CBS in 1977; distribution moved to Ballantine/Random House in 1982." ], "era": "1950-1990s (imprint name continued under Ballantine)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/golden-cockerel-press", "name": "Golden Cockerel Press", "slug": "golden-cockerel-press", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Harold Taylor (founder)", "Robert Gibbings era (1924–1933)", "Christopher Sandford / Owen Rutter / Francis Newbery era (from 1933)" ], "idMethods": [ "Letterpress limited editions with a printed colophon stating the limitation; many titles in tiered states — e.g., a numbered standard edition plus a smaller SPECIAL/deluxe edition (extra plates, full-morocco binding, sometimes signed)", "Original wood engravings by major artists (Eric Gill, Robert Gibbings, John Buckland Wright, Eric Ravilious, etc.) integral to the book; the cockerel device authenticates", "Deluxe/special copies are at a lower number range and stated separately in the colophon", "No number line — colophon limitation and engraver/device identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1920 by Harold Taylor; revived under Robert Gibbings (1924–33), then Christopher Sandford — its golden age for wood-engraved illustration", "Landmark: 'The Four Gospels' (1931) designed and engraved by ERIC GILL — one of the great illustrated press books; Gill also engraved 'The Canterbury Tales'", "Tiered states (ordinary numbered vs. deluxe full-morocco special) are the key collation point", "Standard reference: 'The Golden Cockerel Press: A Bibliography' (Cockerel checklists); beware that the press changed hands several times" ], "era": "1920–1961" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/golden-gryphon-press", "name": "Golden Gryphon Press", "slug": "golden-gryphon-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Golden Gryphon Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade first edition: copyright-page first-printing indication (number line with '1' / no later printings)", "Signed limited states identified by a tipped-in or bound signature/limitation page", "Most output is single-print-run hardcover, so absence of later-printing notation typically confirms the first" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1997 by Jim Turner (formerly of Arkham House) and continued by his brother Gary Turner; specialized in single-author short-story collections", "Small print runs; quality production reminiscent of Arkham House lineage" ], "era": "1997–2010s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/goose-lane-editions", "name": "Goose Lane Editions", "slug": "goose-lane-editions", "region": "Canada (Fredericton, New Brunswick)", "imprints": [ "Goose Lane Editions", "Fiddlehead Poetry Books (predecessor, 1954-1981)", "icehouse poetry (poetry imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern Goose Lane titles state 'first edition' and carry a number line ('1' present = first printing) on the copyright page.", "Predecessor Fiddlehead Poetry Books titles (1950s-1970s) are small chapbook/poetry runs; identify by the Fiddlehead Poetry Books imprint, the original year, and the absence of later-printing notes. Many are scarce single-printing items.", "icehouse poetry imprint titles follow the parent Goose Lane copyright-page convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Canada's oldest surviving independent publisher: traces to Fiddlehead Poetry Books, founded 1954 by Fred Cogswell in Fredericton, growing out of his work editing The Fiddlehead literary journal.", "Era change matters: a 'Fiddlehead Poetry Books' imprint indicates the early era; 'Goose Lane Editions' indicates the post-1981 era. The press was renamed in 1981 when Cogswell retired and passed it to Peter Thomas. Attribute the imprint to the correct era when describing a first.", "Strong Atlantic-Canada and poetry list; icehouse poetry is the dedicated poetry imprint." ], "era": "1954-present (Fiddlehead Poetry Books 1954-1981; Goose Lane Editions 1981-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/grabhorn-press", "name": "Grabhorn Press", "slug": "grabhorn-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Edwin & Robert Grabhorn (founders)", "Grabhorn-Hoyem (1966–1973, successor partnership)" ], "idMethods": [ "Fine letterpress limited editions (San Francisco); printed colophon with stated limitation, often signed by the Grabhorns or the artist", "Distinctive bold display typography, decorated papers, and the Grabhorn device authenticate; handmade papers", "Deluxe sub-states at lower numbers (special binding/extra plates) stated in the colophon", "No number line — colophon limitation and Grabhorn imprint/device identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1919 (Indiana, moved to San Francisco 1920) by brothers Edwin and Robert Grabhorn; the preeminent Western American fine press", "Landmark: the Grabhorn 'Leaves of Grass' (Whitman, 1930, with Valenti Angelo illustrations) — a high point of American fine printing", "Lineage continues: Grabhorn-Hoyem (1966–73) then Andrew Hoyem's Arion Press — useful for distinguishing successor imprints", "Standard reference: 'The Grabhorn Press: A Bibliography' (the two-volume bibliographies, 1940 & 1957)" ], "era": "1919–1965 (Grabhorn-Hoyem 1966–1973)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/grand-central-publishing", "name": "Grand Central Publishing", "slug": "grand-central-publishing", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Warner Books (former name)", "Twelve", "Forever (romance)", "Vision", "GCP Balance", "Mulholland Books (sister, crime)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line; first printing retains the lowest number (1 or, for Warner-era, sometimes 10).", "Warner Books-era (pre-2007): 'First Printing: (Month Year)' on the copyright page plus a number line; true first lists only the first printing.", "Hachette-family convention: 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' statement is the reliable signal alongside the line.", "Absence of later printings on the copyright page confirms a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Was Warner Books until 2007, when Hachette acquired Time Warner Book Group and renamed it Grand Central Publishing.", "Now part of Hachette Book Group USA.", "Mulholland Books is the crime/thriller imprint (launched 2011) — same Hachette convention.", "Twelve is the prestige one-book-a-month imprint; Forever is the romance line." ], "era": "1970s (as Warner)–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/granta-books", "name": "Granta Books", "slug": "granta-books", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Granta", "Granta Books", "Portobello Books (separate imprint, closed January 2019)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published in Great Britain by Granta Books [year]'; a first carries no reprint or later-impression note.", "Descending number line ending in '1' indicates a first printing on titles that carry one.", "Granta Books was distributed by Penguin at its 1989 launch, so early Granta Books firsts can show Penguin-related distribution imprint lines on the copyright page even though Granta is the publisher — confirm Granta Books is named as publisher, not just distributor." ], "notablePoints": [ "Granta Books was founded in 1989 by Bill Buford, growing out of the Granta literary magazine (relaunched 1979); the magazine itself dates to 1889 as a Cambridge student paper.", "Independent (Granta Publications, consolidated 2011 under Sigrid Rausing) rather than part of a conglomerate, so it uses standard modern UK 'First published' plus number-line conventions.", "Portobello Books was a SEPARATE imprint founded in 2005, merged into Granta Publications in 2011, and CLOSED in January 2019 — its contracted authors then moved to the Granta Books imprint. Older Portobello firsts carry the Portobello imprint and are distinct from Granta Books firsts." ], "era": "1989–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/graphic-arts-alaska-northwest", "name": "Graphic Arts Books / Alaska Northwest Books (West Margin Press)", "slug": "graphic-arts-alaska-northwest", "region": "Portland, Oregon & Anchorage, Alaska (Pacific NW / Alaska)", "imprints": [ "Graphic Arts Books", "Alaska Northwest Books", "WestWinds Press", "West Margin Press (parent imprint, 2019-)" ], "idMethods": [ "Alaska Northwest Publishing era (1959-1993): Early Alaska Northwest titles often carry no number line; identify first printings by a copyright/publication year that matches the title's first appearance and by the absence of any later-printing notice. Where present, a stated 'First printing' on the copyright page is the clearest tell.", "Graphic Arts Center Publishing era (1967 onward, large-format/coffee-table titles): Photo-book first editions frequently state 'First edition' and/or carry a printing line; the lowest number in a printing line indicates the first printing. The pioneering large-format title was 'Oregon' (Ray Atkeson photographs).", "After 1993 (Graphic Arts acquired Alaska Northwest Books): titles appear under Graphic Arts, Alaska Northwest Books, and WestWinds Press imprints, generally with a standard descending number line where the lowest digit marks the printing.", "2019 rebrand to West Margin Press: the parent was renamed West Margin Press in 2019, with Graphic Arts Books and Alaska Northwest Books continuing as imprints. A West Margin Press colophon dates a printing to 2019 or later; the imprint name on the copyright page is the key era tell. (Ownership passed to Ingram and later to Turner Publishing, so distribution/ownership notices can also date later printings.)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Two distinct lineages: Alaska Northwest Publishing (founded 1959, Alaska) and Graphic Arts Center Publishing (Portland, founded 1967 as a division of Oregon's largest printer; an early pioneer of full-color coffee-table books).", "Graphic Arts acquired Alaska Northwest Books in 1993, then the largest Alaskan trade publisher.", "The parent was renamed West Margin Press in 2019 (not 2018); the imprint name on the copyright page is the strongest era tell.", "Collectible large-format Atkeson and Alaska photography titles; photographer-signed copies are sought after." ], "era": "1959-present (Alaska Northwest) / 1967-present (Graphic Arts)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/graphic-books", "name": "Graphic Books / Graphic Mystery", "slug": "graphic-books", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Graphic Books", "Graphic Mystery", "Graphic (numbered series, later letter-prefix codes)" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 1940s-c.1957 (entire run): mass-market paperbacks strong in mystery and hardboiled fiction. Titles were numbered sequentially (for example a Graphic title at #14 in 1949 and #21 in 1950), with later 1950s titles using letter-prefix codes. The catalog number identifies the title slot; a first printing is shown by the absence of a later-printing statement on the copyright page and the original cover price.", "The line published paperback ORIGINALS as well as reprints, but its original-novel program began only around 1951 (Publishers Weekly reported in May 1952 that Graphic had begun publishing originals about a year earlier) — that is, AFTER Fawcett Gold Medal launched the paperback-original boom in 1950, not before it. For a Graphic original (including titles by hardboiled authors such as Harry Whittington and Gil Brewer), the Graphic edition is the text's first edition.", "Reprint tell: a copyright page acknowledging a prior hardcover publisher means the Graphic is a reprint, not the first; an original has no such acknowledgment.", "Later printings reuse the catalog number with an added printing note — trust the stated printing line over the cover number. Printing-level data is partial, so corroborate per-title against a Graphic checklist such as the BookScans database." ], "notablePoints": [ "Active from the late 1940s to about 1957; its paperback-original program began around 1951, after (not before) Gold Medal's 1950 launch.", "Published paperback originals by hardboiled writers including Harry Whittington and Gil Brewer, and was an early paperback home for Day Keene's work.", "Distinguish the Graphic Books paperback line from unrelated 'Graphic' comic imprints.", "Per-title printing data is partial; lean on number-and-date checklists rather than the copyright page alone." ], "era": "late 1940s-c.1957 (paperback-original program from c.1951)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/grays-sporting-journal-press", "name": "Gray's Sporting Journal Press / GSJ Press", "slug": "grays-sporting-journal-press", "region": "USA (South Hamilton, Massachusetts; later Augusta, Georgia)", "imprints": [ "Gray's Sporting Journal" ], "idMethods": [ "1980s: Book collections and anthologies drawn from the journal (e.g., the 'Tales from Gray's' / 'Gray's Journal' selections) were issued in trade and signed/numbered limited states. The limited issue is identified by a numbered limitation/colophon page (commonly out of 2,000) and the author's or editor's signature; the trade issue is the standard hardcover.", "All eras: Where both a numbered limited and a trade hardcover exist, the signed/numbered limitation page identifies the senior state. Confirm a stated printing or the limitation page rather than assuming a number line, which these issues do not reliably carry." ], "notablePoints": [ "Book-publishing activity of the prestige sporting periodical Gray's Sporting Journal, founded 1975 by Ed and Rebecca Gray; collections gathered the journal's literary hunting and fly-fishing writing.", "The magazine was acquired by Morris Communications in 1989 and later headquartered in Augusta, Georgia; the book-publishing program was a 1980s-era activity tied to the original Massachusetts operation." ], "era": "Mid-1970s-1980s (book/anthology issues)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/graywolf-press", "name": "Graywolf Press", "slug": "graywolf-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Graywolf Rediscovery", "Graywolf Poetry / Graywolf Nonfiction Prize titles" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' and carries a descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest number present indicates the printing — a first shows '1'.", "First printing has no additional printing/date notice beyond the stated first.", "Earliest Graywolf (late 1970s Port Townsend era) included letterpress/limited chapbooks with rear colophons — identified by limitation statement rather than a number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1974 by Scott Walker (with Kathleen Foster) in Port Townsend, WA — literally in space provided by Copper Canyon Press; relocated to Saint Paul, Minnesota (1984).", "Now a major nonprofit literary press (distributed via Macmillan/FSG): poetry, fiction, essays — Tracy K. Smith, Claudia Rankine's Citizen, Maggie Nelson's The Argonauts.", "Citizen (2014) went through many printings rapidly — number line is the practical way to separate first from later printings.", "Because of Macmillan distribution, later printings follow standard trade number-line conventions." ], "era": "1974–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/great-lakes-books", "name": "Great Lakes Books (series imprint)", "slug": "great-lakes-books", "region": "Detroit, Michigan", "imprints": [ "Wayne State University Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1986–present: A regional series of Wayne State University Press; a first printing is identified by Wayne State's number line on the copyright page (the lowest digit, or a '1', present indicates the first printing) together with the 'Great Lakes Books Series' designation on the series or title page.", "For reprinted Michigan/Great Lakes classics issued in the series: the Great Lakes Books edition is a new edition with its own copyright/series page and is not the true first edition of the work — its number line dates only that reissue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Not a standalone publisher — a named regional series under Wayne State University Press; listed separately because catalog and dealer records often cite 'Great Lakes Books' as the publisher.", "Inaugurated in 1986 to honor Michigan's 1987 sesquicentennial; mixes original titles with reissues of regional classics, which is the chief first-edition pitfall." ], "era": "1986–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/greenberg-publisher", "name": "Greenberg, Publisher", "slug": "greenberg-publisher", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Greenberg Publishing Company" ], "idMethods": [ "Like most American trade houses of the period, Greenberg did not use a consistent 'First Edition' statement; the practical test is the absence of any later-printing notice on the copyright page, with subsequent printings noted there. Treat this as the standard-era convention rather than a house-specific rule, and confirm per title.", "Where a copyright page carries 'Published [Year]' or a 'First printing' line with no later-printing notice, that indicates the first printing.", "When no statement is present, corroborate priority through binding and dust-jacket state, and keep per-title confidence guarded." ], "notablePoints": [ "New York trade house (Greenberg, Publisher / Greenberg Publishing Company) founded in 1924 by Jacob W. and David B. Greenberg; David B. Greenberg ran it as president into the 1950s.", "Published popular nonfiction, how-to and hobby titles, health, cooking, humor, art and some fiction — a mid-tier trade and reference house, not a modernist literary press.", "Acquired by the Chilton Company in 1958; the Greenberg imprint continued briefly under Chilton (notably as the line that later issued Frank Herbert's 'Dune' in 1965).", "Distinct from unrelated figures (photography dealer Howard Greenberg; science-fiction anthologist Martin Greenberg) and from Gnome Press — do not conflate." ], "era": "c.1924–1958" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/greenwillow-books", "name": "Greenwillow Books", "slug": "greenwillow-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "On first printings, the copyright page carries a 'First Edition' statement together with a number line whose lowest digit is 1", "First printing is indicated by the presence of '1' as the lowest number in the number row" ], "notablePoints": [ "Imprint of HarperCollins (it came into the Harper fold via William Morrow); follows the HarperCollins children's convention", "Standard HarperCollins caveat: the 'First Edition' statement can be left in place on later printings, so the number line is the deciding evidence", "Founded 1974 by Susan Hirschman; Kevin Henkes and Donald Crews titles are flagship collectibles" ], "era": "1974-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/greenwood-press", "name": "Greenwood Publishing Group / Greenwood Press", "slug": "greenwood-press", "region": "United States (Westport, CT / Santa Barbara, CA)", "imprints": [ "Greenwood Press", "Praeger", "Praeger Security International", "Quorum Books", "Bergin & Garvey", "Auburn House", "Libraries Unlimited (acquired)", "ABC-CLIO (parent/licensor post-2008)" ], "idMethods": [ "1967-c.1990: Founded 1967 (by Harold Mason and Harold Schwartz) as a reprint house and academic/reference publisher; many early titles are scholarly reprints, so a first Greenwood edition is identified by the reprint statement plus the absence of a later-printing notice. Reference works are identified by edition and copyright year.", "c.1990-present: Number line on the copyright page, lowest digit = printing. For multi-volume reference encyclopedias the edition plus copyright year is the practical identification unit, and the first-printing premium on such reference titles is minimal.", "Post-2008: ABC-CLIO took a perpetual license to the Greenwood imprints; Greenwood and Praeger titles are now issued under the ABC-CLIO (Bloomsbury-affiliated) umbrella and follow its copyright-page style." ], "notablePoints": [ "Praeger Publishers (founded 1950) was acquired by Greenwood from CBS, Inc. on January 1, 1986 — NOT in 1975 — and is the prestige scholarly and political-science imprint within the group.", "Library-market reference focus means a low collector premium; identification is about edition and year rather than points of issue.", "Now an imprint family under ABC-CLIO (which took a perpetual license to the Greenwood imprints in 2008)." ], "era": "1967-present (as imprint group)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gregynog-press", "name": "Gregynog Press", "slug": "gregynog-press", "region": "UK (Wales)", "imprints": [ "Gwendoline & Margaret Davies (founders)", "Gwasg Gregynog (the revived press, 1974–present)" ], "idMethods": [ "Hand-press letterpress limited editions printed at Gregynog Hall, Wales; printed colophon with stated limitation (usually small)", "A subset of each edition bound in elaborate SPECIAL bindings by the Gregynog bindery (George Fisher) — these specially-bound copies are a distinct, far more valuable sub-state, identified in the colophon and by the binding", "Original wood engravings (Blair Hughes-Stanton, Agnes Miller Parker, etc.); press device authenticates", "No number line — colophon limitation plus binding state (ordinary vs. special binding) identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1923 (active to 1940) by the Davies sisters; revived 1974 as 'Gwasg Gregynog' — distinguish original press from the modern Welsh-language revival", "Renowned for its special bindings — the small number of specially-bound copies (often a dozen or fewer per title) are the prizes; the ordinary cloth/quarter-leather copies are the standard state", "Wood-engraved work by Hughes-Stanton and Agnes Miller Parker is a hallmark", "Standard reference: Dorothy A. Harrop, 'A History of the Gregynog Press'" ], "era": "1923–1940 (original); 1974–present (revived)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/greycliff-publishing", "name": "Greycliff Publishing Company", "slug": "greycliff-publishing", "region": "USA (Helena, Montana)", "imprints": [ "Greycliff Publishing Company" ], "idMethods": [ "1990s-2000s: Trade firsts state 'First Edition' or 'First printing' and/or carry a descending number line ('1' = first); the 'Greycliff River Book Series' of single-river guides and the Montana fly-fishing guides are revised, so the edition number is restated for new editions.", "All eras: Confirm both the edition currency (river/access data) and the printing statement before assigning a first printing of a given edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Helena, Montana fly-fishing guidebook house active from the mid-1990s, publisher of John Holt's Montana fly-fishing guides (East and West of the Continental Divide) and the multi-volume 'Greycliff River Book Series' (e.g., Craig Mathews' Fly Fishing the Madison).", "Small regional outdoor publisher whose titles overlap the broader Montana fly-fishing guidebook scene." ], "era": "1990s-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/grosset-dunlap-childrens", "name": "Grosset & Dunlap (children's / series books)", "slug": "grosset-dunlap-childrens", "region": "New York, NY", "imprints": [ "Grosset & Dunlap", "Tempo Books", "Illustrated Junior Library" ], "idMethods": [ "1898–c.1930s (reprint house): founded 1898 and primarily a reprint publisher. For reprinted titles, the Grosset & Dunlap imprint itself signals a reprint, not a first edition — the true first is the original trade publisher's edition. For G&D's own first-published titles, first printings may state 'First Printing' on the copyright page, but most G&D books carry no printing statement at all, so the printing is surmised from the copyright-page date and the rear-endpaper or jacket title list.", "Series books (Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins), c.1910s–1970s: early states are identified not by a printing statement but by the advertised-title-list point system — the list of titles advertised in the series ends with the latest title available at the time of printing, so a jacket or endpaper listing titles only through book N dates that printing to when book N was newest. Format points (jacket art, wraparound versus white-spine jackets, frontispiece versus internal illustrations, tweed/cloth versus picture-cover boards) further pinpoint era. When no jacket is present, use the last title in the pre-text or post-text list inside the book. Specialist guides (Farah's for Nancy Drew; Carpentieri for the Hardy Boys) detail every printing.", "1930s–1960s originals: genuine G&D firsts (e.g., the King Kong photoplay and Lone Ranger titles) state 'First Printing' or similar on the copyright page; absence of any later-printing note plus the earliest title list indicates first issue.", "1982 onward: acquired by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982; thereafter first-edition practice follows the Putnam/Penguin group conventions (number line, lowest digit indicating the printing)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1898 by Alexander Grosset and George Dunlap; built the inexpensive cloth-reprint market.", "Home of the Stratemeyer Syndicate series (Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins) — collected via the advertised-title-list and format-point system, not edition statements.", "Because it was chiefly a reprinter, a G&D imprint on a famous title usually means a reprint, not the first edition.", "Gained control of Wonder Books (1949) and acquired Platt & Munk (1957); itself bought by Putnam in 1982 and now within the Penguin lineage.", "Some genuine G&D firsts exist (the King Kong photoplay, Lone Ranger titles) and state 'First Printing.'" ], "era": "1898–present (as imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/groundwood-books", "name": "Groundwood Books", "slug": "groundwood-books", "region": "Canada", "imprints": [ "Groundwood Books", "Libros Tigrillo (Spanish)", "House of Anansi (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; often with a 'First published in [year]' or 'First edition' statement", "The lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Toronto literary children's house founded in 1978 by Patricia (Patsy) Aldana; sold to House of Anansi Press in 2012 and now part of that family", "Strong in translated and Indigenous and Latin American children's literature, with a Spanish-language list (Libros Tigrillo); translated titles may carry an original-language edition date alongside the English first-edition line", "Reliable modern descending-number-line convention" ], "era": "1978-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/grove-press", "name": "Grove Press", "slug": "grove-press", "region": "New York, NY (US)", "imprints": [ "Grove Atlantic (parent)", "Black Cat", "Evergreen", "Atlantic Monthly Press (sister)", "Grove Weidenfeld (1989–1993)" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions and later printings are noted on the copyright page; the modern practice uses a number row/printer's key, with the presence of '1' (or the lowest digit) indicating a first printing.", "Grove added a number row around 1969 (initially on the last page before the rear free endpaper, later on the copyright page) but often failed to remove a 'First Edition' statement from reprints — so a 'First Edition' line alone is not conclusive for that era; corroborate with the number row.", "Later-printing dust jackets can carry a small letter code on the rear panel (e.g., 'ii' for a second printing) — a useful corroborating tell.", "For landmark titles (e.g., Tropic of Cancer 1961, Naked Lunch US 1962, Lady Chatterley's Lover unexpurgated 1959), edition/issue points are title-specific — verify against title bibliographies, not the house rule alone." ], "notablePoints": [ "Black Cat and Evergreen were Grove's mass-market and quality-paperback lines (key for Beckett, Burroughs, Miller, Genet first-in-US paperbacks).", "Corporate history: Grove Press → Grove Weidenfeld (1989) → merged with Atlantic Monthly Press to form Grove/Atlantic Inc. (1993); the imprint name on the copyright page can help date a printing.", "Dust-jacket spine logo and pricing changes help separate a first issue from later Grove printings of the same edition." ], "era": "1947–present (as Grove/Atlantic since 1993)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/grove-atlantic", "name": "Grove Press / Grove Atlantic", "slug": "grove-atlantic", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Atlantic Monthly Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated on the copyright page", "Dust-jacket rear-panel letter code on later printings (pre-1993)", "Number line (1993–present)" ], "notablePoints": [ "The dust-jacket rear-panel letter code is the Grove-specific tell for later printings before 1993." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hw-wilson", "name": "H. W. Wilson Company", "slug": "hw-wilson", "region": "United States (New York / Bronx, NY)", "imprints": [ "H. W. Wilson", "Wilson Web", "Grey House Publishing (print reference licensee post-2011)", "Salem Press (sibling under Grey House)" ], "idMethods": [ "1898-c.1980: Founded 1898 by Halsey William Wilson as the great library-index and reference house (Cumulative Book Index from 1898, Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature from 1901, Current Biography). Continuing serials and indexes are identified by VOLUME and YEAR with annual or cumulative volumes, so there is no first-edition point system. Reference monographs are identified by edition plus copyright year; a first printing is indicated by the absence of a later-printing notice.", "c.1980-present: Where number lines appear, the lowest digit indicates the printing, but the edition/volume/year remains the identification unit. This is a library-market house with a minimal first-printing premium.", "Post-2011: Wilson merged with EBSCO Publishing (June 2011); EBSCO holds the database business while Grey House Publishing produces the print reference editions under license, so the copyright-page imprint reflects the new arrangement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Cornerstone American library-reference house whose indexes defined 20th-century periodical research.", "Collected as runs of serials (for example Current Biography yearbooks) by year, not by printing.", "Database business went to EBSCO; print reference is published by Grey House under license." ], "era": "1898-present (print reference continued under Grey House)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hm-gousha", "name": "H.M. Gousha Company", "slug": "hm-gousha", "region": "United States (Chicago; later San Jose, CA)", "imprints": [ "Gousha road maps (oil-company and state maps)", "Gousha city maps", "Gousha American Road Atlas" ], "idMethods": [ "Road maps are dated by an internal alphanumeric DATE CODE printed in a corner or margin, decoded via the Road Map Collectors Association 'Dating Rand McNally and Gousha Maps' tables; the code is the identifier, not a copyright page.", "1920s-1940s: Chicago-era Gousha maps (frequently produced for oil companies such as Chevron and Texaco); locate the small code near the legend or in a corner to date the printing. Note that in a Gousha code the year letter can appear anywhere in the string, so corroborating clues (census date, road network) may be needed.", "1947-1990s: San Jose, California era (the company moved there in 1947); the same date-code logic applies, and cover art and oil-company branding help bracket the period.", "Atlases: a named edition plus the copyright year on the title page." ], "notablePoints": [ "A major mid-century oil-company road-map printer alongside Rand McNally, founded in Chicago in 1926 by Harry M. Gousha, a former Rand McNally executive.", "Uses a corner DATE-CODE dating method; the Road Map Collectors Association decode tables cover Gousha jointly with Rand McNally. Gousha began date-coding around 1927, using single letters (A-Z) and later double letters (through ZZ in 1978).", "Chicago versus San Jose imprint brackets the era (the firm relocated to San Jose in 1947).", "Highly collected gas-station and oil-company map ephemera." ], "era": "1920s-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hachette-books", "name": "Hachette Books", "slug": "hachette-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Hyperion (former name of the imprint)", "Voice", "Black Dog & Leventhal", "Hachette Go", "Public Affairs (sister)", "Basic Books (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.", "Hyperion-era (Disney-owned, pre-2013): used 'First Edition' + number line; sometimes 'First U.S. Edition' for imports.", "Hachette-family standard: stated edition plus line-to-1; reprints drop the statement and/or the 1.", "Check for 'First Edition' AND the 1 together." ], "notablePoints": [ "The trade imprint was Hyperion (founded 1991 by Disney); Hachette acquired most of Hyperion's adult list in 2013 and renamed it Hachette Books.", "Part of Hachette Book Group USA (the US arm of French parent Hachette Livre / Lagardère).", "Disney-era Hyperion firsts carry Hyperion imprint on title page — still identified by 'First Edition' + line-to-1.", "Sibling imprints Basic Books and PublicAffairs (Perseus, acquired 2016) follow the same Hachette convention." ], "era": "1991 (as Hyperion)–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hackett-publishing", "name": "Hackett Publishing Company", "slug": "hackett-publishing", "region": "USA (Indianapolis IN)", "imprints": [ "Hackett Publishing", "Focus Publishing / Focus (classics, acquired)", "Pullins Press (Focus / R. Pullins Company)" ], "idMethods": [ "1972-c.1990 (founders Bill and Frances Hackett, Indianapolis): academic philosophy texts and translations; the copyright page states the printing and copyright year, and because many titles are perennially reprinted teaching editions, first printings are uncommon survivors. Identify by the earliest copyright year and the absence of later-printing or reprint statements.", "c.1990-present: standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); the copyright page often shows a printing-year line. Revised or second editions are explicitly restated, so match the edition statement.", "recent: Hackett took over Focus Publishing / R. Pullins Company, and Focus titles (including the Focus Classical Library) continue under their own series identity within Hackett's conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1972; the standard US academic publisher of affordable primary-source philosophy texts and classical translations (Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant).", "Collector note: most Hackett value lies in scholarly content rather than first-printing rarity, but for a translator's first edition (for example specific Grube or Cooper Plato volumes), match the earliest printing year and the edition statement.", "Focus Publishing became an imprint of Hackett, bringing the Focus Classical Library into the house." ], "era": "1972-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hal-leonard", "name": "Hal Leonard (Hal Leonard Books / Performing Arts Publishing Group)", "slug": "hal-leonard", "region": "US (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)", "imprints": [ "Hal Leonard Books", "Applause Theatre & Cinema Books", "Amadeus Press", "Backbeat Books", "Limelight Editions", "Musicians Institute Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade/book titles use a standard descending number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.", "Primarily a sheet-music and folio publisher — most output is method books, songbooks, and scores that are not 'editions' in the collector first-edition sense; printings of folios are typically undated or carry an HL catalog/order number rather than a printer's key.", "For the trade book lines (biographies, reference) treat the number line as authoritative." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1947 (by the Edstrom brothers in Winona, Minnesota; now headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin); the world's largest sheet-music/print-music publisher. Collectible interest is mostly in the trade book imprints rather than the song folios.", "Acquired Backbeat (2006); divested the performing-arts trade imprints (Hal Leonard Books, Applause, Amadeus, Backbeat, Limelight) to Rowman & Littlefield in Dec 2018.", "Songbook/folio editions are better identified by catalog/order number and licensing era than by first-printing points." ], "era": "1947-present (book imprints largely 1990s-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/halstead-press", "name": "Halstead Press", "slug": "halstead-press", "region": "Australia (Sydney, NSW; later also Canberra)", "imprints": [ "Halstead Press (historic printing arm of Angus & Robertson)", "Halstead Press (modern independent history/heritage and general publisher, est. 1991)" ], "idMethods": [ "1929-1970s (as Angus & Robertson's printing house): Halstead Press was principally a PRINTER, not a trade publisher. George Robertson bought the Eagle Press in 1929 and renamed it Halstead Press after his Essex birthplace; it was a leading Australian book printer for roughly forty years until the plant was sold in the 1970s. A Halstead Press line on an Angus & Robertson book is a production/printer credit, NOT a first-edition indicator. Identify the first edition by Angus & Robertson's own 'First published' statement, not by the Halstead imprint.", "1991-present (modern Halstead Press): A separate independent Sydney (later also Canberra) publisher of history, heritage, current affairs and scholarly works, set up in 1991 after Robertson's great-grandson acquired the Halstead logo and identity. First editions are identified by a 'First published 19xx/20xx' statement on the copyright/imprint page and the absence of any 'Reprinted' line; where a number line is present, the lowest number indicates the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Two distinct entities share the name: (1) the historic Angus & Robertson printing arm (Halstead Press), and (2) the modern independent publisher set up in 1991 — do not conflate them.", "For the historic arm, Halstead is a printer credit and NOT a first-edition indicator; the publisher of record was Angus & Robertson.", "The modern Halstead Press is a small Sydney/Canberra publisher of history, heritage and general illustrated books; it is not corporately unrelated to the old arm but rather inherited the Halstead logo and identity via the Robertson family." ], "era": "1929-1970s (printer); 1991-present (publisher)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hamish-hamilton", "name": "Hamish Hamilton", "slug": "hamish-hamilton", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Hamish Hamilton", "Hamish Hamilton Children's", "Penguin/Hamish Hamilton (under Penguin later)" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions state \"First published in Great Britain [Year]\" or \"First published [Year]\" on the copyright page; later printings noted", "First printing = statement present with no list of later impressions", "Under Penguin ownership (modern era) descending number lines ending in 1 appear; lowest digit = printing", "Absence of reprint lines is the core first-printing confirmation" ], "notablePoints": [ "Quality literary list: J.D. Salinger (UK), Raymond Chandler (UK), Nancy Mitford, Truman Capote (UK), Georges Simenon", "Many titles were UK issues of American books — watch for US true-first precedence vs UK first", "Now an imprint within Penguin" ], "era": "1931-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hammond", "name": "Hammond (C.S. Hammond & Co. / Hammond Inc.)", "slug": "hammond", "region": "United States (founded Brooklyn, New York; later Maplewood, NJ)", "imprints": [ "Hammond's World Atlas", "Hammond Ambassador / Medallion / Citation World Atlas", "Hammond Comparative World Atlas", "Hammond road maps" ], "idMethods": [ "Atlases are identified by the named edition plus the copyright year on the title/copyright page; a first printing shows the copyright year with no list of later revision printings.", "c.1900-1950s: 'C.S. Hammond & Company' imprint; tiered named editions (Ambassador, Medallion, Citation, Superior) indicate market level and era — the named tier plus the copyright year brackets the printing.", "c.1966-1990s: the imprint becomes 'Hammond Incorporated, Maplewood, N.J.'; the copyright-page year remains the dating anchor, and later printings add a revision-year list.", "Road maps (oil-company and state maps printed by Hammond): date them via printer codes and the copyright year in the map margin, as with other commercial map houses." ], "notablePoints": [ "The imprint shift from 'C.S. Hammond & Company' to 'Hammond Incorporated' (around the mid-1960s) brackets earlier vs. later atlases.", "The named tiers (Ambassador / Medallion / Citation / Superior) are content and quality grades, useful for era and identification.", "A long-running family map house (founded 1900 by Caleb Stillson Hammond, incorporated 1901; second only to Rand McNally at its mid-century peak); later folded into the Langenscheidt group, with modern atlases under Hammond World Atlas Corporation." ], "era": "1900-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hampton-roads", "name": "Hampton Roads Publishing Company", "slug": "hampton-roads", "region": "USA (Charlottesville VA; now under Red Wheel/Weiser, Newburyport MA)", "imprints": [ "Hampton Roads", "Walsch Books (Conversations with God line)", "New Leaf" ], "idMethods": [ "1989-2009 (independent, Virginia; founders Robert S. Friedman and Frank DeMarco): copyright page states 'First Edition'/'First Printing' alongside a number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing. The flagship Conversations with God (Neale Donald Walsch, Book 1, 1995) was originally a Hampton Roads hardcover; the true first is that 1995 Hampton Roads edition, distinct from the G.P. Putnam's Sons trade hardcover that followed in 1996.", "2009-present (acquired by Red Wheel/Weiser): Hampton Roads continues as a Red Wheel/Weiser imprint using a standard number line (lowest number present = printing) plus a 'First Edition' statement; a Newburyport, MA address on the copyright page signals a post-acquisition printing rather than an original Virginia first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1989 in Charlottesville, Virginia, by Robert S. Friedman and Frank DeMarco; Friedman had earlier founded The Donning Company/Publishers.", "Best known for publishing the original 1995 edition of Conversations with God, Book 1 before the trade edition moved to G.P. Putnam's Sons in 1996.", "Acquisition tell: an independent Virginia imprint (pre-2009) versus a Red Wheel/Weiser, Newburyport MA, printing (post-2009).", "The true first of Conversations with God, Book 1 is the 1995 Hampton Roads edition, not the later Putnam trade edition." ], "era": "1989-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/handi-books", "name": "Handi-Books (Quinn Publishing)", "slug": "handi-books", "region": "USA (Kingston, NY — Quinn Publishing Co., Inc.)", "imprints": [ "Handi-Book", "Handi-Book Editions", "Handi-Books Mysteries" ], "idMethods": [ "1941-1951 (entire run): Quinn's Handi-Book line was numbered sequentially (from #1 into the #150s); the Handi-Book number on the cover and spine identifies the title. A first printing is shown by the absence of a second-printing statement on the copyright page together with the original 25-cent price.", "The line mixed reprints with some paperback originals. For an original — for example Harry Whittington's The Brass Monkey, Handi-Book #133 (1951), a paperback original confirmed by multiple antiquarian dealers — the Handi-Book IS the first edition of the text. For a reprint, 'first' means the first Handi-Book printing.", "Wartime issues (1942-1945) often carry paper-conservation notices that help date them, and the number range brackets the year. Map number to title and date against a Handi-Books checklist such as the BookScans database." ], "notablePoints": [ "Published by Quinn Publishing Co. of Kingston, NY (also a digest-pulp magazine publisher).", "An early home for a Harry Whittington paperback original, The Brass Monkey (#133, 1951).", "Active roughly 1941-1951; later titles overlap with the early Gold Medal / Lion paperback-original boom.", "Reprints versus originals must be distinguished to know whether a given Handi-Book is the text's true first edition." ], "era": "1941-1951" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hanging-loose-press", "name": "Hanging Loose Press", "slug": "hanging-loose-press", "region": "USA (Brooklyn, NY)", "imprints": [ "Hanging Loose Press", "Hanging Loose (magazine)" ], "idMethods": [ "Early books (late 1960s-1970s): first/only printing identified by colophon or copyright statement; small runs, often single printings.", "First printing identified by 'First edition'/'First printing' wording and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "Many poetry titles are single-printing; reprints are explicitly stated on the copyright page when they occur. The loose-sheet format applies to the magazine, not the conventionally bound books." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1966 in Brooklyn by Robert Hershon, Dick Lourie, Emmett Jarrett, and Ron Schreiber; began as the magazine Hanging Loose, whose earliest issues were loose sheets of paper in a 6x9-inch envelope (no binding).", "The magazine grew out of the earlier short-lived journal 'Things' (early 1960s, Jarrett and Schreiber).", "Long-running collective-edited independent; published early Sherman Alexie and many New York-school-adjacent poets.", "Robert Hershon edited until his death in 2021; the press continues. Its archive is held at Columbia's Rare Book & Manuscript Library." ], "era": "1966-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harcourt-brace", "name": "Harcourt, Brace & Co.", "slug": "harcourt-brace", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Harcourt, Brace & Howe (1919-1921)", "Harcourt, Brace & World (1960-1970)", "Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (1970+)", "Harvest Books", "Voyager Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1919-1921 (Harcourt, Brace & Howe): number '1' on copyright page = first printing, '2' = second, etc.", "1921-1931: no statement on first printings; the first-edition notice (when later adopted) was simply absent, so rely on no later-printing notice.", "c.1931 onward: stated 'First Edition' or 'First American Edition' on copyright page; the statement was removed on subsequent printings.", "Occasionally through the 1940s used a '1' to denote first printing.", "1960-1970 (Harcourt, Brace & World): continued 'First Edition' / 'First American Edition'.", "1973-1983 (HBJ): used a letter code 'BCDE...' (no leading A) plus 'First Edition'.", "From ~1983: letter row 'ABCDE' — presence of leading 'A' = first printing; 'BCDE' = second, etc." ], "notablePoints": [ "The leading 'A' in the letter row only signals a first AFTER ~1983; the 1973-1983 books that read 'First Edition / BCDE' are also firsts despite lacking the A — a common point of confusion.", "Reynal & Hitchcock and Coward-McCann were absorbed into Harcourt (1948) — older torch-colophon books may carry over.", "Because the first-edition statement was simply removed on reprints, a copy with no statement at all and no later-printing notice can still be a true first in the 1921-1931 window." ], "era": "1919-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hard-case-crime", "name": "Hard Case Crime", "slug": "hard-case-crime", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Hard Case Crime (originally Dorchester/Leisure distribution)", "Hard Case Crime under Titan Books (current)" ], "idMethods": [ "Mass-market and trade paperback originals with pulp-style painted covers; copyright page carries a printing statement and/or number line. First printing shows 'First Hard Case Crime edition' (or 'First edition') and a number line ending in '1'.", "Each title has a series number (the 'HCC-0xx' designation) — useful for series collecting but the printing is set by the copyright-page line.", "Note the distributor era: early titles (2004-2010) were distributed via Dorchester/Leisure; the relaunch (2011+) is under Titan Books — copyright-page imprint wording differs by era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2004 by Charles Ardai and Max Phillips; mixes reprints of vintage noir with new originals (Lawrence Block, Stephen King's 'The Colorado Kid' and 'Joyland', Donald Westlake's posthumous 'Memory').", "Stephen King's 'The Colorado Kid' (HCC-013, 2005) first printing is a key — confirm first-printing line; widely reprinted.", "Some titles also have signed/limited hardcover states (e.g., via PS Publishing or special editions) — those are separate, not the paperback first.", "Because the line is mostly paperback originals, the paperback IS the first edition; there is no earlier hardcover to chase for new works." ], "era": "2004-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harmony-books", "name": "Harmony Books", "slug": "harmony-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Harmony" ], "idMethods": [ "For titles from roughly the early 1980s onward, Crown/Harmony first printings are identified by a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page together with a number line ending in 1; later printings drop the lowest digits.", "For 1970s Harmony titles, do not assume the 'First Edition' statement: Crown only adopted the stated-first-edition-plus-number-line practice in the late 1970s to early 1980s. Earlier Crown-group books often used a colophon and noted reprints there, so absence of a reprint notice plus matching copyright year is the safer first-printing signal for that era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Crown Publishing Group lifestyle, wellness, self-improvement and cookery imprint, founded 1972 by Crown executive Bruce Harris.", "Modern identification inherits the standard Crown 'First Edition' + number-line rule, but the rule only applies cleanly to titles from the early 1980s forward." ], "era": "1972-present (Crown imprint; Crown owned by Random House / now Penguin Random House since 1988)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harper-brothers", "name": "Harper & Brothers", "slug": "harper-brothers", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Harper & Row (post-1962)", "Harper's", "Harper Torchbooks" ], "idMethods": [ "1912-1949: month/year letter code on copyright page. Month: A=Jan, B=Feb, C=Mar, D=Apr, E=May, F=Jun, G=Jul, H=Aug, I=Sep, K=Oct, L=Nov, M=Dec (J skipped).", "Year code (J skipped): M=1912, N=1913 ... Z=1925, then A=1926, B=1927 ... Z=1950 (cycles).", "Code reads as two letters (month-year), e.g. 'K-Z' = October 1925.", "For firsts, the year letter code should match (or precede) the year on the title page; a code LATER than the title-page year indicates a reprint.", "From 1922: also began printing 'First Edition' on the copyright page in addition to the code.", "Letter code discontinued after 1949; later Harper & Row used standard statements/number lines." ], "notablePoints": [ "The letter code is the defining Harper point — memorize that J is skipped in BOTH month and year sequences.", "Between 1912-1922 there is usually no 'First Edition' words — you MUST decode the letter code against the title-page date.", "A matching code confirms first printing; mismatched (later) code on otherwise-identical book = book-club or later printing.", "Becomes Harper & Row in 1962 after merger with Row, Peterson; the vintage code applies only to the Harper & Brothers era." ], "era": "1912-1962 (code 1912-1949)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harper-imprint", "name": "Harper (flagship imprint)", "slug": "harper-imprint", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Harper", "Harper Perennial", "Harper Perennial Modern Classics", "Harper Voyager", "Harper Wave", "Harper Business", "Harper Paperbacks", "Amistad", "HarperVia", "Harper Muse" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern HarperCollins: a stated \"FIRST EDITION\" on the copyright page together with a number line; on a first printing the number line descends to 1", "Historic Harper & Brothers / Harper & Row letter date code (used from 1912 and discontinued after 1949): a two-letter code on the copyright page where the FIRST letter is the month (A=Jan through M=Dec, skipping J) and the SECOND letter is the year. A code matching the stated copyright year, with no later code, indicates a first printing for that period", "Do NOT use the letter code to identify modern books: it was abandoned by mid-century, so post-1950 and especially post-1990 HarperCollins firsts are determined by the \"FIRST EDITION\" statement plus number line, not by a letter cipher" ], "notablePoints": [ "The Harper letter code is real but narrow in scope: it dates the printing for the 1912-1949 window only and is genuinely two letters (month, then year), not a single code; it cannot be relied on for any book after about 1949", "HarperCollins was formed in 1989 from Harper & Row and William Collins; pre-1989 conventions differ by predecessor house", "Modern HarperCollins firsts use \"FIRST EDITION\" plus a number line to 1" ], "era": "1817-present (Harper lineage)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harper-perennial", "name": "Harper Perennial", "slug": "harper-perennial", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Perennial Classics", "Harper Perennial Modern Classics", "Perennial Library (older)" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First [Harper] Perennial edition (Year)' on the copyright page, with a descending number line ending in 1 for that printing.", "Because it is predominantly a trade-paperback REPRINT line, the 'first Perennial edition' is usually NOT the first edition of the work.", "To find the true first, trace back to the original Harper / Harper & Row / HarperCollins hardcover.", "Line ending in 1 + 'First Perennial edition' = first of that paperback printing only." ], "notablePoints": [ "Harper Perennial is HarperCollins's flagship trade-paperback imprint (descended from Perennial Library).", "Key confusion point: collectors must NOT treat a 'First Harper Perennial edition' as a true first edition — it is almost always a later trade-paper reissue.", "Some Harper Perennial titles ARE paperback originals (e.g. certain story collections, P.S. editions) — those can be firsts.", "Part of HarperCollins." ], "era": "1980s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harper-voyager", "name": "Harper Voyager", "slug": "harper-voyager", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Harper Voyager", "Voyager Impulse (digital)" ], "idMethods": [ "Hardcover first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: \"First Edition\" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1.", "Mass-market paperbacks may instead carry a \"First [imprint] printing\" line plus a number line ending in 1; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "U.S. Harper Voyager is distinct from HarperCollins UK Voyager — verify the edition's country of publication before identifying the first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Science-fiction & fantasy imprint within HarperCollins; the U.S. imprint launched in 2011 as a rebrand of Eos (which succeeded HarperPrism), unifying with the UK/Australia Voyager brand.", "U.S. and UK Voyager are separate publishing operations, so the same title can have distinct U.S. and UK firsts.", "Voyager Impulse was the imprint's digital-first line." ], "era": "US imprint 2011–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harpercollins", "name": "HarperCollins", "slug": "harpercollins", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Harper & Brothers", "Harper & Row" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" (1922–present)", "Modern titles add a number line", "Letter date-codes (Harper & Brothers, 1912+)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Documented to occasionally leave “First Edition” on later printings; always cross-check the number line." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harpercollins-childrens", "name": "HarperCollins Children's Books (formerly Harper & Row Junior Books / Harper & Brothers)", "slug": "harpercollins-childrens", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Greenwillow Books", "Katherine Tegen Books", "Balzer + Bray", "Harper", "Joanna Cotler Books", "Laura Geringer Books", "Amistad (children's)", "Walden Pond Press", "HarperFestival", "Harper & Row Junior Books (historical)", "Ursula Nordstrom Books (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern (post-1990 HarperCollins, and Harper & Row from c.1975): stated 'First Edition' on copyright page PLUS a full descending number line ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)", "CRITICAL QUIRK: Harper repeatedly FAILED to remove the 'First Edition' statement from later printings — the NUMBER LINE is the authoritative signal, not the words. A book stating 'First Edition' but with a number line that does not reach 1 is a LATER printing", "1922–1949 (Harper & Brothers): two-letter date code on copyright page — first letter = month (A=Jan ... excluding J; K=Oct, L=Nov, M=Dec), second letter = year (M=1922-cycle). 'First Edition' also stated from 1922 but code is the precise tell", "Greenwillow (founded 1974 by Susan Hirschman): follows Harper house style — stated 'First Edition' + number line to 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Home of the most-collected picture books: Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are, Harper & Row 1963), Shel Silverstein, Margaret Wise Brown (Goodnight Moon), Crockett Johnson, Garth Williams — verify via number line because 'First Edition' carry-over is rampant", "Harper & Brothers → Harper & Row in 1962 → HarperCollins in 1990; ID conventions carried through with the same 'forgot to delete First Edition' habit", "Book-club editions (Weekly Reader, Junior Literary Guild) of Harper picture books are common: smaller trim, cheaper paper, no price on jacket flap, often a blind stamp on lower-right rear board" ], "era": "1817–present (date-code era 1912–1949; stated-First-Edition + number-line era 1949–present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harperone", "name": "HarperOne", "slug": "harperone", "region": "US (San Francisco, California)", "imprints": [ "HarperOne", "HarperElixir (historical)", "HarperSanFrancisco (former name)", "Harper & Row (San Francisco) religious list (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions follow the standard HarperCollins convention: the words \"First Edition\" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1 — both required for the true first.", "If \"First Edition\" is stated but the number line's lowest digit is higher than 1 (or the line is incomplete), it is a later printing of the first edition, not a first printing.", "Removal of the \"First Edition\" statement on later printings is standard HarperCollins practice; a copy lacking the statement is not a first.", "Number line forms vary (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, sometimes with a year code alongside); the lowest digit present indicates the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "HarperOne is HarperCollins's San Francisco-based religion/spirituality/personal-growth imprint, renamed from HarperSanFrancisco in 2007 (which descended from the Harper & Row San Francisco religious books division, founded 1977).", "For pre-2007 titles look for \"HarperSanFrancisco\" (and earlier \"Harper & Row\" / \"Harper San Francisco\") on the imprint line — the same Harper number-line plus \"First Edition\" convention applies across the name changes.", "Publishes major spiritual bestsellers that run to many printings, so strict adherence to the \"First Edition\" statement plus a complete number line is essential.", "As a HarperCollins imprint it shares the corporate copyright-page template, so the rule is firm." ], "era": "HarperOne name 2007–present; lineage via HarperSanFrancisco (1990s–2007) and Harper & Row San Francisco religious division" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harpervia", "name": "HarperVia", "slug": "harpervia", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "HarperVia" ], "idMethods": [ "True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: \"First Edition\" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1.", "Because most titles are works in translation, the U.S. HarperVia edition is the first English-language (translation) edition, not the original-language first — verify which you are identifying." ], "notablePoints": [ "International / translated-literature imprint launched by HarperCollins in 2019 for the World English market.", "Now part of the Mariner Books Group following the 2024 U.S. trade reorganization (originally launched within the HarperOne Group).", "Each title typically includes a translator's note." ], "era": "2019–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harrison-smith-and-robert-haas", "name": "Harrison Smith & Robert Haas", "slug": "harrison-smith-and-robert-haas", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Harrison Smith and Robert Haas", "Smith & Haas", "Harrison Smith, Inc. (related earlier Smith venture)" ], "idMethods": [ "1932–1936: The firm did NOT consistently use a first-edition statement. First printings are identified primarily by the absence of any subsequent-printing notice on the copyright page (later printings were noted). Some titles do print 'First Edition' or 'First Printing,' but its absence does not by itself disqualify a first.", "Faulkner titles (Light in August 1932; Pylon 1935; Absalom, Absalom! 1936): rely on the copyright page lacking a later-printing line, plus author-specific first-state points and dealer-documented points of issue, rather than on any house statement. Matching title-page and copyright dates is a supporting check.", "After 1936: the firm merged into Random House; books bearing the Random House imprint thereafter follow Random House rules. The Smith & Haas imprint ends at the 1936 merger." ], "notablePoints": [ "Formed 1932 by Harrison Smith (formerly of Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith) and Robert Haas; carried William Faulkner's list.", "Merged into Random House in 1936; Robert Haas became the third Random House partner — the key ownership-change fact and the end of the imprint.", "Frequently styled 'Smith & Haas' on title pages and spines. Because the first-edition statement was inconsistent, the reprint-noted convention is the reliable tell." ], "era": "1932–1936" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harry-n-abrams", "name": "Harry N. Abrams", "slug": "harry-n-abrams", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Harry N. Abrams, Inc.", "Abrams", "Abrams Books", "Abrams ComicArts", "Abradale Press (Abrams reprint imprint)", "Cross River Press", "Tiny Folio (Abrams miniature series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: Abrams first editions are identified by the publisher's descending number line; the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a complete line such as 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 with a 1 present indicates a first printing).", "Many mid-century Abrams art books state the year of publication; the absence of any 'Second printing' or 'Reprinted' note, together with a full number line, supports a first.", "On later and modern Abrams titles the standard number line applies, with the lowest number present indicating the printing.", "Abradale Press editions are explicitly later reprint/budget reissues of Abrams titles, so the Abradale imprint itself signals a non-first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Abrams is the prototypical large US art-book house and largely follows the US number-line convention, so the printer's key is comparatively reliable here.", "Abradale Press is Abrams's own reprint imprint, so an Abradale copy of a title is NOT the first Abrams edition.", "Some large-format Abrams art monographs and boxed sets exist in distinct deluxe issues; check for limitation statements.", "Ownership: Abrams was acquired by La Martinière Groupe in 1997, and La Martinière was in turn acquired by Media-Participations in 2018, so Abrams is now ultimately owned by the French group Media-Participations. Modern imprint expansions (ComicArts, Appleseed and others) sit outside the classic art-book line." ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harvard-university-press", "name": "Harvard University Press", "slug": "harvard-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Belknap Press", "Loeb Classical Library", "I Tatti Renaissance Library", "Murty Classical Library of India", "Dumbarton Oaks (distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Classic Harvard tell: the YEAR OF PUBLICATION is printed on the TITLE PAGE of a first edition; on later printings the year is removed from the title page and a printing/reprint notice is added to the copyright page (verso). Absence of a copyright-page reprint notice plus the year on the title page = first printing.", "Modern HUP (and Belknap) books carry a descending number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present indicates the printing (a '1' = first printing).", "Copyright page states 'First printing' on many recent titles, or lists 'Second printing,' 'Third printing,' etc. for subsequent runs; a copyright year matching the title-page year with no later-printing line supports a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "The title-page-year convention is the single most reliable Harvard point and is documented in ILAB's by-publisher guide — check that the title-page year was NOT stripped.", "Belknap Press is HUP's flagship imprint (e.g., Rawls, A Theory of Justice, 1971) and follows the same copyright-page conventions.", "Loeb Classical Library volumes are heavily reprinted/revised; rely on the copyright-page printing history and 'Revised'/'Reprinted with corrections' notes rather than assuming first state.", "Book-club editions are rare for HUP scholarly titles; the bigger confusion is later printings that retain the same copyright year — check the number line and title-page year, not just the copyright date." ], "era": "1913–present (title-page-year practice strongest mid-20th c.; number lines common from the 1970s–80s onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/harvill-press", "name": "Harvill Press", "slug": "harvill-press", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "The Harvill Press", "Harvill", "Collins Harvill (1980s–90s under HarperCollins)", "Harvill Secker (merged with Secker & Warburg 2005)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published [year]' or 'First published in Great Britain [year]' under the named imprint (The Harvill Press, or Collins Harvill / Collins and Harvill Press in the HarperCollins era).", "Descending number line; the lowest digit present indicates the impression, with a first printing ending in '1'.", "Translated-literature house: many firsts cite the original-language first publication separately and state the English translation date. The line naming the Harvill imprint identifies the English first edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Specialist in literature in translation (the UK Doctor Zhivago, Lampedusa, Sebald, Magris). The English-translation first is distinct from the earlier original-language edition. The 1958 UK Doctor Zhivago carries the 'Collins and Harvill Press' imprint, translated by Max Hayward and Manya Harari.", "Imprint lineage: Harvill Press to Collins Harvill (under HarperCollins) to independent again in 1995, then merged with Secker & Warburg as Harvill Secker (Random House) in 2005.", "Each ownership era changes the imprint name on the copyright page; the named imprint helps date the printing." ], "era": "1946–2005 (continued as Harvill Secker)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hatje-cantz", "name": "Hatje Cantz Verlag", "slug": "hatje-cantz", "region": "Germany (Berlin; formerly Ostfildern/Stuttgart)", "imprints": [ "Hatje Cantz", "Hatje Cantz Verlag", "Edition Hatje Cantz (limited/print editions)", "Cantz / Dr. Cantz'sche (historic)", "Gerd Hatje (historic, pre-merger)" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon (Impressum) states the year and edition; a first printing shows the first-published year with no 'Reprinted' or higher-'Auflage' line.", "German 'Auflage' (edition/impression) wording is the key tell: '1. Auflage' or no Auflage statement indicates a first; '2. Auflage' and higher indicate later printings.", "Most exhibition and monograph titles are single-printing; the printer credit (historically 'Dr. Cantz'sche Druckerei') appears in the colophon.", "Edition Hatje Cantz limited editions carry a numbered limitation, often with an original signed print; that justification statement defines the issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Verlag Gerd Hatje was founded in Stuttgart in 1945; it was sold to Dr. Cantz'sche Druckerei in 1990, and the two merged as Hatje Cantz in 1999 (initially in Ostfildern near Stuttgart, later Berlin). Pre-merger 'Gerd Hatje' or 'Cantz' imprints are earlier issues of the same lineage.", "Watch the German edition wording: 'Auflage' = printing/impression; look for '1. Auflage' to confirm a first.", "Edition Hatje Cantz is a distinct limited/print-edition arm; a numbered limited copy is a separate issue from the trade book of the same title." ], "era": "1945–present (Hatje Cantz name from 1999 merger)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hawthorn-books", "name": "Hawthorn Books", "slug": "hawthorn-books", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Hawthorn Books", "Hawthorn (under E.P. Dutton ownership, from 1976)" ], "idMethods": [ "1952–c.1977: First printings generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page; a stated later printing rules out a first. Where no statement appears, treat the book cautiously and rely on the absence of any later-printing notice as a supporting (not conclusive) indicator.", "1970s: where a number line appears, the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing.", "After the 1976 Dutton acquisition: late Hawthorn titles can follow Dutton-style copyright-page conventions; check for a Dutton association and for a number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "American trade house operating 1952–1977; originally founded as a subsidiary of Prentice-Hall, later owned by W.H. Allen.", "Known for reference, popular non-fiction, and how-to titles.", "Acquired by E.P. Dutton in 1976 (Dutton bought it from W.H. Allen) and the name was discontinued; documentation of its first-edition practice is thin, so set confidence accordingly when a copy lacks an explicit statement." ], "era": "1952–1977" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hay-house", "name": "Hay House", "slug": "hay-house", "region": "US (Carlsbad, California); also Hay House UK, Australia, and India", "imprints": [ "Hay House", "Balboa Press (self-publishing division)", "SmileyBooks" ], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.", "Many Hay House copyright pages also carry an explicit edition-and-date line such as '1st edition, [Month Year]', which when present is a helpful corroborating signal, though it should be cross-checked against the number line rather than relied on alone.", "Later printings increment the stated edition or printing line and drop the lowest number-line digits.", "The copyright-page imprint city distinguishes the US edition from the separate Hay House UK, Australia, and India editions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Louise Hay in 1984 to publish her own 'You Can Heal Your Life'; now a major New Age, self-help, and mind-body-spirit house (Wayne Dyer, Esther and Jerry Hicks, and others).", "Balboa Press is Hay House's paid self-publishing arm (a partnership with Author Solutions); Balboa titles are print-on-demand and have no meaningful collectible 'first edition' point.", "Multiple regional Hay House entities (US, UK, Australia, India) co-publish, so the copyright-page imprint city tells you which edition you hold.", "Early printings of 'You Can Heal Your Life' (Hay House, 1984, originally a slim Santa Monica, California edition) are sought after; verify via the stated edition and number line." ], "era": "1984-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/heavenly-monkey", "name": "Heavenly Monkey", "slug": "heavenly-monkey", "region": "Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada", "imprints": [ "Heavenly Monkey Editions (HM Editions) — a parallel but separate imprint" ], "idMethods": [ "2000-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the private letterpress and binding studio of Rollin Milroy, with most books printed on a handpress. Editions are very small, usually no more than 50 copies (often 25-50, occasionally as few as 20). The colophon records the limitation, the types (handset), the paper, the binding, and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed.", "Many titles were offered in a standard state plus a smaller deluxe or special binding state (Milroy works with binders on variant editions); the binding and colophon distinguish them.", "Identify by the Heavenly Monkey imprint; the press also issues its own bibliographic checklists documenting the output (for example the 'HM = X' first-decade checklist and the 2022 'This Monkey's Gone to Heaven' checklist)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Rollin Milroy; the press is also a fine bindery, and most books are printed on a handpress, so production is deliberately slow and editions tiny.", "Tiny editions (often 50 or fewer) make every copy scarce; the binding state is a key identification axis.", "All books are limited firsts; there are no trade printings." ], "era": "2000-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/henry-holt", "name": "Henry Holt & Company", "slug": "henry-holt", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Henry Holt", "Holt, Rinehart & Winston (1960-1985)", "Owl Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1945: identified by the LACK of a later-printing statement on the copyright page.", "1945 onward: usually placed a first-edition statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).", "After 1985: first-edition statement PLUS a number row (presence of '1' = first)." ], "notablePoints": [ "The 'no statement on non-US-produced books' caveat means an imported/co-produced title may be a first despite lacking the statement.", "Merged into Holt, Rinehart & Winston in 1960; reverted to Henry Holt branding after 1985 — convention shifts at those boundaries.", "Robert Frost's longtime US publisher; individual Frost titles have their own points." ], "era": "1866-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/henry-holt-and-company", "name": "Henry Holt and Company", "slug": "henry-holt-and-company", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Metropolitan Books", "Times Books", "Owl Books (former trade paper)", "Holt Paperbacks", "Christy Ottaviano Books (former)", "Godwin Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1945: first editions identified chiefly by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statement on the copyright page.", "1945–c.1985: usually placed a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).", "c.1976/1985 onward: 'First Edition' statement PLUS a descending number line ending in 1 — the modern reliable test.", "Imports/co-productions may read 'First American Edition' and lack the line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1866 (Henry Holt); long, complex history — was part of Holt, Rinehart and Winston for decades, then re-emerged as Henry Holt under Holtzbrinck/Macmillan.", "Now part of Macmillan. Era matters: a mid-century Holt first relies on absence-of-reprint logic, NOT a number line.", "Metropolitan Books and Times Books are prestige imprints under Holt — same convention.", "No statement on UK-produced sheets is a common confusion — check where the book was manufactured." ], "era": "1866–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/heritage-press", "name": "Heritage Press", "slug": "heritage-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Connecticut Heritage (later reissues)", "George Macy Companies" ], "idMethods": [ "NO limitation page and NO signed colophon — this absence distinguishes Heritage from its parent LEC (the books otherwise often share the same plates/illustrations)", "Original issue accompanied by the 'Sandglass' — a 4-page (sometimes folded) pamphlet describing the book and illustrator; the Sandglass code/number helps date the printing", "Sandglass numbering and the publisher's address/colophon device indicate New York (early) vs. later Connecticut/Norwalk printings; earlier NY issues are generally the desirable first Heritage state", "Slipcase usually present; check Sandglass for printing identification rather than a copyright-page number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Heritage is a reprint/trade arm of LEC — not 'firsts' in the rare-book sense, but collectors distinguish first Heritage issue (New York) from later reprints via the Sandglass and materials", "Many copies now lack the Sandglass (it was loose); its presence materially affects collector value", "Common confusion: buyers list Heritage copies as 'LEC' — only the signed numbered colophon makes it LEC", "Connecticut-era reissues use cheaper cloth/paper than early NY printings" ], "era": "1935–c.1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hesperus-press", "name": "Hesperus Press", "slug": "hesperus-press", "region": "UK (London), classic and rediscovered short works in fresh editions and translation", "imprints": [ "Hesperus Press", "Hesperus Classics", "Hesperus Modern Voices", "Hesperus Nova", "Hesperus Minor" ], "idMethods": [ "2001-present: a first printing is shown by a descending number line on the copyright page with 1 lowest, alongside 'First published by Hesperus Press Limited'.", "For the Hesperus Classics and Modern Voices series, which reissue earlier or public-domain works, the collectible 'first' is the first Hesperus edition of that text, not the date the work was originally written. The newly commissioned introduction or translation is the original content that the Hesperus first carries.", "The uniform small-format flapped-paperback series design is house branding and does not by itself indicate a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Specialised in short, lesser-known works by major authors under the motto 'Et remotissima prope', meaning to bring the far near.", "The common confusion is between the original work's date of composition and the Hesperus first-edition date; identification keys on the Hesperus imprint statement and number line.", "Series have included Hesperus Classics, Modern Voices, Nova, Minor, Brief Lives and Poetic Lives." ], "era": "2001-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/heyday-books", "name": "Heyday Books (Heyday)", "slug": "heyday-books", "region": "West — Berkeley, California", "imprints": [ "Heyday", "Great Valley Books", "California Legacy (series produced with the California Legacy Project at Santa Clara University)", "News from Native California (periodical)" ], "idMethods": [ "1974–c.1990: Early Margolin-era titles often lack a formal 'First Edition' slug; a first printing is shown by a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement. Some early titles were author-typeset with minimal copyright data.", "c.1990–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing'. California Legacy titles carry Santa Clara co-imprint lines that do not affect first-printing status." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1974 by Malcolm Margolin in Berkeley, beginning with his self-typeset 'The East Bay Out'; his landmark title 'The Ohlone Way' appeared in 1978.", "Became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2004 (merger with the Clapperstick Institute); Steve Wasserman became publisher in 2016 after Margolin's retirement at the end of 2015.", "Focus on California natural history, Native California cultures, and California literature; publishes 'News from Native California'.", "Early hand-produced titles can be scarce and lack standard first-edition markers." ], "era": "1974-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hill-and-wang", "name": "Hill and Wang", "slug": "hill-and-wang", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Hill and Wang" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing follows FSG house style: a copyright-page statement such as \"First edition\" or \"First published\" with the year, generally accompanied by a number line ending in 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "History, politics, and drama imprint acquired by and operating within Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Macmillan", "Identification follows FSG conventions; for older titles confirm the printed first-edition/first-published statement rather than relying on a number line alone" ], "era": "1956-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hill-street-press", "name": "Hill Street Press", "slug": "hill-street-press", "region": "South (Athens, Georgia)", "imprints": [ "Hill Street Press", "Hill Street Classics (reprint series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1998-c.2008 (active era): Standard small-press convention. First printing is typically identified by a number line on the copyright page in which the lowest number present indicates the printing (a '1' present means first printing); some titles instead state 'First edition' or 'First printing.' Where neither is present, a title-page date matching the copyright date together with the absence of any later-printing notation indicates the first printing.", "Hill Street Classics (reprint line): a reprint imprint, so a Hill Street Classics issue is generally NOT the first edition of the underlying work; the issue itself follows the house number-line convention for its own printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Athens, Georgia independent founded in 1998 by Tom Payton and Judy Long; published regional Southern fiction, nonfiction, sports, and culture before ceasing active trade publishing in the late 2000s.", "Now effectively defunct/dormant as the original literary house; a long-tail Southern small press whose backlist is scattered across the used market. (Listings under the Hill Street Press name in later years reflect an unrelated trivia/puzzle reincarnation, not the original literary list.)", "Hill Street Classics revived older Southern titles, so distinguish a seeker of the original edition from a reprint copy.", "Limited bibliographic documentation; rely on per-copy copyright-page evidence." ], "era": "1998-c.2009" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hippocampus-press", "name": "Hippocampus Press", "slug": "hippocampus-press", "region": "New York, New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Sarnath Press (assoc.)" ], "idMethods": [ "1999-present: first printings generally state 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' on the copyright page; predominantly trade paperback and cloth, often single-printing scholarly editions.", "Later and revised/corrected editions are noted on the copyright page - check for 'second printing', 'revised edition', or changed text, as the texts (frequently edited by S.T. Joshi) are revised over time.", "I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft (2010) is the uncut restoration of Joshi's earlier H.P. Lovecraft: A Life (Necronomicon Press, 1996), restoring roughly 150,000 cut words; treat it as the first complete edition ('first edition thus'), distinct from the 1996 Necronomicon first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1999 by Derrick Hussey (with S.T. Joshi as a longtime editorial force) to continue weird-fiction scholarship after Necronomicon Press's decline.", "Produces definitive critical/corrected texts of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and weird poetry; recognized with a specialty-press award.", "Successor publisher for many Necronomicon Press projects." ], "era": "1999-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hodder-and-stoughton", "name": "Hodder & Stoughton", "slug": "hodder-and-stoughton", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Hodder", "Sceptre (literary paperback/HB)", "Coronet (paperback)", "Hodder Children's", "New English Library" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1940s: no consistent practice — first/later printing identification is unreliable and requires jacket/ad/binding/bibliographic analysis", "1940s onward: may state \"First Printed [Year]\" on firsts and note subsequent printings (transitional, not universal)", "By 1976: consistent \"First published in [Year]\" on the copyright page of firsts, with later printings/impressions explicitly noted", "Modern era (number line): later Hodder/Sceptre titles carry a printer's-key number line (lowest digit = printing; '1' present = first); number lines are a general post-~1970 trade practice — the exact year Hodder adopted them is not documented, so do not assert a precise 'mid-1990s' start date", "First printing = era-appropriate statement present AND no later-impression/printing notation; for pre-1940s books rely on points/bibliography, not the copyright page" ], "notablePoints": [ "Large commercial house; John Buchan's Richard Hannay sequels were Hodder firsts (Greenmantle 1916, Mr Standfast 1919) — but his most famous title, 'The Thirty-Nine Steps' (1915), was FIRST published by William Blackwood & Sons, NOT Hodder & Stoughton; do not cite it as a Hodder first", "Pre-war inconsistency makes early Hodder firsts genuinely difficult — beware confident copyright-page claims; identification often needs binding/jacket/ad and bibliographic points", "Later-printing dust jackets can sometimes be flagged by a small roman-numeral code on the rear panel (e.g. 'ii' = second printing jacket)", "Sceptre (founded 1986) is the modern literary imprint; many Booker-era authors (Keneally, David Mitchell, Fay Weldon)" ], "era": "1868-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hogarth-us", "name": "Hogarth (US)", "slug": "hogarth-us", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Hogarth" ], "idMethods": [ "Crown / Penguin Random House house style: true first printing states \"First Edition\" on the copyright page and carries a full number line whose lowest digit is 1.", "The lowest number in the number line is the decisive signal for the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Modern revival launched in 2012 as a joint Crown (US) / Chatto & Windus (UK) literary imprint; named after but unrelated to Leonard and Virginia Woolf's original Hogarth Press (founded 1917).", "Now a Crown imprint within Penguin Random House. Not to be confused with the historic Hogarth Press." ], "era": "2012–present (revival)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/holiday-house", "name": "Holiday House", "slug": "holiday-house", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Holiday House", "Margaret Ferguson Books", "Neal Porter Books", "Pixel+Ink (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on copyright page, typically accompanied by a descending number line ending in 1", "Number line is the controlling signal when both are present; first printing requires '1'", "Older mid-century titles: stated 'First Edition' / 'First printing' with no number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Independent children's-only publisher founded 1935 (one of the oldest US children's specialists)", "Home of many Caldecott/Newbery honorees; Neal Porter Books (a Holiday House imprint) carries prestige picture books", "Generally clean, consistent 'FIRST EDITION'-plus-number-line conventions — fewer carry-over errors than Harper" ], "era": "1935–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hong-kong-university-press", "name": "Hong Kong University Press", "slug": "hong-kong-university-press", "region": "Hong Kong", "imprints": [ "Hong Kong University Press", "HKU Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1956-c.1990: The press of the University of Hong Kong, publishing in English and Chinese. A first printing uses 'First published [year]', a copyright line for Hong Kong University Press in that year, and 'Printed in Hong Kong', with no reprint note. Chinese-language titles carry the equivalent first-edition statement and a separate ISBN.", "c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Hong Kong University Press' with a number line (lowest digit indicates the printing) and a full ISBN block, often with separate hardback and paperback ISBNs. A full number line ending in 1 with no reprint statement indicates a first printing.", "Bilingual note: a Chinese-language edition and the English edition are separate firsts; match the language and ISBN to the specific issue being identified. Some titles are co-published or distributed with US or UK presses (for example via the University of Chicago Press), whose market may have its own first issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Established in 1956 as the university press of the University of Hong Kong; Henri Vetch served as its first head, and it publishes more than fifty titles a year in English and Chinese.", "Strong in Asian and cultural studies, film and media studies, Chinese history and culture, and law.", "Distinct from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Press (CUHK Press) and City University of Hong Kong Press, which should not be conflated with it.", "Some titles are co-published or distributed by US or UK presses, so the co-publisher's market may carry its own first issue." ], "era": "1956-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/houghton-mifflin", "name": "Houghton Mifflin", "slug": "houghton-mifflin", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt" ], "idMethods": [ "“First Printing” statement (pre-1970s)", "Number line (1970s–present)" ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the more straightforward American houses to authenticate." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/houghton-osgood-and-co", "name": "Houghton, Osgood & Co.", "slug": "houghton-osgood-and-co", "region": "Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA)", "imprints": [ "Hurd & Houghton (predecessor)", "Riverside Press", "Houghton, Mifflin & Co. (successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1878-1880: a short-lived transitional imprint formed in 1878 when Hurd & Houghton (operating the Riverside Press, Cambridge) merged with James R. Osgood & Co., the successor to Ticknor & Fields. The house used no printed 'First Edition' statement; the first printing is identified by concordance of the title-page date with the copyright date and by the earliest-state terminal advertising catalogue bound in. A Riverside Press colophon is often present and aids dating.", "Dissolved/reorganized in 1880 when Osgood withdrew, becoming Houghton, Mifflin & Co. For ongoing 1880s practice see the Houghton Mifflin / Riverside (early) entry." ], "notablePoints": [ "The 1878 merger that consolidated the Ticknor/Fields/Osgood author list under Houghton control and set the stage for the modern Houghton Mifflin trade lineage.", "The Riverside Press, Cambridge, was the firm's printing arm; its colophon and dated terminal ads aid dating of copies from this brief window." ], "era": "1878-1880" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/house-of-anansi-press", "name": "House of Anansi Press", "slug": "house-of-anansi-press", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Anansi", "Groundwood Books", "Spiderline (crime imprint)", "Astoria (poetry, historic)", "Arachnide Editions (French, historic)", "House of Anansi Poetry" ], "idMethods": [ "Early Anansi (1967 through the 1970s) were small-run literary firsts often without number lines; identify by the original copyright-page year matching publication, the Anansi spider colophon/device, and the absence of any later-printing statement.", "Modern Anansi typically states 'First edition' and/or carries a number line on the copyright page; '1' present indicates a first printing.", "Cross-check against later printings: Anansi frequently reprinted breakout titles (for example Atwood's 'Survival', 1972, went through many printings), so a first must show the first-printing year with no 'second/third printing' line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1967 by Dennis Lee and Dave Godfrey; a seminal CanLit nationalist press whose early list included Atwood's 'The Circle Game' and 'Survival', and work by Michael Ondaatje, George Grant, and bpNichol.", "Survival (1972) is heavily reprinted; the wrappered first printing is the desirable point, to be distinguished from the many softcover reprints.", "Groundwood Books (children's/YA, founded 1978, later under Anansi) follows its own imprint line; treat Groundwood titles under that imprint.", "Era change: restructured under Scott Griffin ownership in 2002, after which editions standardize the number-line and 'First edition' wording, so the convention is more reliable post-2002." ], "era": "1967-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/howell-press", "name": "Howell Press", "slug": "howell-press", "region": "Charlottesville, Virginia, USA", "imprints": [ "Howell Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Late-1980s into the mid-2000s Virginia specialist in aviation, military, transportation, quilt, and Mid-Atlantic/Southeastern regional pictorials: copyright page typically carries a descending number line, and the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line ending in '1' indicates a first printing. Some titles also state 'First edition.'", "Large-format color titles; revised editions are stated explicitly and reset the number line.", "Confirm the house by the Charlottesville, Virginia imprint line to distinguish it from unrelated 'Howell' surnames on other publishers." ], "notablePoints": [ "Niche aviation, transportation, and regional pictorial publisher; firsts of out-of-print warbird and aviation titles are sought.", "Imprint wound down by the mid/late 2000s.", "Short print runs typical." ], "era": "c.1985-c.2007" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/huia-publishers", "name": "Huia Publishers", "slug": "huia-publishers", "region": "New Zealand (Wellington)", "imprints": [ "Huia", "Huia Publishers" ], "idMethods": [ "1991-present: Māori-owned and Māori-focused publisher founded in 1991 by Robyn (Rangihuia) Bargh and Brian Bargh. First editions are identified from the copyright/imprint page by the statement 'First published 19xx/20xx by Huia Publishers'; later printings add a 'Reprinted' line. A first printing carries the earliest stated publication year and no reprint history.", "Bilingual context (te reo Māori / English): some works exist as separate reo Māori and English editions, each with its own 'First published' line — establish which language edition you hold before calling it a first.", "On some trade titles a standard descending number line may also appear; where present, the lowest digit indicates the printing. Treat the stated 'First published' line plus the absence of any reprint line as the primary evidence, and use a number line only as corroboration." ], "notablePoints": [ "New Zealand's foremost Māori publisher (te reo Māori and English), associated with the Huia Short Stories anthologies and the Pikihuia Awards.", "Bilingual publishing means a single work may exist in separate reo Māori and English first editions — identify the language edition.", "Named after the extinct huia bird; founded by Robyn Bargh (made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, 2012) and Brian Bargh." ], "era": "1991-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/humanoids-inc", "name": "Humanoids, Inc. (Les Humanoïdes Associés, US arm)", "slug": "humanoids-inc", "region": "USA (Los Angeles, California; US arm founded 1999 by Fabrice Giger) / parent France (Les Humanoïdes Associés, founded 1974)", "imprints": [ "Humanoids", "H1 (superhero line, historical)", "Life Drawn (literary/non-fiction)", "Humanoids/DC co-editions (mid-2000s, historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "US editions, 1999-present: deluxe graphic-novel first printings are identified by the indicia printing statement, with a first printing stating an original date and reprints stating a later printing. Many oversized 'deluxe' editions are discrete reprintings of classic European material, each US printing dated in the indicia.", "Humanoids/DC co-editions (the DC distribution agreement was signed in January 2004 and ran through the mid-2000s): some Moebius and Jodorowsky material was published under this arrangement and carries DC indicia conventions, forming a distinct collectible sub-line. Note that the earlier standalone Humanoids editions began in 1999, before the DC deal.", "The Incal, The Metabarons, and Moebius oversized deluxe reissues (2010s-2020s) exist in multiple competing editions and printings over the decades, so the specific publisher, format, and indicia date must be verified; the same work appears across the DC-era co-editions, standard Humanoids editions, and later deluxe slipcased reprints." ], "notablePoints": [ "Parent Les Humanoïdes Associés (France, 1974) published Métal Hurlant; the US arm brings Moebius, Jodorowsky (The Incal, The Metabarons), and Enki Bilal to English. The US company was founded in 1999 by Fabrice Giger, who had acquired the French parent in 1988.", "The Incal has a tangled English-edition history (DC-era co-editions from 2004, standalone Humanoids editions, then deluxe oversized reprints), so edition confusion is common; match indicia plus format carefully.", "Deluxe oversized slipcased editions are the premium collectible format; limitation statements, when signed and numbered, are separate from the printing line.", "The Life Drawn imprint handles literary and non-fiction graphic novels." ], "era": "1999-present (US arm); French parent 1974-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hurtig-publishers", "name": "Hurtig Publishers", "slug": "hurtig-publishers", "region": "Canada (Edmonton, Alberta)", "imprints": [ "Hurtig", "The Canadian Encyclopedia (flagship)" ], "idMethods": [ "1972 to early 1980s: established 1972 by Mel Hurtig in Edmonton after he sold his bookstores to concentrate on publishing. First editions are identified by a 'First edition' or 'First printing' statement on the copyright page, or by a number line where present (lowest number indicates the printing). Absence of any reprint/later-printing notice on a dated copyright page indicates a first.", "Early 1980s to 1991: number lines appear on trade titles (descending, lowest digit indicating the printing). The Canadian Encyclopedia (1985 first edition, three volumes; second edition 1988, four volumes) is explicitly edition-stated on the title/copyright pages, so distinguish the 1985 first edition from the 1988 second edition by the stated edition and volume count.", "1991: the firm was sold to McClelland & Stewart and the trade list dispersed." ], "notablePoints": [ "A nationalist Western-Canadian house, the first national English-language trade publisher based outside Toronto; the flagship was The Canadian Encyclopedia, a landmark reference work, with the 1985 first edition (three volumes) versus the 1988 second edition (four volumes) being the central identification point.", "Mel Hurtig was a prominent Canadian-nationalist publisher and political figure, twice named Canadian Book Publisher of the Year (1975, 1981).", "Regional Alberta imprint with a relatively short trade-publishing run, making some firsts scarce." ], "era": "1972-1991" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/hutchinson", "name": "Hutchinson & Co.", "slug": "hutchinson", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Hutchinson", "Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers)", "Stanley Paul", "Hurst & Blackett", "Jarrolds", "Andrew Melrose", "John Long", "Skeffington", "Arrow Books (paperback)", "Barrie & Jenkins", "Hutchinson Radius", "Rider" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 1880s to about 1920: many firsts of this era carry no printing statement at all, so dating relies on the title-page date and on dated rear advertisement catalogs; later printings note reprints. Number lines do not apply to this early period.", "About 1920 to about 1960: 'First published (year)' or 'First published in Great Britain (year)' on the copyright page; a first impression lists no reprints, while later printings add dated 'Reprinted' or 'New impression' lines. Hutchinson absorbed many houses (Stanley Paul, Hurst & Blackett, John Long, Jarrolds, Andrew Melrose, Skeffington), each carrying its own imprint name but the same dated-statement convention.", "About 1960 to about 1975: 'First published 19xx' on the verso, with a first printing showing no additional impression line.", "About 1975 onward (within the Hutchinson Group, later under Random House from 1985): a descending number line on the copyright page typically accompanies 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Hutchinson'; the lowest number present indicates the printing (1 = first). Treat the exact transition year as approximate and confirm against the dated 'First published' statement, which remains the primary tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1887 by Sir George Hutchinson; grew by absorbing many smaller houses (Stanley Paul, Hurst & Blackett, John Long, Jarrolds, Andrew Melrose, Skeffington), so the Hutchinson Group umbrella covers numerous imprint names.", "Arrow Books was its mass-market paperback arm.", "Became the Hutchinson Group; acquired by Random House in 1985; Hutchinson and Hutchinson Heinemann are now imprints of Penguin Random House." ], "era": "1887-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/unknown-publisher", "name": "I'm not sure / publisher not listed", "slug": "unknown-publisher", "region": "general", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Universal first-edition checks that apply to any publisher" ], "notablePoints": [ "Also rule out an advance review copy or uncorrected proof — those say “ADVANCE REVIEW COPY,” “UNCORRECTED PROOF,” or “NOT FOR SALE,” usually in paper wrappers, and are pre-publication documents, not the first edition." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/idw-publishing", "name": "IDW Publishing", "slug": "idw-publishing", "region": "USA (San Diego, CA)", "imprints": [ "IDW (main)", "Top Shelf Productions (acquired 2015)", "EuroComics", "Library of American Comics (LOAC)", "Yoe Books", "Artist's Editions (oversized line)", "Black Crown (2017-2020, Shelly Bond)" ], "idMethods": [ "Floppy issues and trade paperbacks: a first printing carries no printing statement; later printings are explicitly stated. The indicia gives the publisher block, ISBN, and printing.", "Collected editions/hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing with month and year (e.g. 'First Printing, May 2018'); a first printing shows the earliest single date.", "IDW 'Artist's Edition' oversized books are typically single-print runs with a printed limitation/colophon — the limitation statement and first-printing date identify them." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1999 (Idea and Design Works). Heavy licensed catalog (Transformers, TMNT, Star Trek, Sonic, G.I. Joe, Locke & Key, Doctor Who).", "TMNT (IDW, 2011-) collected first printings are tracked closely; the 'First Printing' date line is the point because cover art is reused across printings.", "Library of American Comics and EuroComics are reprint imprints with scholarly colophons — first printing stated by date.", "Top Shelf (founded 1997) became an IDW imprint in 2015; pre-2015 Top Shelf books carry the independent Top Shelf indicia, while post-2015 titles carry IDW/Top Shelf branding." ], "era": "1999-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ignatius-press", "name": "Ignatius Press", "slug": "ignatius-press", "region": "San Francisco, California, USA", "imprints": [ "Ignatius Press", "Communio Books", "Ignatius Critical Editions", "San Francisco (imprint/place line on some)" ], "idMethods": [ "1978-1980s: founded in 1978 by Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J.; on early titles a number line is not yet universal, so identify a first printing by the copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice. The Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat date the approval of the text, not the printing.", "1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing.", "Many Ignatius titles are the first English-language or first US edition of European Catholic works (Balthasar, Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, de Lubac), so the Ignatius edition can be the true first in English even when the original German, French, or Italian predates it; identify the first English printing by Ignatius's first copyright year for the translation plus a clean impression line.", "Catholic-specific caution: read the impression or number line, not the Imprimatur date, to determine the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Ignatius Press was founded in June 1978 by the Jesuit Fr. Joseph Fessio (with Carolyn Lemon) and is the leading orthodox/conservative American Catholic publisher; it is named for Ignatius of Loyola.", "It is the principal English-language publisher of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Henri de Lubac; translation firsts are the key collecting interest.", "It publishes the Ignatius Bible (RSV-Catholic Edition / RSV-2CE), with Bible text editions tracked separately from printings.", "The Imprimatur-date trap applies, and San Francisco may appear as a place or imprint line." ], "era": "1978-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/image-comics", "name": "Image Comics", "slug": "image-comics", "region": "USA (Portland, OR)", "imprints": [ "Skybound (Robert Kirkman)", "Top Cow Productions (Marc Silvestri)", "Shadowline (Jim Valentino)", "Todd McFarlane Productions", "Highbrow Entertainment (Erik Larsen)", "Extreme Studios (Rob Liefeld, historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Floppy single issues: a first printing carries NO printing statement; later printings are explicitly marked (e.g. 'Second Printing' in the cover area or indicia).", "Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing month and year (e.g. 'First Printing: March 2014') plus the volume number; later printings update that line.", "Many Image collected editions also carry a descending number line on the indicia page; a '1' present indicates the first printing.", "Image is a direct-market-focused publisher, so newsstand-vs-direct barcode distinctions generally do not apply; barcode suffix digits sometimes track the printing but are not a reliable stand-alone first-printing test — rely on the stated printing line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1992 by seven Marvel defectors (McFarlane, Liefeld, Lee, Valentino, Larsen, Silvestri, Portacio). Each founding partner ran a studio (Top Cow, Extreme, WildStorm, Highbrow, Shadowline, Todd McFarlane Productions); Jim Lee sold WildStorm to DC in 1998 (effective January 1, 1999), so it is no longer an Image imprint.", "The Walking Dead and Saga drove large second/third/fourth-printing runs, so first-printing collected editions are verified by the 'First Printing' month line rather than cover art, which is often unchanged.", "Skybound (est. 2010) and Top Cow are among the most active sub-imprints; their collected editions still use Image's printing-month indicia convention." ], "era": "1992-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/indiana-university-press", "name": "Indiana University Press", "slug": "indiana-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Midland Books", "Quarry Books", "Well House Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states later printings; first printings carry the copyright line alone or 'First edition' / a printing line. Modern titles use a number line where '1' = first printing.", "Midland Books is the paperback line — typically a later issue, not the original first edition.", "Revised editions are dated and numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Midland Books paperbacks reissue cloth first editions — confirm whether a paperback is the true first appearance or a reprint.", "Standard academic later-printing-noted convention for older books." ], "era": "1950–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/inner-traditions", "name": "Inner Traditions International", "slug": "inner-traditions", "region": "US (Rochester, Vermont)", "imprints": [ "Bear & Company", "Destiny Books", "Park Street Press", "Healing Arts Press", "Bindu Books", "Bear Cub Books", "Inner Traditions en Espanol" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "Inner Traditions publishes many translations of European esoteric and alchemical works, so a copy may show both the original-language copyright and the English first-printing year; date the English first edition by its own line, not the original foreign edition.", "Some reissued or translated titles state 'First U.S. edition' or a similar named-edition note." ], "notablePoints": [ "Major publisher of esoteric, Hermetic and alchemical, indigenous-wisdom, holistic-health, and sacred-sexuality titles; founded in 1975 in New York City and based in Rochester, Vermont.", "Absorbed Bear & Company in 2000 - Bear had been founded in the early 1980s in Santa Fe, New Mexico (locally relevant) and used its own pre-merger copyright conventions, so older Bear & Company titles may not follow the Inner Traditions number line.", "Multiple subject imprints (Destiny Books for popular occult, Park Street Press for psychology and ecology, Healing Arts Press for alternative medicine) share the same descending number-line convention.", "Because many first English editions are translations of older European works, the buyer should distinguish the original foreign edition from the Inner Traditions first English printing." ], "era": "1975-present (Bear & Company joined Inner Traditions in 2000)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/insight-guides", "name": "Insight Guides (APA Publications)", "slug": "insight-guides", "region": "Singapore (APA Productions / APA Publications, founded 1970); later Langenscheidt and subsequent owners", "imprints": [ "Insight Guides", "Insight Pocket Guides", "Insight Compact Guides", "Insight FlexiMap" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by edition statement plus copyright-page printing year; revised editions list multiple update years, so a first printing shows only the original edition's single year.", "1970-1980s: founded by Hans Hoefer (Hans Johannes Hofer); 'Guide to Bali' (1970) is the landmark first, establishing the photo-led format. Early printings carry the 'APA Productions' / 'APA Publications' imprint and a single copyright year.", "1990s-2000s: Houghton Mifflin (US) and Langenscheidt distribution; the copyright page gives an edition statement and 'Updated' years, and a first printing lacks the update list.", "2010s-present: APA Publications under later ownership; conventional copyright-page dating with edition and reprint years." ], "notablePoints": [ "Hans Hoefer's 'Guide to Bali' (1970) is the foundational first and pioneered the heavily photographed guidebook format.", "The photo-led format distinguishes Insight; the 'APA' imprint marks the Singapore origin.", "Revised-edition 'Updated' year lists are the key tell — a first printing has none.", "Became the parent of Rough Guides in 2017." ], "era": "1970-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/intervarsity-press-ivp", "name": "InterVarsity Press (IVP)", "slug": "intervarsity-press-ivp", "region": "US IVP (Westmont, Illinois; long based in Downers Grove, Illinois); separate UK house Inter-Varsity Press (now under SPCK, London)", "imprints": [ "IVP Academic", "IVP Books", "Formatio", "IVP Praxis", "Bible Speaks Today (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "US IVP first printings typically carry a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1'; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Many IVP copyright pages pair a descending printing line with a descending year line, so a first printing shows both the lowest printing digit and the earliest year still present; later printings drop the lowest printing digits and the earliest years.", "Some earlier or simpler titles give only a copyright year with no printing line, in which case a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "US IVP and the UK's Inter-Varsity Press are legally distinct publishers that frequently co-publish or share text; a US copy and a UK copy of the same book are different editions with different copyright pages, so check the imprint city to know which house's convention applies.", "The UK Inter-Varsity Press was formerly the publishing wing of UCCF (Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship) but was divested in 2005, with its assets transferred to SPCK, which continues the imprint; UK titles tend to state 'First published' with a year and sometimes a 'Reprinted' list rather than a number line.", "IVP Academic (scholarly) and IVP Books (trade) both use the US number-line system." ], "era": "US IVP founded 1947 (book program); UK Inter-Varsity Press has older roots in the IVF/UCCF movement" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/interweave-press", "name": "Interweave Press", "slug": "interweave-press", "region": "Loveland, Colorado, USA", "imprints": [ "Interweave", "Interweave Press", "Interweave Knits / Spin-Off / Handwoven (magazine-derived books)" ], "idMethods": [ "1975-2005 (independent, Loveland CO; founded by Linda Ligon): Fiber-arts specialist (weaving, spinning, knitting, beadwork). First printing is identified by the earliest copyright year, usually with a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on book titles, the lowest digit giving the printing. Many titles grow out of the Handwoven, Spin-Off and Interweave Knits magazines.", "2005-2019 (Aspire Media, then F+W Media ownership): Aspire Media acquired Interweave in 2005, and F+W Media acquired it in August 2012. The number-line convention continues, and copyright pages begin referencing F+W; Interweave became F+W's flagship fiber and craft imprint.", "2019-present (F+W bankruptcy; Penguin Random House acquired F+W's book assets June 2019): F+W filed Chapter 11 on 10 March 2019, and PRH won the book publishing assets at the June 2019 auction. Recent printings follow the new owner's conventions, while older F+W-era stock remains in distribution; note the magazine and fiber-arts properties dispersed separately (Long Thread Media took several fiber titles)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1975 by Linda Ligon as a weaving and fiber-arts publisher in Loveland, Colorado.", "Ownership chain: independent -> Aspire Media (2005) -> F+W Media (2012) -> F+W bankruptcy 2019 -> book assets to Penguin Random House; some magazine/fiber properties went elsewhere (Long Thread Media).", "Authoritative on handweaving, spinning, knitting and beadwork; many titles tie to its magazines.", "The F+W Chapter 11 (10 March 2019) is the key provenance break; post-2019 reprints carry different ownership." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/iowa-state-university-press", "name": "Iowa State University Press", "slug": "iowa-state-university-press", "region": "Ames, Iowa", "imprints": [ "Iowa State College Press", "Iowa State University Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1934–c.1959 (Iowa State College Press, before the college became a university in 1959): No first-printing statement; later printings/editions noted on the copyright page; a first printing shows matching title/copyright dates with no later-printing line.", "1959–c.1975 (Iowa State University Press): Same convention; printing-history lists or 'Second printing' lines added on reprints.", "c.1975–2000: Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing; Library of Congress CIP block standard.", "Post-2000: The press merged into Blackwell Science (2000) and later Wiley (2007); titles after the merger carry the ISU Press imprint but were not produced in Ames — identify those by Blackwell/Wiley number-line conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Imprint name tracks the institution: 'Iowa State College Press' before 1959, 'Iowa State University Press' after — a quick dating tell.", "Renowned for veterinary medicine, agriculture, and animal-science titles, its core list.", "Ceased as an independent press: merged with Blackwell (2000) and absorbed into Wiley (2007); the 'Iowa State Press' branding lingered briefly post-merger (renamed Blackwell Publishing Professional in 2004).", "Distinct from the University of Iowa Press in Iowa City — do not conflate the two Iowa presses." ], "era": "1934–2000 (independent); ISU Press brand to c.2007" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ives-washburn", "name": "Ives Washburn", "slug": "ives-washburn", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Ives Washburn", "Ives Washburn, Inc.", "David McKay Company, Inc. / Ives Washburn, Inc. (joint imprint, 1968 onward)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1926-1968 (independent Ives Washburn): First editions generally carry no printed first-edition statement. Identify a first by the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice and by matching single dates on the title page and copyright page.", "1968 onward (after acquisition by David McKay): Titles appear under a joint 'David McKay Company, Inc. / Ives Washburn, Inc.' imprint and follow McKay practice, where later printings are noted, so absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first; some titles of this period also carry a descending number line, in which the presence of '1' as the lowest digit indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "A small New York trade house active from the mid-1920s, best known for children's books, with some sports and general non-fiction.", "Acquired by the David McKay Company in 1968, after which its titles appeared under a joint McKay / Ives Washburn imprint into the 1970s before the Ives Washburn name faded.", "Records are sparse for the independent era, so confirm firsts by bibliographic points and date-matching rather than by any printed statement." ], "era": "c.1926-1968" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/jb-lippincott", "name": "J. B. Lippincott Company", "slug": "jb-lippincott", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Lippincott", "Keystone Books" ], "idMethods": [ "From ~1925: printed 'First Edition' on the copyright page of books deemed important; novels and children's books often NOT so marked.", "Reliably indicated later printings ('Second Printing', 'Third Printing', etc.), so absence of a later-printing notice is a key signal for the unmarked titles.", "Mid-1970s: added a descending number line; presence of '1' = first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Because 'First Edition' was applied selectively, the absence of that statement does NOT mean a copy is a reprint — check for the absence of any 'Nth Printing' notice instead.", "Publisher of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (1960): the famous first has 'First Edition' on the copyright page and the Lippincott colophon; jacket points (Truman Capote blurb, printed price) matter for that title." ], "era": "1836-1978" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/james-r-osgood-and-company", "name": "James R. Osgood & Company", "slug": "james-r-osgood-and-company", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "James R. Osgood & Company (1871-1878)", "Houghton, Osgood & Company (1878-1880)", "James R. Osgood & Company (revived, 1880-1885)" ], "idMethods": [ "Follows the inherited Ticknor/Fields practice: no first-edition statement. Match the title-page date to the copyright date with no later printing noted.", "Dated rear advertisement/catalogue sections can aid printing priority within a title's issue.", "For the major Mark Twain titles (The Prince and the Pauper, 1882; Life on the Mississippi, 1883), priority is established by bibliographic points and states (text and illustration points) rather than any publisher edition statement; consult title-specific point references such as BAL." ], "notablePoints": [ "James R. Osgood rose from clerk at Ticknor & Fields to partner; his firm is the direct continuation of that lineage.", "Merged with Hurd & Houghton's interests as Houghton, Osgood & Company (1878-1880), after which Houghton continued as Houghton, Mifflin & Co. (retaining the Ticknor and Fields backlist) and Osgood revived his own firm; the firm failed in 1885.", "Published Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper (1882) and Life on the Mississippi (1883), where priority is set by issue points; also Howells, Henry James, and Aldrich.", "Because the firm changed names twice, the imprint on the title page is itself a dating signal." ], "era": "1871-1885; antiquarian" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/janus-press", "name": "Janus Press", "slug": "janus-press", "region": "West Burke (Newark), Vermont, USA; founded in San Diego, California, and moved several times before settling in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom in 1966", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Claire Van Vliet's press: edition limitation stated in the colophon; editions are small (commonly 100-200) and frequently involve handmade paper, dyed pulp-painting, and unusual structural bindings that are themselves identifying features.", "Identify by Van Vliet's distinctive paper and binding structure plus the colophon; copies are typically signed by Van Vliet and collaborators on the colophon.", "Variant binding structures (non-adhesive, woven, accordion) are documented title by title; match the structure to the Janus Press bibliography/checklist to confirm the issue. There is no number-line rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1955 by Claire Van Vliet (b. 1933) while she was a student in San Diego; one of the longest-running American private presses run by a single artist. Van Vliet received a MacArthur Fellowship in 1989.", "Published Janus Press bibliographies and checklists document edition size and state; use them to confirm.", "Because structure varies title to title, the colophon and the bibliography govern identification rather than any single printing convention." ], "era": "1955-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/john-calder", "name": "John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications)", "slug": "john-calder", "region": "UK (London), with Paris ties through co-publishing arrangements", "imprints": [ "John Calder (Publishers) Ltd", "Calder & Boyars", "Calder Publications", "Calder Educational Trust", "John Calder in association with Olympia Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1949–1963 (John Calder / John Calder (Publishers) Ltd): a first printing is identified by a single 'First published in by John Calder' statement on the copyright page with no subsequent impression or reprint line. No number line is used in this era. Later impressions add a 'Reprinted ' or 'Second impression' line.", "1963–1975 (Calder & Boyars): the copyright page reads 'First published in by Calder and Boyars Ltd'; a first printing carries no impression statement, and later impressions add 'Reprinted ' or an impression number. Number lines are essentially absent in this period; absence of any reprint line is the key first-printing tell.", "1975–2018 (Calder Publications / Calder Educational Trust): a 'First published ' statement identifies the first; some later titles adopt a descending number line, where the presence of '1' as the lowest figure indicates a first printing. On a jacketed copy an unclipped price can support, but does not by itself prove, first-issue status." ], "notablePoints": [ "John Calder was Samuel Beckett's principal British publisher, issuing Beckett's prose, poetry and criticism in the UK; the firm published well over four thousand titles across fiction, poetry, drama and philosophy.", "Calder was a defendant in major British obscenity proceedings, notably over Hubert Selby Jr's Last Exit to Brooklyn, and co-published controversial titles such as Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer in Britain.", "The house relied on edition and impression statements rather than number lines for most of its history, so the absence of a reprint line is the decisive first-printing indicator. After the 1975 split, Marion Boyars established her own firm separately." ], "era": "1949–2018" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/john-f-blair-publisher", "name": "John F. Blair, Publisher", "slug": "john-f-blair-publisher", "region": "South (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)", "imprints": [ "John F. Blair, Publisher", "Blair (rebrand under Carolina Wren Press, doing business as 'Blair' from January 1, 2018)" ], "idMethods": [ "1954-1986 (John F. Blair lifetime era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching publication with no later-printing statement; later printings explicitly note 'Second Printing,' etc. The first book, 'Whispering Pines' (1954), and other early titles follow this absence-of-statement convention.", "1986-2017 (family/staff era): Mixed but increasing use of number lines; the lowest digit present (a '1') indicates the first printing. Some titles also carry 'First Edition' or 'First printing' wording. Where there is no number line, fall back to the absence of a later-printing notation plus a matching copyright date.", "2017/2018-present (Blair, under Carolina Wren Press): Carolina Wren acquired the Blair trademarks and backlist in 2017 and began doing business as 'Blair' effective January 1, 2018; titles follow standard small-press number-line practice (lowest number present indicates the printing), and the imprint line reflects the new 'Blair' entity." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1954 by John F. Blair in Winston-Salem; regional Southeastern nonfiction - history, folklore, travel, cookbooks, ghost-story and coastal-folklore collections (the perennial Charles Whedbee titles) - plus a few novels yearly.", "After Blair's death in 1986 the family and staff (including Carolyn Sakowski) continued the press for decades.", "Carolina Wren Press acquired the trademarks and backlist in 2017 and rebranded as 'Blair,' doing business under that name from January 1, 2018; the imprint name on the copyright page distinguishes the eras.", "Known for heavily reprinted North Carolina and Appalachian ghost and folklore titles, so distinguishing printing from edition matters." ], "era": "1954-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/john-lane-company-american", "name": "John Lane Company (American branch)", "slug": "john-lane-company-american", "region": "New York, USA (US branch of London's John Lane / The Bodley Head)", "imprints": [ "The Bodley Head (parent, London)" ], "idMethods": [ "Earlier printings: no 'first edition' statement on the copyright page; subsequent printings were noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing.", "Later practice: first editions state 'First Published [Year]' (or 'First Edition Published [Month, Year]') on the copyright page, with subsequent printings noted.", "The US issue carries the imprint 'John Lane Company, New York'; a London-only 'John Lane, The Bodley Head' imprint marks the English issue, not the American. By the 1920s many titles carry a combined 'John Lane The Bodley Head / Dodd, Mead' line." ], "notablePoints": [ "American branch of the London house John Lane / The Bodley Head, founded by John Lane.", "The US operation was wound down and its distribution passed to Dodd, Mead & Company in the early-to-mid 1920s; later American 'John Lane' titles often bear a Dodd, Mead line.", "Priority between the British parent and the American branch must be established carefully, as editions appeared in both London and New York.", "Mitchell Kennerley worked in John Lane's New York office before going independent." ], "era": "c.1896–1920s (US branch)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/john-murray", "name": "John Murray", "slug": "john-murray", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "John Murray (50 Albemarle Street, from 1812)", "John Murray (II/III/IV — successive proprietors)" ], "idMethods": [ "No formal edition statement on most 19th-century Murray firsts: identify by the title-page date with no 'New Edition' / 'Second Edition' / number-of-thousand line, the correct imprint ('John Murray, Albemarle Street'), and all plates, maps and folding tables present as called for.", "Inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue, frequently dated (for example 'March 1859'); on travel and scientific works a dated ad catalogue is a strong printing indicator and is sometimes the only dating evidence.", "Darwin's On the Origin of Species (Murray, 1859): the true first is 1,250 copies. The diagnostic points are the misprint 'speceies' at page 20, line 11, and the 'whale-bear' passage printed in full at page 184 (both corrected/diluted in the second edition). A '4th thousand' or higher number-of-thousand statement on the title page indicates a later printing. Collate against Freeman (F373).", "Match folding plates, maps and the errata leaf where called for; rebound or made-up copies lack the original cloth and inserted ads." ], "notablePoints": [ "Storied house: Byron, Jane Austen (later issues), Darwin, Livingstone, Murray's Handbooks for travellers, and the Quarterly Review.", "On the Origin of Species is the marquee Murray point-book; number-of-thousand statements on the title page distinguish the early printings, with the 'speceies' typo and full whale-bear passage marking the first.", "Successive proprietors all named John Murray (II–IV in the 19th century) operated from 50 Albemarle Street (from 1812); the address is a near-constant identifier.", "Acquired Smith, Elder & Co. in 1917, absorbing the Brontë / Thackeray backlist." ], "era": "1768–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/john-p-morton", "name": "John P. Morton & Co.", "slug": "john-p-morton", "region": "Louisville, Kentucky (South US)", "imprints": [ "John P. Morton & Co.", "Morton & Griswold (predecessor)" ], "idMethods": [ "Mid-1800s–c.1900: Louisville printer-publisher of Southern/regional literature, textbooks, almanacs, and reference; first editions carry the Morton imprint and a dated title page. No first-edition statement and no number line — identify by imprint form and the absence of a later-printing notice.", "Predecessor firm names bracket the earliest period: Henry A. Griswold joined in 1838 and the firm operated as 'Morton & Griswold' before becoming 'John P. Morton & Company' after 1860; the imprint form is the dating handle.", "Regional almanacs, cookbooks, and handbooks were frequently reprinted from standing type — use the bound-in advertisement/catalog state to separate first from later printings." ], "notablePoints": [ "Long-running Louisville house (founded by John Price Morton, 1807–1889) important for Southern/Kentucky regional first editions; the firm continued under the family until 1943.", "Imprint-name evolution (Morton & Smith → Morton & Griswold → John P. Morton & Co.) anchors dating; standard 19th-century identification applies." ], "era": "c.1858–c.1900 (firm itself ran to 1943)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/john-wiley-sons", "name": "John Wiley & Sons (trade/STM)", "slug": "john-wiley-sons", "region": "United States (New York / Hoboken, NJ) & United Kingdom (Chichester)", "imprints": [ "Wiley", "Wiley-Interscience", "Wiley-Blackwell (post-2007)", "Wiley-VCH (German STM)", "Wiley-Liss", "Jossey-Bass", "Pfeiffer", "Sybex (technical, acquired)", "Wrox (technical, acquired)", "For Dummies / Wiley Publishing", "Capstone", "Ernst & Sohn" ], "idMethods": [ "1807-late 1960s: Firm dates to Charles Wiley's 1807 Manhattan shop; the present John Wiley & Sons name dates to 1876. Through the late 1960s, Wiley scientific, technical, and trade titles carried NO first-printing statement. A first printing is identified by the absence of any later-printing or later-edition notice on the copyright page; revised works state their edition.", "Late 1960s-present: A number line was adopted on the copyright page; the first printing contains the digit '1' in the sequence (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), and the lowest digit present indicates the printing. This applies to the 'For Dummies' and technical imprints as well.", "Wiley-Interscience and Wiley-VCH (STM monographs and serials): identified by volume and edition, following the contemporary Wiley number-line convention for the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "The late-1960s transition is the key fact: a Wiley title from before that change has no printing statement, so a copyright page with no later-printing notice is the first. Sources describe this as 'the late 1960s' rather than a single fixed year, so an exact '1969' should not be asserted.", "Acquired Blackwell Publishing (2007), forming Wiley-Blackwell; Jossey-Bass and Pfeiffer (professional and business) retain their own copyright-page styles.", "Interscience Publishers was an independent house absorbed by Wiley (1961) and thereafter used as the Wiley-Interscience STM imprint." ], "era": "1807-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/johns-hopkins-university-press", "name": "Johns Hopkins University Press", "slug": "johns-hopkins-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Johns Hopkins Paperbacks", "Project MUSE (digital, not a print imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are stated. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.", "Copyright page commonly prints '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or similar; lowest figure = printing.", "Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered (notably the many serial editions of reference/medical titles)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Johns Hopkins Paperbacks is a paperback reissue line — typically a later printing/issue, not the original first edition.", "Hopkins publishes heavily revised medical, reference, and scholarly serials where edition number matters more than printing — match the specific edition.", "Standard academic later-printing-noted convention for older books." ], "era": "1878–present (oldest continuously operating US university press; number lines standard later 20th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/johnson-books", "name": "Johnson Books (Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder)", "slug": "johnson-books", "region": "Mountain West — Boulder, Colorado", "imprints": [ "Johnson Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1978–c.1990s (independent, Johnson Publishing Company of Boulder): first printings identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing/edition notation; some titles carry an explicit 'First Edition'.", "Later independent titles: a printing number line is standard on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit present indicating the printing.", "2005–present (after acquisition by Big Earth Publishing, later Bower House / Globe Pequot): follows the successor's conventions — number line and/or a stated edition, with a first printing shown by the lowest digit or 'First edition' wording. The imprint and address on the copyright page help date a copy." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1978 in Boulder as part of the Johnson Publishing Company of Boulder (distinct from the Chicago Johnson Publishing of Ebony/Jet); non-fiction about the American West — natural history, geology, archaeology, guidebooks, outdoor recreation, and cookbooks.", "Acquired by Big Earth Publishing in 2005; later associated with Bower House / Globe Pequot — ownership changes are useful dating tells.", "Not to be confused with Arthur H. Clark or other Western scholarly houses." ], "era": "1978–present (under successor ownership)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/jonathan-cape", "name": "Jonathan Cape", "slug": "jonathan-cape", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "The Bodley Head (later corporate sibling under Random House)", "Cape Poetry", "Cape Editions", "Jonathan Cape Children's" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings state \"First published [Year]\" or \"First published in Great Britain [Year]\" on the copyright page with NO additional impression lines and traditionally NO number line", "Later printings noted by added lines (e.g. 'Second impression [year]', 'Reprinted...') — their presence disqualifies a first", "In the modern era Cape (under Random House) adopted a descending number line ending in 1; lowest digit indicates printing", "Absence of any later-printing notation combined with the 'First published' line is the core first-printing signal" ], "notablePoints": [ "Ian Fleming's James Bond novels were published by Cape — 'Casino Royale' (1953) and especially 'Goldfinger'/'Dr No' have famous dust-jacket and binding points; first-state jackets are decisive for value", "Cape published Joyce, Hemingway (UK), T.E. Lawrence, Roald Dahl (UK adult/children), Ian McEwan — high-demand modern firsts", "Watch for US issues and book-club editions sharing sheets", "Older Cape titles predate number lines — rely on the statement + absence of reprint notes" ], "era": "1921-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/junior-literary-guild", "name": "Junior Literary Guild", "slug": "junior-literary-guild", "region": "New York, NY (children's book club; selections distributed via member trade publishers)", "imprints": [ "Junior Literary Guild", "Junior Literary Guild Selection seal" ], "idMethods": [ "1929–c.1960s (book-club selections via trade publishers): the Junior Literary Guild, founded 1929 as the children's counterpart to the adult Literary Guild, did not originate texts; it distributed selections published by member trade houses (Doubleday, David McKay, Scribner's and others). A book bearing a 'Junior Literary Guild' line or selection seal is a book-club issue, generally not the trade first edition. Identify the club state by the selection notice on the jacket or copyright page, and by the typically duller, finish-less dust jacket and plainer binding compared with the trade copy.", "True-first caution: for most titles the trade publisher's first printing precedes the Junior Literary Guild distribution, so collectors treat the Guild marking as a point against trade-first status. Where a club copy lacks the trade publisher's first-printing markers, assume a club or later state.", "Dating: revert to the originating trade publisher's own first-printing conventions, since the Guild redistributed those publishers' books. A printed selection notice or date helps bracket the year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Children's book club founded 1929 as the children's counterpart to the Literary Guild; a 'Junior Literary Guild' selection marking denotes a club issue, generally not the trade first edition.", "Distinct from the still-operating Junior Library Guild (a library subscription service also tracing to 1929) — the collectible book-club markings belong to the Junior Literary Guild, and the two should not be conflated.", "Selections drawn from member trade publishers (Doubleday, David McKay, Scribner's); identification reverts to each originating publisher's first-printing rules.", "Useful chiefly as a negative point: a Junior Literary Guild marking usually signals a non-first-trade state, sometimes confirmable by a duller jacket and plainer binding than the trade copy." ], "era": "1929–c.1970s (club markings most common 1929–1960s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kalmbach-publishing", "name": "Kalmbach Publishing Co.", "slug": "kalmbach-publishing", "region": "Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA (railroad/hobby book lines later sold to Firecrown Media)", "imprints": [ "Kalmbach Books", "Model Railroader books", "Trains books", "Greenberg Publishing (toy-train guides, acquired 1991)", "Classic Toy Trains / Astronomy / FineScale Modeler book lines" ], "idMethods": [ "1934-c.1970 (founded 1934 by A. C. Kalmbach): hobby and model-railroad books. A first printing carries the sole original copyright date with no later-printing notation; subsequent printings add a 'Second printing' line, often with a date. First printing equals the original copyright year and no reprint line.", "c.1970-c.2000: the copyright page often states 'First printing, [year]' or carries a number line in which the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Spiral-bound how-to titles were frequently revised, so watch for 'Second edition' or 'Revised' statements that reset the printing sequence.", "c.2000-2024: number line standard; lowest digit present indicates the printing. Greenberg toy-train price and identification guides (acquired imprint) are dated, annual-style editions in which the stated edition number or year is the key identifier rather than a printing point.", "2024-present: the railroad/hobby book lines were sold to Firecrown Media of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Firecrown reissues are not original Kalmbach first printings even where content matches; the imprint masthead is the divider." ], "notablePoints": [ "Core publisher of model-railroading (Model Railroader) and railfan (Trains) book lines; landmark how-to titles are collected by hobbyists.", "Greenberg's toy-train guides (Lionel and others) are edition-by-edition price and identification guides where the stated edition or year is authoritative, not a first-printing point.", "The 2024 sale of the book and magazine lines to Firecrown Media is the modern ownership divider; the company itself was named Kalmbach Media in its later independent years." ], "era": "1934-present (book lines to Firecrown 2024)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/baedeker", "name": "Karl Baedeker (Verlag Karl Baedeker)", "slug": "baedeker", "region": "Germany (Koblenz/Leipzig); later Freiburg/Ostfildern", "imprints": [ "Baedeker Handbuch für Reisende", "Baedeker's Guide Books (English series)", "Baedeker Allianz Reiseführer", "Baedeker (MairDumont era)" ], "idMethods": [ "Identification is by EDITION ('Auflage'), not impression. Baedeker numbered editions sequentially, and the title-page edition statement (for example '3. Auflage' / 'Third Edition') is the primary identifier; each numbered edition is the collectible unit.", "1832-1855: earliest guides (from the Rhine handbook of 1832 onward) issued in tan/yellow illustrated paper-covered boards, before the firm adopted its later house style; no star ratings yet. The title-page edition number is the key tell.", "1846-1855: a star rating system was introduced in the mid-1840s; presence or absence of stars helps bracket the edition.", "1856-1872: adoption of the now-iconic RED cloth binding with gilt lettering (echoing Murray's guides), in a compact pocket format. Editions are still identified by the title-page Auflage number; imprint typically reads 'Verlag von Karl Baedeker, Coblenz'.", "1872-1914: the firm moved to Leipzig (imprint reads 'Leipzig'); this is the peak era. Each edition carries a printed edition number and usually a date on the title page, with integral maps and plans revised per edition. Match the edition number to the standard Hinrichsen bibliography to confirm.", "1914-1943: the Leipzig imprint continues; far fewer English editions appear during and after WWI, and war-era editions are scarce. The title-page Auflage remains the identifier.", "1948-present: postwar revival under Hamburg/Stuttgart/Freiburg/Ostfildern imprints; later Baedeker Allianz and MairDumont editions use modern copyright-page dating rather than antiquarian edition statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Collected by EDITION NUMBER, not first-printing points — the standard reference is Hinrichsen's 'Baedekers Reisehandbücher 1832-1944', which assigns each title an edition code.", "Red cloth with gilt = post-1856; tan/yellow illustrated boards = earliest issues. Coblenz imprint = pre-1872; Leipzig imprint = 1872-1943.", "The 1943 'Baedeker raids' on English cities were named after the guide; wartime and Nazi-era editions (such as the 1943 Generalgouvernement) are scarce and notable.", "Folding maps and plans should be present and matching the edition; completeness materially affects a copy's standing." ], "era": "1832-present (antiquarian core 1832-1944)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/katherine-tegen-books", "name": "Katherine Tegen Books", "slug": "katherine-tegen-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "First printing carries a 'First Edition' statement and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page (HarperCollins house style)" ], "notablePoints": [ "HarperCollins Children's editorial imprint launched in fall 2003", "Standard HarperCollins caveat: the number line, not a possibly-retained 'First Edition' statement, is the authority" ], "era": "2003-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kelmscott-press", "name": "Kelmscott Press", "slug": "kelmscott-press", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "William Morris (founder)" ], "idMethods": [ "Hand-press letterpress limited editions (1891–1898), each with a printed colophon stating the limitation (paper copies plus a small number on VELLUM)", "Morris's proprietary types — Golden, Troy, and Chaucer types — plus woodcut borders/initials and the Kelmscott device; on handmade Batchelor paper or vellum", "Vellum copies are a distinct, far smaller and more valuable sub-state stated in the colophon", "No number line; identify via the colophon, the Morris types, and the press device. Beware later facsimiles/reprints of Kelmscott titles" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1891 by William Morris (Hammersmith, London); launched the modern private-press movement", "The 'Kelmscott Chaucer' (1896, 425 on paper + 13 on vellum, with Burne-Jones woodcuts) is the supreme private-press book", "Vellum vs. paper is the principal state distinction and a huge value driver", "Standard reference: William S. Peterson, 'A Bibliography of the Kelmscott Press'" ], "era": "1891–1898" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kent-state-university-press", "name": "Kent State University Press", "slug": "kent-state-university-press", "region": "Kent, Ohio", "imprints": [ "Black Squirrel Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1965–c.1980: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line.", "c.1980–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.", "Black Squirrel Books (trade imprint): follows the same number-line convention; the imprint is named on the title page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1965; scholarly publisher of Kent State University, nationally known for U.S. Civil War history, literary/textual scholarship and bibliography, and Ohio regional titles.", "Black Squirrel Books is its trade imprint, named for the black squirrels on the Kent campus, and is used in part to return out-of-print titles to circulation.", "One of three Ohio university presses — verify the imprint to avoid conflation with Ohio University Press (Athens) and Ohio State University Press (Columbus)." ], "era": "1965–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/key-porter-books", "name": "Key Porter Books", "slug": "key-porter-books", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Key Porter", "Key Porter Kids" ], "idMethods": [ "1979-2011: Mainstream Canadian trade house. First printings are identified by the standard descending number line on the copyright page (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') with the digit '1' present, and/or a 'First edition' / 'First published' statement. A dated copyright page carrying no 'Reprinted' / later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "Where a title carries both a printing line and a separate year cluster, the lowest digit of each indicates the impression and its year. Confirm against the dated copyright statement rather than relying on the number line alone.", "2011: Operations ceased in January 2011; backlist dispersed." ], "notablePoints": [ "Major Canadian trade house founded in 1979 by Anna Porter (formerly managing editor at McClelland & Stewart), strong in Canadian non-fiction, politics, illustrated books and some fiction.", "Porter sold her stake in 2004; a controlling interest passed to H.B. Fenn that year.", "Ceased operations in January 2011, citing thin margins and the shift to e-books." ], "era": "1979-2011" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kingfisher-childrens", "name": "Kingfisher (children's)", "slug": "kingfisher-childrens", "region": "UK/US", "imprints": [ "Kingfisher (UK)", "Kingfisher (US, Macmillan Children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "UK firsts: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention)", "US editions (now under Macmillan Children's): number line ending in 1, often accompanied by a 'First American edition' statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Reference and nonfiction children's imprint (encyclopedias, atlases, history and science titles); founded by Daniel Grisewood, who established Kingfisher Books in 1978 (the Grisewood & Dempsey packaging firm dated from 1973), later under Larousse/Groupe de la Cite, then Houghton Mifflin, and now Macmillan Children's Books", "Frequently revised and updated editions, so distinguish a true first from a 'new/updated/revised edition' reissue by reading the copyright-page edition statement together with the number line", "Ownership and era changes determine which publisher name appears on the copyright page" ], "era": "1970s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/knopf-byr", "name": "Knopf Books for Young Readers (Knopf BFYR)", "slug": "knopf-byr", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Alfred A. Knopf BFYR", "Crown Books for Young Readers", "Dragonfly Books (paperback)", "Anne Schwartz Books (now under Random House)" ], "idMethods": [ "Knopf house convention applies: stated 'First Edition' on copyright page, historically with the Borzoi colophon", "KEY Knopf quirk inherited by the children's arm: on a true first the number line and the words must AGREE — Knopf's rule is the printing line; a stated 'First Edition' with a number line not ending in 1 is a later printing", "Modern Knopf BFYR (Random House Children's): full number line ending in 1, plus 'First Edition'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Borzoi (running-dog) device is the Knopf signature; appears in children's titles too", "Now part of Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House)", "Roald Dahl US editions, Judith Viorst (Alexander...), and many picture books carry the Knopf imprint" ], "era": "1915–present (children's line mid-20th c. onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kodansha-comics-usa", "name": "Kodansha Comics (Kodansha USA) — English-language manga", "slug": "kodansha-comics-usa", "region": "USA (New York) / parent Kodansha (Tokyo); imprint est. 2008", "imprints": [ "Kodansha Comics (renamed Kodansha Manga, 2021)", "Vertical / Vertical Comics (consolidated 2020-2021)", "Kodansha Manga (digital-first)", "K Manga (digital platform)" ], "idMethods": [ "2009-present: English-language volumes are identified primarily by a descending number line on the copyright/indicia page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing (full line ending in 1 = first printing). Many volumes also carry a printing date line near the ISBN.", "Transition-era titles inherited from Del Rey Manga: Kodansha USA took over the Del Rey Manga license catalog around 2010, and that production used Random House number-line conventions, so those volumes remain reliably number-line-datable.", "Hardcover deluxe, box-set, and color-edition lines (e.g. Akira reissues, Attack on Titan Colossal Editions) each carry their own number line and date distinct from the standard single-volume printings.", "Vertical/Vertical Comics backlist retains Vertical's own indicia conventions; new printings after the consolidation carry Kodansha number lines." ], "notablePoints": [ "Attack on Titan early-volume first printings are the marquee Kodansha collectible; very large print runs mean many later printings, so the number line must be checked.", "Kodansha USA was established July 1, 2008; it took over publishing all Del Rey Manga titles (Tsubasa, xxxHolic, Negima, Ghost in the Shell reissues) around October 2010, with Random House as distributor.", "Vertical Inc. was consolidated into Kodansha USA in 2020, and in March 2021 Kodansha Comics, Kodansha USA International, and Vertical were unified under the Kodansha name (Kodansha Comics renamed Kodansha Manga).", "Kodansha is the largest Japanese publisher; its US arm scaled rapidly after 2008." ], "era": "2008-present (US imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kodansha-international", "name": "Kodansha International", "slug": "kodansha-international", "region": "Japan (Tokyo) and USA (New York); English-language books on Japan", "imprints": [ "Kodansha International (KI)", "Kodansha USA", "Kodansha America", "Kodansha Globe", "Kodansha Bilingual Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1963–c.1990 (Kodansha International Ltd, Tokyo and New York): first printings are identified by an edition/printing statement on the copyright page rather than a number line. Many titles carry an explicit printing-history block (for example 'First edition, 1972' followed by later 'printing' lines); on a true first the first-edition/first-printing line is the only or topmost entry. Number lines are generally absent in this early era, and 'ISBN' appears from the early 1970s.", "c.1990–2011: many later KI titles use a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit, typically '1', = first printing) together with a 'First published by Kodansha International' statement and a 'Printed in Japan' note. Treat the number line as a general-practice guide for this era rather than a guaranteed rule for every title, since house formatting was not perfectly uniform.", "2011 (KI closure): Kodansha International ceased operations at the end of April 2011; the English-language list migrated to Kodansha USA and other publishers. A genuine KI first must bear the KI imprint and predate this; post-2011 reissues under other imprints are not the KI first.", "Kodansha Bilingual Books / Globe series: these are catalog-numbered series; the series number is not a printing indicator — rely on the edition statement or number line instead." ], "notablePoints": [ "A leading English-language publisher of books on Japan — art, culture, martial arts, cookery, language instruction, and literary translations — operating in the same space as Tuttle.", "Early titles use 'First edition' statements and printing-history blocks rather than number lines; later titles adopt a number line.", "Founded in 1963 and shut down at the end of April 2011; these dates bound the window for genuine KI firsts.", "Distinct from Kodansha's Japanese-language and manga operations (Kodansha Comics / Kodansha USA)." ], "era": "1963–2011" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/krause-publications", "name": "Krause Publications", "slug": "krause-publications", "region": "Iola, Wisconsin, USA", "imprints": [ "Krause Publications", "KP Books", "Standard Catalog series", "Warman's (price-guide line)" ], "idMethods": [ "1952-2002 (independent, Iola WI; founded by Chester L. Krause): hobby and collectibles reference publisher (coins, stamps, firearms, antiques, automobiles). Most Krause titles are annual or serially revised price guides ('Standard Catalog of...', 'Warman's'), so the relevant 'edition' is the numbered or dated annual edition stated on the cover and title page (e.g. '2001 Standard Catalog of World Coins'). The desirable state is the first printing of that dated/numbered edition; identify by the edition year or number plus the number line where one is present.", "2002-2019 (F+W Publications / F+W Media ownership): acquired by F&W Publications in June 2002. Book-format titles use descending number lines ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing); annual catalogs continue to be dated by edition year. Copyright pages begin referencing F+W.", "2019-present (after F+W bankruptcy): F+W filed Chapter 11 in March 2019. Book assets (including the Krause book catalog) were acquired by Penguin Random House at the June 2019 auction; the Krause/numismatic magazine titles went to Active Interest Media. Post-2019 editions carry new ownership imprints." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1952 by Chester L. Krause in Iola, Wisconsin; the dominant U.S. hobby and collectibles reference and price-guide publisher (coins, stamps, guns, antiques, cars).", "Its 'Standard Catalog of...' and 'Warman's' price guides are serially revised, so the meaningful identifier is the stated edition year or number rather than a single 'first edition'.", "Ownership chain: independent, then F&W/F+W (June 2002), then F+W bankruptcy in March 2019 with assets dispersed (book catalog to Penguin Random House, magazines to Active Interest Media).", "For collectors the desirable copies are usually the earliest edition of a given catalog title, plus the first printing of standalone reference books." ], "era": "1952-present (brand dispersed after 2019)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/kwela-books", "name": "Kwela Books", "slug": "kwela-books", "region": "South Africa (Cape Town)", "imprints": [ "Kwela (imprint of NB Publishers)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Kwela Books' (Cape Town) as an imprint of NB Publishers (Naspers/Media24's book group).", "Inherits NB Publishers house practice: a 'First published' year statement, often 'First edition, first impression [year]', and may carry a descending number line — the first printing is the earliest impression / has '1' present.", "No reprint or later-impression notice on the first state; the imprint line names Kwela / NB Publishers." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1994 in Cape Town as an imprint of NB Publishers (the Naspers/Media24 trade-book group, alongside Tafelberg, Human & Rousseau, Queillerie and others).", "A post-apartheid house that nurtured fresh South African fiction (e.g. Achmat Dangor, K. Sello Duiker, Zakes Mda, Niq Mhlongo) — Dangor's 'Bitter Fruit' was the first SA-published novel shortlisted for the Man Booker.", "As an NB Publishers imprint it follows that group's copyright-page and impression conventions rather than an idiosyncratic small-press style." ], "era": "1994-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/laguna-verde-imprenta", "name": "Laguna Verde Imprenta", "slug": "laguna-verde-imprenta", "region": "Laguna Beach, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. Ward Ritchie retired in 1972, moved to Laguna Beach, acquired an 1835 Albion hand press, and printed small editions and broadsides under the name Laguna Verde Imprenta (Spanish for 'green lagoon'). Editions were small, typically fewer than fifty copies, often on dampened handmade paper; the colophon states limitation, types, and date, with copy numbers commonly hand-inscribed.", "Identify by the Laguna Verde Imprenta imprint and Ritchie's design hand. Keep this personal post-retirement press distinct from the earlier commercial Ward Ritchie Press (and its partnership forms Anderson & Ritchie and Anderson, Ritchie & Simon)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Ward Ritchie's personal post-retirement private imprint, separate from the Ward Ritchie Press trade firm.", "Output skews to keepsakes, broadsides, and small editions, many written by Ritchie himself, frequently about friends such as Robinson Jeffers and Lawrence Clark Powell.", "Colophon-controlled limited firsts, often fewer than fifty copies." ], "era": "c.1972-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/laird-and-lee", "name": "Laird & Lee", "slug": "laird-and-lee", "region": "Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US newsstand/mail-order)", "imprints": [ "Laird & Lee", "Pastime Series", "Pinkerton Detective Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1883–c.1913: Chicago cheap-fiction, dictionary, and pocket-handbook publisher distributed largely through railroad newsstands and mail-order; first issues carry the 'Laird & Lee, Chicago' imprint and a dated title page. No 'First Edition' statement is used and no number line — identify by imprint form and the absence of a later-printing notice.", "Series fiction (Pastime Series, Pinkerton/detective titles): identify the issue by series number, copyright date, and the bound-in advertisement list. Standing plates were reused across printings, so the catalog/advertisement state is the practical first-issue tell rather than any textual point.", "Reference works (Webster-style dictionaries, vest-pocket guides): the year/edition stated on the title page is the edition designator; these were revised and reissued frequently." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1883 by Frederick C. Laird and William H. Lee; Lee bought out Laird in 1894 and ran it as one of the largest Chicago publishers (reportedly third-largest in the city by 1899) until his death in 1913.", "Mass-market plate-reuse house whose paperbacks sold at newsstands rather than bookstores — advertisement and series-number state dating applies; textual first-printing points were rarely tracked." ], "era": "1883–c.1913" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lark-books", "name": "Lark Books / Lark Crafts", "slug": "lark-books", "region": "Asheville, North Carolina, USA", "imprints": [ "Lark Books", "Lark Crafts", "Lark Jewelry & Beading" ], "idMethods": [ "1979-1999 (independent, Asheville NC; founded by Rob Pulleyn with Kate Matthews): Craft and how-to publisher (jewelry, beading, ceramics, fiber, glass). First printing is identified by the earliest copyright year; number lines are variable on early titles, so identify a first by the absence of any later-printing notation.", "1999-2010 (Sterling Publishing ownership): Sterling acquired Lark in 1999. First printing is then identified by a full descending number line such as '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' per Sterling house style, with the lowest digit giving the printing (the presence of a 1 indicates a first printing). The juried '500' anthologies (500 Teapots, 500 Necklaces, etc.) are signature titles of this era.", "2010-c.2017 (Sterling under Barnes & Noble ownership, then sold): Sterling/Lark moved with Sterling into Barnes & Noble (2003) and out again when Sterling was sold (2017); the number-line convention continues. The Lark Crafts brand was later wound down, and recent reissues may carry different distributor imprints." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1979 in Asheville, NC, by Rob Pulleyn (with Kate Matthews); sold to Sterling Publishing in 1999; followed Sterling into Barnes & Noble ownership (2003) and out again (2017).", "Famous for the juried '500' series, which began with 500 Teapots in 2002 (500 Bracelets, 500 Pendants, and many others followed), plus the Lark Jewelry & Beading line.", "Follows Sterling's number-line house style once under Sterling: a line reaching 1 indicates a first printing.", "Lark Crafts brand activity diminished after the late-2010s Sterling sale." ], "era": "1979-present (independent 1979–1999; under Sterling from 1999; brand activity diminished after ~2017)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/last-gasp", "name": "Last Gasp (Last Gasp Eco-Funnies)", "slug": "last-gasp", "region": "USA (San Francisco, California; founded 1970)", "imprints": [ "Last Gasp", "Last Gasp Eco-Funnies (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Underground comix era (1970 through roughly 1980): single-issue underground comix (Slow Death, Wimmen's Comix, Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary 1972, and others) are identified by indicia and, critically, by cover price and printing notations. Underground comix were frequently reprinted, and printings are tracked in the Fogel Underground Price Guide; first printings carry a premium, and reprints often note the printing or change the price and back-cover details.", "Book and collected era (1980s-present): art books and graphic-novel reprints are identified by the indicia printing statement, and some carry a number line ending in 1 for a first printing.", "Reprint identification for vintage undergrounds relies on comparing cover price, the printing line on the inside cover or last page, and physical paper and printing quality against the Fogel guide, because undergrounds are notorious for unmarked or lightly marked reprints." ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the foundational underground comix publishers, founded by Ron Turner in 1970; Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary (Justin Green, 1972) is a landmark autobiographical comic.", "Underground comix printing identification relies heavily on the Fogel Underground Price Guide, which catalogs printings, price variants, and color variants.", "Distributed many other underground publishers, so its catalog overlaps with Rip Off Press, Kitchen Sink, and Print Mint era undergrounds.", "Later pivoted to art books and lowbrow/pop-surrealism, including manga-influenced artists such as Junko Mizuno." ], "era": "1970-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lee-and-shepard", "name": "Lee & Shepard", "slug": "lee-and-shepard", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA)", "imprints": [ "Lee, Shepard & Dillingham (NY branch, with Charles T. Dillingham)", "Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. (successor, 1904)" ], "idMethods": [ "1862-c.1872: no printed edition statement; a Boston juvenile and general-literature house. First printing is identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date and by dated terminal advertising catalogues bound in. The popular series titles (Oliver Optic, etc.) are notoriously hard to date because format stayed constant year to year.", "c.1872-1900s: same no-statement practice. For heavily reprinted juvenile series (Oliver Optic / William T. Adams, Sophie May, Elijah Kellogg), the first printing requires the earliest-state rear catalogue: it should NOT advertise titles published after the book in hand. A later title in the rear ads indicates a later printing.", "1904: Lee & Shepard acquired the bankrupt Lothrop list and the firm continued as Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. An imprint or spine reading 'Lothrop, Lee & Shepard' therefore dates from 1904 or later. No number line was ever used." ], "notablePoints": [ "Premier Boston juvenile and series house: Oliver Optic (William T. Adams), Sophie May, Elijah Kellogg; also temperance and reform titles.", "Because series books kept identical formats year to year and often lack dated title pages, the bound-in rear advertising catalogue is the key dating tool (the latest title advertised sets the earliest possible date).", "Became Lothrop, Lee & Shepard in 1904; that successor lineage was later absorbed into larger houses." ], "era": "1862-1904" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/legacy-lit", "name": "Legacy Lit", "slug": "legacy-lit", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Legacy Lit" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing carries a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1; the presence of the 1 confirms a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "New imprint announced in October 2020, dedicated to BIPOC voices and social-justice, memoir, and narrative-nonfiction titles, led by Krishan Trotman; first titles published in January 2022.", "Part of Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group; follows standard Hachette/GCP number-line conventions." ], "era": "founded/announced 2020; first titles 2022–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lerner-publishing-group", "name": "Lerner Publishing Group (children's)", "slug": "lerner-publishing-group", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Lerner Publications", "Carolrhoda Books", "Carolrhoda Lab (YA)", "Millbrook Press", "Kar-Ben Publishing", "Graphic Universe", "Zest Books (YA)", "First Avenue Editions", "Darby Creek" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First American edition'; the lowest digit indicates the printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Minneapolis independent founded in 1959; one of the largest independently owned US children's publishers, with a large library/educational and trade list", "Carolrhoda Books dates to 1969 and Carolrhoda Lab is its literary-YA imprint; Kar-Ben (founded 1974) is the leading publisher of Jewish-interest children's books", "Lerner has handled US distribution/co-editions for Andersen Press at times; such titles are co-editions, not the UK Andersen firsts, so verify the imprint line on the copyright page", "Reliable modern number-line convention" ], "era": "1959-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lester-orpen-dennys", "name": "Lester & Orpen Dennys", "slug": "lester-orpen-dennys", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Lester & Orpen Dennys", "Lester & Orpen (earlier form, 1973-1979)" ], "idMethods": [ "1973 to 1979 (as Lester & Orpen): founded 1973 by Malcolm Lester and Eve Orpen (Orpen died 1978). Identify by the 'Lester & Orpen' imprint on the title page; a first printing is shown by a dated copyright page with no later-impression notice or by a 'First edition' statement.", "1979 to 1991 (as Lester & Orpen Dennys, after Louise Dennys joined and the firm was renamed in 1979): first editions typically carry a number line (lowest number indicating the printing) and/or a 'First published' statement; absence of reprint notices on a dated copyright page indicates a first. Verify the exact imprint wording to place a title within the firm's life.", "1988 to 1991: ownership passed to Pagurian Corp. (August 1988) then Hees International (December 1988), with Lester and Dennys continuing as publishers until Hees suspended operations in 1991. Louise Dennys later moved to Knopf Canada / Random House of Canada." ], "notablePoints": [ "A distinguished independent literary house (1973-1991) known for international literary fiction and high production quality; its International Fiction List brought major world authors to Canadian readers.", "Published Canadian editions of Graham Greene, John Irving, Don DeLillo, Italo Calvino, Martin Amis, Ian McEwan, and Kazuo Ishiguro, alongside Canadian writers such as Joy Kogawa and P. K. Page; collected for its literary list and elegant design.", "The imprint-name change from Lester & Orpen to Lester & Orpen Dennys in 1979 helps date a book to a sub-period." ], "era": "1973-1991" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lets-go-guides", "name": "Let's Go (Harvard Student Agencies)", "slug": "lets-go-guides", "region": "United States (Cambridge, MA); St. Martin's Press distribution", "imprints": [ "Let's Go: Europe", "Let's Go (country/city titles)", "Let's Go Adventure / Map Guides" ], "idMethods": [ "Annual series: identify by the YEAR in the title (e.g. 'Let's Go: Europe 1985') plus the copyright-page number line, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "1960-1970s: produced by Harvard Student Agencies; 'Let's Go' began as a roughly 25-page mimeographed pamphlet (compiled by Harvard student Oliver Koppell, first effort 1959, first guide 1960) handed out to student charter-flight passengers. The earliest pamphlet/booklet printings are crude and scarce; identify them by year and HSA origin.", "1980s-2000s: published in book form with St. Martin's Press; rely on the YEAR on the cover/title page as the annual identifier, confirmed by the copyright-page number line for that year's edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Originated as a circa-1960 mimeographed HSA pamphlet compiled by Harvard student Oliver Koppell; the earliest printings are ephemeral and rare.", "Annual series: the year in the title is the practical identifier.", "Written and revised by Harvard students each year; St. Martin's Press handled the modern book-form editions.", "Modern editions follow standard US number-line conventions." ], "era": "1960-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/leuven-university-press", "name": "Leuven University Press", "slug": "leuven-university-press", "region": "Leuven, Belgium", "imprints": [ "Leuven University Press", "Universitaire Pers Leuven (Dutch)", "Presses Universitaires de Louvain (do NOT confuse — separate Louvain-la-Neuve press)" ], "idMethods": [ "1971-c.1995: established 1971 in association with KU Leuven; titles in Dutch, English, French and German. Continental convention: the verso carries '© [year] Leuven University Press / Universitaire Pers Leuven' with a Belgian legal-deposit ('dépôt légal') code beginning 'D/[year]/...'. A first printing is keyed by the legal-deposit year together with the absence of any 'Tweede druk' or reprint note; Dutch 'Eerste druk' marks the first impression.", "c.1995-present: '© [year] Leuven University Press' plus a full ISBN block and the Belgian D/ legal-deposit number; later printings or editions are stated explicitly ('Tweede druk' / 'Second edition'). The legal-deposit year with a clean first-impression statement indicates the first printing.", "Language tell: Dutch 'druk' = impression/printing ('Eerste druk' first, 'Tweede druk' second); French 'édition'; German 'Auflage' — the lowest/first of these indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 in association with KU Leuven (Universitaire Pers Leuven); a full member of the Association of University Presses and a founding member of the Association of European University Presses.", "The Belgian 'dépôt légal' code 'D/YYYY/...' on the verso, assigned by the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), is a precise dating tell unique to Belgian imprints.", "Must not be confused with the Presses Universitaires de Louvain at UCLouvain (Louvain-la-Neuve), a separate francophone press after the 1968 university split.", "Now distributed in North America via Cornell University Press; strong in theology, philosophy and art history.", "Multilingual: the same title may carry Dutch, English or French first-edition wording — match the language to the issue." ], "era": "1971-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/limelight-editions", "name": "Limelight Editions", "slug": "limelight-editions", "region": "USA (New York, NY; later under various trade-publisher parents)", "imprints": [ "Limelight Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "1984–2004 (independent, Mel Zerman / Proscenium Publishers era): performing-arts trade publisher covering film, theatre, music, and dance criticism and reference, reviving out-of-print titles alongside some new books. First printing is indicated by a descending number line on the copyright page, the lowest digit being the printing; a line that includes 1 is a first printing. 'First Limelight Edition YYYY' is often stated.", "2004–2006 (Amadeus Press ownership): Limelight was acquired by Amadeus Press in 2004; copyright pages and colophons begin to reflect the Amadeus parentage. First printing is still a descending number line reaching 1.", "2006–2018 (Hal Leonard ownership): Hal Leonard acquired Amadeus Press and Limelight in 2006 and folded Limelight into its Performing Arts Publishing Group; copyright pages read 'Limelight Editions, An Imprint of Hal Leonard ...'. First printing is a descending number line reaching 1, with a Hal Leonard distribution credit. The 'Imprint of Hal Leonard' colophon marks issues of this period.", "2018–2024 (Rowman & Littlefield ownership): in December 2018 Hal Leonard sold Limelight (with Applause, Amadeus, Backbeat, and Hal Leonard Books) to Rowman & Littlefield; copyright pages carry the Rowman & Littlefield group credit. First printing is a descending number line reaching 1.", "2024–present (Bloomsbury ownership): Bloomsbury acquired the Rowman & Littlefield trade list in 2024; later copies may carry a Bloomsbury group credit. First printing identification (descending number line reaching 1, often with a 'First Limelight Edition' statement) is unchanged." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1984 by Mel Zerman (formerly of Random House), through his firm Proscenium Publishers; respected performing-arts list across film, theatre, dance, and music.", "A number line reaching 1 indicates a first printing in every era; the changing parent-company colophon is the main era tell.", "Ownership chain for dating: independent 1984–2004, Amadeus Press 2004–2006, Hal Leonard 2006–2018, Rowman & Littlefield 2018–2024, Bloomsbury 2024–present." ], "era": "1984–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/limited-editions-club", "name": "Limited Editions Club", "slug": "limited-editions-club", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Heritage Press (reprint imprint)", "George Macy Companies (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "Every LEC title is a true limited edition with a printed colophon/limitation leaf (usually at the rear) stating the limitation number out of the edition (commonly 1,500 for the classic Macy era, later varying)", "The colophon is hand-numbered and bears the SIGNATURE of the illustrator/artist (and sometimes the author, translator, or designer); the autograph(s) on the colophon are the primary authentication", "The 'Monthly Letter' (newsletter describing the book's making) accompanied each volume on issue; presence is corroborating but not part of the book proper", "Slipcase typically present; first issue carries the original slipcase and the numbered/signed colophon" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1929 by George Macy; a subscription club issuing ~12 finely-made books per year, each a single limited printing — so there is rarely a 'second printing' to confuse, but later LEC management (after 1970, under Sidney Shiff from 1979) issued smaller, more lavish editions", "DO NOT confuse with Heritage Press: Heritage reprints the same titles in cheaper materials WITHOUT a numbered/signed limitation leaf — the absence of the signed colophon is the tell that a copy is Heritage, not LEC", "Famous signed colophons include Matisse's Ulysses (1935, signed by Matisse; only ~250 of 1,500 also signed by Joyce), Picasso's Lysistrata (1934)", "Condition of the signature and completeness (slipcase + Monthly Letter) drive value" ], "era": "1929–present (classic Macy era 1929–1956; Shiff era 1979 onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lion-books", "name": "Lion Books", "slug": "lion-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Lion Books", "Lion Library" ], "idMethods": [ "Sequential catalog number on spine/cover identifies the title; Lion ran a 25-cent Lion line and a 35-cent Lion Library line, the latter often carrying LL-prefixed numbers. The number is a title/series identifier, not a printing count.", "First printing: the copyright page carries no later-printing statement. Lion seldom announced reprints, so a stated reprint is uncommon; rely on the original catalog number and price together with the cover format.", "When a Lion Library issue reuses an earlier Lion title it takes a new number and often a new cover; the earlier, lower-numbered Lion appearance is the earlier (and usually the first) printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Lion (an outgrowth of Martin Goodman's magazine empire, edited largely by Arnold Hano, c.1949-1957) is a heavily collected paperback-original house. Early titles by Jim Thompson, David Goodis, Day Keene and others appeared first as Lion paperbacks, making the Lion the true first of those works.", "Short-lived line; New American Library bought Lion in 1957 and reissued several Lion titles under its Signet label.", "Because many Lion noir titles are paperback originals with no hardcover, the Lion paperback is the only first edition of those books." ], "era": "1949-1957" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/little-golden-books", "name": "Little Golden Books (Golden Books / Western Publishing / Simon & Schuster)", "slug": "little-golden-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Golden Books", "Big Golden Book", "Giant Golden Book", "A Little Golden Book", "Golden Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1947–1970: edition letter hidden in the LOWER-RIGHT CORNER of the LAST page (sometimes under the rear cover/pastedown) — 'A' = 1st edition/printing, 'B' = 2nd, 'C' = 3rd, etc. THE defining Little Golden Book point of issue", "Pre-1947: edition stated on the first or second page of the book", "1971–1991: a series of letters on the first few pages; the letter FARTHEST LEFT indicates the printing (A = first)", "1991–c.2000: Roman numerals for the year, followed by letter 'A' (first edition) or 'R' (revised)" ], "notablePoints": [ "The 'A' on the back/last page is the single most cited tell in mid-century picture-book collecting — you often must lift the rear cover slightly to see it", "Earliest LGBs (1942–) had dust jackets and blue spines; later gold foil spines. Spine number and price ('25 CENTS') help date but are not printing indicators", "Reissues with identical art are extremely common — same title can have dozens of printings spanning decades; only the edition letter distinguishes them. The Poky Little Puppy, Scuffy the Tugboat, Tootle, Saggy Baggy Elephant are heavily reprinted", "Western Publishing (Racine, WI) produced them; rights later to Golden Books Family Entertainment, then Random House (1999/2001). Modern Random House LGBs use a standard number line" ], "era": "1942–present (letter-code system 1947–c.2000)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/little-brown", "name": "Little, Brown and Company", "slug": "little-brown", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "“First Edition” or “First Printing” statement", "Number line (late 1970s–present)" ], "notablePoints": [ "The Catcher in the Rye (1951) first states “First Edition” cleanly; its points of issue concern the jacket (Lotte Jacobi rear-panel photo, price position)." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/little-brown-byr", "name": "Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR)", "slug": "little-brown-byr", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "LB Kids", "Megan Tingley Books", "Poppy (YA, historical)", "Christy Ottaviano Books", "Jimmy Patterson Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Little, Brown house convention: modern firsts state 'First Edition' / 'First North American Edition' on copyright page, generally with a number line ending in 1", "Historically Little, Brown stated 'First Edition' or 'Published (Month, Year)' and removed it on later printings; combine with number line", "First printing requires number line to reach 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "LBYR published Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (2005) — a major modern YA point-of-issue collectible; true first = full number line to 1 plus 'First Edition: October 2005'", "Also home to the Alvin Ho / Clementine lines and many picture books", "Part of Hachette Book Group; older Little, Brown was independent then Time Warner — imprint conventions consistent across ownership" ], "era": "1837–present (children's line mid/late-20th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/liturgical-press", "name": "Liturgical Press", "slug": "liturgical-press", "region": "US (Collegeville, Minnesota)", "imprints": [ "Michael Glazier Books (folded into Liturgical Press Academic in 2018)", "Pueblo Books (folded into Liturgical Press Academic in 2018)", "Cistercian Publications", "Liturgical Press Academic" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a descending number line ending in '1' on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Many scholarly and liturgical titles state only a copyright year with no printing line, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint or second-printing notice.", "Series volumes (e.g., Sacra Pagina, Cistercian Studies) are dated by each volume's own copyright year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1926 as the publishing house of Saint John's Abbey, the Benedictine community in Collegeville, Minnesota; an internationally known Catholic and ecumenical publisher in liturgy, Scripture, theology, and monastic life.", "Took over editorial, production, and marketing of Cistercian Publications through a partnership begun in 2008 (not an outright acquisition); older Cistercian volumes predate that partnership and have their own copyright pages, so they may not follow Liturgical Press conventions.", "Michael Glazier Books and Pueblo Books (scholarly Catholic and liturgical lists) were consolidated into the Liturgical Press Academic imprint in 2018; missals, lectionaries, and worship aids reprint constantly and are generally not collected as 'firsts.'" ], "era": "1926–present (publishing house of Saint John's Abbey)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/liverpool-university-press", "name": "Liverpool University Press", "slug": "liverpool-university-press", "region": "Liverpool, England", "imprints": [ "Liverpool University Press", "Constable (early distributor)", "Hodder & Stoughton (early distributor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1899-c.1930: Third-oldest English university press; earliest titles were distributed via trade houses. First printing keyed by title-page date and the absence of any reprint note.", "c.1930-c.1990: Own imprint, standard British practice: 'First published [year]', '© Liverpool University Press', and no reprint line on a first printing; later impressions add 'Reprinted [year]'.", "c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Liverpool University Press' with a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression) and a full ISBN/copyright block. A line ending in 1 with no reprint statement indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1899 — the third-oldest university press in England after Oxford and Cambridge (marked 120 years in 2019).", "Strong in modern languages, literatures, history, and visual culture; now hosts science-fiction studies lists (including the Liverpool Science Fiction Texts and Studies series).", "As with other early UK presses, distributor imprints on pre-1930 titles can obscure the true publisher of record." ], "era": "1899-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/llewellyn-publications", "name": "Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide", "slug": "llewellyn-publications", "region": "US (founded Portland, Oregon, 1901; moved to Los Angeles 1920; since 1961 based in St. Paul, later Woodbury, Minnesota)", "imprints": [ "Llewellyn", "Llewellyn Espanol", "Midnight Ink (mystery; launched 2005, closed 2019 - backlist only)", "Flux (YA; launched by Llewellyn, sold to North Star Editions in 2016 and now published by them)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern Llewellyn first printings indicate the printing on the copyright page, typically with a printing notice and a descending number line that includes the digit 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.", "Many Llewellyn copyright pages also carry a printing-history block that records subsequent printings by year; a copy that shows only the first year alongside a complete number line is the first printing.", "Older (pre-1990s) Llewellyn titles may state only a copyright year or use a simpler notice and should be judged with more caution." ], "notablePoints": [ "Long-established US publisher of New Age, astrology, Wicca and Pagan, Tarot, and occult and metaphysical books; founded in 1901 by astrologer Llewellyn George (1876-1954) as the Llewellyn Publishing Company, alongside the Portland School of Astrology. Carl Weschcke bought the firm in 1961 and moved it to Minnesota.", "Long-running annuals such as the Moon Sign Book (published yearly since 1905) and astrological calendars are dated by year and reissued annually, so they are not collected as 'firsts' in the usual trade sense.", "Many perennial sellers (for example Scott Cunningham and Silver RavenWolf titles) run to many printings, so the number line and printing-history block are the reliable arbiter.", "Midnight Ink (mystery) and Flux (YA) were genre fiction imprints; both are now historical at Llewellyn (Flux sold off in 2016, Midnight Ink closed in 2019)." ], "era": "1901-present (a clearly stated copyright-page printing notice is reliable from roughly the 1990s onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lonely-planet", "name": "Lonely Planet", "slug": "lonely-planet", "region": "Australia (Melbourne) / US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Travel guides are identified mainly by the EDITION number stated on the cover and title/copyright page (e.g. '5th edition'); the earliest edition of a given destination guide is the collectible point.", "The copyright page carries the edition number and the month/year of that edition, which is the reliable dating tool for a series revised on a short cycle.", "Number lines are secondary to the explicit edition statement for this series." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1972/73 by Tony and Maureen Wheeler; the debut 'Across Asia on the Cheap' (1973) began as a homemade, stapled production, and early copies of it and 'South-East Asia on a Shoestring' are genuinely scarce.", "Ownership passed from the Wheelers to BBC Worldwide (2007/2011), then NC2 Media, then Red Ventures; the owner era can show on later printings but does not change the edition-number identification logic.", "Because guides are revised every year or two, collectors want the first edition of a given country or region guide; later editions hold little collectible interest.", "Surviving copies are often heavily used travel companions, so clean early firsts are uncommon." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/longman", "name": "Longman (Longmans, Green & Co.)", "slug": "longman", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans (1840s–1850s)", "Longman, Green, Longman & Roberts (from 1859)", "Longmans, Green, Reader & Dyer (mid-1860s–1880s)", "Longmans, Green & Co. (settled style from c.1889)" ], "idMethods": [ "No edition statement on most 19th-century firsts: rely on the title-page date, the absence of later-printing wording, and the exact partnership style in the imprint, which changed frequently and dates a printing.", "Dated inserted advertisement catalogue, commonly at the rear; a first should not list books published after the title-page year.", "For Macaulay's History of England, early Tennyson and other Longman high spots, collate against the author bibliography for textual and binding points — value is point-driven.", "Complete volumes with half-titles and the original cloth support first-issue state." ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the oldest English houses (founded 1724); published Macaulay, some Wordsworth, early Tennyson, shares in Scott, and major reference and scientific works.", "The firm changed its partnership name very often (e.g. Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans; Longman, Green, Longman & Roberts from 1859; Longmans, Green, Reader & Dyer; Longmans, Green & Co. from c.1889) — the imprint style is the primary dating tool.", "Three-decker fiction and multi-volume histories are common; absence of an edition notice is the norm.", "The settled 'Longmans, Green & Co.' style indicates a printing of roughly 1889 or later, not the whole post-1862 period." ], "era": "1724–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lord-john-press", "name": "Lord John Press", "slug": "lord-john-press", "region": "Northridge, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Herb Yellin's press specializing in signed limited editions: the colophon states numbered and lettered states, and every copy is signed by the author so the signature is intrinsic, not added later.", "Typical structure: a signed numbered edition (often a few hundred copies) plus a smaller signed lettered edition in a finer binding/slipcase.", "Identify by the colophon limitation and author signature; these are first and only printings, so there are no later-printing states to disambiguate." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1977 by Herb Yellin (1935-2014); issued signed limited firsts and keepsakes by Updike, Stephen King, Bradbury, Eudora Welty, Joyce Carol Oates, and others.", "Lettered copies are the premium state; verify the letter designation and finer binding against the colophon.", "Yellin typically retained the earliest numbered/lettered copy for himself, often numbered 15 or named rather than numbered." ], "era": "1977-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lorena-jones-books", "name": "Lorena Jones Books", "slug": "lorena-jones-books", "region": "US (California)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Follows its parent (Ten Speed Press / Crown Publishing Group / Penguin Random House) convention: a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line ending in 1 on the true first printing. On later printings the low numbers drop out and/or the 'First Edition' line is removed." ], "notablePoints": [ "Eponymous cooking and lifestyle imprint within Ten Speed Press, announced January 2017 with its first titles appearing in spring 2017; named for and run by Ten Speed VP/publisher Lorena Jones.", "Small annual list (roughly six to eight titles a year), so there are few imprint-specific identification quirks beyond the standard Crown convention.", "Identify exactly as you would any Ten Speed Press / Crown title of the same era." ], "era": "2017-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lost-horse-press", "name": "Lost Horse Press", "slug": "lost-horse-press", "region": "Sandpoint, Idaho (Inland Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "Lost Horse Press", "Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series", "Regenerations: Indigenous Poetry Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1998-present: Independent nonprofit literary/poetry press. Identification is best done by the imprint plus a copyright/publication year that matches first appearance; print runs are small and most titles see a single printing, so a matching year usually indicates a first printing. Where present, a stated 'First edition / First printing, [year]' on the copyright page confirms it.", "Number lines are not a reliable tell here: as with many small poetry presses, Lost Horse books are inconsistent about descending printing lines, so do not rely on the presence or absence of a number line alone. Treat a 'First edition' statement and the matching year as the primary evidence.", "Era tell: founded June 1998 near Spokane, Washington, and relocated to Sandpoint, Idaho, shortly after, so a Sandpoint address dates a title to roughly 1999 or later, while the earliest items reflect the Spokane-area origin." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in June 1998 by Christine Lysnewycz Holbert, who soon relocated the press to a log cabin in Sandpoint, Idaho.", "Has published well over a hundred poetry titles plus fiction; sponsors the Idaho Prize for Poetry and the Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series.", "Small print runs and award-winning poets make first printings genuinely scarce; signed copies are common from the source.", "Recognized with the CLMP Lord Nose Award (2023) for contributions to literary publishing; Holbert has received lifetime-achievement recognition." ], "era": "1998-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lost-roads-publishers", "name": "Lost Roads Publishers", "slug": "lost-roads-publishers", "region": "USA (Fayetteville, AR; later Providence, RI)", "imprints": [ "Lost Roads Publishers", "Lost Roads Press (variant on imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Frank Stanford era (1976-1978): hand-assembled chapbooks and small letterpress/offset runs; first/only printing identified by colophon or a simple copyright statement. Runs were tiny, so most titles are single printings.", "First printing generally identified by absence of any later-printing notice; some titles state 'first edition.' Number lines are inconsistent on early titles, so do not rely on a number line being present.", "On signed/numbered titles the colophon states the size of the limitation; numbered copies are the limited issue.", "C.D. Wright / Forrest Gander era (post-1978): generally one printing per title; the rare later printing is stated on the copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1976 in Fayetteville, Arkansas by poet Frank Stanford. C.D. Wright's 'Room Rented by a Single Woman' (1977) was the press's first release.", "After Stanford's death in 1978, editorship passed to C.D. Wright; she later co-edited with Forrest Gander, and the press moved to Providence, RI.", "Highly collectible for Frank Stanford material and early C.D. Wright; small runs make first printings scarce. Posthumously co-published Stanford's book-length 'The Battlefield Where the Moon Says I Love You' with Mill Mountain Press.", "Mission centered on Southern/Arkansas poets and overlooked voices; the press released more than 120 titles over its history." ], "era": "1976-present (Stanford era 1976-1978; C.D. Wright/Forrest Gander era from 1978; Susan Scarlata executive editor from 2009)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lothrop-lee-shepard", "name": "Lothrop, Lee & Shepard", "slug": "lothrop-lee-shepard", "region": "Boston, MA / New York, NY", "imprints": [ "Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co.", "Lee & Shepard (predecessor)", "Lothrop Publishing Co. (predecessor)" ], "idMethods": [ "19th-century predecessors (Lee & Shepard, 1862–1904; Lothrop Publishing): pre-merger firms generally carry no edition statement. Date by imprint name (Lee & Shepard vs. Lothrop) and address; the earliest printing is surmised from the earliest binding and advertising state.", "c.1904–c.1940s (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., formed by the 1904 merger of Lee & Shepard and Lothrop): first printings typically carry no explicit 'First Edition' statement. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notation on the copyright page; later printings are stated. Cross-check the copyright date against the title-page date.", "Mid-20th century onward: the firm adopted a number row on the copyright page, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a line ending in 1 = first). Where no number line appears, the absence of any later-printing note indicates a first printing, and a printed later-printing note overrides.", "After acquisition into the Morrow / Scott, Foresman lineage (ultimately HarperCollins): late imprint printings follow the parent's number-line convention, lowest digit = printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Long-lived Boston/New York children's and general house formed in 1904 from Lee & Shepard plus Lothrop Publishing.", "Rule of thumb: a first edition is indicated by a number line ending in 1, or by the simple absence of any later-printing notation (later printings are stated).", "Published many illustrated children's classics; later editions use a standard number row.", "Eventually absorbed into the Morrow / Scott, Foresman line and ultimately HarperCollins." ], "era": "1904–c.1980s (roots to 1862)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/louisiana-state-university-press", "name": "Louisiana State University Press", "slug": "louisiana-state-university-press", "region": "US (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)", "imprints": [ "LSU Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line where present; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing, and later printings add stacked printing years or 'Second printing' notices.", "Important caveat: not all LSU firsts carry a number line. Older titles, and some landmark ones, state neither 'First Edition' nor a printing line. For these, identify a first by a single matching copyright year with no later-printing notice, supplemented by title-specific points.", "Do not assume a number line is required; check a reliable bibliography or dealer point-guide for the specific title before concluding." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1935; one of the oldest university presses in the South, with strong Southern history and literature lists and multiple Pulitzer Prizes.", "Published John Kennedy Toole's 'A Confederacy of Dunces' (1980), a landmark collectible university-press first. The 2,500-copy first printing carries neither a 'First Edition' nor a 'First Printing' statement and has no number line; it is identified by the absence of any later-printing notice plus dust-jacket state.", "For 'A Confederacy of Dunces' the primary point is the first-state jacket: stars present in the night sky on front, spine, and rear. After the first printing the production manager removed the stars and intensified the blue of the title, producing the second-state jacket. A Walker Percy introduction/blurb is present on the first-issue jacket." ], "era": "1935-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lyons-press", "name": "Lyons Press (Nick Lyons Books / Lyons & Burford)", "slug": "lyons-press", "region": "USA (New York, NY; later Guilford, Connecticut)", "imprints": [ "Nick Lyons Books", "Lyons & Burford, Publishers", "The Lyons Press", "Lyons Press (Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Use the imprint name on the title/copyright page to date the book to the correct ownership era, then apply that era's number-line rule.", "Late 1970s-1981 (Nick Lyons Books era, including subsidiary period and co-branding with Winchester Press): Firsts typically state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page; some titles use a descending number line ('1' present = first). Imprint reads 'Nick Lyons Books' (sometimes co-branded with Winchester Press).", "1981-1997 (Lyons & Burford): Standard trade practice — a 'First Edition' statement and/or a full descending number line (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); lowest digit present indicates the printing. Imprint reads 'Lyons & Burford, Publishers'.", "1997-2001 (The Lyons Press, after Peter Burford's departure): Descending number line is the rule; '1' present = first printing; 'First Edition' may also be stated.", "2001-present (Lyons Press under Globe Pequot Press, later within Rowman & Littlefield): Globe Pequot house style — descending number line where the lowest surviving number gives the printing, sometimes paired with a year line. Imprint reads 'Lyons Press' or 'Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot'." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Nick Lyons; began in fly-fishing and expanded into natural history, adventure, outdoor sport, history, and true crime.", "Nick Lyons partnered with Peter Burford in 1981, and the house became Lyons & Burford, Publishers; in 1984 Lyons bought out the subsidiary rights and Nick Lyons Books, Inc. became an independent company.", "Peter Burford left in 1997 and the firm was renamed The Lyons Press; Tony Lyons became president that year and roughly tripled the company before its sale.", "Acquired by Globe Pequot Press (Guilford, CT) in 2001; Globe Pequot later sat under Rowman & Littlefield — modern Lyons Press firsts follow Globe Pequot number-line conventions. The shifting imprint name (Nick Lyons Books -> Lyons & Burford -> The Lyons Press -> Lyons Press) remains the most reliable dating tell." ], "era": "late 1970s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ma-donohue", "name": "M. A. Donohue & Company", "slug": "ma-donohue", "region": "Chicago, IL (with later New York offices)", "imprints": [ "M. A. Donohue & Co.", "Donohue & Henneberry (predecessor, c.1880-1901)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1880-1901 (Donohue & Henneberry): predecessor firm issuing inexpensive reprints, fiction sets, and children's books. No edition statements; date a copy by the imprint name and Chicago address, the copyright-page state, and the binding.", "1901-1960s (M. A. Donohue & Co.): high-volume inexpensive children's books, linen books, and reprints. First printings carry no 'first edition' statement; identify the earliest state by the Chicago Dearborn Street imprint address, the copyright-page state, and the rear advertised-title list. Because Donohue overwhelmingly reprinted, a Donohue imprint on a famous title generally indicates a reprint rather than a first edition.", "Raggedy Ann and similar titles: Donohue issued inexpensive reprints of well-known children's properties after the original publishers' lines ended; these are clearly later than the first publishers' firsts and are identified by the Donohue imprint and reset or altered plates." ], "notablePoints": [ "Chicago reprint and inexpensive-children's house; its lineage runs Cox & Donohue (bookbinders, c.1861) to Donohue & Henneberry (c.1880) to M. A. Donohue & Co. (1901, after Donohue bought out Henneberry).", "A Donohue imprint on a well-known title is usually a reprint, not a first edition.", "Issued later inexpensive reprints of popular children's properties after the originating publishers' lines folded; these are not the originating firsts." ], "era": "1861 (Cox & Donohue roots)-1960s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/m-evans-and-company", "name": "M. Evans and Company", "slug": "m-evans-and-company", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "M. Evans", "M. Evans and Company, Inc.", "M. Evans (under Rowman & Littlefield, later Globe Pequot)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings are generally identified by a number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing; where no line appears, the absence of any later-printing statement supports a first.", "Distribution note: many M. Evans titles were distributed by J.B. Lippincott and later by other houses; the distributor's name on the jacket or spine does not affect first-printing status, which should be judged by the Evans copyright-page statement.", "Under successive owners (Rowman & Littlefield from 2005, then Globe Pequot) standard number-line conventions continue, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "A small independent New York house best known for popular non-fiction, including diet, health, and self-improvement titles.", "Long associated with J.B. Lippincott as its distributor, which is a frequent source of confusion about who the 'real' publisher of an M. Evans title is.", "The backlist was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield in 2005 and the M. Evans name was retained as an imprint, later sitting within the Globe Pequot group." ], "era": "c.1963-2005" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mack-books", "name": "MACK", "slug": "mack-books", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "MACK", "MACK Books", "SteidlMACK (imprint within Steidl, 2004–c.2010)", "MACK First Book Award titles", "MACK limited editions (signed/with print)" ], "idMethods": [ "Colophon states 'First edition' and the year for a true first; MACK trade photobooks are typically issued in a single first printing, so the original year with no 'Second edition'/'reprinted' line indicates a first.", "No standard descending number line on most titles — rely on the stated first-edition/year line in the colophon rather than a number line.", "Popular sold-out titles are sometimes reprinted as a stated 'Second edition'; that wording on the colophon means the copy is not the first.", "Limited/special editions carry a numbered limitation, often with a signed tipped-in or accompanying original print; the limitation statement defines that issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2010 in London by Michael Mack, formerly managing director at Steidl, where he ran the SteidlMACK imprint beginning in 2004 (not 2008). A title first issued under the SteidlMACK imprint is a separate, earlier issue from a later MACK-alone edition — the imprint name dates the issue.", "MACK is an award-winning house and its firsts can go out of print quickly; for sought-after titles a stated 'Second edition' is common, so confirm the colophon edition line.", "MACK runs the First Book Award; debut titles in that line are first editions by definition." ], "era": "2010–present (SteidlMACK imprint lineage from 2004)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/macmillan", "name": "Macmillan", "slug": "macmillan", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Pan Macmillan" ], "idMethods": [ "“First printing” (US, 1936+)", "“First Published [Year]” (UK, mid-1920s+)", "Number line (1970s–present)" ], "notablePoints": [ "US and UK Macmillan conventions differ — establish which imprint you hold first." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/macmillan-uk", "name": "Macmillan (UK)", "slug": "macmillan-uk", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Pan Books (paperback)", "Picador", "Pan Macmillan", "Macmillan Children's", "Sidgwick & Jackson (acquired)", "St. Martin's Press (US sibling)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-mid-1920s: no statement on firsts; only later printings were noted (rely on negative evidence + dating)", "Mid-1920s onward: \"First published [Year]\" stated on the copyright page of first editions; later printings noted", "Modern Pan Macmillan/Picador titles use a number line ending in 1; lowest digit = printing", "First printing = era-appropriate statement (or, pre-1920s, absence of any reprint note) with no later-impression lines" ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the oldest UK houses (1843): Tennyson, Hardy, Kipling, Yeats, Lewis Carroll (Macmillan published 'Alice')", "Pre-1920s 'no statement' policy makes Victorian/Edwardian Macmillan firsts dependent on advertisement dating and binding states", "Distinct from the US Macmillan company (separated mid-20th c.) — provenance matters for transatlantic authors" ], "era": "1843-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/magabala-books", "name": "Magabala Books", "slug": "magabala-books", "region": "Australia (Broome, WA)", "imprints": [ "Magabala Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published [year] by Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation'; a first printing carries no 'Reprinted' line and the stated year matches the copyright year.", "Heavily reprinted children's and picture-book titles add an explicit 'Reprinted [year]' line — the first printing has the bare 'First published' statement only.", "Number lines are uncommon; rely on the statement plus a matching copyright year and the absence of any reprint notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Australia's leading Indigenous-owned publisher, based in Broome, WA. Origins trace to a 1984 gathering of Aboriginal elders and leaders at Ngumpan, near Fitzroy Crossing, under the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (KALACC); the first book was published in 1987 and the press became an independent registered Aboriginal corporation in 1990. The name 'Magabala' refers to the bush banana (Kimberley languages).", "Its first published title was 'Mayi: Some Bush Fruits of the West Kimberley' by Merrilee Lands (1987); Glenyse Ward's autobiography 'Wandering Girl' was an early flagship. Magabala also publishes Indigenous authors such as Bruce Pascoe, Alexis Wright, Ali Cobby Eckermann and Alison Whittaker, and Indigenous-authored firsts are the collectible focus.", "Many award-winning picture books are reprinted often; for those, distinguishing the first printing requires confirming the absence of any reprint line." ], "era": "1987–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/manchester-university-press", "name": "Manchester University Press", "slug": "manchester-university-press", "region": "Manchester, England", "imprints": [ "Manchester University Press", "Sherratt & Hughes (early distributor, from 1904)", "Longmans, Green (later distributor, from 1913)" ], "idMethods": [ "1904-c.1930: Earliest 'Publications of the University of Manchester' were distributed through trade houses — Sherratt & Hughes of Manchester from 1904, then Longmans, Green & Co. from 1913. The title page may carry the distributor's name; the first printing is identified by title-page date and series number with no reprint statement.", "c.1930-c.1990: Own MUP imprint with British-convention copyright page: 'First published [year]', '© [year] Manchester University Press', and no reprint note on a first printing; later printings note 'Reprinted [year]' or a new edition.", "c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Manchester University Press' plus a number line on the verso indicating impression (lowest digit = impression); a full line ending in 1 with no reprint statement indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1904 as the Publications Committee of the Victoria University of Manchester (first head James Tait, succeeded by Thomas Tout); one of the larger UK university presses.", "Early titles are series-numbered ('Publications of the University of Manchester, No. ...'), which aids dating; only 17 publications appeared in the first year.", "Pre-imprint titles bound and distributed by trade houses can mislead — the publisher of record is Manchester even when the distributor's name (Sherratt & Hughes or Longmans, Green) dominates the title page." ], "era": "1904-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/marcel-dekker", "name": "Marcel Dekker, Inc.", "slug": "marcel-dekker", "region": "United States (New York)", "imprints": [ "Marcel Dekker", "Dekker", "CRC Press / Taylor & Francis (successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1963-c.2003: Founded 1963 by Marcel Dekker (after Interscience merged into Wiley); high-priced STM monographs, encyclopedias, and serials in chemistry, pharmaceutics, and engineering. These are reference-class works identified by EDITION statement and copyright year, with serials cited by volume number rather than by first-printing points. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing or later-impression notice on the copyright page; where a number line is present, the lowest surviving digit indicates the printing.", "Post-2003: Acquired by Taylor & Francis in late 2003 (deal closed around 2003-2004); Dekker titles continued under CRC Press / Taylor & Francis imprints and house style, and the independent Dekker name was retired." ], "notablePoints": [ "Specialist in library and professional STM reference, such as the multivolume 'Encyclopedia of Pharmaceutical Technology.'", "No longer an independent house; absorbed into Taylor & Francis in 2003 and the imprint name later phased out.", "Collected and cited by edition and volume rather than by first-printing points." ], "era": "1963-2003" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/margaret-k-mcelderry-books", "name": "Margaret K. McElderry Books", "slug": "margaret-k-mcelderry-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles (now under Simon & Schuster Children's): first printing carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page", "1970s-1980s titles published under Atheneum: identify a first printing by the absence of any later-printing statement (e.g. no 'Second Printing' line), since these predate a consistent number-line practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1972 at Atheneum, the first eponymous imprint in American children's publishing (Margaret K. McElderry joined Atheneum in 1971; the imprint was founded the following year)", "Now a Simon & Schuster Children's imprint, following the S&S/Atheneum lineage's conventions", "Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising sequence titles appeared under this imprint (first US edition of The Dark Is Rising, Atheneum, 1973); firsts are identified by the printing statement and jacket rather than a modern number line" ], "era": "1972-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mariner-books", "name": "Mariner Books", "slug": "mariner-books", "region": "US (Boston/New York)", "imprints": [ "Mariner", "Mariner Books Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "Originals carry a stated \"FIRST EDITION\" with a number line descending to 1 on a first printing", "First-thus reprints are labeled with wording such as \"First Mariner Books edition [year]\" on the copyright page" ], "notablePoints": [ "Mariner was Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's trade paperback imprint; HarperCollins acquired the HMH trade division (including Mariner) in 2021, completing the deal in May and rebranding adult HMH trade titles as Mariner Books in July 2021", "Era/ownership is the key caveat: pre-2021 Mariner/HMH titles follow Houghton Mifflin Harcourt conventions, while post-2021 Mariner is a HarperCollins group", "Many Mariner editions are paperback reprints rather than true first editions of the work" ], "era": "as HMH paperback line 1990s-2021; HarperCollins 2021-" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mark-v-ziesing", "name": "Mark V. Ziesing Books", "slug": "mark-v-ziesing", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Mark V. Ziesing" ], "idMethods": [ "Limited and trade states identified by the limitation/colophon leaf stating the numbered (and sometimes lettered) run, frequently signed", "First printing indicated by absence of later-printing notation; most titles are single small print runs", "Confirm slipcase/binding state as called for in the limitation" ], "notablePoints": [ "Mark Ziesing's specialty press (1980s–1990s); high-design horror/SF including Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands' trade-ancillary work and Lucius Shepard, Bruce Sterling titles", "Published the collectible signed limited of King's 'Nightmares & Dreamscapes'-era and other genre high spots; production design itself is a collecting draw" ], "era": "1980s–1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/marvel-collected-editions", "name": "Marvel Comics (collected editions: TPB / HC / Omnibus / Epic / Masterworks)", "slug": "marvel-collected-editions", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Marvel Omnibus", "Epic Collection", "Marvel Masterworks", "Marvel Premiere Classic", "Complete Collection", "Modern Era Epic Collection", "Mighty Marvel Masterworks" ], "idMethods": [ "Open the indicia (copyright/publishing-info page, usually near the front or on the last page): a first printing states 'First printing [year]' or gives a single printing date; later printings add 'Second printing' or additional dated lines.", "Most modern Marvel collected editions carry a descending number line in the indicia ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest number present is the printing, so a line ending in '1' indicates a first printing. When a second printing is made, the '1' is dropped and the line ends in '2'.", "Cross-check the printing-history block: first printings list only one printing date; reprints list a printing history of multiple dated lines.", "Direct-vs-newsstand does NOT apply to collected book editions, which are book-trade ISBN products; the direct/newsstand barcode distinction only matters for the original floppy issues being collected.", "Omnibus cover variants (for example a 'Direct Market' versus standard cover) are a separate axis from printing; identify the printing via the indicia number line regardless of which cover variant." ], "notablePoints": [ "Marvel collected editions are printed and distributed for the book trade and bear ISBNs and standard number lines, unlike the floppy comics they reprint.", "Omnibuses routinely sell out and receive a second printing years later, often with a changed cover, but the authoritative printing point is the indicia number line, not the cover.", "Epic Collection volumes are frequently renumbered and reissued; a given volume can have multiple printings, so verify the line.", "For the original floppy issues (not collections): a first printing has no printing statement; reprints are marked '2nd printing' on the cover/indicia. Direct-edition issues show the direct-market box in the cover UPC area; newsstand issues show a full UPC barcode. This matters for original-issue collecting, not for the book collections." ], "era": "collected-edition program: 1990s-present (Masterworks since 1987; Omnibus since 2006)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcclelland-and-stewart", "name": "McClelland & Stewart", "slug": "mcclelland-and-stewart", "region": "Canada", "imprints": [ "New Canadian Library", "Douglas Gibson Books", "Tundra Books (children's, associated)", "Emblem Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "PRIMARY (era-dependent): M&S has no single universal first-printing convention; method depends on the period. For earlier/mid-century Canadian firsts, identify by the ABSENCE of any later-printing/number line on the copyright page, combined with a 'First published [Year]' (or 'First printing [Year]') statement and the M&S imprint. A genuine M&S first frequently has NO number line at all — do not reject it for lacking one.", "Modern titles (roughly 1990s-present): a printer's-key number line IS used; lowest digit indicates the printing, so a line ending in 1 (e.g. '1 2 3 4 5' or '5 4 3 2 1', sometimes with year digits) indicates a first printing. Verified example: Atwood, The Robber Bride (M&S, 1993) carries a full M&S number line.", "Corroborate with the printer's imprint / colophon for early-20th-century titles (e.g. L.M. Montgomery M&S firsts of the 1920s show printer names like Warwick Bros. & Rutter, with Hunter-Rose on later printings).", "CRITICAL caution: a number line ending in 1 does NOT by itself confirm an M&S first, because many of these authors had simultaneous or precedent US/UK editions that also use number lines. Verified counterexample: Atwood, Bodily Harm — the M&S Canadian first (1981) has NO number line and is identified by the absence of a subsequent-printing statement, while the number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' belongs to the US Simon & Schuster edition (1982), NOT the M&S first." ], "notablePoints": [ "'The Canadian Publishers' — M&S published the Canadian firsts of Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, Leonard Cohen, Alice Munro, and Mordecai Richler (note: Munro's M&S titles came largely via the Douglas Gibson Books imprint from 1986).", "New Canadian Library (launched 1958, founded by Malcolm Ross) is a quality paperback REPRINT series of Canadian literary works — NOT first editions.", "Many of these Canadian authors also had US and/or UK firsts; verify which national edition has true precedence, since the M&S edition is not always the first printing and the foreign edition may carry the number line.", "Founding note: the firm dates to 1906 but as 'McClelland & Goodchild'; the 'McClelland & Stewart' name dates from 1919, so '1906-present' is only correct for the company lineage, not the M&S imprint name." ], "era": "1906-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcd-books", "name": "MCD", "slug": "mcd-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "MCD", "MCD x FSG Originals" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing follows FSG house style: a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, with a \"First edition\" plus year statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Sean McDonald's experimental literary imprint within Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Macmillan", "MCD x FSG Originals titles were paperback originals, so the paperback first printing is the true first", "FSG announced the closure of the MCD program in April 2026; Sean McDonald departed, and new titles move to FSG branding beginning fall 2026" ], "era": "2016-2026" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcfarland-and-company", "name": "McFarland & Company", "slug": "mcfarland-and-company", "region": "USA (Jefferson, NC)", "imprints": [ "McFarland", "Exposit Books", "Toplight Books", "McFarland (pop-culture/film/music reference)" ], "idMethods": [ "1979-c.2005 (offset-print era): Independent academic/reference publisher (film, TV, music, and pop-culture reference). First printings are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a full line ending in '1' = first printing); a Library of Congress CIP block is typically present.", "c.2005-present (digital short-run + print-on-demand era): McFarland moved heavily to short-run and print-on-demand, so later 'printings' may be produced on demand without a changed number line, making the number line a LESS reliable printing indicator for recent titles. For these, identify the title/edition by the copyright year and any 'First edition' statement and treat number-line firstness cautiously.", "All eras: McFarland states the year and often a printing line; initial runs are small, so genuine first printings of niche film/music reference are scarce but rarely command edition premiums." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1979 by Robert Franklin in Jefferson, NC; large long-tail of FILM, TV, and MUSIC reference/encyclopedic titles — a core house for this niche slice.", "Integrates traditional offset printing with digital short-run/print-on-demand (notably post ~2005), which erodes the reliability of number-line printing identification for newer titles.", "Small initial runs make true firsts genuinely scarce.", "Exposit and Toplight are McFarland sub-imprints." ], "era": "1979-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcgill-queens-university-press", "name": "McGill-Queen's University Press", "slug": "mcgill-queens-university-press", "region": "Canada (Montreal, QC / Kingston, ON)", "imprints": [ "Carleton Library Series (distributed/co-published)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line, '1' present = first printing", "First printing copyright page free of later-printing history", "Later printings add 'Reprinted YYYY' or impression statements; revised eds stated", "ISBN prefixes associated with the press: 978-0-7735, 978-0-2280 (newer)" ], "notablePoints": [ "McGill University Press founded 1960; Queen's University joined as partner and the press was incorporated as the joint McGill-Queen's University Press in 1969; second-largest Canadian academic press", "Pre-1969 titles may carry the 'McGill University Press' imprint — that imprint name dates a book to 1960-1969 and helps confirm an early printing", "Standard academic caveat for older titles lacking explicit first-printing wording" ], "era": "1960/1969-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcgraw-hill", "name": "McGraw-Hill Book Company", "slug": "mcgraw-hill", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "McGraw-Hill", "Whittlesey House (trade imprint, 1930s-1950s)", "Blakiston" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1956: McGraw-Hill may not have used a first-edition statement at all. Where one appears, it is on the COPYRIGHT PAGE (not the title page); the safest pre-1956 signal is a single un-amended copyright date with no later-printing/reprint notice.", "From 1956 onward: adopted a consistent 'First Edition' statement on the COPYRIGHT PAGE and noted subsequent printings.", "From around 1972: began using a number line (number row), sometimes alongside a 'First Edition' statement. Absence of later printings supports a first, BUT note McGraw-Hill occasionally failed to remove the 'First Edition' statement from later printings, so once a number line is present the lowest number in the row is the more reliable indicator." ], "notablePoints": [ "Primarily a technical/educational/reference publisher — for textbooks, 'edition' typically means a revised edition, NOT a first printing; treat textbook 'editions' with caution.", "Whittlesey House was McGraw-Hill's trade/general imprint (McGraw-Hill entered trade publishing under it in 1930) and is where most collectible vintage McGraw-Hill firsts appear.", "Pre-1956 practice was inconsistent; a single un-amended copyright date plus no reprint notice is the safest pre-1956 signal." ], "era": "1909-1980s (consistent statement from 1956)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcloughlin-brothers", "name": "McLoughlin Brothers", "slug": "mcloughlin-brothers", "region": "New York, NY (later Springfield, MA under Milton Bradley)", "imprints": [ "McLoughlin Bros.", "Little Showman's Series", "Aunt Louisa's Toy Books", "Milton Bradley McLoughlin Division" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1858 (Elton & Co. predecessor era): John McLoughlin Jr. took over the Elton & Co. firm around 1850; early imprints carry the predecessor name or 'John McLoughlin' and bear no edition statements. Date by imprint name, NYC address, and printing technique (woodcut with hand-stencil coloring) rather than any printed point; the earliest toy books are undated.", "1858-1869: the firm trades as 'McLoughlin Brothers' from 1858 (Edmund McLoughlin a partner). Books are almost never dated and carry no edition statement. Date strictly by the NYC street address in the imprint (address-dating is the primary tool for the entire firm) and by printing technique (hand-stencil color).", "1870-1900: shift to chromolithography; still undated with no 'first edition' wording. Identify the printing window via successive imprint-address states (Beekman, Greene, Duane, Broadway addresses) and copyright or series notations. Many titles were reissued for decades from the same text block, so the true first issue is the earliest address state.", "1900-1920: some copyright dates appear on lithographed picture books and linen books; the copyright year is the best dating anchor but reflects first copyright rather than a specific printing, and no printing identifier is used.", "1920-c.1944 (Milton Bradley ownership): sold to Milton Bradley in 1920 and the McLoughlin Division moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. The 'McLoughlin Bros., Inc., Springfield, Mass.' imprint dates a book to the post-1920 era; there is no first-printing statement, so identify by imprint location and Milton Bradley association." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by John McLoughlin Jr. (1827-1905), who took over the Elton & Co. firm around 1850, with brother Edmund a partner; the firm name 'McLoughlin Brothers' dates from 1858.", "A pioneer of color children's books in America, using hand-stenciling early and then chromolithography and related relief-color processes.", "The single most important dating tool is the NYC street address printed in the imprint; collectors use address-change tables to date otherwise-undated toy books.", "Sold to Milton Bradley in 1920, after which a 'Springfield, Mass.' imprint signals the post-1920 era.", "Notable lines include Aunt Louisa's Toy Books, linen 'indestructible' books, paper dolls, and games." ], "era": "1858-c.1944 (roots to c.1850; Milton Bradley division to WWII era)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mcsweeneys", "name": "McSweeney's", "slug": "mcsweeneys", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "McSweeney's Books", "Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern (journal)", "The Believer (former magazine)", "McSweeney's McMullens (children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "Highly designed copyright/colophon pages; many books and especially the 'Quarterly Concern' issues are produced as distinct physical objects where the issue number and elaborate colophon are the identifying apparatus, not a conventional number line", "Trade book titles generally do carry a standard number line ending in 1 and/or a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page", "San Francisco independent founded 1998 by Dave Eggers; nonprofit since 2014", "For the Quarterly (McSweeney's Issue 1, 2, ... ) treat each issue as a discrete numbered object; variant covers/bindings and 'collector's editions' exist within a single issue number" ], "notablePoints": [ "McSweeney's Quarterly issues are famous for variant formats (boxes, multiple booklets, variant covers within one issue — e.g., Issue 11 collector's edition); a single 'issue' can have multiple physical states, so the collectible point is the issue number plus the specific format/binding variant rather than a printing line", "Some trade titles had simultaneous or near-simultaneous editions and limited signed states — verify limitation statements", "For trade books, conventional stated-first + number line applies; for the Quarterly, rely on issue number and documented format variants" ], "era": "1998–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/melbourne-university-press", "name": "Melbourne University Press / Melbourne University Publishing", "slug": "melbourne-university-press", "region": "Melbourne, Victoria, Australia", "imprints": [ "Melbourne University Press", "Melbourne University Publishing (corporate name from 2002)", "MUP Academic", "The Miegunyah Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1922-c.1960: As Australia's first university press, early titles follow the British convention: 'First published [year]' with 'Printed in Australia' and no reprint note on a first printing; later printings add 'Reprinted [year]'. The first book was Myra Willard's 'History of the White Australia Policy' (1923).", "c.1960-c.1990: 'First published [year] by Melbourne University Press' with '© [year]'; a first printing shows matching dates and no reprint line, with an Australian National Library CIP block appearing from the 1970s.", "c.1990-present: 'First published [year]' plus a descending number line (lowest digit = printing) and full ISBN/CIP data; the corporate name reads 'Melbourne University Publishing' from 2002. A complete line ending in 1 with no reprint note indicates a first printing. Number-line use follows the standard scholarly convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Commenced 1922 as Australia's first university press; its first book appeared in 1923.", "Privatised and renamed Melbourne University Publishing in 2002, so the 'Publishing' corporate wording dates a title to 2002 or later; the historic 'Melbourne University Press' imprint remains in use.", "The Miegunyah Press is an endowed quality/illustrated imprint of the house, not a separate publisher.", "Frank Wilmot ('Furnley Maurice') was an early manager, relevant to the provenance of 1930s titles." ], "era": "1922-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/melville-house", "name": "Melville House Publishing", "slug": "melville-house", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Melville House", "Melville International Crime", "The Neversink Library (series)", "The Art of the Novella (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated 'First Edition' / 'First Melville House Printing: [year]' on the copyright page is common", "Descending number line ending in 1 on first printings (modern standard)", "Brooklyn (Hoboken origin) independent founded 2001 by Dennis Johnson and Valerie Merians; conventional identification", "Series titles (Art of the Novella, Neversink) are reprints of public-domain works — 'first' refers to the Melville House edition/printing, not the work" ], "notablePoints": [ "Many catalog titles are reissues of classics; a 'first edition' designation refers to Melville House's edition, so confirm it's the first Melville House printing via the number line", "Distinctive uniform series design (Art of the Novella) — no per-title points of issue", "No proprietary house key" ], "era": "2001–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/menasha-ridge-press", "name": "Menasha Ridge Press", "slug": "menasha-ridge-press", "region": "USA (Birmingham, Alabama)", "imprints": [ "Menasha Ridge Press", "Menasha Ridge Press (AdventureKEEN imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1982-2000s (independent, Birmingham AL): Trade firsts typically state 'First Edition'/'First printing' and/or carry a descending number line; the lowest digit present indicates the printing ('1' = first). The 'Best in Tent Camping' and paddling/hiking guides are routinely revised, so the edition number is restated for new editions.", "2010s-present (under Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN): Standard descending number line; lowest surviving digit indicates the printing. The imprint continues as 'Menasha Ridge Press'.", "All eras: For the long-running outdoor-recreation series, verify both the EDITION (revision level) and the printing statement — a first printing of a third edition is not the original first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1982 by Bob Sehlinger, who began the company from his Birmingham home; specialist in paddling, hiking, and camping guidebooks (notably the 'Best in Tent Camping' and 'Five-Star Trails' series) plus outdoor adventure narratives.", "Grew into the genesis of AdventureKEEN (Keen Communications), a multi-brand outdoors, nature, and travel publisher in Birmingham, AL, sharing house conventions with sister outdoor imprints such as Wilderness Press.", "Guidebook-heavy list means edition-tracking is central to identification." ], "era": "1982-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mercer-university-press", "name": "Mercer University Press", "slug": "mercer-university-press", "region": "South (Macon, Georgia)", "imprints": [ "Mercer University Press", "Sarah Mills Hodge Fund titles (funded series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1979-1990s: Standard university-press convention - no 'First Edition' slug; treat a first printing as a single copyright date with no later-printing or 'second printing' notation. Many early titles are religion/theology and Southern history monographs in small print runs.", "1990s-present: Standard academic number-line practice - a number line on the copyright page with the lowest digit present indicating the printing (a present '1' indicates a first printing); the copyright page typically also states the first-publication year and notes later printings or editions explicitly. Cloth and paper issues each carry their own printing data, so distinguish the first cloth printing from the first paper printing.", "Where no number line is present on an early title, the absence of any printing statement plus a matching copyright year is the practical first-printing tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1979 at Mercer University, Macon, Georgia; strong in religion and Baptist studies, Georgia and Southern history, and Southern literature (including Flannery O'Connor scholarship).", "Small academic print runs; the absence of a printing statement plus a matching copyright year is the practical first-printing tell where no number line appears.", "Frequently issues sequential or simultaneous cloth and paperback - track binding-specific firsts.", "Some titles are funded via named endowments (e.g., the Sarah Mills Hodge Fund) noted on the copyright or acknowledgments page; that funding note is not an edition signal." ], "era": "1979-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mercury-jonathan-press", "name": "Mercury Mystery / Jonathan Press / Bestseller Mystery (Mercury Publications)", "slug": "mercury-jonathan-press", "region": "USA (New York, NY - Mercury Publications / The American Mercury)", "imprints": [ "Bestseller Mystery (originally Bestseller Library)", "Mercury Mystery", "Jonathan Press Mystery", "American Mercury" ], "idMethods": [ "1938-1950s (digest-sized mysteries): all three lines are abridged digest reprints, each with its own letter+number code on the cover/spine - Bestseller Mystery (B prefix), Mercury Mystery, and Jonathan Press (J prefix). The code identifies the title; the first printing is shown by the absence of any reprint or later-printing notice on the copyright page.", "Bestseller Library launched 1938 and was split in 1940 into Mercury Mysteries and Bestseller Mysteries; Jonathan Press Mystery launched in 1942 - use the line and code range to bracket the date.", "These were almost always abridged reprints of existing hardcovers, so the digest is rarely the text's first edition; the 'first' point applies only to that digest printing - earliest digest printing means no later-printing statement and the original cover price.", "Stapled digest format (not perfect-bound) and pulp paper are era tells for the 1940s issues; later issues moved to slightly larger formats." ], "notablePoints": [ "Owned and run by Lawrence E. Spivak (later moderator of 'Meet the Press'), business manager then publisher of The American Mercury.", "Reprinted Allingham, Christie, Gardner, Hammett, Queen, Simenon, Stout and Woolrich - usually in abridged/condensed form.", "Digest size distinguishes these from standard mass-market paperbacks; collectors prize complete, unmarked digests.", "The cover code prefix (B / Mercury number / J) is the quickest line-identifier." ], "era": "1938-1950s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mercury-mysteries", "name": "Mercury Publications / Mercury Mysteries (Lawrence Spivak)", "slug": "mercury-mysteries", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Mercury Mystery", "Bestseller Mystery", "Jonathan Press Mystery", "Ellery Queen / The American Mercury digest line" ], "idMethods": [ "Digest-sized paperback reprint/abridgment line (1937-1950s) tied to The American Mercury / Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine; identify by series number (Mercury Mystery #/Bestseller Mystery #/Jonathan Press #).", "Generally REPRINTS or abridgments, not firsts; the series number and digest format are the identifiers. Copyright page notes the original publisher.", "First-printing-of-the-digest can be inferred from the series number and absence of a reprint note, but the magazine/original hardcover is usually the true first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Edited/published in the orbit of Lawrence Spivak and Frederic Dannay (Ellery Queen); important historically for keeping detective fiction in print cheaply.", "Confused with Fawcett/Dell only superficially — Mercury is digest-sized and reprint-oriented.", "Occasionally the digest is the first BOOK appearance of a story that ran only in a magazine; in those cases note 'first book appearance,' not 'first edition.'" ], "era": "1937-1950s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/methodist-book-concern", "name": "Methodist Book Concern", "slug": "methodist-book-concern", "region": "New York & Cincinnati (US religious publishing)", "imprints": [ "Methodist Book Concern", "Carlton & Phillips / Carlton & Porter / Carlton & Lanahan (NY agents)", "Hitchcock & Walden / Cranston & Stowe / Cranston & Curts (Cincinnati/Western agents)", "Eaton & Mains (NY, late 19c)", "Curts & Jennings" ], "idMethods": [ "1789–1830s: the official Methodist Episcopal publishing house, founded by John Dickins, with books carrying the imprint of the current Book Agents rather than the words 'Methodist Book Concern' as such. Identify the period by the agent partnership named on the title page; there is no first-edition statement (use the dated title page where one is present).", "1840s–1890s: the imprint cycles through successive agents — in New York: Lane & Scott, Carlton & Phillips, Carlton & Porter, Carlton & Lanahan, Nelson & Phillips, Phillips & Hunt, Hunt & Eaton, Eaton & Mains; in the Western/Cincinnati house: Swormstedt & Poe, Poe & Hitchcock, Hitchcock & Walden, Walden & Stowe, Cranston & Stowe, Cranston & Curts, Curts & Jennings. The agent-name pair on the title page is the primary dating tool, since each partnership brackets a known span (e.g., Carlton & Porter dissolved in 1872).", "First printing is otherwise identified by the dated title page and the absence of a later-printing notice; there is no formal 'First Edition' statement. New York and Cincinnati issues of the same title may be simultaneous, so priority generally cannot be assigned.", "Hymnals and Disciplines are dated by year and by the General Conference revision they reflect, so the revision year effectively functions as the edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1789 (by John Dickins); one of America's oldest and largest publishers, the official press of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with a Western (Cincinnati) house authorized by the 1820 General Conference.", "Constantly changing Book Agent partnership imprints are the key to dating — each pair (e.g., 'Carlton & Porter,' 'Cranston & Stowe') corresponds to a defined date range.", "Reorganized into the Methodist Publishing House / Abingdon Press in the 20th century.", "Vast devotional, hymnal, and Sunday-school output; textual firsts are rarely tracked, and imprint dating dominates." ], "era": "1789–early 1900s (as Methodist Book Concern)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/methuen", "name": "Methuen & Co.", "slug": "methuen", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Methuen", "Methuen Drama (Eyre Methuen)", "Magnet (children's paperback)" ], "idMethods": [ "Since 1905: state \"First published in [Year]\" or \"First published in Great Britain [Year]\" on the copyright page of firsts, with later printings noted", "Pre-1905: no copyright-page statement on firsts; later printings sometimes indicated by a 'thousands' statement on the title page (e.g. 'Forty-third Thousand') — a higher 'thousand' = later printing", "First printing = the 'First published' statement (post-1905) OR absence of any 'thousand'/reprint notation (pre-1905)", "Modern Methuen (and as Bloomsbury imprint) uses number lines" ], "notablePoints": [ "The 'Nth Thousand' title-page convention is a classic Edwardian-era tell — the FIRST thousand printing is the true first; later 'thousands' are reprints, not firsts", "Published Kenneth Grahame ('The Wind in the Willows', 1908), A.A. Milne ('Winnie-the-Pooh' Methuen, 1926), Oscar Wilde, Robert Graves", "Milne/Pooh firsts have specific binding and first-issue points highly sought after" ], "era": "1889-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/metropolitan-books", "name": "Metropolitan Books", "slug": "metropolitan-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Metropolitan", "Metropolitan Books" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing shows a complete number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notice", "Typically paired with a stated \"First Edition\" on the copyright page, following Henry Holt/Macmillan practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Literary and political-nonfiction imprint within Henry Holt at Macmillan, co-founded by Sara Bershtel in 1995", "Published authors including Atul Gawande, Barbara Ehrenreich, Thomas Frank, and Susan Faludi", "Identification follows Holt/Macmillan conventions, not any imprint-specific rule" ], "era": "1995–2022" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/michael-joseph", "name": "Michael Joseph", "slug": "michael-joseph", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Michael Joseph", "Mermaid Books", "Pelham Books (sibling)", "Michael Joseph (under Penguin later)" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions state \"First published [Year]\" or \"First published in Great Britain [Year]\" on the copyright page with later printings noted", "First printing = statement present AND no subsequent-impression lines", "Modern (Penguin-owned) titles use number lines ending in 1", "Confirm via clean copyright page free of 'Reprinted/Second impression' notation" ], "notablePoints": [ "Strong commercial fiction list: H.E. Bates, Dick Francis, Monica Dickens, James Herriot (UK), Catherine Cookson", "Now an imprint within Penguin Random House", "Book-club and Reprint Society (World Books) editions are common look-alikes to weed out" ], "era": "1935-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/michelin-guides", "name": "Michelin (Guide Michelin / Red & Green Guides)", "slug": "michelin-guides", "region": "France (Clermont-Ferrand/Paris)", "imprints": [ "Guide Michelin (Red Guide)", "Guide Vert / Green Guide", "Michelin maps (carte routière, e.g. the 1:200,000 series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Annual publications identified by YEAR, not by edition/printing points. The cover or title page bears the year; collectible standing is tied to the specific year (especially the 1900 first).", "1900-1930: the Red Guide was originally issued with a BLUE cover (not red). The 1900 first guide — about 35,000 copies given away free, presented around the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition — is the key collectible. Authenticate it by physical construction: the original is a small sewn booklet, whereas the later facsimile reissues (notably 1989 and 2000) are reproductions in stiff red-ish wraps; differences in binding and paper are the primary forgery tell, so compare against a documented original before trusting any copy.", "1920: Michelin began selling the guide rather than giving it away free; format and content shift accordingly.", "1931-present: the cover color changed from blue to RED around 1931. The year on the cover identifies the annual; the restaurant star ratings (a single star from 1926, the three-star scale established in the early 1930s) help bracket the era.", "Green Guides (touring/sightseeing, from the 1920s): dated by year/edition on the copyright page; modern reissues use standard copyright-page dating.", "Maps: dated by a printed code/year; the Michelin sheet number plus the printed revision date identify the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "The 1900 first guide has a blue cover and sewn construction; documented facsimiles exist (notably 1989 and 2000), so binding and paper are the decisive authentication tell — the single most important point in this slice.", "Blue cover = pre-1931; red cover = roughly 1931 onward.", "An annual collected by year; the war years and the earliest 1900s issues are the scarcest.", "The star system's origins (single star from 1926, expanded to the three-star scale in the early 1930s) help date restaurant-guide issues." ], "era": "1900-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/michigan-state-university-press", "name": "Michigan State University Press", "slug": "michigan-state-university-press", "region": "East Lansing, Michigan", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1947–c.1975: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line.", "c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.", "Paperback reissues/reprints state the new printing year; distinguish a later paperback printing from the original cloth first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1947 under MSU President John A. Hannah; lists in African studies, African American studies, American Indian/Indigenous studies, rhetoric, and Great Lakes/Michigan regional history.", "Distinct from both Wayne State University Press (Detroit) and the University of Michigan Press (Ann Arbor) — three separate Michigan presses.", "Smaller regional/scholarly list means many titles never reach a second printing." ], "era": "1947–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/microcosm-publishing", "name": "Microcosm Publishing", "slug": "microcosm-publishing", "region": "Cleveland, Ohio then Portland, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "Microcosm Publishing" ], "idMethods": [ "1996-1999 (Cleveland zine/distro era): Self-published zines and chapbooks, frequently undated and unnumbered; first printings identified by Cleveland, Ohio origin and hand-assembled production. Many early zines carry no formal copyright page at all.", "1999-c.2010 (early Portland era): Books and zines after the move to Portland, Oregon; many first printings carry no number line — identify by the Portland address and a 'first printing / first edition, YEAR' note where present. Popular zine-titles exist in multiple printings, often marked 'Nth printing' in the colophon.", "c.2010-present: More conventional trade copyright pages; perfect-bound books use a descending number line, lowest digit indicating the printing. Microcosm often states the printing number, and sometimes the press run, in the colophon — read the colophon, which frequently states the printing explicitly." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1996 by Joe Biel in Cleveland, Ohio (run from his bedroom/closet) as a zine, record, and book distro; relocated to Portland, Oregon in 1999, where it remains based, with a continued Cleveland presence.", "Punk/DIY ethos means bibliographic conventions are loose on early material — many items are undated, so an explicit colophon note is often the best dating tool.", "Long-running titles (for example bicycle and self-care zines and books) appear in many printings; collectibility favors the earliest Cleveland and early-Portland printings." ], "era": "1996-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/midland-publishing", "name": "Midland Publishing / Midland Counties Publications", "slug": "midland-publishing", "region": "Hinckley / Leicester, United Kingdom", "imprints": [ "Midland Publishing", "Aerofax (detailed-aircraft series)", "Crécy-distributed titles", "Ian Allan-distributed" ], "idMethods": [ "1980s-2000s (UK aviation specialist): the copyright page states 'First published [year] by Midland Publishing' with no reprint line on a first; reprints add a 'Reprinted [year]' line. A sole 'First published' statement indicates the first.", "Some titles carry a number line; where present, the lowest digit indicates the printing. The 'Aerofax' detailed-monograph series follows the same convention.", "Distribution passed through Midland Counties Publications and later Ian Allan and Crécy; distributor wording does not affect printing identification." ], "notablePoints": [ "A major UK source for Soviet and Russian and Cold War aircraft monographs (the Gordon & Komissarov titles, the Aerofax series).", "Later absorbed into the Crécy Publishing group; the masthead changes but the convention persists.", "Specialist short runs; out-of-print Soviet-subject titles are sought after." ], "era": "c.1985-present (within Crécy group)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/midnight-paper-sales", "name": "Midnight Paper Sales", "slug": "midnight-paper-sales", "region": "Stockholm, Wisconsin, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1980-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of Gaylord Schanilec, known above all for color wood engraving. The colophon records the limitation, the engraving and printing method, the papers, the types, and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed. There is no number line or 'First Edition' slug.", "For the landmark natural-history titles (Mayflies of the Driftless Region, 2005; Sylvae, 2007; Lac des Pleurs, 2015) verify the edition size and any variant state against the press's own descriptions and the published Schanilec bibliography (Rulon-Miller's 'Quarter to Midnight', 2011).", "Color wood engravings printed from multiple blocks are the signature feature; some titles include a separately issued specimen or suite described in the colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Gaylord Schanilec is a leading contemporary practitioner of color wood engraving in books.", "Each book is a limited first; the engraving technique itself is an authenticity tell.", "Some natural-history titles carry pasted-in wood specimens or samples described in the colophon." ], "era": "1980-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/midwood-books", "name": "Midwood Books", "slug": "midwood-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Midwood", "Midwood-Tower", "Tower (sister)", "Midwood F-series / 32-series" ], "idMethods": [ "Midwood used letter/number catalog codes (early F-prefix, later all-numeric 32-xxx and similar) on cover/spine; the code IDs the title and era.", "First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page; Midwood seldom reprinted, so essentially all copies are first printings.", "Later 'Midwood-Tower' branding and the Tower sister-imprint numbering mark the post-1964 era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Midwood (Harry Shorten, c.1957-1968) was a major paperback-original adult/sleaze house, so the Midwood printing IS the true first; no hardcover exists for these titles.", "Collected for early-career work by later-notable authors: Lawrence Block (as Sheldon Lord), Donald E. Westlake (as Alan Marshall), and Robert Silverberg (as Loren Beauchamp) wrote many of the early numbered Midwood titles under pseudonyms, making those originals sought-after true firsts.", "Paul Rader cover art is a signature collector draw.", "Folded into / rebranded with Tower Publications, also run by Shorten, in the mid-to-late 1960s." ], "era": "1957-1968" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/milkweed-editions", "name": "Milkweed Editions", "slug": "milkweed-editions", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Milkweed (literary fiction/poetry/essay)", "Seedbank (translation/world literature series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated 'First Edition' or 'Published [year] by Milkweed Editions' on the copyright page; literary titles frequently carry a stated first", "Descending number line ending in 1 on first printings (modern standard)", "Nonprofit press, Minneapolis, founded 1980 (book program 1984); conventional contemporary identification — no proprietary house key", "Copyright-page colophon naming the typeface/designer is common but is decorative, not an edition point" ], "notablePoints": [ "Poetry collections often print in small runs; first printings are scarce but identified normally via stated-first + number line", "Watch for later printings of breakout titles (e.g., heavily reprinted nature/essay titles) where '1' has dropped off the line", "No book-club-edition tradition for most Milkweed titles" ], "era": "1984–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/minnesota-historical-society-press", "name": "Minnesota Historical Society Press", "slug": "minnesota-historical-society-press", "region": "St. Paul, Minnesota", "imprints": [ "Borealis Books", "Borealis Reprints" ], "idMethods": [ "Early titles (pre-c.1975): Historical-society publications, often with no first-printing statement; later printings/impressions noted; a first printing shows matching title/copyright dates with no added printing line.", "c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard; the press participates in the LC CIP program.", "Borealis Books (national trade imprint) and Borealis Reprints: a Borealis edition states 'Borealis Books edition' with a first-Borealis-printing year and is the trade/reprint state — a Borealis reprint of an older Minnesota classic is not the original first edition, and its Borealis printing line dates only that reissue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing arm of the Minnesota Historical Society (society founded 1849; the press dates to 1859); the oldest publisher in Minnesota and the largest historical-society press in the country.", "Borealis Books is the national trade imprint; Borealis Reprints revives Upper-Midwest classics — the chief first-edition pitfall here.", "Strong list on Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, Ojibwe/Dakota history, and immigrant/ethnic history." ], "era": "1859–present (press; Minnesota Historical Society founded 1849)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/minotaur-books", "name": "Minotaur Books", "slug": "minotaur-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Minotaur" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing", "First printing: full number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notice, following St. Martin's/Macmillan practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Crime, mystery, suspense, and thriller imprint within the St. Martin's Publishing Group at Macmillan, launched in 1999", "Co-sponsors the long-running Minotaur Books / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition", "Identification follows St. Martin's/Macmillan conventions" ], "era": "1999–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/minton-balch-and-company", "name": "Minton, Balch & Company", "slug": "minton-balch-and-company", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Minton, Balch & Co.", "Putnam – Minton, Balch (post-merger joint usage)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry NO indication of first printing on the verso of the title page (copyright page); subsequent printings are explicitly marked 'Second Printing,' 'Third Printing,' etc. The reliable tell is the absence of any later-printing notice. (Confirmed by qbbooks and IOBA publisher-identification lists derived from Zempel & Verkler.)", "Title page is generally dated to match the copyright.", "After the 1930 Putnam merger, the Minton, Balch imprint continued to appear on some titles into the mid-1930s; for those, apply this same no-statement / reprint-noted convention, but be aware Putnam house practice governs the combined firm." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1924; Melville Minton and Earle Balch among the principals; built a quality literary and general list in the 1920s.", "Merged with G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1930 (after George Haven Putnam's death the Putnam heirs voted to merge; Minton, Balch became majority stockholders and Melville Minton became president). The imprint name nonetheless appeared on some books into the mid-1930s.", "Identification relies on the no-statement convention plus the dated imprint." ], "era": "1924–1930 (independent; imprint name persisted on some titles into the mid-1930s after the Putnam merger)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mirage-press", "name": "Mirage Press", "slug": "mirage-press", "region": "Baltimore, Maryland, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1961-c.1990s: first printings carry the Mirage Press (later Mirage Press, Ltd.) imprint. Many early titles are tiny runs in wrappers or boards; the imprint together with a stated low print figure identifies the first. Mirage on Lovecraft: A Literary View (1965) was issued in roughly 200 numbered copies.", "Some scholarly titles state a print quantity or carry a numbered limitation/colophon page; for early fan-produced items the imprint and physical format (stapled wrappers vs. later hardcover) indicate state.", "Hardcover trade and occasional signed/limited states exist for later titles - check for a limitation or colophon page to separate states." ], "notablePoints": [ "Grew out of Jack L. Chalker's fanzine Mirage (1960-1971); Chalker founded Mirage Press in 1961, specializing in SF/fantasy scholarship and bibliography.", "Published Mirage on Lovecraft: A Literary View (1965) and the Chalker/Owings Revised H.P. Lovecraft Bibliography.", "Co-run with Mark Owings; an early outlet for Lovecraft and SF reference scholarship." ], "era": "1961-c.1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mit-press", "name": "MIT Press", "slug": "mit-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Bradford Books", "Zone Books (distributed)", "Boston Review Books", "Strong Ideas series", "Leonardo Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page carries a descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest number present indicates the printing — a '1' = first printing. This is MIT Press's standard modern convention.", "Older/first printings may state 'First MIT Press edition' or 'First printing, 19xx'; later printings are noted on the copyright page.", "Revised editions are dated and numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Bradford Books (cognitive science/philosophy of mind imprint, e.g., Dennett titles) is an MIT Press imprint and follows MIT Press copyright-page conventions; a 'Bradford Book' line is an imprint identifier, not a printing indicator.", "MIT technical/textbook titles reprint heavily with an unchanged copyright year — the number line is essential; do not infer first printing from the copyright date alone.", "Some co-publications with other houses show that partner's printing history." ], "era": "1962–present (number line standard)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mitchell-kennerley", "name": "Mitchell Kennerley", "slug": "mitchell-kennerley", "region": "New York, USA (founder English-born; also London ties)", "imprints": [ "The Forum (periodical)", "The Little Book-Shop Around the Corner (bookselling arm)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1906–c.1924: No formal 'first edition' statement. First printings are identified by the absence of later-printing notices and by the title-page date matching the copyright date; production points and binding/jacket states are frequently the decisive evidence (consult Daniel Boice, 'The Mitchell Kennerley Imprint: A Descriptive Bibliography,' which dealers cite as 'Boice [number]').", "A fine-printing house: typography (notably Goudy's Kennerley Old Style) and careful book production are characteristic but are not by themselves printing points." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded c.1906 by Mitchell Kennerley, who trained under John Lane in London and New York; admired for his production standards.", "Commissioned Frederic W. Goudy's Kennerley Old Style typeface (1911).", "Published 'The Lyric Year' (1912), which contained Edna St. Vincent Millay's 'Renascence,' and issued early D. H. Lawrence, Walter Lippmann, Upton Sinclair, and Van Wyck Brooks.", "The imprint wound down in the early-to-mid 1920s as Kennerley shifted to the art-auction/gallery world (Anderson Galleries).", "Because the firm left few explicit printing statements, descriptive bibliography (Boice) is the authoritative tool for first-printing calls." ], "era": "c.1906–1924" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/modern-library", "name": "Modern Library", "slug": "modern-library", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Modern Library" ], "idMethods": [ "From roughly 1925 onward a first-thus is usually identified by the statement \"First Modern Library Edition\" (or similar) on the copyright page", "Earliest Boni & Liveright-era titles (1917 to about 1925) are NOT marked as firsts and must be dated by the list of other Modern Library titles printed within the volume, by binding, and by dust-jacket points", "Modern reissues use a publisher number line; on a first printing it descends to 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Primarily a reprint and classics series, so a Modern Library volume is generally NOT the true first edition of the underlying text; it is collected for format, binding, dust-jacket and series points rather than for textual priority", "Series and dust-jacket dating is heavily reliant on Henry Toledano's reference work and the spine/number identifiers used since 1917", "Now published within Random House (Penguin Random House)" ], "era": "1917-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/monarch-books", "name": "Monarch Books", "slug": "monarch-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Monarch", "Monarch Americana" ], "idMethods": [ "Sequential/letter-coded catalog numbers identify the title: the main line ran from #101 (October 1958) to #563 (December 1965), and the Monarch Americana sub-series (begun January 1960, numbered from #300) carried an MA prefix until that prefix was dropped on books published after January 1964.", "First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page. Monarch rarely reprinted, so the great majority of surviving copies are first printings; a reprint would carry the original number.", "The cover price and the number block date the copy." ], "notablePoints": [ "Monarch (1958-1965), distributed through Charlton Publications and run by Charles Heckelmann, formerly of Popular Library, was a prolific paperback-original house heavy on sleaze, genre and noir; most titles are paperback originals, so the Monarch IS the true first and many never had a hardcover.", "Monarch advertised some titles as 'First Publication Anywhere' on the cover (e.g. Monarch 168 and 444), a contemporaneous flag of an original.", "Short-lived line with few reprints, so most surviving copies are first printings." ], "era": "1958-1965" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/moon-guides", "name": "Moon (Moon Travel Handbooks / Moon Publications)", "slug": "moon-guides", "region": "United States (founded Chico, CA; later Avalon Travel, Berkeley; now Hachette Book Group)", "imprints": [ "Moon Handbooks", "Moon Travel Guides", "Moon Spotlight", "Moon Metro" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by the edition statement plus the copyright-page number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing, and on a first printing the stated edition's year should be the earliest (and only) year listed.", "1973-1980s: founded by Bill Dalton; the Indonesia Handbook is the origin title (it grew out of Dalton's self-published Southeast Asia travel notes). Early 'Moon Publications, Chico CA' imprints; first printings are identified by that imprint and the single debut copyright year.", "1990s: 'Moon Travel Handbooks' branding; a standard descending number line appears, with the first printing showing the debut year only.", "2000s-present: absorbed into Avalon Travel Publishing (later Perseus Books, now part of Hachette Book Group); the copyright page uses a conventional number line plus an explicit edition statement ('Second Edition', etc.) — first printing = lowest number and earliest date." ], "notablePoints": [ "Bill Dalton's 1970s Asia handbooks are the origin, with the Indonesia Handbook as the foundational title; the 'Moon Publications, Chico CA' imprint marks the early independent era.", "The imprint chain (Moon Publications → Avalon Travel → Perseus → Hachette) brackets era and copyright-page format.", "Standard US number-line identification from the 1990s onward, with an edition number stated for revised titles.", "Strong on independent and regional US and Asian titles often not covered by the larger guidebook houses." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/morning-sun-books", "name": "Morning Sun Books, Inc.", "slug": "morning-sun-books", "region": "Scotch Plains / Kutztown, New Jersey & Pennsylvania, USA", "imprints": [ "Color Guide series", "In Color series", "Trackside series", "Morning Sun Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1986-present (founded by Robert J. Yanosey; debut title 'Penn Central Power'): a first printing carries a single original copyright date and no later-printing notation. Reprints add a 'Second printing' or revised-date line, so a first equals the sole original copyright year with no reprint statement.", "Most titles are short-run and seldom reprinted, so the combination of the original copyright date and the absence of any 'reprint' or 'second printing' statement is the reliable first-printing tell.", "Series volumes are numbered (for example a railroad's 'In Color' Volume 1, 2, 3 and so on). The volume number is a series sequence, not an edition state: each volume is its own first edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Self-described leading publisher of all-color North American railroad books; collectibility is driven by title scarcity, with out-of-print volumes appreciating.", "Because print runs are small and reprints uncommon, a 'first' is often the only printing, so premiums come from scarcity rather than from issue points.", "Founded in 1986; the debut 'Penn Central Power' was a black-and-white photo history with a twelve-page color insert, and the all-color identity arrived with the later 'In Color' series." ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/motorbooks-international", "name": "Motorbooks International (MBI Publishing Company)", "slug": "motorbooks-international", "region": "Osceola, Wisconsin, USA (later St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota under the Quarto Group)", "imprints": [ "Motorbooks", "MBI Publishing", "Crestline (reprint/bargain hardcover line)", "Zenith Press (military)", "Voyageur Press (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "The firm began as Classic Motorbooks, an importer of foreign car, motorcycle, and racing books, and started publishing its own titles in 1973. Early first printings carry no later-printing notation or state 'First published'; subsequent printings add a printing line.", "On later MBI/Motorbooks titles a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line containing '1' is a first printing. Many titles also carry a stated 'First published in [year]' line that confirms the original year.", "Under Quarto Group ownership (from 2007) the imprint follows Quarto house style: a number line with the lowest digit indicating the printing, plus a 'First published' date. The Crestline imprint is a reprint/bargain hardcover line, so a Crestline edition is not the original first edition of a given title." ], "notablePoints": [ "A dominant US enthusiast publisher for cars, motorcycles, tractors, and aviation; firsts of early marque monographs are collected.", "Sat alongside Zenith Press (military) and Voyageur Press; the current 'Motorbooks' is a Quarto Group imprint, acquired in 2007.", "Co-editions with overseas houses occur; co-edition title pages may carry a partner imprint." ], "era": "1973-present (began publishing its own books in 1973; Quarto ownership from 2007)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mountaineers-books", "name": "Mountaineers Books / The Mountaineers", "slug": "mountaineers-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Mountaineers Books", "Skipstone", "Braided River (conservation photography)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on copyright page; first printing carries the full descending line ending in 1", "Many titles state the printing explicitly ('First edition, [year]' or 'First printing')", "Nonprofit outdoor/conservation press of The Mountaineers club (Seattle), publishing since the 1960s; conventional identification", "Because guidebooks are serially revised, the EDITION number (1st/2nd/3rd edition) is the key bibliographic point, often printed as 'Second edition: first printing'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Flagship 'Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills' runs to many numbered editions; collectors track edition (content revision) not just printing", "Distinguish edition statements from printing lines — a guidebook can be a 'first printing' of a 'fourth edition'", "Braided River conservation titles are large-format; standard number-line identification applies" ], "era": "1960s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mulholland-books", "name": "Mulholland Books", "slug": "mulholland-books", "region": "US (New York/Boston)", "imprints": [ "Mulholland Books" ], "idMethods": [ "\"First Edition\" statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1, following Little, Brown / Hachette practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Crime, thriller, and suspense imprint of Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group); announced June 2010, launched spring 2011", "Follows Little, Brown / Hachette conventions, which since the late 1970s use a 'First Edition' statement together with a number line ending in 1", "A separate UK Mulholland line exists under Hodder & Stoughton — confirm the edition's country of publication before applying these US rules" ], "era": "2011–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/museum-new-mexico-press", "name": "Museum of New Mexico Press", "slug": "museum-new-mexico-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 978-0-89013", "Negative-evidence (no reprint language)", "Number line when present", "Exhibition catalogs are usually single-printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Frequently confused with UNM Press — the ISBN prefix settles it.", "Acquired the Red Crane Books catalog in 2007." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mycroft-and-moran", "name": "Mycroft & Moran", "slug": "mycroft-and-moran", "region": "Sauk City, Wisconsin, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1945-1982: an imprint of Arkham House for weird-detective and Solar Pons fiction; identify by the Mycroft & Moran imprint together with the deerstalker-hat colophon designed by Ronald Clyne.", "1945-late 1970s: like parent Arkham House, used the rear-colophon / no-printing-statement convention - a first printing is indicated by the colophon and the absence of any later-printing notice rather than by a 'First Edition' line.", "Early 1980s: under James Turner, copyright pages began stating 'First Edition' and noting later printings (paralleling Arkham House); the deerstalker colophon persisted as the imprint mark.", "Imprint retired in 1982; verify the Sauk City, Arkham-era address and binding to distinguish genuine vintage firsts from later third-party revivals of the name." ], "notablePoints": [ "Created in 1945 by August Derleth as Arkham House's mystery / weird-detective imprint; the name combines Mycroft Holmes and Col. Sebastian Moran.", "Home of Derleth's Solar Pons Sherlock Holmes pastiches; the debut title was 'In Re: Sherlock Holmes - The Adventures of Solar Pons' (1945).", "Shares Arkham House's identification conventions; the deerstalker colophon is the unique imprint tell." ], "era": "1945-1982" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mystic-seaport", "name": "Mystic Seaport (Mystic Seaport Museum / Marine Historical Association)", "slug": "mystic-seaport", "region": "Mystic, Connecticut, USA", "imprints": [ "Marine Historical Association (early publishing body)", "Mystic Seaport Museum Inc.", "American Maritime Library series" ], "idMethods": [ "Early decades (publishing as the Marine Historical Association): scholarly maritime monographs whose first printings generally carry no printing statement; subsequent printings note 'Second printing' or a revised date. Identify a first by a sole copyright date with no later-printing line.", "Later decades (as Mystic Seaport Museum): the copyright page states the printing or, on more recent trade titles, carries a number line whose lowest number indicates the printing. Many titles state 'First edition' or 'First published' with year.", "All eras: museum-issued exhibition catalogs and reprints of nineteenth-century works are common. A reprint of an earlier work will say 'Reprint' or give the original date plus the museum's later imprint date, and is not a first edition of the original text." ], "notablePoints": [ "Output is small-press and institutional with short print runs, so firsts are scarce but rarely command first-edition premiums except for landmark monographs.", "Co-publishing with university and trade presses means the trade partner's first-edition convention may govern the hardcover.", "The Marine Historical Association was incorporated on December 25, 1929 by Edward E. Bradley, Carl C. Cutler and Charles K. Stillman, and is today Mystic Seaport Museum." ], "era": "c.1929-present (incorporated as the Marine Historical Association in December 1929)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/naval-institute-press", "name": "Naval Institute Press", "slug": "naval-institute-press", "region": "Annapolis, Maryland, USA", "imprints": [ "Bluejacket Books (paperback reprint line)", "U.S. Naval Institute (parent, founded 1873)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-c.1980 (publishing as the U.S. Naval Institute; the formal 'Naval Institute Press' imprint name dates from 1968): first printings carry NO additional-printing notation on the copyright page. Later printings add an explicit 'Second printing', 'Third printing', etc. Absence of any printing statement is the first-printing tell.", "c.1980-present: a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line containing '1' (e.g. '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') signals a first printing. Some titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing' explicitly.", "All eras: when neither a number line nor an explicit statement is present and no 'Second/Third printing' line appears, treat as a first printing. NIP's house convention is to add a printing notation only on subsequent printings." ], "notablePoints": [ "NIP first published Tom Clancy's 'The Hunt for Red October' in October 1984 in a first printing of only about 5,000 copies; the true first has an unpriced dust jacket, six blurbs on the back (the third by Clive Cussler), no stated printing and no 'First Edition' line on the copyright page. Later mass-market reprints were licensed to other houses.", "Bluejacket Books is a paperback reprint imprint, not a first-edition line.", "The date on the title or copyright page should match the copyright year for a first printing." ], "era": "1898-present (Naval Institute Press imprint name from 1968)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nazraeli-press", "name": "Nazraeli Press", "slug": "nazraeli-press", "region": "US (Paso Robles, CA; formerly Tucson, AZ / Portland, OR; founded in Munich, Germany)", "imprints": [ "Nazraeli Press", "One Picture Book series", "One Picture Book Two series", "Six by Six (6x6) portfolio sets", "NZ Library", "Nazraeli trade monographs" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon states the edition and, for the limited series, the numbered limitation; this is the primary identifier.", "One Picture Book series (#1–100, through 2016): each title limited to 500 numbered copies, with a tipped-in original photograph signed by the artist (signed on the verso) — so every copy is technically a limited first; verify the limitation number and the presence of the tipped-in signed print.", "One Picture Book Two (from 2016): same model — 500 numbered copies with a removable signed original print (~5x7 inches), sold in slipcased subscriber sets.", "Trade monographs: first printing stated on the colophon with year; reprints (rare) are stated, and absence of a reprint line plus original price/ISBN supports a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Chris Pichler in Munich in 1989; US-based since 1996. The defining collectible point for the One Picture Book series is the signed/numbered tipped-in original photographic print — a copy lacking the print, or with it removed, is incomplete and worth far less.", "Series numbering (#1–100) and the 'One Picture Book Two' relaunch matter: a #1–100 original is a different object from an OPB Two title of the same artist.", "6x6 portfolio sets and other boxed products are limited editions; the box, all prints, and colophon must be present and the limitation verified." ], "era": "1989–present (founded Munich 1989, US-based since 1996; One Picture Book from 2000)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nbm-publishing", "name": "NBM Publishing (Nantier Beall Minoustchine)", "slug": "nbm-publishing", "region": "USA (New York, NY); acquired by Ablaze Publishing in 2022", "imprints": [ "ComicsLit", "Eurotica (adult)", "Amerotica (adult)" ], "idMethods": [ "Book-trade graphic-novel publisher: the copyright page of a first printing typically gives the year and an explicit 'First edition'/'First printing' statement with no later-printing line; subsequent printings state the higher printing.", "When a descending number line is present on the copyright page, the lowest number indicates the printing ('1' present = first printing). Use the explicit statement as the primary point and the number line, where it appears, as corroboration; do not assume every NBM title carries a number line.", "For translated European (BD) works the page often reads 'First U.S. edition' or notes the U.S. printing; this U.S. first printing is distinct from the original-language first edition and should not be conflated with it." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1976 by Terry Nantier (initially as Flying Buttress Publications, with Chris Beall and Marc Minoustchine), making it one of the oldest U.S. graphic-novel-format publishers; long focused on translated European comics.", "Papercutz was founded in 2005 by Nantier (with Jim Salicrup) as a companion family-friendly/licensed publisher; it is a separate sister company, not an NBM imprint, and its books carry Papercutz branding.", "Eurotica and Amerotica are the adult lines and ComicsLit is the literary line; imprint branding does not change the first-printing rule. NBM was acquired by Ablaze Publishing in 2022." ], "era": "1976-present (independent 1976-2022, then under Ablaze)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/necronomicon-press", "name": "Necronomicon Press", "slug": "necronomicon-press", "region": "West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1976-c.1999: predominantly chapbooks and pamphlets in stapled wrappers; first printings are identified by the Necronomicon Press imprint and, often, a stated limitation or print figure.", "The inaugural 1976 publications (Lovecraft's early Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner / United Amateur writings) were limited to 500 numbered copies - the numbered colophon identifies them.", "Later printings of popular chapbooks were common and frequently noted ('second printing', revised text, new cover stock); compare the printing statement, cover art, and price to separate a first impression from later ones.", "Journals (Lovecraft Studies from 1979, Studies in Weird Fiction): identify by volume/issue number rather than an edition statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1976 by Marc A. Michaud in West Warwick, RI, initially to reprint Lovecraft's obscure writings.", "Co-founded Lovecraft Studies (1979) with S.T. Joshi; a cornerstone of modern Lovecraft scholarship; later expanded to Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Campbell, Lumley and others.", "Wound down around the turn of the millennium; many scholarly projects migrated to Hippocampus Press. The fragile wrappers-format firsts are easily damaged and hard to grade." ], "era": "1976-c.2002" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nesfa-press", "name": "NESFA Press (New England Science Fiction Association)", "slug": "nesfa-press", "region": "Framingham, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "Boskone Books", "NESFA's Choice" ], "idMethods": [ "1972–present: first printings state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page; modern titles add a number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing.", "1972–c.1990 'Boskone Books' (small format, ~5.25 x 7.25 in): convention-linked books in small runs (Scribblings was 500 numbered copies). The standard cloth binding is the ordinary issue; a tiny 'finebound' leather state (about half a dozen per title, advance-subscription only) is the true rarity.", "1991–present 'NESFA's Choice' (standard ~5.5 x 8.5 in): begins with The Best of James H. Schmitz (1991); first printings state 'First Edition' and most are single-printing.", "Distinguish the leather finebound subscription state from trade cloth by the binding and a subscription/limitation note." ], "notablePoints": [ "NESFA was founded in 1967; the first NESFA Press hardcover was Scribblings by L. Sprague de Camp (1972), a Boskone Book issued in 500 numbered copies.", "Specializes in definitive author retrospective omnibuses (Schmitz, Cordwainer Smith, Zelazny, Anderson).", "Volunteer fan-run press with meticulous publication records kept on nesfa.org." ], "era": "1972-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/new-directions", "name": "New Directions", "slug": "new-directions", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "New Classics Series", "New Directions Paperbook (NDP)", "Poet of the Month", "Revived Modern Classics", "Pearls (mini-books)", "Bibelot" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 1940s through 1969: a true first has NO additional printings/dates listed on the copyright page — there is no consistent 'First Edition' statement in this era, so absence of later-printing notice plus correct first-state binding is the signal.", "Modern era (roughly 1970s onward): copyright page reads 'First published clothbound (ISBN ...) and as New Directions Paperbook NNN (ISBN ...) in [year]' — the explicit 'First published ... in [year]' line identifies the first.", "Modern paperbacks carry a descending number line; lowest digit (1) present indicates first printing.", "Binding/format state matters: ND frequently issued a title simultaneously in cloth and as a numbered NDP wrappers edition — the clothbound is generally the more collected 'first', but both can be first printings of the same year.", "NDP series numbers (e.g., 'New Directions Paperbook 74') and 'New Classics' (NC) / numbered-series designations help place edition and date." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1936 by James Laughlin; the premier US avant-garde/poetry house (Pound, Williams, Rexroth, Snyder, Levertov, Bishop, Borges, Nabokov early titles).", "Pre-1970 ND books rarely say 'First Edition' outright — collectors rely on copyright-page silence about later printings plus dust jacket and binding points; consult Connolly/Pound bibliographies for famous titles.", "Simultaneous cloth + wraps issue is a recurring confusion: a wrappers NDP copy can still be a genuine first printing even though a cloth issue also exists.", "Number-line convention only became reliable in the later 20th century; do not expect a number line on a 1940s–50s ND book." ], "era": "1936–present (convention shifts ~1970)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/new-harbinger", "name": "New Harbinger Publications", "slug": "new-harbinger", "region": "USA (Oakland CA)", "imprints": [ "New Harbinger", "Reveal Press", "Context Press (acquired 2008; ACT/behavioral)", "Impact Publishers (acquired 2015)", "Instant Help Books (children/teens, acquired 2007)", "Non-Duality Press (acquired 2015)" ], "idMethods": [ "1973-c.1995 (founders Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning, Oakland): self-help and clinical psychology workbooks; the copyright page states the printing and copyright year, and early editions often lack number lines. Identify by the earliest copyright year and the absence of a later-printing statement.", "c.1995-present: standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); the copyright page typically states a printing or edition with year. Heavily revised clinical workbooks (for example The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, in print across many editions since 1980) require matching the specific edition statement, not just the line.", "general: Context Press (ACT and behavior analysis, Steven C. Hayes lineage) and Impact Publishers titles follow New Harbinger conventions under their own imprint names." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1973; the dominant US publisher of evidence-based self-help and clinical psychology (CBT, DBT, ACT, mindfulness workbooks). Employee-owned.", "Identification tell: flagship workbooks run through many revised editions across decades, so the edition statement is essential alongside the number line.", "Context Press (acquired 2008) is the academic ACT/behavior-analysis imprint; Instant Help Books was acquired in 2007; Impact Publishers and Non-Duality Press were acquired in 2015." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/new-island-books", "name": "New Island Books", "slug": "new-island-books", "region": "Ireland (Dublin)", "imprints": [ "Raven Arts Press (predecessor)", "New Island (current)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by New Island Books' (Dublin); a first printing has no later-impression notice.", "No formal number line; the standard British-Irish 'First published' convention applies, confirmed by the absence of any reprint line.", "Predecessor Raven Arts Press titles (pre-1992) carry the Raven Arts imprint and date — a distinct collectible house, not New Island — so attribute the true first publisher by imprint and date." ], "notablePoints": [ "New Island grew out of Raven Arts Press, which Dermot Bolger founded as a teenager (Raven Arts ran from the late 1970s to 1992); New Island was formed in 1992 by Bolger with Edwin Higel.", "Publishes Irish fiction, drama (including play texts) and poetry.", "Identify Raven Arts versus New Island by imprint and date to attribute the true first house." ], "era": "1992-present (Raven Arts 1977-1992)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/new-world-library", "name": "New World Library", "slug": "new-world-library", "region": "US (Novato, California)", "imprints": [ "New World Library", "Nataraj Publishing (a division of New World Library; Shakti Gawain titles - now historical)", "H J Kramer (joint-venture imprint since 2000)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "New World Library copyright pages frequently also state the printing explicitly (for example 'First printing, [Month Year]'), which gives a clear date-stamped confirmation when present.", "Where a paired year line accompanies the number line, the first printing shows both the lowest year and the digit 1." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1977 by Marc Allen and Shakti Gawain (originally self-published as Whatever Publishing; renamed New World Library in the mid-1980s).", "Publisher of high-printing perennial sellers - Eckhart Tolle's 'The Power of Now,' Joseph Campbell reissues, Deepak Chopra and others - so an explicit 'First printing' line, when present, is the most useful tell against later printings.", "H J Kramer titles are published in a joint venture with New World Library beginning in 2000; the copyright page names both, and the relevant edition is judged by its own stated printing.", "Nataraj Publishing was a division of New World Library carrying Shakti Gawain's titles; older Nataraj copies predate full New World Library conventions.", "'The Power of Now' has a tangled edition history (Namaste Publishing in Canada issued it first, then New World Library in the US), so distinguish the Canadian Namaste first from the US New World Library first." ], "era": "1977-present (founded as Whatever Publishing; renamed New World Library in the mid-1980s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/newest-press", "name": "NeWest Press", "slug": "newest-press", "region": "Canada (Edmonton, Alberta)", "imprints": [ "NeWest Press", "Nunatak First Fiction Series", "Prairie Play Series (drama)" ], "idMethods": [ "Western/prairie literary press: modern titles generally state 'first edition' and may carry a number line (lowest digit '1' present indicates a first printing).", "Series titles (Nunatak First Fiction, Prairie Play) follow the parent copyright-page convention; the series designation itself helps date and place the book.", "Older titles: rely on the original copyright year and the absence of later-printing statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1977 in Edmonton, Alberta, growing out of the NeWest Review (launched 1975); the founding collective included Rudy Wiebe, Douglas Barbour, George Melnyk, and Diane Bessai. A leading Prairie-region literary publisher.", "The Nunatak First Fiction Series spotlights debut novels (described as the longest-running first-fiction series in Canada) and is collectible for author firsts.", "Maintains a notable drama list, including the Prairie Play Series." ], "era": "1977-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/newsouth-books", "name": "NewSouth Books", "slug": "newsouth-books", "region": "South (Montgomery, Alabama)", "imprints": [ "NewSouth Books", "Junebug Books (children's/regional imprint)", "FootPrint Press (earlier)", "University of Georgia Press (parent since 2022)" ], "idMethods": [ "2000-2022 (Williams/La Rosa independent era): Standard small-press practice. A first printing is typically shown by a number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a '1' present = first printing). Some titles also carry a 'First edition' or 'First printing' statement. Where neither is present, a first printing is inferred from a matching copyright date and the absence of any later-printing notation.", "Junebug Books imprint (children's/regional): follows the same house number-line convention at the time of issue.", "2022-present (University of Georgia Press ownership): NewSouth continues as a UGA Press imprint and follows university-press number-line practice (lowest digit present = printing); the copyright/imprint line reflecting UGA Press is the era tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2000 in Montgomery, Alabama by H. Randall Williams (editor) and Suzanne La Rosa (publisher); focus on civil-rights, Alabama/Southern history, African American history, and regional literature.", "Acquired by University of Georgia Press in 2022; the imprint and copyright language is the reliable era tell.", "Known for civil-rights titles and the controversial 2011 NewSouth edition of 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'.", "Junebug Books was its children's/regional sub-imprint." ], "era": "2000-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nick-hern-books", "name": "Nick Hern Books", "slug": "nick-hern-books", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Nick Hern Books", "NHB Modern Plays", "Drama Classics series" ], "idMethods": [ "1988–present: Independent UK publisher of plays, screenplays and theatre-craft books, founded June 1988 by Nicholas Hern (formerly of Methuen). First printing is identified by the verso 'First published in YYYY by Nick Hern Books' together with a descending number line whose lowest digit gives the printing; a first printing carries no reprint note and a line that runs down to 1. Note that published play texts often appear to coincide with a premiere, so a production or premiere note is a performance fact, not a bibliographic edition point.", "All eras: Reprints and revised texts add a 'Reprinted YYYY' or 'Revised YYYY' note and a shortened number line; a first printing has no such note and a line reaching 1. Treat the imprint name itself as a provenance marker only after January 1993, when the list became a fully independent company (it operated under Walker Books from 1988 and under Random House from 1990)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Leading UK house for contemporary playtexts and theatre craft, a rough counterpart to TCG/Dramatists Play Service in the US; publishes acting editions and the Drama Classics series.", "A number line reaching 1 plus a 'First published' statement marks a first printing; a production or premiere note is not a bibliographic point.", "Founding and early ownership are layered: imprint under Walker Books (1988), then Random House (1990), then independent (1993) — relevant when reading early copyright pages." ], "era": "1988–present (imprint under Walker Books 1988; under Random House 1990; fully independent from 1 January 1993)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/night-shade-books", "name": "Night Shade Books", "slug": "night-shade-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Night Shade Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade first: copyright-page number line with '1' present and no later printings listed (standard modern-trade convention; no documented Night Shade-specific number-line quirk, so treat as the generic default)", "Signed/limited states: where issued, confirm via the signed limitation sheet/colophon stating the run size and number. Night Shade did produce some signed first states and deluxe issues of its collected-edition projects, but a documented pattern of BOTH numbered AND lettered states for early titles is unverified — do not assume a lettered state exists without seeing the limitation statement", "Match against ISFDB/dealer bibliographic records for the specific title, since Night Shade limited-state practice was inconsistent across titles rather than a uniform house standard" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1997 by Jason Williams (San Francisco); known for reviving classic weird fiction via the 5-volume Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith and the Collected Fiction of William Hope Hodgson, and for launching Paolo Bacigalupi (debut novel The Windup Girl, 2009, Hugo/Nebula winner)", "CORRECTION: 'Glen Cook reissues' is misattributed — the Black Company omnibus reissues (Chronicles of the Black Company, etc.) were published by Tor / Tom Doherty Associates, NOT Night Shade. Night Shade's only notable Cook title was 'The Best of Glen Cook' (2019), a Skyhorse/Start-era collection, not an independent-era reissue", "After the 2013 financial collapse (precipitated in part by the demise of Borders) the imprint was acquired and continued under Skyhorse/Start Publishing; post-2013 printings carry different distribution/imprint language, and the independent-era (1997-2013) firsts are the collectible ones" ], "era": "1997–present (independent era 1997–2013)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nightboat-books", "name": "Nightboat Books", "slug": "nightboat-books", "region": "USA (founded Beacon, New York; now Brooklyn, New York)", "imprints": [ "Nightboat Poetry Prize (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest number indicates the printing.", "Often states 'First Edition' with the year.", "Single-printing titles are common; the absence of a later-printing statement supports a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2004 by Kazim Ali and Jennifer Chapis as a nonprofit literary press; its first book appeared in 2005. Stephen Motika became publisher in 2007.", "Strong in queer and experimental poetry, translation, and intergenre work; the catalog now exceeds 250 titles.", "The main identification risk is an advanced number line surviving onto a later printing; no book-club or false-first issues of note." ], "era": "2004–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/no-exit-press", "name": "No Exit Press", "slug": "no-exit-press", "region": "UK (Harpenden, Herts; later London)", "imprints": [ "No Exit Press (imprint of Oldcastle Books)", "Verve Books (sister imprint)", "No Exit Press (Bedford Square Publishers era)" ], "idMethods": [ "UK-style identification: first printings carry a descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') on the copyright/imprint page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "The imprint page names 'No Exit Press' as an imprint of Oldcastle Books — confirm the Oldcastle/No Exit colophon together with the first-printing date and an intact number line.", "The crime line was issued mainly in B-format paperback plus some hardcovers; the absence of any 'reprinted' or later-printing notation alongside a full number line marks the first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Crime imprint founded in 1987 by Ion Mills within Oldcastle Books (established 1985), Harpenden; long the company's flagship crime list.", "Publishes UK firsts of US and other foreign crime authors, so a No Exit 'first' may be a first UK edition rather than the world first — note origin for points.", "Ownership of the imprint moved to the newly launched Bedford Square Publishers (announced December 2022), while Ion Mills continued with Oldcastle Books; recent copyright pages reflect the change, but the number-line rule still applies." ], "era": "1987–present (acquired by Bedford Square Publishers, announced December 2022)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nolo-press", "name": "Nolo (Nolo Press)", "slug": "nolo-press", "region": "United States (Berkeley, CA)", "imprints": [ "Nolo Press", "Nolo", "Nolo.com (self-help law)" ], "idMethods": [ "1971-c.2000: Founded 1971 by Ralph Warner and family-law attorney Ed Sherman as the pioneering self-help legal publisher, with the first book How to Do Your Own Divorce in California. Nolo's distinguishing convention is the EDITION-WITH-PRINTING-DATE history: because self-help legal content must stay current, Nolo states the specific edition and the printing date and revises frequently. The first printing of a given edition is the lowest printing stated, and the edition number plus printing date is the identification unit; early titles note 'First Edition' with a printing month and year.", "c.2000-present: The edition-plus-printing-date convention continues; many titles state an edition number on the cover and a dated printing history on the copyright page. Currency matters far more than first-printing collectibility because this is a legal-content house.", "Ownership: independent for decades, then acquired by Internet Brands in 2011, which continues the Nolo imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Self-help legal publisher whose value is in being the current edition, so the first-edition collecting premium is low except for a few historically important early titles.", "Nolo prints dated printing histories (not just printing numbers) because legal currency is critical — a useful house tell.", "Acquired by Internet Brands in 2011." ], "era": "1971-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nonesuch-press", "name": "Nonesuch Press", "slug": "nonesuch-press", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Francis Meynell, David Garnett & Vera Mendel (founders)", "later Max Reinhardt / Bodley Head ownership" ], "idMethods": [ "Limited editions, but Nonesuch was distinctive for using COMMERCIAL trade printers and fine machine composition to high design standards rather than a single hand press", "Printed colophon/limitation statement giving the number; some titles in larger limitations than the hand-presses", "Meynell's elegant typography and the Nonesuch device authenticate; first issue identified by the limitation leaf and absence of later-issue/reprint statements", "No number line — colophon and limitation statement identify" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1922 by Francis Meynell (with David Garnett and Vera Mendel); proved fine design could be achieved using ordinary trade printers — a different philosophy from Kelmscott/Doves", "Famous: the 'Nonesuch Dickens' (1937–38, 24 vols., each set issued with an original Dickens electrotype plate) — the plate is a famous point distinguishing the genuine set", "Larger editions and machine printing mean Nonesuch books are more available than the hand-presses", "Standard reference: John Dreyfus, 'A History of the Nonesuch Press' (with bibliography)" ], "era": "1922–1968 (active core 1920s–30s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/north-atlantic-books", "name": "North Atlantic Books", "slug": "north-atlantic-books", "region": "US (founded in Vermont 1974; based in Berkeley, California since 1977; later operations in Berkeley/Richmond)", "imprints": [ "Blue Snake Books (martial arts)", "Frog Books / Frog Ltd. (founded 1993 as a sister company, now an imprint)", "Evolver Editions", "North Atlantic (homeopathy / somatics lists)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings show a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "The copyright page typically credits North Atlantic Books with the first-printing year, and some titles add a printing-history note.", "In later years North Atlantic has been distributed by Penguin Random House; distributor information on the page does not affect the number-line first-printing rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonprofit publisher operating as the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences, covering somatics and bodywork, alternative medicine and healing, martial arts, ecology, and spirituality.", "Founded in Vermont in 1974 and operating from Berkeley, California since 1977.", "Frog Books (originally Frog Ltd., founded 1993 as a sister company) and Blue Snake Books are active imprints; some titles are co-published, so confirm the imprint named on the copyright page.", "Smaller or older titles may state little beyond a copyright year; rely on the absence of a reprint notice together with the number line." ], "era": "1974-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/north-point-press", "name": "North Point Press", "slug": "north-point-press", "region": "US (Berkeley, California)", "imprints": [ "Imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux (a Macmillan company) after FSG acquired the North Point backlist and name in the early 1990s" ], "idMethods": [ "Independent era (first books fall 1980 through ~1991): look for a stated 'First edition' or 'First printing' on the copyright page; many titles also carry a descending number line where the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' indicates a first printing.", "Confirm the era from the imprint name and address: independent North Point firsts show a Berkeley, California imprint and address, while the FSG-revived imprint shows FSG/Macmillan New York imprint data.", "Post-revival era (under FSG): FSG's own first-printing practice applies. Modern FSG/Macmillan titles use a descending number line ending in '1'; older FSG titles instead carry a stated 'First edition' or 'First printing, [year]' line, so check the wording for the period.", "Several North Point titles also appeared in quality paperback; distinguish the first hardcover from a simultaneous or first paperback issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Esteemed Berkeley literary and nature press, co-founded in 1979 by Jack Shoemaker and William Turnbull with first books appearing in fall 1980, known for fine book design and for authors including Wendell Berry, Gary Snyder, Evan S. Connell, and reissues of M.F.K. Fisher.", "The independent press stopped issuing new books around 1990-1991; FSG acquired the backlist and name in the early 1990s and later revived North Point as a nonfiction imprint, so verifying the era via imprint and address is essential.", "Design-conscious production means jacket and binding condition matter to collectors." ], "era": "1980-present (independent books 1980-1991, founded 1979; revived as a Farrar, Straus and Giroux imprint after the FSG backlist acquisition ~1992-1993)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/northern-illinois-university-press", "name": "Northern Illinois University Press", "slug": "northern-illinois-university-press", "region": "DeKalb, Illinois", "imprints": [ "Switchgrass Books", "Three Hundred Years of War (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1965–c.1985: No explicit first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression line.", "c.1985–2019: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block. Switchgrass Books, its regional Illinois trade/fiction imprint, follows the same number-line convention.", "From 2019: the press became an imprint of Cornell University Press ('NIU Press'); titles issued under that arrangement follow Cornell's number-line conventions. Pre-2019 titles are the independent press's own editions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1965 (first book published 1967); lists in Slavic/Russian and East European studies, Orthodox Christian studies, Southeast Asian studies, US and European history, and Illinois regional titles.", "Became an imprint of Cornell University Press on July 1, 2019, and continues under that arrangement; pre-2019 titles are the independent press's own editions.", "Switchgrass Books was its regional/literary trade imprint." ], "era": "1965–2019 (independent); imprint of Cornell University Press thereafter" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/northland-press", "name": "Northland Press / Northland Publishing", "slug": "northland-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 0-87358 (all eras)", "Flagstaff, Arizona imprint line", "Fine-press colophon with limitation on early limited editions", "Number line / negative-evidence on trade editions" ], "notablePoints": [ "Two production traditions: early Weaver-era fine-press limiteds and later trade editions under Northland Publishing." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/northwestern-university-press", "name": "Northwestern University Press", "slug": "northwestern-university-press", "region": "US (Evanston, IL)", "imprints": [ "TriQuarterly Books", "Hydra Books", "Marlboro Press/Northwestern (acquired)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.", "First printing has a clean copyright page with no reprint lines.", "TriQuarterly Books literary titles follow the same number-line convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "TriQuarterly Books (established 1990, formalized 1992) is the literary fiction and poetry imprint, collectible for contemporary poetry and award-winning fiction.", "Marlboro Press (20th-century literature translated from French and Italian) was absorbed and its backlist reissued under the Marlboro Press/Northwestern imprint.", "Standard academic caveat applies for older titles lacking explicit first-printing statements." ], "era": "1893/1957-present (modern press)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/nosy-crow", "name": "Nosy Crow", "slug": "nosy-crow", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Nosy Crow", "Nosy Crow US (distributed via partner houses)", "Nosy Crow Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "British convention: the first printing carries a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing", "Generally NO 'First edition' statement. Identify by the full number line together with the 'First published in [year] by Nosy Crow Ltd' line" ], "notablePoints": [ "UK independent founded in 2010 by Kate Wilson (with Adrian Soar and Camilla Reid); first books published January 2011. Strong novelty, board-book and app-linked children's list; named Independent Publisher of the Year at the 2020 British Book Awards", "US co-editions are distributed via partner houses and postdate the UK first, so the true first is the UK Nosy Crow printing", "A newer house, so virtually all titles sit firmly in the modern number-line era. The convention is reliable, though few individually documented collectible points exist yet" ], "era": "2011-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/obelisk-press", "name": "Obelisk Press", "slug": "obelisk-press", "region": "France (Paris), English-language list", "imprints": [ "Obelisk Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1929–1939 (under Jack Kahane): a first edition is identified by an explicit first-printing statement on the copyright/verso page giving month and year — for example 'First published September 1934' on Tropic of Cancer. No number line is used.", "Titles were issued in printed paper wrappers/soft covers; later impressions add a reprint line or revised date. For Tropic of Cancer the original printed wrappers carrying the crab-and-woman cover design are a decisive first-issue point, because after seizures by British and American authorities the press reissued the book in plainer, less conspicuous wrappers.", "After Kahane's death in 1939 the operation passed briefly to his son Maurice Girodias; later printings carry revised dates and can be distinguished by paper stock and added impression statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Jack Kahane in 1929, Obelisk published Henry Miller (Tropic of Cancer 1934, Black Spring, Tropic of Capricorn), Anaïs Nin, Lawrence Durrell, Cyril Connolly and Frank Harris.", "The Tropic of Cancer first edition was a run of about 1,000 copies stating 'First published September 1934' in original printed wrappers; the month-and-year statement together with the original wrappers is the decisive tell.", "Maurice Girodias, Kahane's son, went on to found Olympia Press, the house's spiritual successor, so the two firms' lineage matters for attribution." ], "era": "1929–1939" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/octopus-books", "name": "Octopus Books", "slug": "octopus-books", "region": "USA (Portland, Oregon, and Denver, Colorado)", "imprints": [ "Octopus Magazine (associated)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Some titles state 'First Edition'; many small-run firsts carry no number line.", "The absence of a later-printing statement on the copyright leaf supports a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in the fall of 2005 by Zachary Schomburg and Mathias Svalina, who met at the University of Nebraska; the press grew out of the online Octopus Magazine and began with hand-made chapbooks before its first full-length book, Julie Doxsee's 'Undersleep'.", "Design-forward small editions; reprints are uncommon, so number lines are frequently absent on genuine firsts. Schomburg is based in Portland and Svalina in Denver." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/officina-bodoni", "name": "Officina Bodoni", "slug": "officina-bodoni", "region": "Italy", "imprints": [ "Giovanni (Hans) Mardersteig (founder)", "Stamperia Valdonega (his later commercial/machine-press arm)" ], "idMethods": [ "Hand-press letterpress limited editions, most with a printed colophon giving the limitation, the date, and Mardersteig's imprint; many hand-numbered", "Use of Mardersteig's own recut types (notably the 'Dante' type, and his revival of original Bodoni types) and fine handmade papers — typographic identity authenticates", "Colophon names the press (Officina Bodoni, Verona/Montagnola) and printing details; deluxe copies on special paper or with extra plates at lower numbers", "No number line — colophon limitation and Mardersteig imprint identify; distinguish hand-press Officina Bodoni from machine-printed Stamperia Valdonega work" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1922 by Hans (Giovanni) Mardersteig, first at Montagnola (Switzerland), from 1927 at Verona; one of the greatest 20th-century fine presses", "Mardersteig also designed the Dante and Griffo types; printed the official complete works for Italian and German publishers", "The standard reference is the Officina Bodoni bibliography ('Officina Bodoni: An Account...' / the editions catalogue) — consult it for exact limitations", "Distinguish Officina Bodoni (hand-press, fine limited) from Stamperia Valdonega (Mardersteig family commercial press, machine-set) — different collectibility" ], "era": "1922–1977 (Hans Mardersteig; continued by son Martino)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ohio-state-university-press", "name": "Ohio State University Press", "slug": "ohio-state-university-press", "region": "US (Columbus, OH)", "imprints": [ "Trillium (regional imprint)", "Mad Creek Books (literary/creative nonfiction imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.", "First printing has a copyright page without reprint history.", "Mad Creek Books and Trillium follow the same number-line convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1957; not to be confused with Ohio University Press, a separate house in Athens, OH, that holds the Swallow Press imprint.", "Mad Creek Books is the collectible literary imprint (creative nonfiction and memoir), inspired by the regional Trillium imprint.", "Standard academic caveat applies for pre-1980s titles lacking first-printing wording." ], "era": "1957-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ohio-university-press", "name": "Ohio University Press", "slug": "ohio-university-press", "region": "Athens, Ohio", "imprints": [ "Swallow Press", "Swallow Press/Ohio University Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Early scholarly titles (1960s-c.1980): No explicit first-printing statement, in keeping with academic-press practice; later printings or impressions are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is inferred from no later-printing notation, with the title-page date matching the copyright date.", "c.1980-present: A number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a full line ending in '...4 3 2 1' with '1' present = first printing). A Library of Congress CIP block is present from the mid-to-late 1970s onward.", "Trade titles under the Swallow Press imprint follow the Swallow Press number-line convention from the 1980s on." ], "notablePoints": [ "Scholarly and regional university press; incorporated in 1947 and formally organized in 1964 by Ohio University president Vernon Alden. It is the oldest and largest scholarly press in Ohio.", "Strong lists in African studies, Appalachian/Ohio and Midwest regional history, and Southeast Asia.", "The trade arm is the Swallow Press imprint: a licensing agreement began in 1979, and OUP formally acquired the imprint and its 276-title back catalog in 2008.", "As with most university presses, the absence of a number line on a pre-1980 title does not by itself prove a first printing — confirm that no later-impression statement is present." ], "era": "Incorporated 1947, formally organized 1964; active to present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/old-stile-press", "name": "Old Stile Press", "slug": "old-stile-press", "region": "Llandogo, Monmouthshire, Wales (at Catchmays Court since 1986)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1979-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of Nicolas and Frances McDowall. The colophon records the limitation (editions are typically a few hundred copies or fewer), the types, the paper, the artist or illustrator, and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed. There is no number line or printed 'First Edition' wording.", "Many titles were issued in a standard numbered edition plus a smaller special state (an extra suite of prints, signed by the artist, or a deluxe binding); the colophon and any 'special copies' note distinguish them.", "Identify by the Old Stile Press imprint; the artist collaboration (wood engraving, wood block, linocut) is named in the colophon, and all printing is letterpress with leaf and block printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Strongly image-led press; artist collaborations are central and named in colophons.", "Watch for signed special states versus the ordinary numbered edition.", "The press documents its own output through checklists and bibliographies recording points and limitations." ], "era": "1979-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/olympia-press", "name": "Olympia Press", "slug": "olympia-press", "region": "France (Paris); a later, separate revival in New York", "imprints": [ "The Traveller's Companion Series", "Atlantic Library", "Ophelia Press", "Othello Books", "Olympia Press New York" ], "idMethods": [ "1953–1965 (Paris, under Maurice Girodias): titles were issued in printed paper wrappers, not cloth. The Traveller's Companion Series appeared in plain green text-only wrappers, each bearing a series number. A first printing has no additional printings listed on the copyright/title leaf; reprints add later printing statements or revised pricing.", "First-issue pricing is a primary point. For Lolita (Traveller's Companion No. 66, two volumes, September 1955) the true first issue has 'Francs: 900' printed on the rear cover of each volume with no sticker removal or erasure; a wartime currency fluctuation forced a quick repricing to 1,200 francs, so price-revised copies are a later state of the first edition.", "The Ophelia Press imprint (more explicit erotica) used pink wrappers in the same design as the green Traveller's Companion wrappers; wrapper colour distinguishes imprint line, not printing state.", "Olympia Press New York (Girodias's mid-to-late 1960s revival) used US paperback and hardcover formats; first printings carry an explicit 'first printing' statement or a number line where one is present. These are a separate operation from the Paris originals." ], "notablePoints": [ "Olympia issued the first editions of Nabokov's Lolita (1955), William Burroughs's Naked Lunch (1959), and J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man, alongside work by Beckett and Genet.", "For Lolita the first issue is the two-volume green-wrappers set priced 'Francs: 900' on the rear covers; copies repriced to 1,200 francs are a later state.", "Wrapper colour and series numbering are the primary imprint and issue tells; cloth-bound copies are later reissues or the work of other publishers, not Paris Olympia firsts." ], "era": "1953–1974" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/omnibus-press", "name": "Omnibus Press", "slug": "omnibus-press", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Music Sales (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "UK number-line convention on the copyright/imprint page; lowest number indicates the printing, '1' present = first printing.", "Some titles carry only a printing/order code rather than a full key — when no key is present, rely on stated copyright year, ISBN, and absence of later-printing notices.", "No standardized 'First Edition' statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Launched 1972 as the general non-fiction arm of the Music Sales Group; refocused exclusively on music books after editor Chris Charlesworth joined in 1983, growing into the world's largest specialist music-book publisher.", "Strong collector demand for early rock/pop band biographies and authorized photo books; condition and dust jacket drive value more than fine printing points.", "Parent Music Sales also issues sheet-music folios where the first-edition concept does not apply in the usual way." ], "era": "1972-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/omnidawn-publishing", "name": "Omnidawn Publishing", "slug": "omnidawn-publishing", "region": "USA (Richmond, California)", "imprints": [ "Omnidawn Poetry Prizes (1st/2nd Book, Open, Chapbook, Lyric, Single Poem)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Often states 'First Edition' on the copyright page.", "Most titles are single-printing; the absence of any later-printing statement supports a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2001 by Ken Keegan and Rusty Morrison as a nonprofit independent press; publishes experimental and innovative poetry, with fabulist and new-fabulist fiction added in 2006.", "Ken Keegan died in 2022; the press continued under Rusty Morrison and Laura Joakimson.", "Prize-series labels date titles only and are not separate publishers." ], "era": "2001–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/one-world", "name": "One World", "slug": "one-world", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "One World" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing carries a complete number line descending to 1 with no later-printing notice", "Copyright page typically states \"First Edition\" alongside the full number line, following standard Random House / Penguin Random House practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Literary imprint focused on diverse voices within the Random House Publishing Group (Penguin Random House); relaunched in 2017 under publisher and editor-in-chief Chris Jackson, with its inaugural list including Ta-Nehisi Coates's We Were Eight Years in Power", "Distinct from the earlier One World/Ballantine mass-market line of the 1990s-2000s, which is a separate entity" ], "era": "relaunched 2017" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/oni-press", "name": "Oni Press", "slug": "oni-press", "region": "USA (Portland, OR)", "imprints": [ "Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group (merged entity, 2019)", "Lion Forge", "Limerence Press (erotica/sex-ed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Floppy issues and trade paperbacks: a first printing carries no printing statement in the indicia; later printings are explicitly stated ('Second printing' and higher).", "Collected editions: the copyright/indicia page states the printing, usually with month and year ('First edition, [month year]'); a first printing shows the single earliest date and no later-printing line.", "On floppies, the 5-digit supplemental code in the UPC barcode is meant to encode the printing in its fifth digit (1 = first printing), but publishers populate it inconsistently, so treat it only as a weak secondary clue and rely on the indicia statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1997 by Joe Nozemack and Bob Schreck; Schreck left in 1999. Merged with Lion Forge in 2019 to form Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group.", "'Scott Pilgrim' (Bryan Lee O'Malley) digest first printings are heavily collected; the original black-and-white digest first printings predate the later color editions, so match format and stated printing, not just the title.", "Limerence Press (adult) and the Lion Forge catalog follow the same Oni first-printing conventions post-merger." ], "era": "1997-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ooligan-press", "name": "Ooligan Press", "slug": "ooligan-press", "region": "Portland, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "Ooligan Press" ], "idMethods": [ "2001-present: Student-run teaching press of Portland State University's graduate book-publishing program. First printings carry a copyright-page 'First edition' or 'First published [year]' statement; when a descending number line is present, the lowest digit indicates the printing. Small academic-program runs mean most titles exist in only a single printing.", "Era tell: any genuine Ooligan title postdates the program's 2001 founding; the PSU/Portland imprint and student-press colophon confirm provenance." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2001 by publisher and writer Dennis Stovall as the hands-on arm of PSU's master's program in book publishing; about 60 titles in its first 20 years.", "Name from a Chinook Jargon word for the smelt/candlefish (eulachon), folk-etymologically tied to the name 'Oregon'.", "Regional Pacific Northwest focus (every title connects to the region by author, setting, or theme); the student-teaching-press provenance is itself a collectible angle." ], "era": "2001-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/open-court", "name": "Open Court Publishing Company", "slug": "open-court", "region": "USA (La Salle / Chicago IL)", "imprints": [ "Open Court", "The Library of Living Philosophers (series)", "Popular Culture and Philosophy (series)", "The Monist / The Open Court (journals)", "Carus Publishing (parent)", "Cricket Books (children's, separate line)" ], "idMethods": [ "1887-c.1930 (Hegeler/Paul Carus era, La Salle IL): early philosophy and comparative-religion titles are identified by copyright year and the 'The Open Court Publishing Company' imprint; there is no number line, and many are first US editions of Carus's translations and studies (Buddhism, the Tao Te Ching). Distinguish printings by the stated copyright/printing year only.", "c.1930-c.1980: the copyright page states edition or printing; Library of Living Philosophers volumes carry their own series edition statements, so match the volume's stated edition.", "c.1980-present (modern Open Court / Carus): standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); copyright pages state 'First Edition' or 'First printing YYYY'. The Popular Culture and Philosophy series (from 2000) follows the same convention.", "general: Open Court historically acted as a printer-distributor as well, and early titles may carry La Salle plus Chicago/London (Kegan Paul) co-imprints; verify which issue is the true first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1887 by zinc magnate Edward C. Hegeler; Paul Carus served as its first managing editor and edited The Open Court journal for decades. One of America's oldest philosophy houses.", "Famous series include The Library of Living Philosophers (begun by Paul Arthur Schilpp in 1939; Open Court has been its publisher since the late 1950s, after Northwestern and Tudor) and the modern Popular Culture and Philosophy series.", "Cricket children's magazine (founded 1973 by Marianne Carus) was published by Open Court until March 1995; Carus Publishing / Cricket Media is the related corporate lineage, separate from the philosophy book line.", "Early Carus translations on Buddhism and Taoism are sought-after first US editions; rely on copyright year plus the La Salle imprint." ], "era": "1887-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/open-letter", "name": "Open Letter Books", "slug": "open-letter", "region": "Rochester, New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Open Letter Books" ], "idMethods": [ "2008-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback originals, so the first state is the trade paperback; 'First Edition' wording appears on some titles, but the number line is the reliable tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2008 as the literary-translation press of the University of Rochester (home of the Three Percent blog/Translation Database and the Best Translated Book Award).", "Chad W. Post is founding publisher/director; inaugural title was Dubravka Ugrešić's 'Nobody's Home' (2008).", "Open Letter editions are typically the first English translations of their texts, making them the first English-language printings." ], "era": "2008-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/orbis-books", "name": "Orbis Books", "slug": "orbis-books", "region": "US (Maryknoll, New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "First printings show a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1' (e.g., '5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Many scholarly or early titles state 'First published' or give only a copyright year.", "Translations of Latin American liberation-theology works often carry both an original-language copyright and the English copyright; the Orbis English first printing is dated by its own number line or first-printing statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing arm of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers (Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America); the leading English-language house for liberation theology and global/contextual theology.", "Among the most collectible first English editions is Gustavo Gutiérrez's 'A Theology of Liberation' (Orbis, 1973), translated by Caridad Inda and John Eagleson; verify via the complete number line or first-printing statement and the 1973 date.", "Academic list with steady reprints, so rely on the number line for post-1980 books." ], "era": "1970–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/orbit-us", "name": "Orbit (US)", "slug": "orbit-us", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Orbit", "Redhook", "Orbit Works", "Run For It" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: complete number line counting down to 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); a lowest number above 1 indicates a later printing — the standard Hachette Book Group / Little, Brown house practice", "A 'First Edition' (or 'First Printing') statement on the copyright page is common but is not present on every title; the full number line is the reliable signal" ], "notablePoints": [ "Science-fiction and fantasy division of Hachette Book Group, launched 2007 as the US arm of UK Orbit; major SFF list", "The Orbit division comprises four imprints: Orbit, Redhook (commercial/speculative fiction, launched 2013), Orbit Works (digital), and Run For It (horror, announced July 2024)", "US Orbit is distinct from UK Orbit — confirm the edition's country of publication before applying US conventions" ], "era": "US imprint 2007–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ordnance-survey", "name": "Ordnance Survey", "slug": "ordnance-survey", "region": "United Kingdom (Southampton)", "imprints": [ "OS Landranger (1:50,000)", "OS Explorer / Outdoor Leisure (1:25,000)", "OS One-Inch / Seventh Series (historic)", "OS Tourist Maps" ], "idMethods": [ "Maps are dated by printed MARGINAL CODES: an edition letter or number, a revision/survey date, and a magnetic-variation diagram date; the marginalia is the identifier, not a copyright page.", "19th century-1945: Old Series / New Series one-inch sheets are identified by sheet number, survey date and a printing code in the margin; reprints carry railway and road revision dates that bracket the printing.", "1945-1970s: Seventh Series one-inch maps use an edition letter (A, B, C and so on) plus a 'fully revised' year in the lower margin to identify the printing.", "1974-present: metric Landranger (1:50,000) and Explorer (1:25,000) sheets each carry an edition letter/number and a survey/revision year, with the credits panel listing the publication year; the latest revision year present marks the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Identified by MARGINAL CODES (edition letter plus survey/revision year) rather than book points, the cartographic-house convention.", "Series names bracket the era: Old/New Series and the Seventh Series one-inch (pre-metric) versus Landranger/Explorer (metric, from 1974).", "The magnetic-variation diagram date is a useful internal dating clue.", "National mapping agency (founded 1791; first one-inch sheet 1801); historic county sheets are heavily collected." ], "era": "1801-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/oregon-state-university-press", "name": "Oregon State University Press", "slug": "oregon-state-university-press", "region": "Corvallis, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "OSU Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1961-c.1990: Founded 1961; the first-year list ran to eight books, including 'Atlas of the Pacific Northwest,' 'Winter Twigs,' and the best-selling 'Weather of Oregon.' Early scholarly and natural-science first printings carry no number line; identify by a copyright year that matches first publication and by the absence of revised/later-printing language. Perennials such as 'Atlas of the Pacific Northwest' and 'Winter Twigs' have been reissued in later editions, so verify the edition statement.", "c.1990-present: Descending number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing; 'First published [year]' statements are common on regional trade titles, and single-printing scholarly titles are the norm.", "Distribution-era tell: OSU Press has long been distributed through the Chicago Distribution Center, so a CDC distribution notice on the copyright page points to a later printing/era rather than the original first-printing state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1961 and heralded at the time as Oregon's first university press; it remains the only academic press in the state.", "Focus on Pacific Northwest history, natural history, environmental history, and regional literature.", "Several first-year natural-history titles run to multiple editions, so for those the edition statement matters more than the printing.", "Publishes roughly a dozen-plus titles per year as a unit of Oregon State University." ], "era": "1961-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/osprey-publishing", "name": "Osprey Publishing", "slug": "osprey-publishing", "region": "Oxford / London, United Kingdom (US distribution via various; now Bloomsbury)", "imprints": [ "Aircam Aviation series (first list, from 1969)", "Men-at-Arms series", "Campaign series", "New Vanguard series", "Aircraft of the Aces / Combat Aircraft", "Osprey Modelling", "Elite", "Fortress", "Duel", "Raid", "Weapon" ], "idMethods": [ "Early titles (from 1969): the copyright page states 'First published ... by Osprey Publishing Ltd' with year and carries no later-printing notation; reprints add 'Reprinted 19xx' lines. A first printing has the sole 'First published' line and no reprint lines.", "Later titles: the copyright page lists 'First published [year]' and, on reprints, a stack of 'Reprinted' year lines; some titles also carry a number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') where '1' indicates a first printing. For series titles the ABSENCE of any 'Reprinted' line below 'First published' is the key first-printing tell.", "All eras: Osprey numbers its series (e.g. 'Men-at-Arms 123'); the series number is NOT an edition indicator. Watch for later 'revised' or 'second edition' reissues of popular numbers, which are stated explicitly." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1968 as a subsidiary of Berkshire Printing, part of the Brooke Bond Liebig tea company; it grew out of collectible aircraft cards in Brooke Bond tea packets, launching with Dick Ward's Aircam Aviation series in 1969 and the Men-at-Arms series (editor Philip Warner) in 1971.", "Vast color-plate military reference; collectibility is series- and artist-driven (e.g. early Men-at-Arms with Angus McBride plates).", "Owned over time by Reed/Octopus, then Random House, now Bloomsbury; the masthead changes but the 'First published / Reprinted' convention persists.", "US-market printings sometimes carry a different distributor line but the same UK first-published date." ], "era": "1968/69-present (first title 1969; Men-at-Arms from 1971)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/otago-university-press", "name": "Otago University Press", "slug": "otago-university-press", "region": "New Zealand (Dunedin)", "imprints": [ "Otago University Press", "University of Otago Press (earlier form of the imprint)", "Landfall (associated literary journal)" ], "idMethods": [ "1958-1990s: Academic press of the University of Otago, begun within the University Library (first title issued 1959 under the imprint 'University of Otago Press'). First editions are identified by a 'First published 19xx' statement on the copyright/imprint page and the absence of any reprint line; the earliest stated year indicates the first printing. Many scholarly titles see only a single printing.", "1990s-present: Standard 'First published 20xx by Otago University Press' statement; where a number line appears on trade titles the lowest number indicates the printing, and reprints add 'Reprinted' lines. The Press also publishes the literary journal Landfall, whose issues are identified by issue number and date rather than by printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "New Zealand's oldest academic publisher (established 1958), strong in New Zealand history, natural history, poetry and Maori/Pacific studies.", "Publisher of Landfall, New Zealand's longest-running literary journal (issues identified by number, not printing).", "Identification follows the standard New Zealand / Commonwealth university-press convention: a 'First published' statement plus the absence of a reprint line." ], "era": "1958-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/other-press", "name": "Other Press", "slug": "other-press", "region": "New York, NY (US)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'First Other Press Edition') on the copyright page.", "A number line, when present, is read by the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Do not rely on the row literally running descending or ending in 1.", "Later printings drop the lowest number and may revise the printing statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Independent New York literary publisher. The house was founded in 1998 (originally issuing academic and psychoanalytic titles); Judith Gurewich became publisher in 2002 and reoriented it toward literary fiction, nonfiction, and translation.", "Distributed and marketed by Penguin Random House; a distributor line on the copyright page does not change the house's first-printing identification.", "No Other Press-specific convention appears in the standard bibliographic references; the above is the modern US trade default applied to the house. Medium confidence." ], "era": "1998–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/oxford-university-press-academic", "name": "Oxford University Press", "slug": "oxford-university-press-academic", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Clarendon Press", "Oxford World's Classics", "Oxford Paperbacks", "OUP USA (New York)" ], "idMethods": [ "Until the late 1980s OUP made NO affirmative first-edition statement; first printings carried only the copyright/publication line, while LATER printings were noted ('Reprinted 19xx,' 'Second impression') on the copyright page.", "From the late 1980s OUP adopted a number row/line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing ('1' = first).", "Clarendon Press scholarly works follow the same conventions and often add impression/reprint dates." ], "notablePoints": [ "Pre-late-1980s rule (per ILAB): NO statement on firsts, reprints noted — so 'no reprint line + earliest copyright date' is the working signal for older Oxford and Clarendon books.", "Oxford World's Classics and Oxford Paperbacks are reprint/series lines — not first printings of the original.", "OUP USA (New York) titles may show separate US printing histories from the UK edition; distinguish UK Clarendon firsts from US co-editions.", "This entry covers OUP's academic/trade scholarly output; a separate oxford-up entry already exists in the reference — this captures the era caveat and Clarendon specifically." ], "era": "first editions: no statement until late 1980s; number line late 1980s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/oxford-up", "name": "Oxford University Press", "slug": "oxford-up", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "No statement before the late 1980s (negative-evidence)", "Number line (late 1980s–present)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Known to bind first-edition sheets at later dates — binding variants matter, so the copyright page alone is not always sufficient." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/volland", "name": "P. F. Volland Company", "slug": "volland", "region": "Chicago, IL (later Joliet, IL; New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "P. F. Volland Co.", "Volland", "Sunny Book series" ], "idMethods": [ "Early period (c.1908-1910s): early Volland gift books and verse carry no explicit edition statement. Date by the Chicago imprint address and by the absence of later-printing notations.", "Classic illustrated-children era (1918-1930s): boxed editions with a color paste-down image on the front cover, issued in a two-part box or slipcase, typically without dust jackets and with a cloth spine. First printings generally carry no printing statement; later printings are identified by a changed imprint address (Chicago versus Joliet versus New York) and by edition notes when present. The earliest imprint state with the original box is the first issue.", "Raggedy Ann and Andy titles: first printings of 'Raggedy Ann Stories' (1918) and 'Raggedy Andy Stories' (1920) are identified by the Chicago 'P. F. Volland Company' imprint, the original two-part box, color-illustrated cloth-backed boards, and copyright-page state. These were reprinted heavily, and later Volland printings change the address and plates.", "Decline period (later 1920s-1937): the imprint moves to Joliet, Illinois and later New York; a Joliet or New York imprint dates a book to the later period and indicates it is not the earliest Chicago first issue. Volland ceased around 1937, after which the Gruelle titles passed to the Johnny Gruelle Company and M. A. Donohue." ], "notablePoints": [ "The original publisher of Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy books.", "Signature format: a color paste-down cover image, boxed (two-part box or slipcase), no dust jacket, and a cloth spine, the same format family Platt & Munk later used.", "The Chicago to Joliet to New York address progression is the chief dating tool, and the original publisher's box is essential to a complete first issue.", "After Volland folded around 1937, the Raggedy Ann line passed to the Johnny Gruelle Company and M. A. Donohue, and later to Bobbs-Merrill." ], "era": "1908-c.1937" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/picador-uk", "name": "Pan Macmillan / Picador (UK)", "slug": "picador-uk", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Picador", "Pan Books", "Mantle", "Tor UK", "Bluebird" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a number line, typically descending ending in 1 (1 present = first); lowest digit indicates printing", "Copyright page shows the original year with no later-edition or reprint statement", "Picador originated as a quality paperback imprint (1972) and later issued hardcover firsts — distinguish a Picador first paperback edition from an earlier hardcover true first elsewhere", "First printing = number line ending in 1 + no reprint notation" ], "notablePoints": [ "Picador's literary list: Cormac McCarthy (UK), Bret Easton Ellis (UK), Graham Swift, many Booker authors", "Because Picador often issued UK paperback editions of books first published elsewhere, 'first Picador edition' is frequently NOT the true first edition of the work", "Pan was the mass-market paperback arm; Pan firsts are paperback-original firsts in some cases" ], "era": "1947 (Pan) / 1972 (Picador)-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pantheon-books", "name": "Pantheon Books", "slug": "pantheon-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Schocken Books (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern Pantheon (Knopf Doubleday / PRH): states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1.", "A true first has both the 'First Edition' statement and the 1 present; reprints drop 'First Edition' and/or the 1.", "Earlier Pantheon (pre-RH, founded 1942): identification by absence of additional printings and by stated 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' where present.", "Borzoi/Knopf-family typography appears on some post-merger Pantheon books." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1942 by Kurt Wolff and Helen Wolff; literary/intellectual list (Camus, Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago US, Boris Vian, graphic novels later — Maus).", "Acquired by Random House 1961; now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group within Penguin Random House.", "Follows the RH/Knopf 'First Edition' + line-to-1 convention in the modern era — among the cleaner houses to identify.", "Schocken (sister imprint, Jewish-interest) follows the same convention." ], "era": "1942–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/parallax-press", "name": "Parallax Press", "slug": "parallax-press", "region": "US (Berkeley, California; San Francisco Bay Area)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.", "Some titles add an explicit 'First edition' line on the copyright page.", "Early or short-run titles may state little beyond a copyright year, in which case the year and the absence of any added-printing notice are the available signals." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonprofit publishing arm of the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism, cofounded in 1986 by Thich Nhat Hanh and Arnold Kotler with the publication of 'Being Peace'; the house most associated with Thich Nhat Hanh's English-language titles.", "Not every Thich Nhat Hanh bestseller is a Parallax book: 'Peace Is Every Step' was published by Bantam (1991), not Parallax, so always confirm the imprint on the copyright page before applying Parallax rules.", "Smaller nonprofit press; the descending number line is the most reliable way to distinguish heavily reprinted firsts." ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pascal-covici-chicago", "name": "Pascal Covici (Chicago imprint)", "slug": "pascal-covici-chicago", "region": "Chicago, USA", "imprints": [ "Covici-McGee (1922–1924 predecessor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1922–1924 (as Covici-McGee): First editions state 'First Printing' on the copyright page. Some references also note a number convention — '1' on the copyright page of a first printing, '2' on a second, and so on.", "c.1924–1928 (as Pascal Covici): Small-press practice — first printings occasionally carry a 'First Edition'/'First Printing' notice but are more often identified simply by the absence of any later-printing statement; many titles are limited editions with explicit limitation statements.", "Verify limited-versus-trade issue via the limitation page where present." ], "notablePoints": [ "Pascal Covici and partner William 'Billy' McGee opened a Chicago bookshop and press as Covici-McGee in 1922.", "McGee left in 1924 (ill health), after which Covici published under his own 'Pascal Covici' imprint until relocating to New York in 1928 to form Covici-Friede.", "Published Ben Hecht and figures of the Chicago Renaissance circle; the Chicago imprints are scarcer and date a book to 1922–1928." ], "era": "1922–1928" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/paulist-press", "name": "Paulist Press", "slug": "paulist-press", "region": "US (Mahwah, New Jersey)", "imprints": [ "Newman Press", "HiddenSpring", "The Classics of Western Spirituality (series)", "Stimulus Books" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings show a descending number line ending in '1' on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Many titles simply give a copyright year, in which case a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint notice.", "Classics of Western Spirituality volumes are dated by each volume's own copyright/first-printing year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing ministry of the Paulist Fathers (Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle, founded 1858); broad Catholic, ecumenical, and interfaith list. The press began as The Columbus Press in 1881 and became Paulist Press in 1913.", "Acquired Newman Press in 1962, an older Catholic scholarly imprint with bookstores in Baltimore and Washington; older Newman Press books predate that acquisition and follow looser, earlier conventions, often stating nothing.", "The 'Classics of Western Spirituality,' published since 1978, is a long, frequently reprinted series; individual volumes' firsts are identified by the number line, and later printings of popular volumes are common." ], "era": "Columbus Press founded 1881; renamed Paulist Press 1913; present–day" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/payson-and-clarke", "name": "Payson & Clarke, Ltd.", "slug": "payson-and-clarke", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "William Farquhar Payson (successor imprint, c.1929)", "Brewer & Warren / Brewer, Warren & Putnam (successor lineage)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1924–1928: First editions carry no printing statement; subsequent printings were noted on the copyright page. Absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing. This is the generic period convention, so confirm per title rather than relying on it as a house-specific rule.", "Where no statement is present, corroborate priority through binding and dust-jacket state." ], "notablePoints": [ "New York literary house founded in 1924 by William Farquhar Payson and James L. Clarke.", "Clarke sold his share in 1927 and Payson left in 1928; the firm passed to Joseph Brewer and Edward Warren, becoming Brewer & Warren and then Brewer, Warren & Putnam before being absorbed by Harcourt, Brace in the early 1930s.", "Published fine and limited editions and some modernist titles; an obscure long-tail imprint of the late 1920s.", "The 'Payson & Clarke' imprint name dates a book to roughly 1924–1928." ], "era": "c.1924–1928" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/peachtree-publishers", "name": "Peachtree Publishers (Peachtree Publishing Company)", "slug": "peachtree-publishers", "region": "South (Atlanta, Georgia)", "imprints": [ "Peachtree", "Peachtree Junior", "Peachtree Teen", "Peachtree Petite", "FreeStone (earlier YA imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1977-1990s (Helen Elliott / Southern-trade era): A first printing is typically shown by a number line on the copyright page where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a '1' present = first printing); some titles also state 'First edition.' Where neither is present, a matching copyright date with no later-printing notation indicates the first printing. This era focused on adult Southern fiction and humor.", "1990s-present (children's-book era under Margaret Quinlin): the standard tell is a full number line (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') with the lowest digit present indicating the printing; many titles ALSO state 'First Edition.' For picture books, a stated 'First Edition' together with a number line containing '1' is the reliable first-printing combination; later printings drop the '1' and/or remove the 'First Edition' line.", "Sub-imprints (Peachtree Junior, Peachtree Teen, Peachtree Petite, FreeStone): follow the same number-line convention as the parent at the time of issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1977 by Helen Elliott in Atlanta; the first Southern trade house to reach national distribution and the New York Times bestseller list; later pivoted to a leading children's/YA publisher.", "Margaret Quinlin took majority ownership in 1990 and led the shift from regional adult trade to children's books; the company was acquired by Trustbridge Global Media in 2018.", "Genuine collected Peachtree adult firsts include Ferrol Sams's novels (for example 'Run with the Horsemen', 1982). Note: Olive Ann Burns's 'Cold Sassy Tree' was first published by Ticknor & Fields in 1984 and is NOT a Peachtree first edition — do not attribute it to Peachtree.", "Children's-era firsts reliably combine a 'First Edition' statement with a number line.", "Brand consolidated under 'Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.' in recent years." ], "era": "1977-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/peachtree-publishing-childrens", "name": "Peachtree Publishing Company (children's)", "slug": "peachtree-publishing-childrens", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Peachtree", "Peachtree Teen (YA, launched 2021)", "Peachtree Petite (board books)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, often with 'First edition' wording; the lowest digit indicates the printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Atlanta independent founded in 1977; picture-book, middle-grade and YA list. Acquired by Trustbridge Global Media in 2020", "Now part of the Walker Books Group alongside Holiday House and Candlewick Press; US distribution is handled by Penguin Random House Publisher Services, not by Holiday House directly", "Peachtree Teen (YA) launched in 2021 and Peachtree Petite is the board-book line", "Reliable modern number-line convention" ], "era": "1977-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/peepal-tree-press", "name": "Peepal Tree Press", "slug": "peepal-tree-press", "region": "Caribbean / UK (Leeds, England)", "imprints": [ "Peepal Tree Press", "Caribbean Modern Classics (series)", "Inscribe (Black/Asian writers development imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: 'First published in [year] by Peepal Tree Press Ltd' (Leeds); a true first carries the first-published year with no reprint or impression notice.", "No number line; standard British 'First published' convention. Later printings add a 'Reprinted [year]' line.", "Caribbean Modern Classics reissues carry their own series line plus a 'this edition [year]' / new-introduction note. Treat these as reissues, not the title's original first appearance." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1985 by Jeremy Poynting; conceived in 1984 after a paper shortage halted book production in Guyana. The inaugural title was Rooplall Monar's 'Backdam People', printed at Thomas Danby College in Leeds where Poynting worked.", "Leading publisher of Caribbean, Black British, and South Asian literature; for many significant Caribbean writers the Peepal Tree edition is the first or only edition, so it is the definitive first.", "Named for the sacred peepal (ficus religiosa) tree associated with Indian indentured labourers in the Caribbean; specialises in poetry and fiction with small print runs." ], "era": "1985-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/peirene-press", "name": "Peirene Press", "slug": "peirene-press", "region": "UK (London), European and international novellas in translation", "imprints": [ "Peirene Press", "Peirene Now! (commissioned series)" ], "idMethods": [ "First books published from 2010 onward: for the English-language first, look on the copyright page for a number line whose lowest figure is '1' (such as '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' or '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), following standard UK trade practice; the presence of '1' indicates a first printing.", "The copyright page also states 'First published in by Peirene Press Ltd'. Titles are issued in themed, sequentially numbered series and, in the case of Peirene Now!, carry their own series numbers (for example Peirene Now! No. 1, 'breach') — these series numbers are catalogue markers, NOT printing or edition indicators.", "The uniform flapped-paperback design and any subscription or series packaging are house branding and do not affect first-printing identification." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 2008, Peirene published its first three novellas in 2010 and curates short European (and now broader international) fiction in translation, issued in themed series with sequential title numbers.", "The series numbering is frequently mistaken for an edition state but is not one; identification should rest on the copyright-page statement and number line, not the series number.", "Small print runs make some early titles scarce." ], "era": "2008–present (first books published 2010)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pelican-publishing-company", "name": "Pelican Publishing Company", "slug": "pelican-publishing-company", "region": "South (Gretna / New Orleans, Louisiana)", "imprints": [ "Pelican Publishing Company", "Arcadia Publishing (parent since 2019)" ], "idMethods": [ "1926-1960s (early Pelican era): No consistent first-edition slug. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching publication with no later-printing statement. The Pelican name and business passed through several owners in this period (founder John McClure, then Hodding Carter from 1967), so confirm you are looking at the New Orleans/Gretna Pelican before relying on any tell.", "1970-2000s (Calhoun-family ownership, the classic Pelican era): Like many regional houses, Pelican commonly identified printings on the copyright page; where a number line is present the lowest number indicates the printing, and many titles add an explicit printing statement, with later printings noted line by line. Because perennial sellers were reprinted repeatedly, rely on a present low digit or a single first-printing statement rather than assuming any copy is a first.", "2019-present (Arcadia Publishing ownership): Follows Arcadia's house convention - lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing; imprint reads 'Pelican Publishing, a division of Arcadia Publishing.'" ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the oldest and largest Southern independents; founded in 1926 (rooted in the Pelican Bookshop on Royal Street, New Orleans) and run for decades by the Calhoun family from Gretna, Louisiana, after they bought it in 1970.", "Ownership lineage: founder John McClure, then Hodding Carter (1967), then brothers Milburn and James L. Calhoun (1970); Milburn's daughter Kathleen Calhoun Nettleton later led the house.", "Acquired by Arcadia Publishing in 2019.", "Broad list: Louisiana and Southern history, cookbooks, children's books, architecture, and Cajun/Creole culture, with many perennial sellers reprinted many times, so distinguishing printing from edition is critical." ], "era": "1926-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/penguin-books", "name": "Penguin Books", "slug": "penguin-books", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Penguin", "Pelican", "Puffin (children's)", "Penguin Classics", "Penguin Modern Classics", "Allen Lane (hardcover)", "Viking (UK sibling)", "Ladybird" ], "idMethods": [ "For reprint titles, firsts are flagged \"First published [elsewhere/date]\" with the Penguin printing noted as \"Published in Penguin Books [Year]\" — the FIRST PENGUIN PRINTING is identified by 'Published in Penguin Books [year]' with no later Penguin reprint line", "Penguin paperback originals: first printing identified by the dated 'Published... [year]' line and absence of a 'Reprinted' line", "Modern Penguin uses descending number lines ending in 1; lowest digit = printing", "Penguin numbering/series numbers (the historic Penguin number) and cover-design generation help date early printings" ], "notablePoints": [ "Penguin is overwhelmingly a REPRINT publisher — a 'Penguin first edition' is usually NOT the true first edition of the work (the hardcover elsewhere is); collectors must distinguish 'first Penguin printing' from 'first edition'", "The 1960 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' Penguin (the obscenity-trial edition) is a notable collected printing with its own points", "Allen Lane (hardcover imprint) and Viking are where Penguin-group TRUE firsts appear", "Early Penguins are collected by series number and cover generation rather than edition statements" ], "era": "1935-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pennyroyal-press", "name": "Pennyroyal Press", "slug": "pennyroyal-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Barry Moser (proprietor/wood-engraver)", "Pennyroyal Caxton Press (the Caxton Bible collaboration)" ], "idMethods": [ "Limited letterpress editions with a printed, hand-numbered colophon; signed by Barry Moser and frequently by the author/editor", "Original Moser wood engravings throughout; the engraved Pennyroyal device/colophon authenticates", "Deluxe vs. standard states distinguished by binding and extra signed print suites stated in the colophon", "No number line — colophon limitation statement is definitive" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Barry Moser (West Hatfield, MA) in the 1970s; famous for the Pennyroyal 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (1982) and 'Through the Looking-Glass'", "The Pennyroyal Caxton Bible (1999, with the University of California / Caxton) is the monumental project — a King James Bible illustrated by Moser, one of the great late-20th-c. American fine-press books", "Distinguish Pennyroyal Press proper from the later 'Pennyroyal Caxton' imprint used for the Bible", "Trade reprints of some Moser-illustrated titles exist (e.g., via UC Press/Godine) — not the limited letterpress first" ], "era": "c.1970s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/penumbra-press", "name": "Penumbra Press", "slug": "penumbra-press", "region": "Lisbon, Iowa (Bonnie O'Connell) — American fine press, distinct from the unrelated Canadian Penumbra Press of Ontario", "imprints": [ "Penumbra Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1970s-1980s: hand-printed letterpress poetry broadsides, chapbooks, and books, produced on a Washington handpress and later a Vandercook. Identification rests on the COLOPHON limitation statement (typically a small run), which records the limitation, types, paper, and printer (Bonnie O'Connell). Limited copies are commonly numbered, and some are signed by the author at the colophon. No number line is used.", "A copy matching the colophon collation is the first; these single fine-press editions are essentially never reprinted.", "NAME-COLLISION CAUTION: the Canadian 'Penumbra Press' (founded 1979 in Ontario) is a SEPARATE publisher with conventional trade practice (copyright-page 'First Edition' / number line). Confirm which Penumbra applies by place of publication and the printer named in the colophon.", "Broadsides are identified by their stated limitation and any signatures; they bear no copyright-page printing statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "American Penumbra Press is Bonnie O'Connell's fine-press imprint, in the Iowa hand-press lineage associated with Kim Merker (Windhover/Stone Wall); collected as book art.", "First release was 'Little Notes to You from Lucas Street,' a sixteen-poem collection printed on a Washington handpress.", "Two unrelated houses share the name — the Iowa fine press and the Ontario trade press — a frequent cataloguing pitfall.", "Identification for the fine press is purely colophon/collation-based." ], "era": "c.1971-1990s (Iowa fine press)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/perishable-press", "name": "Perishable Press Limited", "slug": "perishable-press", "region": "Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, USA (founded in Detroit, Michigan, 1964)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Walter Hamady's press: limitation stated in the colophon; very small editions (often well under 200) printed on Hamady's own Shadwell handmade paper, whose handmade sheet and watermark are a key identifying point.", "Identify by Hamady's idiosyncratic typography and the colophon; many copies are signed by Hamady and/or the author/artist, with lettered/special states carrying extra material.", "Match to the Perishable Press and Gabberjabb checklists for exact limitation and state; these are single printings, not numbered-line reprints." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1964 in Detroit by Walter Hamady while still an undergraduate; first book was 'The Disillusioned Solipsist.' One of the most distinctive American private presses, it issued roughly 128 volumes over its run.", "Hamady's own Shadwell handmade paper (from his Shadwell Papermill) distinguishes genuine Perishable sheets; verify the sheet and watermark.", "The self-referential 'Interminable Gabberjabbs' series (begun 1973) is famously collected; premium attaches to lettered/special states and to copies retaining the laid-in ephemera the colophon calls for." ], "era": "1964-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/perma-books", "name": "Perma Books (Permabooks)", "slug": "perma-books", "region": "USA (Garden City, NY — Doubleday's Garden City Publishing, with editorial office in Manhattan; later New York, NY — Pocket Books)", "imprints": [ "Permabooks (Doubleday, P-series)", "Permabooks (Pocket Books, M-series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1948-1951 (Doubleday era, P-series): Permabooks launched in 1948 as small, durable board-bound 'permanent' books (a stiff-board format, not the limp paperback look), promoted as 'Books of Permanent Value.' The board-cover format itself dates a copy to this earliest 1948-1951 window. First printing is shown by the copyright-page printing statement; absence of any later-printing note indicates a first.", "1951-1954 (Doubleday era, standard paperback): From 1951 Doubleday switched Permabooks to the conventional limp paperback format (still P-prefix). First printing is identified by the copyright printing statement; the original cover price helps date the issue.", "1954-1960s (Pocket Books era, M-series): In 1954 Doubleday sold Permabooks to Pocket Books, which retained the name as an imprint and renumbered with an M-prefix, issuing both originals and reprints. First printing for this era follows Pocket Books' printing-statement convention of the period.", "Identification shortcut: P-prefix = Doubleday era (1948-1954); M-prefix = Pocket Books era (1954+)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Began in 1948 as small board-bound 'permanent books' — an unusual durable format (not limp paperback) that distinguishes the earliest 1948-1951 issues.", "Switched to the standard limp-paperback look in 1951; the original board format lasted only about three years.", "Sold by Doubleday to Pocket Books in 1954, which kept the Permabooks name and issued both originals and reprints.", "Two distinct numbering regimes — P-prefix under Doubleday, M-prefix under Pocket Books — let the series code place a title in its ownership era." ], "era": "1948-1960s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/persea-books", "name": "Persea Books", "slug": "persea-books", "region": "USA (New York, New York)", "imprints": [ "Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in Poetry", "Lexi Rudnitsky Editor's Choice Award", "Karen & Michael Braziller Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.", "Firsts frequently state 'First edition' with a year; later printings are noted explicitly on the copyright leaf.", "Most poetry titles are single-printing, so absence of any later-printing statement generally indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1975 by Michael Braziller and Karen Braziller, who still own and direct it; an independent literary house publishing poetry, fiction, translation, and rediscovered classics.", "Distinct from George Braziller, Inc. (a related but separate house founded by Michael's father George Braziller) — confirm the imprint name on the title leaf." ], "era": "1975–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/phaidon-press", "name": "Phaidon Press", "slug": "phaidon-press", "region": "UK/US (London & New York; founded Vienna 1923)", "imprints": [ "Phaidon", "Phaidon Press", "Phaidon (Focus series)", "Phaidon 55s (Photography 55 / 'Phaidon 55' pocket series)", "Phaidon Atlas (architecture)", "Hanuman Books / other distributed lines" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: 'First published [by Phaidon Press] [year]' is the primary first-edition signal; a true first shows only that first-published line with no later 'Reprinted' or 'revised edition' entries beneath it.", "Phaidon historically does NOT rely on a descending number line for most art titles; subsequent printings are marked by adding 'Reprinted 20xx' lines, so a first is identified by the absence of those reprint lines.", "Where a number line appears on newer titles, apply standard rules (lowest number present indicates the printing).", "Edition revisions ('Second edition', 'Revised and expanded') are stated explicitly and constitute a new edition, not a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in Vienna (1923) and later based in London; pre-WWII Phaidon Verlag (Vienna) imprints are distinct early issues, so the first-published year and imprint location both matter for dating.", "Iconic reference titles such as Gombrich's The Story of Art and The Art Book run through many editions and reprints, so a true first edition must be distinguished from later revised editions by the stated edition and any added reprint lines.", "Phaidon 55 (Photography 55) pocket monographs are a uniform series; firsts are identified by the first-published year on the colophon." ], "era": "1923-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/phantasia-press", "name": "Phantasia Press", "slug": "phantasia-press", "region": "USA (West Bloomfield, Michigan)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Limitation page identifies the signed/numbered limited state; titles were issued in both a signed-numbered slipcased limited state (carrying a signed limitation leaf) and an unsigned trade hardcover", "Trade first identified by copyright page lacking any later-printing notice; many titles are the first HARDCOVER edition of works first published as mass-market paperbacks, so 'first edition' here often means first-in-format" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1978 by Alex Berman and Sidney Altus; active through 1989 (49 books), with a separate relaunch beginning 2023. Published Niven, Brin, Cherryh, Silverberg, Williamson and others", "Issued both true firsts (a small collectors' edition just ahead of a larger publisher's release) and first hardcovers of paperback originals — confirm which case applies per title", "Signed/numbered slipcased states command premiums; verify the limitation number and author signature on the limitation leaf. Print runs varied by title (e.g. 'Startide Rising', 1985, totaled about 1,575 copies including 375 signed-numbered slipcased), so do not assume a fixed limitation size", "Caution: some Phantasia editions are revised texts (e.g. Brin's 'Startide Rising' is a First Revised Edition), so a Phantasia printing is not always textually the first appearance" ], "era": "1978-1989 (original run; relaunched 2023)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/phantom-books", "name": "Phantom Books", "slug": "phantom-books", "region": "USA (digest line) and Australia (separate Phantom imprint, Horwitz/Transport Publishing)", "imprints": [ "Phantom Books (US digest crime/hardboiled, numbered ~#500-513)", "Phantom Books (Australia, Horwitz/Transport Publishing, numbered ~#501-695)" ], "idMethods": [ "US Phantom Books: a short-run digest-sized crime line numbered roughly #500 through #513, active in the early 1950s (not the late 1940s). Several titles are paperback originals by hardboiled authors such as Harry Whittington and Day Keene (for example Married to Murder, #503; Swamp Kill by Whit Harrison, #508). For an original, the Phantom digest is the text's first edition. Identify a first by the catalog number, the digest format with stapled pictorial wrappers, and the original cover price, with no later-printing notice on the copyright page.", "Australian Phantom Books (Horwitz/Transport Publishing) is a separate imprint running a longer number range (about #501 to #695) and consisting largely of reprints of US/UK hardboiled authors. A title that was first published in the US (for example Whittington's The Brass Monkey, first issued as Handi-Book #133 in 1951) appears as an Australian Phantom reprint and is a distinct later edition; identify it by the Australian publisher imprint and local price in shillings.", "Because survival rates for these fragile digests and pulp-stock paperbacks are low, confirm the first by the earliest dated issue carrying no reissue note, and distinguish a Phantom original from a Phantom reprint by checking the copyright page for any prior-publisher acknowledgment." ], "notablePoints": [ "Two unrelated 'Phantom Books' exist: a short-lived US digest crime line of the early 1950s and a larger Australian paperback imprint tied to Horwitz; do not conflate them.", "The US line is dated by its narrow ~#500-513 number range and is firmly early-1950s, not late-1940s.", "Home to early-1950s paperback originals by Harry Whittington (including under the pseudonym Whit Harrison) and Day Keene." ], "era": "c.1951-1953 (US digest line); 1950s into the 1960s (Australian imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pharos-editions", "name": "Pharos Editions", "slug": "pharos-editions", "region": "Seattle, Washington (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "Pharos Editions (imprint of Dark Coast Press; joint venture with Counterpoint Press from 2014)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.2012/2013-c.2017: A reissue imprint reviving out-of-print Northwest and American titles, each hand-picked and introduced by a contemporary writer-curator. A Pharos reissue is identified by the curator's introduction and the Pharos imprint statement on the copyright page; where present, a descending number line indicates the printing of the Pharos issue.", "CRITICAL: these are reissues — the Pharos edition is NOT the true first edition of the underlying work. Collectors seeking a first want the original publisher's earlier first edition (a different publisher and earlier date); the Pharos edition is valued as a curated reprint. The original first will bear a different, earlier publisher and copyright year." ], "notablePoints": [ "An imprint of Seattle's Dark Coast Press dedicated to bringing out-of-print, lost, or rare books back into print; titles are curated and introduced by respected writers (curators have included Jess Walter, Sherman Alexie, and David Guterson).", "In 2014 Pharos formed a joint venture with Counterpoint Press, which took over production, marketing, and sales/distribution.", "Concept is explicitly a reissue/reprint house — important for NOT mistaking a Pharos edition for a first. A short-lived imprint of the early-to-mid 2010s; published roughly two dozen titles in its first five years, which are themselves now becoming scarce." ], "era": "c.2012-c.2017" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/picador-us", "name": "Picador (US)", "slug": "picador-us", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' or 'First Picador Edition (Year)' / 'First Picador USA Edition (Year)' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.", "Macmillan-family (FSG/Holt/St. Martin's) convention: 'First Edition' statement + number line to 1.", "Many Picador US titles are trade-paperback reprints of FSG/Holt/SMP hardcovers — a 'First Picador Edition' is the first of that Picador printing, NOT necessarily the first edition of the work; confirm against the original hardcover.", "Line ending in 1 plus statement = first of that Picador printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Picador USA launched in 1995 (not 1994) as St. Martin's Press's literary imprint; became a separate Holtzbrinck division in 2000; now part of Macmillan's trade group alongside FSG, Holt, SMP.", "Frequently a trade-paperback reprinter — so a 'first Picador edition' is often NOT the first edition of the title; check the original hardcover.", "Picador US DID originate some titles (paperback originals, which ARE firsts) from ~1995 until April 2019; as of April 2019 it stopped publishing originals and reprints exclusively, so for titles published 2019+ a 'First Picador Edition' is essentially never the true first edition of the work.", "Distinct from UK Picador (Pan Macmillan), which originates its own line; do not conflate." ], "era": "1994–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/childrens-book-club-editions", "name": "Picture-book & Children's Book-Club / Special Editions (cross-publisher identification)", "slug": "childrens-book-club-editions", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Weekly Reader Children's Book Club", "Junior Literary Guild", "Scholastic Book Clubs / Book Fairs", "Parents' Magazine Press book club", "Newbery/Caldecott medal reissues" ], "idMethods": [ "NO PRICE on the dust jacket flap (clipped or never printed) is the leading book-club tell for trade-publisher picture books", "Blind stamp (small debossed dot, circle, square, star, or maple leaf) on the LOWER-RIGHT corner of the REAR board", "Smaller trim size and cheaper/thinner paper stock than the trade edition; plain endpapers matching text stock (no decorative color)", "A short vertical string of numbers/capital letters near the gutter on a rear page; absence of ISBN on early club editions", "Explicit club imprint on jacket/spine/copyright page (e.g. 'Weekly Reader Children's Book Club', 'A Junior Literary Guild Selection' note — note: a Guild SELECTION line can appear on trade firsts too, so use it with other signals)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Mid-century picture books circulated massively through clubs — Sendak, Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, McCloskey all have club look-alikes that fool buyers; the trade first is worth many multiples of the club copy", "Caldecott/Newbery MEDAL on the cover (gold/silver foil printed INTO the art) generally means a later printing — true firsts predate the award and lack the seal (a stick-on foil seal is removable and ambiguous; a printed-in seal is diagnostic of a later state)", "Book Fair / Scholastic Book Club editions of modern titles carry distinct ISBNs and printing strings and are explicitly not trade firsts", "Always cross-check trim size + price + blind stamp + paper together; any single signal can mislead" ], "era": "1920s–present (peak club era 1940s–1980s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/plantin-press-los-angeles", "name": "Plantin Press (Los Angeles)", "slug": "plantin-press-los-angeles", "region": "Los Angeles, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1931-1980s: First/only edition established by the COLOPHON limitation statement; small hand-set editions with no number line. The colophon names Saul and Lillian Marks, the type used, and the limitation (copy counts are typically small, e.g. on the order of 140-350 copies).", "1931-1945 (early, Saul Marks): identify by the colophon and the Plantin Press imprint; confirm this is the LOS ANGELES Plantin Press of Saul Marks, not the historic Officina Plantiniana of Antwerp.", "1945-1974 (mature): colophon-controlled; copy number commonly hand-inscribed; many works printed for the Zamorano Club, Dawson's Book Shop, and private patrons, with Plantin named as printer in the colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Do NOT confuse with the 16th-century Officina Plantiniana of Christophe Plantin in Antwerp; this is a separate 20th-century American private press founded by Saul and Lillian Marks in 1931.", "Saul Marks is regarded as one of the finest American typographers, and design precision is an authenticity tell.", "Lillian Marks continued the press briefly after Saul's death in 1974; a published bibliography of the Plantin Press of Saul and Lillian Marks (covering 1930-1985) documents the output." ], "era": "1931-c.1985" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/platt-munk", "name": "Platt & Munk Company", "slug": "platt-munk", "region": "New York, NY", "imprints": [ "Platt & Munk", "Never Grow Old Series", "Platt & Munk Big Book" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 1920s–early 1930s (boxed era): the Never Grow Old Series was issued in a publisher's box with a paste-down color image on the front cover, a black cloth spine, and no dust jacket. The earliest issue is the boxed state with paste-down; there is no printed edition statement, so identify by format state and earliest imprint.", "Early 1930s–c.1943: the format changed to a dust-jacketed cloth-board book and the black cloth spine was dropped. A dust jacket rather than a box indicates the later format generation. The paste-down cover image continued until about 1943.", "c.1943 onward: the paste-down cover image was discontinued and replaced by a lightly embossed one-color inked cover image. An embossed (not paste-down) cover dates the book to roughly 1943 or later.", "The Little Engine That Could (Platt & Munk, 1930, 'Watty Piper'/Lois Lenski): many variants exist. The true first is distinguished by point analysis — a two-line imprint beginning 'No. 358' in the lower-left of the cover, blank dust-jacket flaps, and a back-jacket advertising only four Platt & Munk one-dollar titles. Later reissues (including the 1954 reillustrated edition) are clearly later. Identification is point-specific, not via a number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Most famous for The Little Engine That Could (1930), published under the house pseudonym 'Watty Piper.'", "Format evolution is the dating backbone: boxed with paste-down and black cloth spine (earliest), then dust-jacketed without the black spine, then an embossed cover after about 1943.", "Acquired by Grosset & Dunlap in 1957; later part of the Putnam/Penguin lineage.", "Rarely states 'first edition'; rely on format state and variant points." ], "era": "1920–1957 (imprint continued under Grosset & Dunlap after)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/playscripts-inc", "name": "Playscripts, Inc.", "slug": "playscripts-inc", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Playscripts", "Broadway Licensing / Concord Theatricals (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "1998-c.2021 (independent era): Play-licensing publisher of acting editions, founded 1998 by Doug and Jonathan Rand with its catalog launching in 2000; focused on contemporary and educational/youth theatre. Acting editions are continuously reprinted and printings are generally NOT bibliographically distinguished. Identify by the copyright year on the verso and the standard Playscripts perfect-bound acting-edition format with production/royalty notice; for a new contemporary play, the Playscripts edition may be its first printed appearance.", "c.2021-2025 (Broadway Licensing Global ownership): Playscripts operated under Broadway Licensing Global; copyright and back-cover branding shift to Broadway Licensing contact and royalty terms, which serves as a dating tell.", "2025-present (Concord Theatricals ownership): Concord Theatricals acquired Broadway Licensing Global and its imprints, including Playscripts, in 2025; newer copies may carry Concord branding. Identification conventions are unchanged." ], "notablePoints": [ "Modern play-licensing acting editions; like Dramatists Play Service and Samuel French, often the true first printed text of a contemporary play.", "Ownership chain: independent (founded 1998) -> Broadway Licensing Global -> Concord Theatricals (2025); cover/verso branding is the era tell.", "Printings are not bibliographically distinguished; date by copyright year and imprint branding rather than a number line." ], "era": "1998-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/plenum-press", "name": "Plenum Press", "slug": "plenum-press", "region": "United States (New York)", "imprints": [ "Plenum Press", "Plenum Publishing Corporation", "Consultants Bureau", "Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers (post-1998 merger)", "Springer (successor, post-2004)" ], "idMethods": [ "Origins as Consultants Bureau (Earl M. Coleman), which began publishing English translations of Soviet scientific journals around 1949; the 'Plenum' name was adopted in 1965. Early scientific/technical monographs and serials generally carry NO explicit first-printing statement, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any later-printing notice; translation and serial volumes are identified by volume number and year rather than edition points.", "Mid-1980s onward: a number line where present (lowest digit indicating the printing) and an explicit edition statement on revised works.", "1998 onward: Plenum Publishing was acquired by Wolters Kluwer and operated as Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; the academic line then passed to Springer (Springer Science+Business Media) around 2004, with later printings carrying Kluwer or Springer imprints and house styles." ], "notablePoints": [ "Major Cold War-era conduit for English translations of Soviet science through its Consultants Bureau operation.", "The standalone 'Plenum Press' imprint name dates from 1965; the line was absorbed into Kluwer Academic (1998) and then Springer (c.2004).", "Scientific monographs and serials are tracked by volume number and year rather than by issue points." ], "era": "Consultants Bureau from 1949; 'Plenum Press' name from 1965; independent through c.1998-2004" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/plume", "name": "Plume", "slug": "plume", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Plume" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade-paperback convention: the first Plume printing states \"First Plume Printing\" (often with a year) and/or carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1.", "The number line is the tell for the printing; treat the lowest digit as decisive.", "Caution: 'First Plume Printing' marks the first Plume (paperback) printing, which is frequently a reprint of a work first published earlier in hardcover by another house or imprint — it is not necessarily a true first edition of the text." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1970 as the trade-paperback imprint of New American Library (NAL); came under the Dutton/Penguin structure later through the NAL–Penguin consolidation, and now sits within the Penguin Publishing Group under Penguin Random House.", "Primarily a reprint line with occasional paperback originals, so 'First Plume Printing' usually signals format-first, not edition-first." ], "era": "1970–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pluto-press", "name": "Pluto Press", "slug": "pluto-press", "region": "UK (London), radical politics and social science", "imprints": [ "Pluto Press", "Pluto Classics", "Pluto Educational Trust" ], "idMethods": [ "1969–c.1985: firsts identified by a 'First published by Pluto Press' edition statement; number lines are frequently absent in this period, so the first printing is shown by the lack of any 'Reprinted' or later-impression line.", "c.1985–present: a descending number line on the copyright page becomes standard (lowest figure, 1, indicates the first printing) alongside the 'First published by Pluto Press' statement.", "Pluto Classics and similar reissues of older radical texts: the relevant first is the original edition; series volumes are marked as reprints, often with new introductions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in London in 1969 by Richard Kuper as a publishing arm associated with the International Socialists; it broke from that affiliation and became fully independent in 1979.", "Early titles depend on edition statements rather than number lines.", "Course-adopted titles were reprinted frequently — check for added impression lines before assuming a first printing." ], "era": "1969–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pocket-books", "name": "Pocket Books", "slug": "pocket-books", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Pocket Books", "Permabooks", "Cardinal", "Pocket Library", "Washington Square Press", "Archway", "Trident" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing was typically stated on the copyright page in the early and mid era; later printings add a printing line (2nd printing, and so on), so the absence of any later-printing statement indicates a first.", "Modern Pocket Books uses a number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.", "The sequential catalog number on the spine identifies the title, not the printing; reissues take new numbers.", "The kangaroo colophon (Gertrude the kangaroo) changes in style across periods, making it an era marker rather than a per-printing point." ], "notablePoints": [ "Pocket Books launched the modern American mass-market paperback in 1939. Its number 1 title was James Hilton's 'Lost Horizon'; Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' was number 7 in the initial 1939 launch list, not number 1. Pocket was overwhelmingly a reprint house, so the Pocket edition is rarely the true first of a work.", "Permabooks (launched by Doubleday in 1948 as hardcover-bound 'permanent' editions and acquired by Pocket in 1954) and Cardinal (a Pocket imprint from 1951) were Pocket lines; format and date matter when identifying.", "Washington Square Press was Pocket's quality/trade and academic line.", "Some genre paperback originals and tie-ins did originate at Pocket; check for a prior hardcover before calling a Pocket the first." ], "era": "1939-present (now an imprint of Simon & Schuster)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/poisoned-pen-press", "name": "Poisoned Pen Press", "slug": "poisoned-pen-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Poisoned Pen Press", "The Poisoned Pencil (YA)", "Now an imprint of Sourcebooks (Sourcebooks Landmark) since 2018" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern copyright-page number line; first printing shows the full descending line ending in '1' and often a 'First Edition' statement.", "Many titles issued simultaneously in hardcover, trade paperback, and a numbered library 'large print' — each format's first printing is set by its own number line.", "Post-2018 Sourcebooks-era titles follow Sourcebooks/Landmark copyright conventions (number line, 'First Edition')." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1997 in Scottsdale AZ (associated with The Poisoned Pen bookstore); acquired by Sourcebooks in 2018 — pre- and post-acquisition copyright pages look different.", "Some titles were UK or original-market firsts reprinted by Poisoned Pen for the US (e.g., British Library Crime Classics distributed in the US) — those are first-thus/first US, not the world first.", "British Library Crime Classics reprints distributed by Poisoned Pen are reprints of vintage texts; the 'first edition' line refers only to that modern reissue." ], "era": "1997-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/polity-press", "name": "Polity Press", "slug": "polity-press", "region": "UK (Cambridge) / USA, social theory and academic", "imprints": [ "Polity Press", "Polity" ], "idMethods": [ "1984–present: firsts identified by 'First published in by Polity Press' (in the early years often 'in association with Basil Blackwell') together with a descending number line in which the lowest figure (1) marks the first printing.", "1984–c.1990s: early titles were co-imprinted with Basil Blackwell, and the copyright page names both houses — this is still a Polity first. US distribution arrangements do not change the printing identification.", "Simultaneous hardback and paperback academic issue: identify the first by binding and the earliest 'First published' year; reprints add impression lines." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1984 in Cambridge by Anthony Giddens, David Held and John Thompson; a flagship social-theory publisher (English-language Habermas, Bourdieu, Giddens, Bauman).", "The early Basil Blackwell co-imprint can mislead attribution but does not change which printing is the first.", "For translations, the English-language Polity edition is the relevant first." ], "era": "1984–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/polygon-books", "name": "Polygon", "slug": "polygon-books", "region": "Scotland (Edinburgh)", "imprints": [ "Polygon (imprint of Birlinn Ltd)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Polygon' with a descending number line on modern titles; a first printing has the digit 1 present.", "Post-2002 titles state 'Polygon, an imprint of Birlinn Ltd' (West Newington House, Edinburgh); that wording dates the edition to the Birlinn era.", "Pre-2002 Polygon titles (student press, then under Edinburgh University Press) carry the earlier imprint and address; use these to separate the eras." ], "notablePoints": [ "Originated in the late 1960s as a student-run press at the University of Edinburgh; the fiction imprint became part of Edinburgh University Press in 1988, then was sold to Birlinn Ltd in 2002.", "Publishes Scottish literary fiction and poetry (Alexander McCall Smith UK editions, George Mackay Brown, Robin Jenkins, and later Graeme Macrae Burnet and others).", "The ownership change from EUP to Birlinn in 2002 is the key era tell and changes the imprint line on the copyright page." ], "era": "1969-present (Birlinn-owned 2002-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/popular-library", "name": "Popular Library", "slug": "popular-library", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Popular Library" ], "idMethods": [ "Sequential catalog number on the spine/cover identifies the title; the number is not a printing count.", "First printing: the copyright page lacks a later-printing statement. Later Popular Library printings add a printing line, and a price bump on the same catalog number signals a reprint.", "From the modern mass-market era onward Popular Library used a descending number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1942 by Leo Margulies and Ned Pines, Popular Library was largely a reprint house, so the Popular Library edition is frequently NOT a work's first appearance; check for a prior hardcover.", "It did issue some paperback originals (genre, noir and western) where the Popular Library is the first appearance.", "Its cover device was a pine tree, a play on co-founder Ned Pines's name; later corporate moves (Curtis, then the Fawcett/CBS orbit) shifted printing conventions toward standard mass-market number lines." ], "era": "1942-1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/portfolio", "name": "Portfolio", "slug": "portfolio", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Portfolio", "Sentinel (sister political imprint)", "Thesis", "The Optimism Press" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing", "As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, do not rely on a printed \"First edition\" statement — use the number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Business imprint within Penguin Publishing Group, part of Penguin Random House; founded by Adrian Zackheim, who joined Penguin in September 2001", "Sentinel is its conservative-politics sister imprint, also founded by Zackheim" ], "era": "2001–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/powerhouse-books", "name": "powerHouse Books", "slug": "powerhouse-books", "region": "US (Brooklyn, New York)", "imprints": [ "powerHouse Books", "powerHouse Cultural Entertainment, Inc.", "POW! (powerHouse children's imprint, launched 2013)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: 'First edition, [year]' is commonly stated on powerHouse titles; a true first shows that line with no later printing note.", "Many titles also carry a descending number line — where present, the lowest digit indicates the printing.", "Reprints and new editions are stated; the absence of a reprint line together with the original ISBN supports a first.", "Special or signed editions carry a limitation statement and note any accompanying print." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1995 by Daniel Power (joined by Craig Cohen in 1996); an art and photography house known for image-driven titles in street, popular, and fashion culture.", "POW! is the children's-book imprint, launched in 2013, and sits outside the art-photo collectible line.", "powerHouse Arena in DUMBO, Brooklyn, is the associated bookstore and event space, not a separate publishing imprint; a distribution credit for another publisher inside a book does not make it a powerHouse publication." ], "era": "1995–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/prentice-hall-technical", "name": "Prentice Hall (technical/STM & reference)", "slug": "prentice-hall-technical", "region": "United States (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)", "imprints": [ "Prentice Hall / Prentice-Hall", "Prentice Hall PTR (Professional Technical Reference)", "Pearson (current owner of the higher-education and technical/professional list)", "Reward Books", "Parker Publishing" ], "idMethods": [ "1913-c.1960: Founded 13 October 1913 by Charles Gerstenberg and Richard Ettinger (the name combines their mothers' maiden names, Prentice and Hall). College, technical, and professional reference. Firsts on trade and textbook titles are generally identified by the absence of a later-printing notice and by the edition statement; the firm did not consistently print a 'First Edition' slug on STM titles.", "c.1960-present: A number line on the copyright page is the standard printing indicator (lowest digit = printing). Prentice Hall PTR computing/engineering titles are identified by edition number together with the number line.", "For continuously revised technical references the edition number is the identification unit, not a 'First Edition' statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "The PTR division published landmark computing and engineering texts, notably Kernighan & Ritchie's 'The C Programming Language' (first edition February 1978) — a celebrated STM first identified by issue points and printing notice.", "Independent through most of the 20th century; acquired by Gulf+Western (Simon & Schuster) in 1984 and sold to Pearson in 1998.", "Distinguish the K-12/school division from the higher-education and PTR professional/technical division." ], "era": "1913-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/presidio-press", "name": "Presidio Press", "slug": "presidio-press", "region": "San Rafael / Novato, California, USA (later Random House/Ballantine)", "imprints": [ "Presidio Press (independent)", "Presidio Press / Ballantine Books (post-2002, Random House)" ], "idMethods": [ "Independent era (1974-2001, San Rafael/Novato, CA): the first printing is identified by a COMPLETE number line on the copyright page, '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'; the presence of '1' signals a first printing. Some titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing'.", "Random House era (from 2002, published as Presidio Press/Ballantine): Random House house convention applies, the first trade printing states 'First Edition' AND carries a number line ending in 1; on a stated first edition the line '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' confirms the first printing. If 'First Edition' is removed and the lowest number is 2 or higher, it is a later printing.", "All eras: for military memoirs and unit histories (e.g. 'With the Old Breed', first published by Presidio in 1981) verify the San Rafael/Novato imprint and the complete 1-10 line for the true Presidio first, distinct from later Ballantine mass-market reprints." ], "notablePoints": [ "A premier independent US military-history house of its era; firsts of Vietnam and WWII memoirs (e.g. Keith Nolan's battle narratives) are actively collected.", "Post-acquisition Random House digit-line-plus-statement rule supersedes the earlier complete-number-line-only rule.", "Acquired by Random House (Ballantine) on February 22, 2002; the San Rafael/Novato address on the copyright page signals the independent, more collectible era." ], "era": "1974-c.2010" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pressed-wafer", "name": "Pressed Wafer", "slug": "pressed-wafer", "region": "Boston, MA, then Brooklyn, NY, then Somerville, MA (founded by Joseph Torra, Daniel Bouchard, and William Corbett)", "imprints": [ "Pressed Wafer (magazine, from 2000)", "Pressed Wafer (books, from 2003)" ], "idMethods": [ "2000-2002: 'Pressed Wafer' appeared as a magazine; the first issue (Boston, 2000) is identified by issue number and contents, as issues were not reprinted.", "2003-2018 (books): perfect-bound and stapled offset poetry, essay, and art books, plus broadsides, chapbooks, and postcards. Identification rests on the COPYRIGHT-PAGE statement: first printings carry no later-printing notice and typically no number line. Given the low reprint rate, a clean copyright page indicates a first.", "Broadsides and chapbooks are identified by collation and any stated limitation; signed or limited states are noted when present.", "The imprint name on the title/copyright page anchors identification; match against the press's title list for the canonical first state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Named by Joseph Torra after John Wieners's sequence 'Pressed Wafer'; founded by Torra, Daniel Bouchard, and poet-editor William Corbett, who became the driving force.", "Moved from 9 Columbus Square (Boston) to 375 Parkside Avenue (Brooklyn) to 108 Beacon Street (Somerville); ran until Corbett's death in 2018.", "Strong association with John Wieners, including the 2000 Pressed Wafer Lifetime Achievement Award presented to him and the memorial volume 'The Blind See Only This World.'", "Recent enough that most firsts are identified simply by the absence of a reprint statement." ], "era": "2000-2018" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/prestel-verlag", "name": "Prestel Publishing (Prestel Verlag)", "slug": "prestel-verlag", "region": "Germany (Munich) / US (New York) / UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Prestel", "Prestel Verlag", "Prestel (Penguin Random House parent)", "Prestel Junior (children's art books)" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon/copyright page states the year; a first printing shows the first-published year with no reprint or revised-edition line — this is the primary tell.", "Some modern Prestel titles carry a number line; where present, the lowest number indicates the printing. Where absent, rely on the first-published year and the absence of a reprint statement.", "German- and English-language editions of a title are separate issues; the language and place-of-publication line on the colophon identifies which is which, and the true first depends on which market was published first.", "Reprints and new editions are stated explicitly on the colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1924 in Frankfurt (named for the 18th-century engraver Johann Gottlieb Prestel); later headquartered in Munich, with a London branch. Now an imprint within Penguin Random House (sold 2006) — a corporate-parent line on the colophon dates a modern issue.", "German and English editions of the same Prestel title often appear in sequence or simultaneously; the genuine first depends on which language/market came first for that title.", "Prestel co-publishes museum catalogues; co-edition colophons should be matched to the Prestel first-published year." ], "era": "1924–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/prime-press", "name": "Prime Press", "slug": "prime-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Prime Press" ], "idMethods": [ "First state identified by single print run and absence of later-printing notation; some titles issued in a signed/numbered limited state with a limitation statement", "Match original dust jacket and confirm title-page/copyright date agreement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Philadelphia fan-founded specialty house (late 1940s–early 1950s) contemporaneous with Fantasy Press, Gnome, and Shasta", "Small print runs make condition and jacket presence decisive; signed limiteds exist for some titles" ], "era": "1947–c.1953" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/princeton-architectural-press", "name": "Princeton Architectural Press", "slug": "princeton-architectural-press", "region": "US (founded Princeton, NJ; later New York; Chronicle/McEvoy-owned)", "imprints": [ "Princeton Architectural Press", "PA Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: descending number line (lowest digit indicates the printing) alongside a first-published year; a first shows the full line ending in 1 with no reprint statement.", "First printings are often also stated ('First published in [year]') in addition to the number line.", "Later printings are reflected by deletion from the number line; revised editions are stated explicitly.", "The imprint line reads 'Princeton Architectural Press' (or the shortened 'PA Press') even on modern Chronicle-owned titles." ], "notablePoints": [ "Independent architecture and design publisher founded in 1981 by Kevin Lippert in Princeton, New Jersey; acquired by the McEvoy Group (owner of Chronicle Books) in 2011 and more recently positioned as a Chronicle Books imprint under the shortened name PA Press.", "Specializes in architecture, graphic design, and visual culture; many titles are single-printing scholarly and design books following standard US number-line convention.", "Modern colophons may reference the Chronicle/McEvoy parent, but the Princeton Architectural Press / PA Press imprint persists and dates the issue." ], "era": "1981–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/princeton-university-press", "name": "Princeton University Press", "slug": "princeton-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Bollingen Series", "Princeton Classics", "Princeton Science Library", "Mythos Series" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First printing' or carries a number line; lowest number present indicates the printing. A '1' in the line = first printing.", "Subsequent printings are noted on the copyright page ('Second printing,' 'Third printing, with corrections,' etc.); absence of any later-printing statement on an unrevised text indicates a first.", "Revised/expanded editions state the new edition and original publication date — these are not first printings of the original first edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Bollingen Series (e.g., the Collected Works of C. G. Jung, the I Ching, Joseph Campbell) was published under Princeton University Press from 1967; Bollingen volumes are commonly reprinted with corrections, so check the printing line and 'with corrections' notes carefully.", "Princeton Classics and Princeton Science Library are reprint/paperback lines — a book in these series is by definition a later issue of an earlier first edition, not a first printing.", "Heavily reprinted academic staples (e.g., Strunk's editions, Kuhn-adjacent titles) keep the same copyright year across printings; rely on the number line, not the copyright date." ], "era": "1905–present (number-line/printing statements standard from the later 20th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/profile-books", "name": "Profile Books", "slug": "profile-books", "region": "UK (London), non-fiction, history, and popular science", "imprints": [ "Profile Books", "Serpent's Tail (acquired)", "Souvenir Press (acquired)", "Viper", "Economist Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1996-present (Profile Books): a first printing is shown by 'First published in Great Britain in by Profile Books Ltd' together with a descending number line ending in 1. Because many titles are bestsellers reprinted heavily, the number line is the decisive tell.", "Serpent's Tail (acquired 2007) keeps its own 'First published by Serpent's Tail' imprint statement and number line, so a Serpent's Tail first is distinct from any Profile reissue.", "Economist Books and Economist co-editions carry The Economist branding but the printing is identified by Profile's number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publisher of major non-fiction bestsellers including Eats, Shoots and Leaves, with heavy reprinting that makes the number line essential to identifying a first.", "Owns Serpent's Tail (literary and transgressive fiction), acquired 2007, and took on Souvenir Press in 2018; keep these imprints separate for attribution.", "Later added the crime imprint Viper in 2019." ], "era": "1996-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/profile-publications", "name": "Profile Publications", "slug": "profile-publications", "region": "Windsor, Berkshire / Leatherhead, Surrey, United Kingdom", "imprints": [ "Aircraft Profile series", "AFV (Armoured Fighting Vehicle) Profile series", "Warship Profile", "Loco Profile", "Car Profile" ], "idMethods": [ "Mid-1960s into the 1970s UK specialist: thin stapled single-subject monographs, each carrying a series number (e.g. 'Aircraft Profile No. 1'). A first printing shows the original series/copyright date and no reprint notation; reprints add a revised date. The series number identifies the TITLE, not the edition state.", "Because each Profile is a numbered single-subject booklet, collectors track the original softcover singles by their series number; presence of a later reprint line marks it as not the original issue.", "Bound multi-Profile hardcover anthologies (the 'Aircraft in Profile' volumes, etc.) are later compilations of previously issued numbered singles and are not first editions of the original booklets." ], "notablePoints": [ "Influential mid-century color-profile reference for aircraft (262 numbered Aircraft Profiles, plus AFV, warship, locomotive, and car lines); Martin C. Windrow served as a general editor.", "Original numbered singles are collected by series number; the format influenced later specialist series.", "Hardbound anthology volumes reprint multiple numbered Profiles and are not the original firsts." ], "era": "1965-c.1984" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/prometheus-books", "name": "Prometheus Books", "slug": "prometheus-books", "region": "USA (Amherst NY; now a Globe Pequot imprint under Rowman & Littlefield)", "imprints": [ "Prometheus Books", "Pyr (science fiction/fantasy, 2005-2018)", "Humanity Books (academic)", "Seventh Street Books (mystery/crime)" ], "idMethods": [ "1969-c.1990 (founder Paul Kurtz, Amherst NY): secular-humanist, skeptic, freethought and philosophy titles; the copyright page states 'First Edition' or the printing year, and early titles often lack a number line. Identify by the copyright year and the absence of a later-printing statement.", "c.1990-2019 (Amherst NY, independent): standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); 'First Edition' is typically stated. The Humanity Books academic imprint and the Pyr science-fiction imprint (launched March 2005, editor Lou Anders) carry the same conventions.", "2019-present (acquired by Rowman & Littlefield, now published under its Globe Pequot division): Prometheus continues as an imprint using a number line (lowest number present = printing) plus an edition statement, with the new distribution line appearing on the copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded August 1969 by philosopher Paul Kurtz; the leading US publisher of secular humanism, skepticism, freethought, and accessible philosophy and science.", "Pyr was its science-fiction/fantasy imprint (2005-2018, editor Lou Anders); collectible SF firsts use the same number-line convention. Prometheus sold its fiction imprints (Pyr and Seventh Street Books) in 2018.", "Acquisition tell: independent Amherst NY (pre-2019) versus a Rowman & Littlefield / Globe Pequot imprint line on the copyright page (post-2019).", "Humanity Books is the academic/scholarly imprint." ], "era": "1969-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pruett-publishing", "name": "Pruett Publishing Company", "slug": "pruett-publishing", "region": "Mountain West — Boulder, Colorado", "imprints": [ "Pruett Press", "Pruett Publishing" ], "idMethods": [ "Earlier titles (as 'Pruett Press'/Pruett Publishing): first printings generally identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement; some titles state 'First Edition'.", "Later titles: a printing number line appears on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit present indicating the printing. Frequently reissued guidebooks may carry a revised-edition statement — distinguish edition from printing.", "Many regional guidebook titles went through multiple revised editions, so confirm both the edition statement and the printing line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Boulder, Colorado regional house; business records indicate a 1954 founding (the company's own materials sometimes cite 1959, which is contradicted by registry data — treat the precise year cautiously). List covered Rocky Mountain history, outdoor recreation, railroads, natural history, and Colorado/Southwest guidebooks.", "Trade list was dispersed around 2010–2012; the company's titles were acquired by Graphic Arts Books in 2012, so check the imprint to date a copy.", "Guidebook and trail-guide titles were frequently revised across multiple editions." ], "era": "1954–c.2012 (trade list dispersed c.2010–2012)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ps-publishing", "name": "PS Publishing", "slug": "ps-publishing", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "PS Publishing", "Drugstore Indian Press (mass-market reprint line)", "Stanza Press (poetry)", "Electric Dreamhouse (film)", "Absinthe Books" ], "idMethods": [ "States identified by a signed limitation sheet: typically a signed/numbered hardcover (e.g. /100, /200, /500) and a more exclusive signed/lettered (often 26, A–Z) traycased state, plus sometimes an unsigned trade", "First printing indicated by the limitation statement and absence of later printings; the slipcase/traycase and jacket variant distinguish states", "Confirm the run figure printed on the limitation/signature leaf" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1999 by Peter Crowther (UK); prolific in novellas and signed limited SF/F/horror (Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Baxter, Gene Wolfe)", "Many titles exist only as small signed limiteds, making the signed/numbered the true first; lettered is the prestige state", "Drugstore Indian Press issues cheaper paperback reprints — NOT the collectible firsts" ], "era": "1999–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/publicaffairs", "name": "PublicAffairs", "slug": "publicaffairs", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "PublicAffairs" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group house practice", "A 'First Edition' statement may appear on the copyright page but is not guaranteed; rely on the full number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Politics and current-affairs nonfiction imprint, a full member of the Basic Books Group within Hachette Book Group", "Entered Hachette via the April 2016 Perseus acquisition; pre-2016 titles are Perseus imprints", "Follows the Hachette number-line convention" ], "era": "1997–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/purdue-university-press", "name": "Purdue University Press", "slug": "purdue-university-press", "region": "West Lafayette, Indiana", "imprints": [ "Purdue University Studies (original name, 1960–1974)" ], "idMethods": [ "1960–1974: Imprinted 'Purdue University Studies' rather than 'Purdue University Press'; scholarly monographs and studies carry no first-printing statement. First printing is inferred from a matching title/copyright year with no later-impression line. The imprint name itself dates a copy to this period.", "1974–c.1980s: As 'Purdue University Press'; scholarly first editions generally carry no explicit first-printing statement. First printing is indicated by matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression notation.", "Later titles commonly show a printing number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; presence of '1' indicates a first printing), alongside the standard CIP/ISBN block. The exact year of broad number-line adoption is not firmly documented, so treat the absence of a later-printing notation, not a precise date, as the primary tell.", "Many titles are single-printing scholarly monographs, so absence of later-printing notation is the most reliable first-printing indicator." ], "notablePoints": [ "Traces to 'Purdue University Studies', founded 1960 under President Frederick Hovde with a Purdue Research Foundation grant; renamed Purdue University Press in 1974 — the imprint name dates a copy.", "Subject strengths include the study of the human-animal bond, veterinary/comparative medicine, Jewish studies, and Central European studies, alongside humanities and technology titles.", "Smaller scholarly press; regional/scholarly focus distinct from Indiana University Press (Bloomington)." ], "era": "1960–present (as 'Purdue University Studies' 1960–1974; 'Purdue University Press' from 1974)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pushkin-press", "name": "Pushkin Press", "slug": "pushkin-press", "region": "UK (London), specialising in literature in translation", "imprints": [ "Pushkin Press", "Pushkin Children's Books", "Pushkin Vertigo", "ONE (Pushkin ONE)", "Pushkin Collection" ], "idMethods": [ "1997–present: for the modern English-language first, look on the copyright page for a full number line whose lowest figure is '1' (for example '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or the alternating '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2'); the presence of '1' indicates a first printing, following standard UK trade practice.", "The copyright page also carries a 'First published by Pushkin Press in ' statement for the English-language first. For a work in translation, the original-language first-publication date is noted separately and does NOT govern the relevant Pushkin first.", "The Pushkin Collection (small flapped-paperback series with patterned endpapers) follows the same number-line convention; the distinctive series design is branding, not a printing or edition indicator." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1997, Pushkin is a specialist in literature in translation and is largely responsible for the revival of Stefan Zweig in English, alongside Antal Szerb and other rediscovered European authors.", "Pushkin Vertigo (crime and noir) and Pushkin Children's Books are sub-imprints that follow the house's number-line practice.", "The collectible 'first' is the first English-language Pushkin edition; the small flapped-paperback design is house styling, not an edition point." ], "era": "1997–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/putnam-philomel-childrens", "name": "Putnam / Philomel / Grosset & Dunlap (Penguin children's, formerly G.P. Putnam's Sons)", "slug": "putnam-philomel-childrens", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers", "Philomel Books", "Grosset & Dunlap", "Nancy Paulsen Books", "Price Stern Sloan", "Puffin" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern Penguin house style: full descending number line ending in 1; often 'First Impression' / 'First Edition' stated", "Philomel (founded 1980 by Ann Beneduce) follows the same number-line-to-1 rule", "Grosset & Dunlap mass-market series (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys) have their OWN complex format-based points (list-of-titles-on-rear-flap, no number line in early eras) — distinct from trade picture-book ID" ], "notablePoints": [ "Philomel published Eric Carle's later works and Patricia Polacco; Jan Brett titles at Putnam", "Grosset & Dunlap early series-book firsts are dated by the advertised title list on the dust jacket / rear, NOT a number line — a specialist subfield with frequent reprints", "All consolidated under Penguin Young Readers (Penguin Random House)" ], "era": "1838–present (Putnam); Philomel 1980–present; Penguin number-line era 1980s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pyr", "name": "Pyr", "slug": "pyr", "region": "USA (Amherst, New York under Prometheus Books; later under Start Publishing)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Trade first printings state 'First edition' (sometimes 'First Pyr edition') with a number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.", "Pyr was itself an imprint of Prometheus Books — early titles carry the Prometheus Books indicia and Amherst, New York address; titles from late 2018 onward fall under Start Publishing, so the parent imprint/address on the copyright page dates the era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Launched in March 2005 as the SF/fantasy imprint of Prometheus Books under editorial director Lou Anders (who led it through 2014); issued US first editions of authors including Joe Abercrombie and Ian McDonald.", "Sold by Prometheus Books to Start Publishing in November 2018; the parent name on the copyright page is the era tell.", "A trade publisher; the stated-edition / number-line method applies rather than any limitation." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/quadrangle-books", "name": "Quadrangle Books", "slug": "quadrangle-books", "region": "Chicago, then New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Quadrangle Books", "Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co. (post-1969)", "Quadrangle Paperbacks" ], "idMethods": [ "1959-1969 (independent, Chicago): a first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page; some titles also carry a number line, in which case the lowest digit (1) present indicates a first printing.", "1969 onward (under The New York Times Company): titles appear as 'Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co.'; the copyright page typically uses a number line, and the lowest digit (1) present indicates a first printing.", "From 1977 the line was renamed Times Books; titles issued under the Times Books name should be judged by Times Books conventions, not Quadrangle." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1959 in Chicago; the company published serious non-fiction and reference titles. Michael Braude was the founder, chairman and principal stockholder, and Melvin J. Brisk served as president.", "Sold to The New York Times Company in 1969 and renamed Times Books in 1977; the Times Books imprint was later licensed to Random House in 1984.", "The imprint wording on the title/copyright page is a quick era marker: bare 'Quadrangle Books' indicates a pre-1969 issue, while 'Quadrangle/The New York Times' indicates 1969 or later." ], "era": "1959-1977" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/quinto-sol-publications", "name": "Quinto Sol Publications", "slug": "quinto-sol-publications", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Imprint “Quinto Sol Publications, Inc.” with a Berkeley, California address", "No number lines and no explicit first-edition statements — identification is by physical points of issue", "ISBN prefix 0-88412" ], "notablePoints": [ "The press that created the Chicano literary canon. All four Premio Quinto Sol winners are now deceased — their signature pools are closed.", "Identification is physical, not statement-based: match imprint, format, pagination, cover, and paper stock." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rand-mcnally-childrens", "name": "Rand McNally (children's / Elf Books)", "slug": "rand-mcnally-childrens", "region": "Chicago, IL / Skokie, IL", "imprints": [ "Rand McNally", "Junior Elf Books", "Elf Books", "Start-Right Elf Books", "Tip-Top Elf Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Elf Books (c.1947–1986): these low-priced books (a Little Golden Books competitor) do not carry a reliable explicit first-printing statement. Date a copy by examining the title and copyright page together with the catalog/title number, the cover price, and the back-cover title-list state; the earliest printing shows the earliest title list and the original (lowest) cover price. The earliest issues used 3-digit title numbers, many later reissued under a 4-digit numbering plan, and Checkerboard Press later renumbered the line.", "Caution: the back-page printing-letter code (A = first, etc.) is a Little Golden Books convention and should not be assumed for Rand McNally Elf Books, which are dated chiefly by title number, price, and title-list state rather than a per-title printing code.", "General Rand McNally trade children's titles, mid-20th century: first printings are indicated by the copyright-page state and the absence of later-printing notes; some later titles add a printing line where the lowest digit indicates the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Best known for maps and atlases, but a significant low-price children's publisher via the Elf Books series (Junior Elf, Tip-Top Elf, Start-Right Elf), issued c.1947–1986 before the line passed to Macmillan.", "Elf Books competed directly with Little Golden Books; identify the printing by the catalog/title number, cover price, and back-cover title-list state, examined on the title/copyright page.", "Cover-price escalation and the evolving title-number scheme (3-digit early, later 4-digit; Checkerboard Press renumbering) are useful dating proxies." ], "era": "Elf Books c.1947–1986 (firm founded 1856)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/random-house", "name": "Random House", "slug": "random-house", "region": "trade", "imprints": [ "Villard", "Pantheon Books", "Random House Trade" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" plus a number line containing 1", "Descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Convention has been consistent since 1976, making Random House among the easiest American houses to authenticate." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/random-house-trade-imprint", "name": "Random House (trade imprint)", "slug": "random-house-trade-imprint", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Modern Library", "Ballantine (group)", "Del Rey", "Spiegel & Grau (former)", "One World", "Random House Trade Paperbacks", "Bennett Cerf legacy" ], "idMethods": [ "Classic convention (mid-20th c. onward): the words 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page; on a TRUE first that statement appears WITH the number line — and when a later printing occurs, Random House REMOVES the words 'First Edition' (the line alone remains).", "Number line: descending, first printing retains '1'. Random House's well-known rule is that 'First Edition' + a complete number line ending in 2 can occur on later states, so the safest test is 'First Edition' present AND lowest number 1.", "Pre-number-line era: 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' statement, or absence of later-printing notation.", "Borzoi/RH device and pricing on jacket flap; BCEs lack price and have rear-board blind stamp." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1927 by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer (out of the Modern Library reprint business).", "Key Random House point of issue: on later printings the firm DROPS 'First Edition' from the copyright page — so seeing 'First Edition' is meaningful, but always confirm the 1 is present in the line.", "Now the namesake of Penguin Random House; the modern 'First Edition' + line-to-1 convention is the family standard many sibling imprints follow.", "Modern Library is a REPRINT/classics line — not a source of true firsts." ], "era": "1927–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ravan-press", "name": "Ravan Press", "slug": "ravan-press", "region": "South Africa (Johannesburg)", "imprints": [ "Ravan Press", "Staffrider (magazine and book series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by Ravan Press (Pty) Ltd' (Johannesburg); the first printing carries the first-published year with no reprint notice.", "No number line — South African / British 'First published' convention; later printings add 'Reprinted [year]'.", "A Staffrider Series number on a title (e.g. 'Staffrider Series, No. 19') dates it to the late-1970s/1980s oppositional-writing period." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1972 by Peter Randall, Beyers Naudé and Danie van Zyl (the name 'Ravan' derives from the three founders); a radical donor-funded oppositional house publishing black South African writers.", "Was the first to publish J.M. Coetzee and supported Black Consciousness-era and Staffrider writers; won the 1984 Noma Award for Ndebele's 'Fools and Other Stories'.", "Many titles were banned or harassed under apartheid; first editions of banned works are scarce and significant." ], "era": "1972-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/red-crane-books", "name": "Red Crane Books", "slug": "red-crane-books", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 1-878610", "Red Crane Books imprint", "“First edition” stated on some titles", "Number line when present; otherwise negative-evidence" ], "notablePoints": [ "Cookbook series, Larry Frank's santos photography, and the New Mexico Poetry Renaissance anthology; no longer an independent press." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/red-wheel-weiser", "name": "Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC (parent group)", "slug": "red-wheel-weiser", "region": "USA (Boston / York Beach ME; now Newburyport MA)", "imprints": [ "Weiser Books", "Red Wheel", "Conari Press (acquired 2002)", "Hampton Roads Publishing (acquired 2009)", "Career Press (acquired 2017)", "New Page Books (via Career Press, 2017)" ], "idMethods": [ "House standard is a number line on the copyright page: the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a full descending line ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) signals a first printing, often alongside a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page. The imprint name (Weiser Books, Conari, Red Wheel, Hampton Roads, Career Press) identifies the subject area and roughly dates the title.", "Acquired houses adopt Red Wheel/Weiser conventions only after their acquisition year; pre-acquisition titles follow the original house's practice, so identify the originating imprint first, then apply that imprint's era rules." ], "notablePoints": [ "The corporate timeline is a sequence of acquisitions, not a single 2001 three-way merger: Samuel Weiser, Inc. (founded 1956) was purchased in late 2000 and the company was renamed Red Wheel/Weiser, with Red Wheel established as a new imprint at that time.", "Conari Press (a Berkeley publisher founded 1989) was acquired in 2002; Hampton Roads Publishing followed in 2009 and Career Press/New Page Books in 2017.", "The umbrella has been a major home for US mind-body-spirit, occult, and New Age publishing; the imprint name is the key subject and era tell (Weiser = occult/magick; Conari = inspiration/self-help; Hampton Roads = New Age; Career Press = business/reference)." ], "era": "2000-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/redhook", "name": "Redhook", "slug": "redhook", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Redhook" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group / Orbit house practice", "A 'First Edition' statement may appear on the copyright page but is not guaranteed; rely on the full number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Commercial fiction imprint with speculative elements within Hachette Book Group's Orbit division; launched April 2013 (debut title Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon)", "Follows Orbit/Hachette first-printing conventions" ], "era": "2013–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/reilly-lee", "name": "Reilly & Lee (Reilly & Britton) — Oz / children's", "slug": "reilly-lee", "region": "Chicago, IL", "imprints": [ "Reilly & Britton (1904–1919)", "Reilly & Lee (1919–1960s)" ], "idMethods": [ "1904–1919 (Reilly & Britton): publisher of L. Frank Baum's Oz sequels. First printings carry no 'first edition' statement; identification is by points — title-page and copyright-page states, the color-plate count, the rear advertised-Oz-title list (a list ending with the latest title dates the printing), and binding cloth. The spine imprint reads 'Reilly & Britton' on genuine pre-1919 firsts.", "1919–c.1960s (Reilly & Lee, renamed 1919): continued the Oz series and other children's titles, still with point-based first-printing identification (no number line). The spine imprint reads 'Reilly & Lee' from The Magic of Oz (1919) onward; a pre-1919 copyright date under a Reilly & Lee spine imprint signals a later printing.", "General rule: Reilly & Britton / Reilly & Lee first printings are surmised from the spine imprint, advertised-title list, plate state, and binding — never from an explicit edition statement. Standard Oz bibliographies give book-by-book points." ], "notablePoints": [ "Chicago house famous as publisher of the Oz books after the first (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900, was George M. Hill); Reilly & Britton / Reilly & Lee issued the sequels from The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904).", "Reilly & Britton (1904) became Reilly & Lee (1919); the spine imprint is the first thing to check, since pre-1919 titles under a Reilly & Lee spine are reprints.", "Color-plate count and the rear advertised-Oz-title list are the principal dating tells, alongside binding state." ], "era": "1904–c.1960s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/requited", "name": "Requited", "slug": "requited", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Requited" ], "idMethods": [ "Follows Hachette / Little, Brown house style: a descending number line on the copyright page with the lowest digit indicating the printing, typically alongside a 'First Edition' statement (Hachette imprints often add a month/year). Because the imprint is brand new, confirm the exact wording per title rather than assuming it.", "Modern Little, Brown practice (number line plus 'First Edition'/'First Printing') is the safest reference for a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "New Adult romance imprint announced February 2025 under Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR), a division of Hachette Book Group; editorial lead Lisa Yoskowitz.", "First hardcover titles appeared in 2026 (e.g., Sable Sorensen's 'Dire Bound,' March 2026); plans a boutique list of roughly 10–20 titles per year.", "Very new imprint — verify the first-printing statement on each individual title." ], "era": "2025–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/reynal-hitchcock", "name": "Reynal & Hitchcock", "slug": "reynal-hitchcock", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Reynal & Hitchcock" ], "idMethods": [ "Until 1947: NO first-edition statement on US-originated firsts; subsequent printings WERE noted on the copyright page, so the ABSENCE of any later-printing notice is the identifying point for a first. This is the only documented general R&H convention (per the standard ILAB/QBbooks 'First Edition Identification by Publisher' guide).", "For books published after 1947, defer to Harcourt, Brace & Co. identification points, since R&H was absorbed by Harcourt in 1948 and later issues of R&H titles carry Harcourt imprints/points.", "No general device or 'edition' statement marks an R&H first. Identification is title-by-title via established issue points (binding, colophon, dust-jacket price/address) rather than a house-wide rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1933 by Eugene Reynal and Curtice Hitchcock; absorbed by Harcourt, Brace in 1948 — later issues of their titles may bear Harcourt imprints and points.", "There is NO general 'tell' for an R&H first beyond the absence of a later-printing notice on the copyright page; the firm did not use a house-wide first-edition device or statement.", "Publisher of Saint-Exupery's 'The Little Prince' (1943) US first, which has its own well-documented points: salmon (not blue) cloth, a 5-line colophon on the final page [p.94], no further printings stated on the copyright page, and a first-issue dust jacket with the printed price and the 386 Fourth Avenue address." ], "era": "1933-1948" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/richard-bentley", "name": "Richard Bentley (Richard Bentley & Son)", "slug": "richard-bentley", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley (1829-1832)", "Richard Bentley (1832-1866)", "Richard Bentley & Son (1866-1898)", "Bentley's Standard Novels series", "Temple Bar (magazine)" ], "idMethods": [ "No edition statement on Victorian firsts: rely on the title-page date with no 'New Edition' / 'Second Edition' line, plus correct half-titles in each of the three volumes.", "Inserted advertisement leaves or catalogue at the front or rear, dated; a first should not list books published after the title-page date, and the dated catalogue often pins the printing.", "Bentley's Standard Novels (single-volume reprint series, 1831 onward) is explicitly a reprint line — those volumes are NOT the first edition of a work, though some carry revised or new prefaces of bibliographic interest.", "Volume count and pagination must match the bibliography (three-decker fiction); reissued or remaindered copies show later cancel title pages — e.g., the Oliver Twist title-page change between the first and second issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Successor to the Colburn & Bentley partnership; published Dickens's Oliver Twist (1838, 3 vols, 'by Boz') and ran Bentley's Miscellany.", "Oliver Twist first issue (Nov 1838) names the author as 'Boz' on the title pages; the second issue (Nov 1838) substitutes 'Charles Dickens' — a diagnostic title-page point.", "Bentley's Standard Novels series helped standardize cheap reprints and is a classic trap for novices who mistake a series volume for a first.", "The three-volume novel was the staple; the absence of a printed edition notice is the rule, so points plus dated ads do the identification work.", "Firm and its list acquired by Macmillan in 1898." ], "era": "1829-1898" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rinehart-co", "name": "Rinehart & Company", "slug": "rinehart-co", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Rinehart", "Farrar & Rinehart (1929-1946)", "Holt, Rinehart & Winston (1960+)" ], "idMethods": [ "The primary tell of a first printing is a colophon in a circle on the copyright page: 'FR' in a circle for Farrar & Rinehart (1929-1946) and 'R' in a circle for Rinehart & Co. (1946-1960). The colophon was simply REMOVED on later printings.", "Subsequent printings are identified by the ABSENCE of the colophon, not by any added printing statement. Per ILAB and Quill & Brush, subsequent printings were NOT otherwise noted on the copyright page.", "A secondary (less consistently documented) practice on some Rinehart titles is the year of publication beneath the publisher's name at the foot of the title page, or a 'This book, first published 19.., is printed...' line on the copyright page; treat this as supplementary corroboration, not the definitive test." ], "notablePoints": [ "Lineage: Farrar & Rinehart (1929-1946) -> Rinehart & Co. (1946-1960) -> merged into Holt, Rinehart & Winston (1960). The circled colophon differs accordingly: FR vs. R.", "The cleanest tell is the PRESENCE of the circled colophon (FR or R) on the copyright page, not a 'first published 19..' sentence. A copy lacking the colophon is a later printing.", "There is generally NO later-printing notice; do not rely on the presence of a printing statement to disqualify a first. Absence of the colophon is the disqualifier." ], "era": "1929-1960" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rio-grande-books", "name": "Rio Grande Books / LPD Press", "slug": "rio-grande-books", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefixes 0-9641542 and 1-936744", "Los Ranchos de Albuquerque / Albuquerque address", "“First edition” statement typical; otherwise negative-evidence", "Most titles are single-printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Dual-imprint structure (Rio Grande Books and LPD Press) sometimes both appear on the copyright page. Santero traditions, regional history, and the New Mexico Book Awards." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rio-nuevo-publishers", "name": "Rio Nuevo Publishers", "slug": "rio-nuevo-publishers", "region": "Southwest — Tucson, Arizona", "imprints": [ "Rio Nuevo Publishers", "Treasure Chest Books (parent wholesale/distribution operation)", "Canyonlands Publications (sister wholesale operation)" ], "idMethods": [ "1999-present: First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line ending in 1 is a first printing. Some titles add an explicit 'First Impression' or 'First Edition' line. Heavily illustrated gift and photographic titles may note an overseas printing location, which does not affect first-printing status.", "Separate edition from printing: frequently reissued regional travel, cooking, and nature titles may carry a new copyright year or a revised-edition statement; the collectible point is the first printing of the first edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1999 in Tucson, Arizona by Ross Humphreys and Susan Lowell as a family-owned regional press; specializes in Southwestern travel, cooking, gardening, nature, and gift and photographic books covering Arizona, New Mexico, and the desert Southwest.", "Treasure Chest Books is the affiliated wholesale and distribution business (operating under several imprints since the 1970s, predating Rio Nuevo), alongside Canyonlands Publications; the companies share a Tucson warehouse and office. Because of this, some titles are distributed rather than Rio Nuevo–published — check the imprint, not just the spine.", "Predominantly a modern press, so number-line identification is generally reliable." ], "era": "1999-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/riverhead-books", "name": "Riverhead Books", "slug": "riverhead-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1.", "A true first carries both the 'First Edition' statement and the 1; later printings strip the statement and/or shift the lowest number.", "Penguin-family typography/colophon (Penguin device) on spine/title page in later years.", "No price-clip rule peculiarities; standard PRH-era jacket flap pricing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1994 (originally under Putnam Berkley, then Penguin Putnam); literary fiction and narrative nonfiction (Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, Junot Díaz, Anne Lamott).", "Now an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group within Penguin Random House.", "Modern, clean convention: 'First Edition' + line-to-1 — one of the most reliable to identify because the house only existed in the number-line era.", "Early Riverhead (mid-1990s) under Putnam used the same stated-First-Edition + number line approach." ], "era": "1994–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rizzoli-international", "name": "Rizzoli International Publications", "slug": "rizzoli-international", "region": "US (New York) / parent Italy (Milan)", "imprints": [ "Rizzoli", "Rizzoli New York", "Rizzoli Electa", "Universe Publishing", "Universe / Rizzoli", "Mondadori Electa (Italian parent co-editions)", "Skira Rizzoli (former JV)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: a true first carries a 'First published in [year]' statement together with a descending number line whose lowest number is 1 (for example 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1).", "Number-line behavior follows US trade convention: the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line beginning at 2 is a second printing.", "Where no number line is present (older titles or some Italian co-editions), rely on the 'First published' / 'Prima edizione' year and the absence of any reprint or 'new edition' statement.", "Co-editions with European/Italian houses (Electa, Mondadori) may carry a different colophon; match the Rizzoli US issue's first-published year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Rizzoli's US art/architecture/fashion list generally uses the number-line convention, unlike many European art houses, so for Rizzoli the printer's key is reliable.", "Universe Publishing is a Rizzoli imprint (often smaller-format and illustrated); Skira Rizzoli was a joint imprint (roughly 2010-2015) now ended, so the imprint name helps date the issue.", "Italian-parent co-editions can predate or coincide with the US edition, so the 'first American edition' may differ from the true first Italian edition of the same title." ], "era": "1974-present (US publishing arm)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/roaring-brook-press", "name": "Roaring Brook Press", "slug": "roaring-brook-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Neal Porter Books", "First Second (graphic novels)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page, frequently accompanied by 'First edition [year]' wording" ], "notablePoints": [ "Macmillan Children's imprint founded 2002 within the Holtzbrinck/Macmillan group", "Neal Porter Books is a named editorial sub-imprint; First Second is its graphic-novel sub-imprint", "Reliable modern house style: number line ending in 1" ], "era": "2002-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bentley-publishers", "name": "Robert Bentley, Inc. / Bentley Publishers", "slug": "bentley-publishers", "region": "Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "Robert Bentley, Inc.", "Bentley Publishers (from ~2000)" ], "idMethods": [ "Robert Bentley founded the firm in 1950 as an importer/publisher of fiction and philosophy; early-1950s trade titles follow standard mid-century convention, with first printings carrying no printing notation and later printings noting additional printings.", "From the 1960s the firm focused on automotive repair manuals and marque references, beginning with reprinted hard-to-find British car manuals. First printings/editions are stated on the copyright page, often as 'First edition' or 'First printing' with a date; later printings add updated printing dates. For long-running official factory manuals the printed edition/printing statement (and the manual's date/part code) governs state, not collectibility.", "As Bentley Publishers (from around 2000) titles carry a number line and/or an explicit edition statement; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Because Bentley reissues official manuals frequently, the printed edition/printing line is the authoritative indicator." ], "notablePoints": [ "Best known for authoritative automotive service manuals (BMW, Porsche, VW/Audi, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz) and for reprinting classic engineering texts.", "Because manuals are continually revised, 'edition' here is functional rather than a collector point; the rule is reliable, the collectibility modest.", "Early Bentley literary/philosophy imports of the 1950s predate the automotive identity and follow general trade conventions." ], "era": "1950-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/robert-clarke-cincinnati", "name": "Robert Clarke & Co.", "slug": "robert-clarke-cincinnati", "region": "Cincinnati, Ohio (Midwest US)", "imprints": [ "Robert Clarke & Co.", "The Robert Clarke Company", "Ohio Valley Historical Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1858–1909: Cincinnati scholarly, legal, and regional/Western-Americana publisher and bookseller (successor to H. W. Derby & Co.). First editions carry the 'Robert Clarke & Co., Cincinnati' imprint with a dated title page; the house used no 'First Edition' statement, so identify by imprint form and the absence of any later-printing notice.", "Ohio Valley Historical Series and Americana reprints: the series volume number and dated title page identify the issue; reprints of older works are explicitly noted as such.", "After incorporation in 1894 the imprint becomes 'The Robert Clarke Company,' which brackets later issues to 1894 and after." ], "notablePoints": [ "A leading 19th-century Cincinnati publisher and bookseller of law books, scholarly works, and Ohio Valley/Western Americana.", "Important for regional Midwest historical first editions; standard 19th-century date- and issue-point identification applies (no printed first-edition statement)." ], "era": "1858–1909" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/robert-m-mcbride", "name": "Robert M. McBride & Company", "slug": "robert-m-mcbride", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "McBride, Nast & Company (predecessor, c.1911–1915)", "McBride, Winston & Company (early variant)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1915–1920s: first editions state 'Published [Month, Year]' (or 'First Published [Month, Year]') on the copyright page; subsequent printings were noted.", "Later period (c.1930s–1940s): shifted toward stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page of first printings; subsequent printings noted.", "Working rule: a 'Published'/'First Published' month-and-year line with no added later-printing notice indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Robert Medill McBride was a partner with Condé Nast in McBride, Nast & Co. before the partners separated (c.1915) and he ran Robert M. McBride & Company.", "Published James Branch Cabell's 'Jurgen' (1919), subject of a celebrated obscenity case, and Thorne Smith's 'Topper' (1926).", "Operated a London branch from the mid-1910s.", "Predecessor imprint 'McBride, Nast' dates a book to roughly 1911–1915." ], "era": "c.1915–1948 (predecessor McBride, Nast from c.1911)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/roberts-brothers", "name": "Roberts Brothers", "slug": "roberts-brothers", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "Roberts Brothers", "No Name Series (anonymous-author series, 1876-1887)" ], "idMethods": [ "No printed first-edition statement: identify by date agreement (title-page year matching the copyright year) and the absence of any reprint notice.", "Many titles were issued in numbered 'thousands' — a 'Twentieth Thousand' or similar count on the title page indicates a later printing; first printings carry no such count.", "For key works, title-specific points (not a house rule) govern priority; consult the relevant author bibliography for binding and textual states." ], "notablePoints": [ "Active 1857-1898 (publishing from the early 1860s); absorbed by Little, Brown in 1898.", "Publisher of Louisa May Alcott (Little Women, 1868), Emily Dickinson (Poems, 1890; Second Series, 1891), Helen Hunt Jackson (Ramona, 1884), and Julia Ward Howe.", "Dickinson, Poems: Second Series (1891), first printing exists in two simultaneous trade bindings — olive decorated cloth and a two-tone cloth — with no established priority, a well-known point.", "Issued the 'No Name Series' of deliberately anonymous works (note that Dickinson's Poems appeared under her name, not in this series)." ], "era": "1857-1898; antiquarian" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rodale-books", "name": "Rodale Books", "slug": "rodale-books", "region": "US (Emmaus, Pennsylvania / New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Independent Rodale era: number-line based, with the first printing line ending in 1; a copyright year and sometimes an edition statement are usually present.", "Post-2018 (trade assets acquired by Crown Publishing Group / Penguin Random House): follows the Crown convention of a stated 'First Edition' plus a full number line ending in 1 on the true first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Health, cooking, gardening and wellness lifestyle publisher (organic gardening, the 'Prevention' brand cookbooks, the South Beach Diet titles).", "Rodale's trade book assets were acquired by Penguin Random House in early 2018 (after Hearst's purchase of Rodale, Inc.) and folded into Crown Publishing Group's illustrated and lifestyle division; modern titles follow the Crown convention, so note the ownership change when dating the rule." ], "era": "1942-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/roli-books", "name": "Roli Books", "slug": "roli-books", "region": "India (New Delhi)", "imprints": [ "Roli Books", "Lustre Press", "India Ink (IndiaInk)", "Lotus Collection", "Roli & Janssen (intl. co-editions)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Roli Books' / 'Roli Books Pvt Ltd' (Greater Kailash II, New Delhi); the first impression carries that line with no reprint or later-impression notice.", "First edition is usually stated; on illustrated and coffee-table titles the colophon often names the printer and impression — the first impression with no reprint line is the first.", "The Lustre Press / Lotus Collection / India Ink imprint line names the series and era; a 'Roli & Janssen' co-edition line indicates an international co-publication rather than a pure Indian Roli first, so verify which state a given copy is." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1978 by Pramod Kapoor; specialises in illustrated books on Indian art, heritage, photography and culture, with over a thousand titles. Now family-run under Kapil and Priya Kapoor.", "The India Ink (IndiaInk) fiction imprint published the first Indian edition of Arundhati Roy's 'The God of Small Things' (1997) — that was IndiaInk's debut title, a notable collecting point (black buckram, chocolate endpapers, Sanjeev Saith jacket).", "Many titles are international co-editions; verify whether a given copy is the Indian Roli first or a co-publisher's state." ], "era": "1978-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rough-guides", "name": "Rough Guides", "slug": "rough-guides", "region": "United Kingdom (London); later Penguin / APA Publications", "imprints": [ "Rough Guides", "Mini Rough Guides / Pocket Rough Guides", "Rough Guides Reference series (music, internet, etc.)" ], "idMethods": [ "Identify by edition statement plus copyright-page printing line: the lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing, and a first printing of a given edition shows that edition's debut year with no later reprint years.", "1982-1990s: founded by Mark Ellingham; 'The Rough Guide to Greece' (1982) is the landmark first title, published under Routledge & Kegan Paul. Identify early editions by the edition statement and single debut year.", "1990s-2000s: acquired into the Penguin Group; standardized copyright page carries an edition number and reprint dates, with the first printing showing only the original edition date.", "2017-present: under APA Publications (the Insight Guides parent); modern editions carry explicit edition numbers and number lines." ], "notablePoints": [ "'The Rough Guide to Greece' (1982) by Mark Ellingham is the foundational first title; Routledge issued it after a modest advance.", "Ownership chain (independent / Routledge -> Penguin in the 1990s -> APA Publications in 2017) brackets copyright-page style.", "Collected by edition number; the number line plus edition year confirm a first printing.", "Reference (non-travel) Rough Guides exist and follow the same Penguin-era number-line conventions." ], "era": "1982-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/routledge-focal-press-performance", "name": "Routledge / Focal Press (Film, TV & Performance)", "slug": "routledge-focal-press-performance", "region": "UK (London / Abingdon) & USA (New York)", "imprints": [ "Routledge", "Focal Press (film/media production)", "Theatre Arts Books (acquired list)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1938–c.1980 (Focal Press independent / film-technical era): Focal Press, founded in London in 1938 by Andor Kraszna-Krausz, published film, photography, and broadcast technical books. A first edition is stated as 'First published YYYY' or 'First edition YYYY' on the verso, with reprints noted as 'Reprinted YYYY'. Generally no number line in this period.", "c.1980–present (number-line era): Routledge and Focal Press use a descending number line on the copyright page, the lowest digit being the printing; a line that includes 1 is a first printing, accompanied by a 'First published YYYY by Routledge / Focal Press' statement.", "Ownership for dating copies: Focal Press was owned by Elsevier from 1983, and was acquired from Elsevier by Taylor & Francis in 2012. Routledge had separately become part of Taylor & Francis in 1998. From 2012 onward, Focal Press and the Routledge performance and theatre lists sit together under Taylor & Francis, and copyright pages carry the Taylor & Francis group credit. First printing remains a number line reaching 1 plus a 'First published' statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Major film, TV, and theatre academic and technical list (Focal Press for production craft; Routledge for performance studies).", "Absorbed older theatre lists such as Theatre Arts Books.", "Standard descending number line, lowest digit equals the printing, from roughly 1980 onward.", "Focal Press was an Elsevier imprint (from 1983) before Taylor & Francis acquired it in 2012; Routledge joined Taylor & Francis earlier, in 1998." ], "era": "1938–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rue-morgue-press", "name": "Rue Morgue Press", "slug": "rue-morgue-press", "region": "US (Boulder, then Lyons, CO)", "imprints": [ "Rue Morgue Press" ], "idMethods": [ "A reprint house: copyright pages of the trade paperbacks carry a Rue Morgue edition/printing statement (often noting the reissue and its date); identification hinges on that Rue Morgue edition statement rather than a true first-edition number line.", "Each title includes a signed editorial introduction by Tom and Enid Schantz — a reliable house tell that the copy is a Rue Morgue issue.", "Volumes are uniform trade paperbacks with series numbering; the first Rue Morgue printing is dated on the copyright page where stated." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1997 by Tom and Enid Schantz; specialized in reviving Golden Age and classic detective authors (Gladys Mitchell, Norbert Davis, John Dickson Carr, Catherine Aird, and others). The press ceased publishing in 2016 following Tom Schantz's death (Enid Schantz had died in 2011).", "Texts are reprints, so these are 'first thus' collectibles, valued for the introductions and for returning scarce out-of-print titles to print, not as original first editions.", "Because the line is finite and the press is now defunct, complete-run and scarce-title firsts hold modest collector interest." ], "era": "1997–2016" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/running-press", "name": "Running Press", "slug": "running-press", "region": "US (Philadelphia, PA)", "imprints": [ "Running Press", "Running Press Kids", "RP Minis (Miniature Editions)", "Courage Books (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "No publisher-specific first-printing convention is documented in the standard first-edition reference guides (Zempel, Quill & Brush, McBride). When a number line is present on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicates the printing, and some titles carry a 'First Edition' statement, but neither is a reliable Running-Press-specific tell.", "Because the catalog is largely illustrated, gift, novelty, and miniature books, treat identification as title-by-title rather than relying on a house rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Illustrated, gift, novelty, and miniature-book publisher; Running Press Miniature Editions (RP Minis) launched 1989.", "Founded 1972 in Philadelphia by brothers Lawrence and Stuart Teacher.", "Corporate path: became a Perseus Books Group imprint, entered Hachette Book Group via Hachette's acquisition of Perseus in 2016, and was later grouped within HBG's gift-oriented 'Running Press Group' after Workman joined HBG in 2021. It did NOT enter HBG through the Workman merger — it was already in HBG from 2016." ], "era": "1972–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rupa-publications", "name": "Rupa Publications India", "slug": "rupa-publications", "region": "India (New Delhi; origins in Kolkata/Calcutta)", "imprints": [ "Rupa", "Red Turtle (children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd' (7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi) or, on older books, the earlier 'Rupa & Co.' imprint.", "A first impression is often explicitly stated ('First impression [year]'); later impressions list a sequence of impression dates, and the earliest stated impression is the first printing.", "Some titles carry a descending number line for impressions; the 1, or the earliest stated impression, marks the first printing.", "The earlier 'Rupa & Co.' imprint (used before the rebrand to Rupa Publications India around 2011) dates the edition to before that change." ], "notablePoints": [ "Long-established Indian trade house founded in 1936 by D. Mehra and R. K. Mehra on College Street, Calcutta (Kolkata), under the name Rupa & Co.; rebranded Rupa Publications India around 2011.", "Publisher of Chetan Bhagat's bestsellers and high-volume Indian fiction; large print runs mean many later impressions circulate, so the impression statement must be checked carefully.", "Co-founded Aleph Book Company (2011) with David Davidar as a separate, more literary imprint." ], "era": "1936-present (as Rupa Publications India 2011-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rupert-hart-davis", "name": "Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd", "slug": "rupert-hart-davis", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Rupert Hart-Davis", "The Reynard Library", "The Mariners Library", "Soho Bibliographies series", "Hart-Davis, MacGibbon (from 1972)" ], "idMethods": [ "1946-c.1965: First impressions state 'First published 19xx' or 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd' on the copyright page, with no listing of later printings; reprints add dated 'Reprinted' lines. Absence of a reprint listing indicates a first impression. This is standard British copyright-page practice of the period, not a publisher-specific code.", "c.1965-1972: Same dated 'First published' convention; a first impression carries no additional impression statement.", "1972 onward (as Hart-Davis, MacGibbon, after the merger with MacGibbon & Kee): 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Hart-Davis, MacGibbon Ltd'; some later titles carry a descending number line, with the lowest digit indicating the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1946 by Rupert Hart-Davis (with partners including David Garnett and Edward Young); admired for fine production and scholarship.", "Published The Letters of Oscar Wilde (1962) and launched the Soho Bibliographies (definitive single-author bibliographies, beginning with Allan Wade's W. B. Yeats in 1951); the firm's device was a woodcut fox among oak leaves.", "Hart-Davis was himself a noted editor and bibliographer (the Lyttelton/Hart-Davis Letters).", "Granada (Heinemann group) acquired the firm around 1963, then merged it with MacGibbon & Kee in 1972 to form Hart-Davis, MacGibbon.", "Distinct from The Bodley Head - Rupert Hart-Davis was its own firm." ], "era": "1946-c.1963 (independent); name continued within Granada and as Hart-Davis, MacGibbon from 1972" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/rutgers-university-press", "name": "Rutgers University Press", "slug": "rutgers-university-press", "region": "US (New Brunswick / Piscataway, NJ)", "imprints": [ "Rivergate Books (regional New Jersey imprint, launched 2004)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing", "First printing: clean copyright page with no reprint lines", "Later printings add impression statements" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1936; strong film/media studies, sociology, and public-health lists", "Rivergate Books is the regional New Jersey and mid-Atlantic imprint, launched in 2004", "As with most university presses, older titles may lack explicit first-printing wording; judge by the absence of reprint notices" ], "era": "1936-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sc-griggs", "name": "S.C. Griggs & Co. / Jansen, McClurg lineage", "slug": "sc-griggs", "region": "Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US)", "imprints": [ "S.C. Griggs & Co.", "Jansen, McClurg & Co. (successor lineage to A.C. McClurg)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1848–1872: Chicago bookseller-publisher; first editions carry the 'S.C. Griggs & Co., Chicago' imprint with a dated title page. No first-edition statement and no number line — identify by imprint form and the absence of a later-printing notice.", "Note the lineage: after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 Griggs sold out and the firm became Jansen, McClurg & Co. in 1872, which in turn became A.C. McClurg & Co. in 1886. The imprint name on the title page is the dating handle that separates the Griggs period from its McClurg successors.", "Scholarly/philosophical titles (Griggs's Philosophical Classics series): identify by series and dated title page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Early Chicago bookselling/publishing firm in the corporate ancestry of A.C. McClurg; A.C. McClurg himself worked for Griggs from 1859.", "Published a respected Philosophical Classics series; standard 19th-century imprint/date identification applies." ], "era": "1848–1872 (as S.C. Griggs & Co.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/saga-press", "name": "Saga Press", "slug": "saga-press", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Saga Press" ], "idMethods": [ "A \"First Edition\" statement (sometimes \"First Saga Press edition\") on the copyright page together with a descending number line ending in 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Science-fiction, fantasy, and horror imprint within Simon & Schuster (publishing since 2015)", "Follows Simon & Schuster's modern first-edition conventions: a printed edition statement plus a number line whose lowest digit indicates the printing" ], "era": "2015–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sage-books", "name": "Sage Books", "slug": "sage-books", "region": "Denver, Colorado (later Chicago, Illinois)", "imprints": [ "Alan Swallow", "Swallow Press", "The Swallow Press Inc." ], "idMethods": [ "1950s-1966 (under Alan Swallow, Denver): No first-printing statement; later printings are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notation and a title-page date matching the copyright date.", "1966-c.1979 (continued under Swallow Press Inc., Chicago): Same convention; some titles begin to carry a 'Second printing' line or, later, a number line. Sage Books was Swallow's Western-Americana/regional-history imprint, distinct from his literary line.", "Distribution and the list were later absorbed into Swallow Press/Ohio University Press; reissues carry the Ohio University Press number line, not the original Sage Books state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Sage Books was Alan Swallow's imprint for Western history, the fur trade, and Rocky Mountain regional Americana, distinct from his literary Swallow imprint; Swallow (1915-1966) ran his small-press operation from Denver and also founded the University of Denver creative-writing program.", "Frequently confused with the unrelated modern social-science publisher SAGE Publications (no relation); verify the Denver/Swallow imprint and address.", "Many titles are scholarly reprints of fur-trade journals and 19th-century sources, so distinguish a Sage Books reprint from the 19th-century original." ], "era": "c.1950-c.1979" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/salmon-poetry", "name": "Salmon Poetry (Salmon Publishing)", "slug": "salmon-poetry", "region": "Ireland (Co. Clare)", "imprints": [ "Salmon Publishing (earlier name)", "The Salmon (early literary journal)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Salmon Poetry' (Cliffs of Moher / Knockeven, Co. Clare); earlier titles read 'Salmon Publishing Ltd' with a Galway address.", "A first printing carries the first-published year and no reprint statement.", "No number line; almost all production is trade-paperback poetry, so the 'First published' line plus the absence of any 'reprinted' notice is the identifier.", "Address/imprint change dates editions: a Galway 'Salmon Publishing' imprint indicates pre-1994; a Co. Clare 'Salmon Poetry' imprint indicates 1994 onward." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1981 by Jessie Lendennie and Michael (Mike) Allen, growing out of the Galway Writers' Workshop; 'The Salmon' literary journal began in 1982, and book publishing began in 1984 (early collections by Eva Bourke and Rita Ann Higgins).", "Headquarters moved from Galway to Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, in 1994; the name and address change (Salmon Publishing, Galway, to Salmon Poetry, Co. Clare) dates editions and distinguishes printings.", "Predominantly paperback poetry, noted for promoting women writers; hardbacks are uncommon and worth noting when present." ], "era": "1981-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sampson-low", "name": "Sampson Low (Sampson Low, Marston & Co.)", "slug": "sampson-low", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Sampson Low, Son & Marston", "Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington", "Sampson Low, Marston & Company", "Sampson Low (various partnership styles by era)" ], "idMethods": [ "No printed edition statement on 19th-century firsts: use title-page date plus absence of any later-printing notice, and read the exact partnership style in the imprint (the firm's name changed repeatedly, which helps date a printing).", "Dated inserted advertisements or catalogue, usually at the rear; a first should not advertise later books.", "For co-published and American-authored titles (the firm was the British outlet for many U.S. books), establish whether the British issue precedes or follows the U.S. edition — priority is the key question, not a house rule.", "Match volume count, half-titles, and binding against the standard bibliography." ], "notablePoints": [ "British publisher of many American authors and the authorised British publisher of Jules Verne in translation; also R. D. Blackmore's Lorna Doone (1869, 3 vols, as Sampson Low, Son & Marston) — a famous high spot with binding and issue points.", "Frequent changes of partnership name (Son & Marston; Marston, Searle & Rivington; Marston & Co.) are themselves a dating tool for printing order.", "Often issued British editions of works first published in the U.S.; transatlantic priority must be checked case by case.", "Imprint continued well into the 20th century under 'Sampson Low, Marston & Co.'" ], "era": "1819–c.1940s (Victorian peak 1850s–1890s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/samuel-french-inc", "name": "Samuel French, Inc.", "slug": "samuel-french-inc", "region": "USA (New York, NY) & UK (London, Samuel French Ltd.)", "imprints": [ "French's Standard Drama", "French's Minor Drama", "French's American Drama", "Samuel French's Acting Edition", "Lacy's Acting Edition (acquired)" ], "idMethods": [ "1846–c.1900 (founder era; French's Standard / Minor Drama): founded in 1846, publishing paperbound acting editions. Identify by the series number (French's Standard Drama No. ___ or French's Minor Drama No. ___) on the cover or title page; this catalog number, together with the partner imprint, dates the issue. The 1859 partnership with Thomas Hailes Lacy (whose Lacy's Acting Edition was acquired) and French's later purchase of Lacy's share in 1873 mean that pre-1859, 1859–1873, and post-1873 imprint wording is a dating tell.", "c.1900–c.1970: acting editions continue with series and catalog numbers; printings within a number are not distinguished. Date by the publisher address, the list of plays or advertisements at the rear, and the copyright year. 'Made in the United States of America' and a cover price help bracket the era.", "c.1970–2018 (modern acting-edition era): standardized paperbound acting editions with royalty notices; copyright-year accretion (added revision dates) and back-cover royalty and contact text are the practical dating tells. Printings are generally not bibliographically distinguished.", "2018–present (Concord Theatricals ownership): Samuel French was acquired by Concord Music in December 2018, forming Concord Theatricals; acting editions are now branded 'Samuel French ... A Concord Theatricals Company' with updated covers. Format and identification conventions are unchanged; the Concord branding marks post-2018 issues." ], "notablePoints": [ "Oldest and largest play-licensing publisher (since 1846); the acting edition is often the first printed text of a play, hence bibliographically important despite its humble format.", "The series or catalog number (French's Standard Drama / Minor Drama No. ___) is the core identifier, not a number line.", "The 1859 Lacy partnership (and French's 1873 buyout of Lacy's share) and the December 2018 Concord acquisition are the key imprint-wording era boundaries.", "The UK arm, Samuel French Ltd., operated in parallel with its own acting-edition numbering." ], "era": "1846–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/samuel-gabriel-sons", "name": "Samuel Gabriel Sons & Company", "slug": "samuel-gabriel-sons", "region": "New York, NY", "imprints": [ "Sam'l Gabriel Sons & Co.", "Gabriel", "Linenette Books" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1900s-1930s: a publisher of inexpensive children's linen and cloth ('Linenette') books, paper dolls, and games. First printings carry no edition statement; identify a copy by the series or stock number, the copyright year where one is present, and the cover-art state. Many titles were reprinted under the same stock number for years, so the earliest printing is surmised from the earliest art and format state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Children's novelty, linen-book, and game publisher in the Saalfield and McLoughlin Brothers vein; some titles were printed in Germany.", "Identification is by stock number, copyright year, and cover-art state, since there are no edition statements.", "Frequently undated; rely on series numbers and format. The 'Linenette' trade name appears on the durable cloth-page editions (e.g., Peter Rabbit as Linenette no. 522, Three Little Kittens as no. 670)." ], "era": "c.1900-c.1940" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/samuel-weiser", "name": "Samuel Weiser, Inc. / Weiser Books (Red Wheel/Weiser)", "slug": "samuel-weiser", "region": "USA (New York NY; later York Beach ME; now Newburyport MA)", "imprints": [ "Occult Research Press (mid-late 1950s precursor)", "Weiser Books", "Conari Press (sister)", "Hampton Roads (sister)", "Career Press (sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "Mid-to-late 1950s (Occult Research Press imprint): a small number of esoteric titles issued under the Occult Research Press name before Weiser published under his own name. Identify by the Occult Research Press imprint plus copyright year; no number line.", "c.1956-c.1980 (Samuel Weiser, Inc., NYC): predominantly reprints and exclusive editions of occult classics (Crowley, Levi, Waite, Regardie). A first Weiser printing is identified by a 'First Edition' or 'First Weiser Edition' statement together with the copyright year; many are first-thus (first US, first illustrated, etc.). No consistent number line in this era, so rely on the stated printing on the copyright verso.", "c.1980-2000 (York Beach, Maine): a descending number line came into increasing use, the lowest digit indicating the printing; the copyright page may also state 'First published in [year] by Samuel Weiser'. First printing equals a number line ending in 1 with a matching first-publication year.", "2000-2009 (after Samuel Weiser, Inc. was acquired and the company renamed Red Wheel/Weiser): the publishing imprint became 'Weiser Books'; a standard number line is used, with '1' present indicating a first printing, often alongside a 'First Edition' statement.", "2009-present (Red Wheel/Weiser, Newburyport MA): conventional number line (lowest number equals the printing) plus an explicit edition statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "The Weiser Antiquarian bookstore was founded in 1926 on Book Row, Fourth Avenue, NYC; Samuel Weiser, Inc. was established as a publishing house in 1956, with the Occult Research Press imprint as its immediate mid-1950s precursor.", "Long a leading American publisher of occult and esoteric material, issuing definitive Crowley, Regardie, and Golden Dawn editions. Because many Weiser books are first-thus reprints of older works, always distinguish a first Weiser printing from the work's original first publication.", "Era tell from the company name: pre-2000 books read 'Samuel Weiser, Inc.'; the company was purchased and renamed Red Wheel/Weiser in November 2000, after which the imprint reads 'Weiser Books'.", "Israel Regardie's one-volume Weiser editions of The Golden Dawn are heavily reprinted, so rely on the number line plus the edition statement rather than the copyright year alone." ], "era": "1956-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sandlapper-publishing", "name": "Sandlapper Publishing Co.", "slug": "sandlapper-publishing", "region": "South (Orangeburg, South Carolina)", "imprints": [ "Sandlapper Publishing", "Sandlapper Store", "The R.L. Bryan Company (related Columbia, SC printer/publisher)" ], "idMethods": [ "1971-1980s (Sandlapper Press / early era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug; first printing is identified by a title-page date matching the copyright date together with the absence of any later-printing notation. The book operation grew out of Sandlapper magazine (founded 1968) and the early Sandlapper Press, with a tangled corporate history, so verify the actual imprint on the copyright page.", "1980s-present (Sandlapper Publishing, Orangeburg): Standard regional small-press practice. A number line, where used, indicates the printing by its lowest number present (a '1' present means first printing); some titles state 'First printing.' Where there is no number line, a matching copyright date plus the absence of a printing statement indicates the first printing. Many South Carolina perennials are reprinted, so distinguish printing from edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Regional South Carolina/Southern independent (Orangeburg, SC) publishing history, travel, cooking, nature, photography, and folklore; descends from the Sandlapper magazine/press lineage, the magazine having been founded in 1968 by Robert P. Wilkins and his wife Rose.", "Distinguish 'Sandlapper Publishing' (the book house) from 'Sandlapper: The Magazine of South Carolina' (the periodical, which ran 1968-1983 and 1989-2011) and from the earlier Sandlapper Press.", "Long-tail house with limited bibliographic documentation; rely on copyright-page evidence.", "Strong reprint/perennial backlist (Lowcountry, Gullah, ghost-lore, recipes)." ], "era": "1971-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sarabande-books", "name": "Sarabande Books", "slug": "sarabande-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Quarternote Chapbook Series", "Linda Bruckheimer Series in Kentucky Literature" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' typically with a descending number line; lowest digit (1) = first printing.", "First has no later-printing notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky by Sarah Gorham and Jeffrey Skinner; nonprofit poetry and short-prose press.", "Awards-driven list (Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry, Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction); relatively young press so modern conventions apply throughout.", "Chapbooks (Quarternote series) are small-run and may be numbered/limited — check for a colophon." ], "era": "1994–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sarob-press", "name": "Sarob Press", "slug": "sarob-press", "region": "Mountain Ash, Wales, UK (later operated from northern France after a 2007-2010 hiatus and relaunch)", "imprints": [ "Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows (series, ed. Rosemary Pardoe)" ], "idMethods": [ "Late 1990s-present: every title is a hand-numbered limited-edition jacketed hardcover; the numbered limitation statement in the colophon IS the first-edition identifier, since there is no trade reprint to distinguish from.", "Typical limitations run a few hundred numbered copies (commonly around 200-300); some titles add a small deluxe/special state alongside the standard numbered run. Read the colophon for the exact number and any deluxe designation rather than assuming a fixed figure.", "Physical tells of a genuine Sarob hardcover: Wibalin (fine-linen-style) cloth, foil-blocked spine, lithographically printed text, coloured endpapers, section-sewn binding with head/tailbands, and a dust jacket.", "Imprint location helps date a copy: Welsh (Mountain Ash) addresses on earlier titles; later titles were produced after the press resumed from France in 2010." ], "notablePoints": [ "Owned and edited by Robert Morgan; specializes in supernatural/ghost-story fiction, both classic reprints and original works.", "Publishes the Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows series (M.R. James tradition) edited by Rosemary Pardoe.", "The press paused around 2007 when Morgan relocated, then relaunched late in 2010; the single-state limited model means most copies are the first edition by definition, with condition and the limitation number driving collectibility." ], "era": "1997-present (with a 2007-2010 hiatus; relaunched late 2010)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sasquatch-books", "name": "Sasquatch Books", "slug": "sasquatch-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Sasquatch Books", "Little Bigfoot (children's)", "Spruce Books (lifestyle)" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on copyright page; first printing shows complete descending line ending in 1", "'First Edition' / 'First printing [year]' statement appears on many titles", "Seattle regional nonfiction/lifestyle/cookbook publisher founded 1986 (out of Seattle Weekly); conventional modern identification", "Printing/edition statement and number line should be read together" ], "notablePoints": [ "Primarily Pacific Northwest / Western US regional nonfiction, field guides, and cookbooks — frequently revised, so distinguish a 'second edition' (revised content) from a later 'printing' of the same edition", "Revised editions are usually explicitly stated ('Second Edition, Revised'); a revised edition is a different book bibliographically than a first", "No house-specific point of issue" ], "era": "1986–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/saturday-review-press", "name": "Saturday Review Press", "slug": "saturday-review-press", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Saturday Review Press", "Saturday Review Press / E.P. Dutton (distributed-by / joint imprint, c.1973 onward)" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1970-1973 (independent): First printings are most reliably identified by the absence of any later-printing or reprint statement on the copyright page. Do not rely on a number line as the primary signal for this short-lived imprint, since usage was not consistent.", "c.1973-c.1976 (under E.P. Dutton): Titles appear as 'Saturday Review Press / E.P. Dutton' or 'Saturday Review Press, distributed by E.P. Dutton' and follow Dutton's documented post-1929 practice, where a first printing is marked by a printed statement such as 'First Edition' or 'First Published [year]' on the copyright page. Absence of that statement, or any noted later printing, indicates it is not a first.", "Where a copy carries no statement at all, use the exact imprint wording plus jacket and price to date it within the c.1970-c.1976 window." ], "notablePoints": [ "Book-publishing arm associated with the Saturday Review magazine; short-lived as an independent trade imprint.", "Brought under E.P. Dutton around 1973, appearing first as a joint or distributed-by imprint before the Saturday Review name was dropped.", "Records are sparse, so confirm identification by combining the imprint wording with jacket and price evidence." ], "era": "c.1970-c.1976" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sceptre-imprint", "name": "Sceptre", "slug": "sceptre-imprint", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Sceptre" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Hodder & Stoughton'; Sceptre is the literary imprint label carried on the title page and spine.", "Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1'.", "Follows Hodder & Stoughton conventions, which have consistently used 'First published in [year]' on firsts (with later printings noted) since 1976." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1986 as Hodder & Stoughton's literary imprint, sitting alongside the mass-market Coronet and NEL lines; identification conventions track Hodder's.", "David Mitchell, Jodi Picoult (UK), Melvyn Bragg ('The Maid of Buttermere'), and Charles Frazier ('Cold Mountain', 1997) have appeared under Sceptre.", "Sceptre originally published in paperback only (early list included Thomas Keneally's 'Schindler's Ark'); hardcover lines came later, so for an early title confirm whether a hardcover first actually exists before assuming one." ], "era": "1986–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/schiffer-publishing", "name": "Schiffer Publishing", "slug": "schiffer-publishing", "region": "Atglen, Pennsylvania, USA (earlier West Chester, PA)", "imprints": [ "Schiffer Military History", "Schiffer Aviation History", "Cornell Maritime Press", "Tidewater Publishers", "Schiffer Craft", "REDFeather Mind Body Spirit" ], "idMethods": [ "Schiffer is a heavily-illustrated reference and antiques house founded in 1974. Like most US trade publishers of its era, a Schiffer first printing carries a single copyright year and no later-printing notation; a stated 'Second printing' or an added later date indicates a reprint.", "On more recent titles Schiffer prints a number line on the copyright page. As with the general industry convention, the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line still containing '1' is a first printing. The exact year Schiffer adopted the number line is not documented in standard references, so read the line itself rather than relying on a fixed cutoff date.", "Cornell Maritime Press and Tidewater Publishers are acquired imprints (Schiffer bought them in 2009). Pre-acquisition Cornell/Tidewater titles follow the older no-notation-on-first convention; later Schiffer reissues follow whatever notation appears on that printing's copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Schiffer Military History is a leading source of heavily illustrated WWII equipment and unit references; out-of-print firsts are sought by collectors.", "Cornell Maritime Press was founded in 1938 in New York City by Felix Cornell to supply US Merchant Marine textbooks, later moving to Maryland; Tidewater Publishers was founded in 1955 for regional Chesapeake titles. Schiffer acquired both in 2009.", "Large-format color references are frequently reprinted with the same cover art, so judge state by the copyright-page printing notation rather than the jacket." ], "era": "1974-present; Cornell Maritime Press from 1938, acquired by Schiffer 2009" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/schocken-books", "name": "Schocken Books", "slug": "schocken-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Schocken" ], "idMethods": [ "Random House / Penguin Random House house style: true first printing carries a \"First Edition\" statement and/or a full number line whose lowest digit is 1.", "First printing has no later-printing notice; the lowest number in the number line is the decisive tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Salman Schocken in Germany in 1931; began US publishing in 1945. Judaica and Jewish-interest house.", "Acquired by Random House in 1987; now an imprint within the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group under Penguin Random House, so conventions follow standard Random House / PRH house style." ], "era": "1945–present (US)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/scholastic-press", "name": "Scholastic (Scholastic Press / Arthur A. Levine Books)", "slug": "scholastic-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Arthur A. Levine Books (historical; now Levine Querido, separate)", "Scholastic Press", "Orchard Books (US)", "Cartwheel Books", "Blue Sky Press", "Chicken House (distributed)", "The Blue Sky Press", "Graphix", "Klutz", "Scholastic Inc." ], "idMethods": [ "Full number line on copyright page; first printing includes/begins effectively with '1' — Scholastic uses interleaved year/printing strings (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' followed by year codes). If the printing portion does not reach 1, it is a later printing", "Frequently states the edition: e.g. 'First American edition, October 1998' (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)", "Watch for the small 'Printed in the U.S.A. 23' style line; combine the stated edition line with the number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Harry Potter US firsts (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic) are the marquee modern children's points-of-issue: Sorcerer's Stone true first = full number line with 1 present AND 'First American edition, October 1998' on copyright page", "Scholastic Book Clubs / Scholastic Book Fairs editions are NOT trade firsts — they often carry distinct ISBNs, 'SCHOLASTIC' club markings, no price, and a different printing string; a giant source of confusion for HP and Captain Underpants", "Arthur A. Levine left in 2019 to found Levine Querido (independent, distributed by Chronicle) — post-2019 'Levine' books are a different company" ], "era": "1920–present (Scholastic Press trade imprint 1990s onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/scribe-publications", "name": "Scribe Publications", "slug": "scribe-publications", "region": "Australia (Melbourne, VIC) with Scribe UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Scribe", "Scribe UK", "Scribe US (distribution arm)" ], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing the copyright page reads 'First published by Scribe [year]' (or 'Published by Scribe Publications [year]'), carries no later-printing notice, and the stated year matches the copyright year. This statement is the primary and most reliable first-printing signal.", "Many modern Scribe titles also carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', where the lowest digit present ('1') indicates a first printing; treat this as supporting evidence only, since the line is not used on every title.", "Scribe UK editions (from May 2013) carry a London Scribe address and often a separate 'First published in the UK by Scribe [year]' statement, distinct from the Australian first appearance; compare the two to establish which territory is the true first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1976 in Melbourne by Henry Rosenbloom; began as a serious-nonfiction one-man house and remains independent.", "Scribe UK sister company established May 2013 (London). For a title issued in both territories, the Australian edition is usually the true first; verify by comparing the 'first published' statements and addresses.", "Continuous independent ownership means the statement-plus-number-line combination is reliable for recent titles, with the printed statement carrying the weight when no number line is present." ], "era": "1976–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/seagull-books", "name": "Seagull Books", "slug": "seagull-books", "region": "India (Kolkata)", "imprints": [ "Seagull Books", "The Seagull Library of World Literature", "Seagull Books London (registered division)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page reads 'First published by Seagull Books, [year]' with a Kolkata address; the first printing carries that first-published year and no reprint notice.", "No standardised number line — identification rests on the 'First published' statement and edition wording.", "Distinctive Sunandini Banerjee cover and design with high production values; the Seagull copyright page and ISBN confirm the Seagull edition versus a co-publisher's, and the Seagull printing is the true first even when distributed by another house." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1982 in Calcutta/Kolkata by Naveen Kishore, a theatre practitioner; began in theatre and the arts and expanded into world-literature translation and twentieth/twenty-first-century critical theory.", "Holds world-English rights for many translations; distributed worldwide by University of Chicago Press EXCEPT in India, where it is distributed by Atlantic Publishers and Distributors — the Seagull printing is the true first regardless of distributor.", "Often the first English-language appearance of major translated authors (from German, French, etc.) — collectible as translation firsts." ], "era": "1982-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/seal-press", "name": "Seal Press", "slug": "seal-press", "region": "US (founded Seattle; now New York/Berkeley under Hachette)", "imprints": [ "Seal Press" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group house practice", "A 'First Edition' statement may appear on the copyright page but is not guaranteed; rely on the full number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Feminist / women's-interest nonfiction imprint, founded 1976 as an independent letterpress in Seattle; one of the enduring presses of the 1970s women's press movement", "Sold to Avalon Publishing Group (2001), then entered Hachette via the April 2016 Perseus acquisition; now a member of the Basic Books Group, operating from New York/Berkeley", "Pre-2016 titles are independent/Avalon/Perseus imprints, not Hachette" ], "era": "1976–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sears-publishing-company", "name": "Sears Publishing Company", "slug": "sears-publishing-company", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Sears Publishing Co.", "J. H. Sears & Company" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions carry no mark of identification; they are recognized by the fact that second, third and later printings are always marked with a notice to that effect on the copyright page. The absence of any such notice indicates the first printing.", "The exact imprint wording helps bracket the date — 'J. H. Sears & Company' for the earlier issues and 'Sears Publishing Company' for the later ones.", "Because the convention is purely the absence of a reprint notice, confirm priority per title and, where possible, corroborate with binding and jacket state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Small New York trade house of the late 1920s–early 1930s, founded by Joseph Hamblen Sears (formerly of Harper and later president of D. Appleton & Company). Not related to Sears, Roebuck.", "Tied to the Kingsport Press in Tennessee and issued US Readers Library titles in the 1920s.", "A casualty of the Depression: J. H. Sears & Company was sold to Dodd, Mead & Company for a token sum in 1934, so any Sears imprint is itself a useful dating point.", "Identification relies almost entirely on the no-statement / reprint-noted convention plus the exact imprint wording." ], "era": "c.1924–1934" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/secker-and-warburg", "name": "Secker & Warburg (Martin Secker & Warburg)", "slug": "secker-and-warburg", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Martin Secker (predecessor, to 1935)", "Secker & Warburg", "Warburg Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1940s: firsts either carried NO statement or occasionally \"First published [Year]\" with no additional printings listed", "1940s onward: consistently state \"First published [Year]\" on the copyright page of firsts with NO additional impressions listed (later printings add lines)", "First printing = statement present AND clean copyright page with no reprint notations", "Modern era: number line under Random House lineage" ], "notablePoints": [ "George Orwell's UK publisher from 'Animal Farm' (1945) and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' (1949) — both have well-documented dust-jacket points (1984: red vs green jacket variants, both issued)", "Also Thomas Mann (English translations), Angus Wilson, Melvyn Bragg", "Martin Secker (pre-merger) and Secker & Warburg should not be conflated" ], "era": "1910 (Martin Secker) / 1936-present (Secker & Warburg)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sentinel", "name": "Sentinel", "slug": "sentinel", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Sentinel" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing", "As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, do not rely on a printed \"First edition\" statement — use the number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Conservative nonfiction imprint within Penguin Publishing Group, part of Penguin Random House", "Founded by Adrian Zackheim in April 2003 as a sister imprint to Portfolio" ], "era": "2003–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/serpents-tail", "name": "Serpent's Tail", "slug": "serpents-tail", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Serpent's Tail", "Viper (crime/thriller imprint, launched 2019; first title published 2020)", "Serpent's Tail Classics", "Mask Noir (early branded crime/translated-noir series)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the imprint page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.", "Confirm the 'First published by Serpent's Tail' statement and year; Viper titles (from 2019) carry the Viper colophon but follow the same number-line convention as the parent house.", "Mask Noir was an early branded crime/translated-noir series within Serpent's Tail — copyright pages still read Serpent's Tail.", "Serpent's Tail Classics copies are backlist reissues, not firsts." ], "notablePoints": [ "Independent founded 1986 by Pete Ayrton; strong in translated European crime and literary fiction. An imprint of Profile Books since 2007.", "Viper (announced/launched 2019, first title in 2020) is the dedicated crime/thriller imprint led by Miranda Jewess; Serpent's Tail Classics reissues backlist.", "Many titles are first English/UK editions of translated authors, so 'first published by Serpent's Tail' can post-date the original-language first edition — the number line marks the first UK/English appearance, not a world first." ], "era": "1986–present (Viper crime imprint from 2019)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/seven-seas-entertainment", "name": "Seven Seas Entertainment — English-language manga & light novels", "slug": "seven-seas-entertainment", "region": "USA (Los Angeles, California; founded 2004)", "imprints": [ "Ghost Ship (mature/ecchi)", "Airship (light novels)", "Seven Seas Danmei (BL)", "Steamship (josei/adult)", "Waves of Color" ], "idMethods": [ "2004-present: volumes are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page (line ending in 1 = first printing; lowest digit present = printing number), typically with a printing month/year stated nearby. This is standard US trade practice independent of which distributor handles the line.", "Light novels (Airship) and danmei prose (Seven Seas Danmei, e.g. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Heaven Official's Blessing) use the same number-line tell; danmei box sets and special editions carry their own per-printing lines.", "Early Seven Seas (2004-c.2010) original-English-language (OEL) and licensed manga use the same indicia and number-line approach." ], "notablePoints": [ "Distribution history: Seven Seas distributed through Macmillan (via the Tor imprint) under a 2007 agreement, then moved to Penguin Random House Publisher Services in late 2020; current printings ship through PRHPS, not Macmillan.", "The Seven Seas Danmei line (Heaven Official's Blessing, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) drove heavy demand; early-printing novels are sought, and reprints drop the low digits from the line.", "Known for licensing niche, mature, and previously-skipped titles, including unflipped, uncensored editions.", "Founded October 2004 by Jason DeAngelis, who coined the term 'world manga'." ], "era": "2004-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/shambhala-publications", "name": "Shambhala Publications", "slug": "shambhala-publications", "region": "US (founded Berkeley, California, 1969; now Boulder, Colorado, with a longtime Boston, Massachusetts office)", "imprints": [ "Shambhala", "Snow Lion", "Roost Books", "Trumpeter Books", "Shambhala Pocket Library / Pocket Classics", "New Science Library (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "On books from 1988 onward, a first printing is identified by the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page, typically paired with a descending number line whose lowest digit is 1.", "On books through 1987, the copyright page of a first printing reads either 'First Printing' or 'First Edition', or simply carries no later-printing notice at all; absence of any added printing statement on a pre-1988 copy indicates the first.", "On the number line, the lowest digit present equals the printing, so a line ending in 1 confirms a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Leading Western publisher of Buddhism, Taoism, mindfulness, and contemplative and yoga titles; the 1987/1988 shift in stated-printing practice is the key era caveat collectors must apply (this convention is documented in Biblio's by-publisher first-edition guide).", "Snow Lion (Tibetan Buddhism, originally of Ithaca, New York) was an independent press acquired by Shambhala in May 2012; pre-2012 Snow Lion titles follow their own independent copyright-page conventions, not Shambhala's.", "Roost Books (cooking, parenting, home), Trumpeter, and the Shambhala Pocket series are in-house imprints following the post-1987 'First Edition' convention.", "Chogyam Trungpa first editions such as 'Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism' (1973) are sought after and should be verified with the pre-1988 stated-printing rules." ], "era": "1969-present (stated-printing practice changes at 1987/1988)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/shasta-publishers", "name": "Shasta Publishers", "slug": "shasta-publishers", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Shasta Publishers" ], "idMethods": [ "Shasta first editions are identified by an explicit 'First Edition' statement printed on the copyright page (a positive notation), NOT by the absence of later-printing language. Standard reference: the copyright page reads 'First Edition' (so stated). Example: the three Heinlein Future History titles (The Man Who Sold the Moon, The Green Hills of Earth, Revolt in 2100) all carry this statement, making Shasta easier to verify than Fantasy Press.", "Confirm physical issue points where documented per title (e.g., boards with cloth shelf back on the Heinlein titles) and a correct-state first-issue dust jacket with the original printed price; jacket art alone is not a reliable first-edition test.", "It is true that Shasta rarely reprinted, so most titles exist in a single print run — but treat this as corroboration, not the primary identification method. Verify the explicit copyright-page statement first and cross-check against a title-specific bibliography." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1947 by Erle Korshak, T. E. Dikty, and Mark Reinsberg, Chicago-area SF fans (this point is accurate). First book was E. F. Bleiler's reference work The Checklist of Fantastic Literature (1948); operated to c.1957, ~19 titles.", "Shasta published Heinlein's early Future History FICTION collections (The Man Who Sold the Moon 1950, The Green Hills of Earth, Revolt in 2100) — these are fiction, not 'nonfiction.' The claim it published the Bleiler/Dikty 'Best Science Fiction Stories' anthologies is WRONG: those annuals were published by Frederick Fell (1949 onward). Shasta's Bleiler link was the 1948 Checklist, a separate reference book.", "The 'L. Ron Hubbard Kingslayer project' as the collapse-era debacle is WRONG. The notorious episode was the 1953 Shasta/Pocket Books novel CONTEST won by Philip Jose Farmer's 'I Owe for the Flesh' — the prize money was never paid and the winning book was never published, contributing to Shasta's financial demise. 'Kingslayer' is a 1949 Hubbard collection published by Fantasy Publishing Company (FPCI), not Shasta. (Shasta separately turned down a Hubbard Dianetics book.)", "The claim that ALL early Shasta titles featured Hannes Bok jackets is overstated/incorrect. Bok illustrated several prominent early jackets (The Wheels of If, Slaves of Sleep, Kinsmen of the Dragon), and Shasta was noted for fine multicolor jackets, but other artists were also used. Bok art is NOT a reliable blanket attribution aid." ], "era": "1947–c.1957" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sheed-and-ward", "name": "Sheed & Ward", "slug": "sheed-and-ward", "region": "London (1926) / New York (US, 1933), USA & UK", "imprints": [ "Sheed & Ward", "Stagbooks (paperback)", "Sheed Andrews and McMeel (post-1973 US)" ], "idMethods": [ "1926-c.1950: first editions generally carry no printing statement; identify a first by the absence of any later-printing notice and by matching the earliest UK or US (1933+) imprint state. Distinguish the UK first from the US first, since both exist for many titles; UK firsts commonly add a 'First Published [month, year]' line while US firsts typically show no statement.", "c.1950-1973: later printings are noted on the copyright page, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing; some titles add 'First published in [year]'.", "1973 onward (US, under Universal Press Syndicate as Sheed Andrews and McMeel / Sheed & Ward): follows Andrews McMeel number-line conventions, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Catholic publishing house founded 1926 in London by Frank Sheed and Maisie Ward; the head office moved to New York City in 1933.", "Key collectible authors include Chesterton, Ronald Knox, Christopher Dawson, and other mid-century Catholic intellectuals.", "The US arm was acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 1973 and became the base of Andrews McMeel; the Sheed & Ward name continued on a religious-publishing list under later owners and was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield in 2002." ], "era": "1926-present (classic era 1926-1973)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sheldon-and-company", "name": "Sheldon and Company", "slug": "sheldon-and-company", "region": "New York, NY (USA)", "imprints": [ "Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman (1854–1856)", "Sheldon, Blakeman & Co. (1856–1859)", "Sheldon & Company (1859–1897)" ], "idMethods": [ "1854–1859 (Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman; then Sheldon, Blakeman & Co.): no first-edition statement or code; date the book by the multi-partner imprint name and the 115 Nassau Street address. First printing inferred from agreement of title-page and copyright dates and absence of a later-printing notice.", "1859–1897 (Sheldon & Company): no systematic first-edition designation. First printing identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date, no later printings listed, and (for heavily reprinted textbooks) by edition/printing or stereotype-plate notices when present. Because schoolbooks were reprinted from stereotype plates for years, the copyright date often understates the actual printing date — corroborate with binding, advertisements, and catalog-list datable content.", "General rule for the house: points-based only; no printing code was ever adopted." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Smith Sheldon, who came to New York and bought out Mr. Law's interest in Lamport, Blakeman & Law; 'Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman' established spring 1854 at 115 Nassau Street.", "Lamport retired in 1856 (firm became Sheldon, Blakeman & Co.); Blakeman left in 1859 to form Blakeman & Mason, at which point the firm became Sheldon & Company.", "Acquired Lewis Colby & Co.'s religious list and the Lamport, Blakeman & Law schoolbook list — became a major textbook/schoolbook, religious, and juvenile-series publisher.", "Stereotype-plate reprinting means copyright date does not equal actual printing date on many readers and spellers; treat dating cautiously. The firm stopped publishing in 1897." ], "era": "1854–1897" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sheridan-house", "name": "Sheridan House", "slug": "sheridan-house", "region": "Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA (now an imprint of Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield)", "imprints": [ "Sheridan House Maritime Classics (reprint line)", "Nathaniel Drinkwater nautical-fiction line" ], "idMethods": [ "Independent era (mid-twentieth century): first printings typically state 'First edition' or carry no later-printing notation; subsequent printings add 'Second printing'. Sailing and voyage narratives dominate.", "Later independent era (Lothar and Jeannine Simon as publishers): a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing, so the presence of '1' signals a first printing. Many titles also state 'First published ... by Sheridan House' with year.", "As a Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield imprint: Globe Pequot house style governs, a number line whose lowest digit indicates the printing. 'Sheridan House Maritime Classics' are explicitly reprints of earlier voyaging classics, NOT first editions of the original text." ], "notablePoints": [ "Sheridan House was a principal US sailing-narrative publisher; firsts of voyaging accounts (e.g. titles by Hal Roth and Tristan Jones) are collected.", "Maritime Classics reissues carry a new ISBN and later date, distinct from the original first printing.", "Distribution moved between NBN and other distributors over time; distributor changes do not affect printing identification." ], "era": "1940-present (independent through the Lothar and Jeannine Simon era; an imprint thereafter)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sidgwick-and-jackson", "name": "Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd", "slug": "sidgwick-and-jackson", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Sidgwick & Jackson", "Sidgwick & Jackson (within Macmillan / Pan Macmillan from the mid-1980s)" ], "idMethods": [ "1908-c.1930: First impressions carry a dated 'First published (year)' statement (or the date on the title page) with no notice of a later printing; reprints add dated 'Reprinted' lines. Absence of any reprint listing indicates a first impression. This follows standard British copyright-page practice of the period rather than a publisher-specific code.", "c.1930-c.1970: 'First published 19xx' on the copyright page; a first impression carries no additional impression statement, while reprints are listed by date.", "c.1970-present (within Macmillan): A descending number line may appear on the copyright page, with the lowest digit present indicating the printing (1 = first), alongside a dated 'First published' line. Confirm against the specific title, as practice varied across the Macmillan-era list." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in London in November 1908 by Frank Sidgwick (1879-1939), a poet and literary editor, and Robert Cameron Jackson (1882-1917), who handled the business side as company secretary.", "Published the Georgian Poetry anthologies (edited by Edward Marsh, 1912-1922) and Rupert Brooke's poetry, including the posthumous 1914 and Other Poems (1915) - key WWI-era poetry firsts.", "Later a general trade, biography and music publisher; acquired by Macmillan from Trusthouse Forte in the mid-1980s and run as a Pan Macmillan imprint until it was dissolved in 2015." ], "era": "1908-2015 (imprint dissolved)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sierra-club-books", "name": "Sierra Club Books", "slug": "sierra-club-books", "region": "US (San Francisco)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.", "Many titles also carry explicit 'First Edition / First Printing' wording on the copyright page.", "A number line can mark the first printing of a specific format (e.g. a trade-paperback first printing distinct from an earlier hardcover); read it in the context of the stated binding/edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Conservation/nature publisher famous for the large-format Exhibit Format photographic series, begun with 'This Is the American Earth' (1960) and including Eliot Porter's 'In Wildness Is the Preservation of the World' (1962, the first color title); these oversized photo books are the prime first-edition collectibles, valued on condition, jacket and reproduction quality.", "Distribution partners varied over the decades (including Random House/Ballantine and Scribner), which can affect imprint and copyright-page presentation; the Sierra Club Books colophon identifies the line.", "For the photographic titles, watch for early-printing photo-reproduction quality and the presence of the original price and dust jacket." ], "era": "1960s-2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/signet-nal", "name": "Signet / New American Library (NAL)", "slug": "signet-nal", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Signet", "Signet Classics", "Mentor", "Plume", "Meridian", "NAL", "Onyx", "Roc" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: the copyright page states 'First Printing' (often as 'First Signet printing, Month Year') with no later-printing lines; later printings stack the printing history. This explicit statement is the most reliable tell.", "Signet/NAL adopted a descending number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing. From roughly the 1970s on the 'First Signet printing, Month Year' line plus the number line appear together.", "The catalog-number prefix encodes the price/format era (early Signet 25-cent numbers, then letter-price prefixes such as D-, T-, Q-); useful for dating, not a printing count." ], "notablePoints": [ "NAL was formed in 1948 from the US branch of Penguin; Signet was the mass-market line, Mentor the nonfiction/quality line, and Plume and Meridian the trade lines.", "Signet was primarily a reprint house but issued many important paperback originals (notably Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer novels) where the Signet is the true first or first paperback.", "Onyx and Roc are later NAL genre imprints (Roc for science fiction and fantasy) using standard modern number-line firsts.", "Distinguish 'Signet Classic' (reprints of public-domain or established works, never a true first) from Signet genre originals." ], "era": "1948-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/simon-schuster", "name": "Simon & Schuster", "slug": "simon-schuster", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" (1952–present)", "Number line added from the 1970s", "Later printings always noted" ], "notablePoints": [ "Later printings are always noted, which makes the positive statement + number line combination reliable." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/simon-schuster-byr", "name": "Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's)", "slug": "simon-schuster-byr", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Margaret K. McElderry Books", "Atheneum Books for Young Readers", "Aladdin", "Beach Lane Books", "Paula Wiseman Books", "Saga Press (YA crossover)", "Salaam Reads", "Little Simon", "Caitlyn Dlouhy Books" ], "idMethods": [ "S&S house convention: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (S&S has long relied on the number line rather than always wording 'First Edition')", "Many S&S children's firsts state 'First Edition' AND carry a number line to 1; the line is authoritative", "Beach Lane / Paula Wiseman / McElderry sub-imprints all use the parent S&S number-line convention" ], "notablePoints": [ "S&S Children's absorbed Atheneum and Margaret K. McElderry; those imprint names persist on title pages but printing is determined by the S&S number line", "Little Simon (board books) and Aladdin (paperback reprints) are generally not where trade firsts originate", "Beach Lane Books (Allyn Johnston) is a notable contemporary picture-book imprint" ], "era": "1924–present (children's division mid-20th c. onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/skira", "name": "Skira Editore", "slug": "skira", "region": "Switzerland (Lausanne/Geneva, historic) / Italy (Milan, modern)", "imprints": [ "Skira", "Skira Editore", "Editions d'Art Albert Skira (historic, Geneva)", "Skira Rizzoli (former US JV, c.2006–2015)", "Skira / Flammarion (historic JV/distribution)", "Skira paperbacks / Skira Mini Artbooks" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon states the year and edition; a first shows 'First edition' / 'Prima edizione' or the first-published year with no reprint line.", "Historic Albert Skira art books (mid-20th-century, famous for tipped-in color plates) are identified by the 'Editions d'Art Albert Skira, Genève' imprint, the year, and the printing colophon; many were printed once, and completeness of the mounted plates is essential.", "Where a number line appears on a modern Skira title, apply standard rules (lowest number = printing); number lines are not a consistent Skira convention, so rely chiefly on the colophon year and edition wording.", "Multilingual editions (French / Italian / English) of the same title are separate issues; match the original language and market." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Albert Skira in 1928 (originally Lausanne, soon relocated to Geneva); the classic Skira art books with tipped-in color plates are collected for those mounted plates, so completeness and the original imprint matter.", "Skira Rizzoli was a New York joint venture established around the end of 2006 and wound down by roughly 2015; a Skira Rizzoli copy is a distinct issue from a Milan Skira edition of the same title.", "The modern Skira Editore (Milan, since 1995) is a different corporate entity and era from the historic Editions d'Art Albert Skira (Geneva); the imprint and city date the issue." ], "era": "1928–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/small-beer-press", "name": "Small Beer Press", "slug": "small-beer-press", "region": "USA (Easthampton, Massachusetts)", "imprints": [ "Big Mouth House (all-ages fiction imprint, launched 2008)", "Peapod Classics (reprint imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with a number line whose lowest digit is 1; a missing 1 indicates a later printing", "Big Mouth House and Peapod Classics use the same parent conventions with the imprint name on the title or copyright page", "Chapbooks and the LCRW zine line are saddle-stitched and identified by issue number rather than an edition statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2000 by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant; publishes literary SF and fantasy (Kelly Link's own collections, Ursula K. Le Guin reissues)", "A trade publisher, so the number-line and stated-edition method applies; it is not a multi-state limited house", "Also publishes the zine 'Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet' (LCRW), identified by issue rather than edition" ], "era": "2000–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/smith-and-haas", "name": "Smith & Haas", "slug": "smith-and-haas", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Smith & Haas (shortened form of Harrison Smith and Robert Haas)" ], "idMethods": [ "1932–1936: Identical practice to Harrison Smith & Robert Haas — 'Smith & Haas' is the same firm in its short title-page/spine form. The first-edition statement is inconsistent; a first printing is shown by the absence of any later-printing notice on the copyright page (subsequent printings were noted).", "Treat the spine/title-page wording 'Smith & Haas' as a 1932–1936 dating bracket; after the 1936 Random House merger the imprint disappears." ], "notablePoints": [ "Not a separate company — the colloquial/short imprint form of Harrison Smith & Robert Haas; cataloged separately because the spine often reads only 'Smith & Haas.'", "Same Faulkner-era list and same 1936 Random House merger; deduplicate downstream against the Harrison Smith & Robert Haas entry." ], "era": "1932–1936" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/smith-elder", "name": "Smith, Elder & Co.", "slug": "smith-elder", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Smith, Elder & Co.", "Cornhill (magazine imprint, related)" ], "idMethods": [ "No explicit edition statement in the Victorian era: first printings are identified by the date on the title page and by the ABSENCE of any 'second edition' / 'new edition' wording on the title page or half-title.", "Publisher's catalogue or advertisements bound in (usually at the rear, sometimes the front): on a true first the inserted ads are dated at or before the title-page year; later catalogue dates indicate a later printing or a remainder binding.", "Original publisher's cloth binding (blind- and gilt-stamped), correct half-titles present, and an uncut or unopened text block support a first-issue state.", "Collate against the standard bibliography for the author (Bronte, Thackeray, Browning, Gaskell), since most value rests on textual and binding points rather than a house rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Most famous as publisher of the Brontes (Jane Eyre, 1847, 3 vols, 'by Currer Bell'), Thackeray, Mrs Gaskell, the Cornhill Magazine, and the Dictionary of National Biography.", "Jane Eyre first: three-volume, 1847, half-titles present, no publisher's adverts; the second edition (January 1848) is explicitly stated as such and adds Charlotte Bronte's dedication to Thackeray plus a preface — these are diagnostic.", "The three-decker (3-vol) format is the norm for fiction before the mid-1890s; mixed or odd volumes and rebound sets are common, so binding integrity matters.", "Firm absorbed into John Murray in 1917; later 'Smith, Elder' reissues exist." ], "era": "1816-1917 (peak Victorian fiction 1840s-1890s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/smithsonian-institution-press", "name": "Smithsonian Institution Press / Smithsonian Books", "slug": "smithsonian-institution-press", "region": "Washington, D.C., USA", "imprints": [ "Smithsonian Institution Press", "Smithsonian Books", "Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press", "Smithsonian Contributions / Studies series", "Smithsonian Books with HarperCollins/Collins (2000s co-imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Mid/late 20th c.-present (trade titles): standard academic-press practice — the copyright page carries a descending number line (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit indicates the printing, a line ending in 1 indicating a first printing. Many also state 'First edition' or give the year.", "Scholarly numbered series (Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge/Anthropology/Zoology/Astrophysics, etc.): institutional monograph series identified by series title and issue/volume number plus issue date rather than a trade printing key; each is effectively issued once, so the series number and year define it.", "2000s co-publishing (Smithsonian Books with HarperCollins, later Smithsonian/Collins; now distributed by Penguin Random House): follow the trade partner's number-line convention and look for the partner's first-edition statement together with the number line.", "19th-early 20th c. Smithsonian / Bureau of American Ethnology and Annual Report material: government-style imprints identified by the report year and Congressional/document-series designation, not by a printing key." ], "notablePoints": [ "Two parallel streams: trade books (number line) versus scholarly numbered series (series/issue number).", "Older BAE / annual-report material is effectively government documentary publishing — dated by report year and document number.", "Co-imprint years require checking which trade partner's convention applies.", "Distribution and ISBN prefixes shifted across the HarperCollins and later Penguin Random House arrangements." ], "era": "1840s-present (trade program strongest 1970s-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/snow-lion-publications", "name": "Snow Lion Publications", "slug": "snow-lion-publications", "region": "USA (Ithaca NY; now an imprint of Shambhala, Boulder CO)", "imprints": [ "Snow Lion" ], "idMethods": [ "1980-2012 (independent, Ithaca NY, co-founder Sidney Piburn with Jeffrey Cox as president): the copyright page states 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' with the copyright year; later titles carry a descending number line whose lowest number indicates the printing. The Ithaca NY imprint and address confirm an independent-era first printing.", "2012-present (imprint of Shambhala): follows Shambhala house convention, where a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page is the authoritative tell; a Boulder/Boston address and joint Shambhala/Snow Lion branding signal a post-acquisition printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1980 in Ithaca NY, inspired by a meeting with the Dalai Lama, and became the largest English-language press devoted to Tibetan Buddhism, politics, and culture, including many Dalai Lama titles.", "Acquired by Shambhala Publications in 2012, so an Ithaca NY imprint marks the independent first editions while post-2012 books carry the Shambhala imprint.", "Many first English translations of Tibetan texts are Snow Lion firsts, and the independent Ithaca printing is the collectible form." ], "era": "1980-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/soft-skull-press", "name": "Soft Skull Press", "slug": "soft-skull-press", "region": "New York, NY (US)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'First Soft Skull edition') on the copyright page.", "A number line, when present, identifies the printing by the lowest number shown rather than by the line's direction; a '1' anywhere in the row indicates a first printing. The row need not run strictly descending and need not literally end in 1.", "Later printings drop the lowest number (and may revise the printing statement)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1992 by Sander Hicks (DIY photocopied/tape-bound runs); Richard Nash took it over around 2001 and sold it to Counterpoint in 2007. Counterpoint merged into Catapult in 2016; the Catapult/Counterpoint/Soft Skull group has been distributed by Penguin Random House in recent years.", "Earliest 1990s items often lack any formal number line — for those, rely on stated printing, format, and known issue points rather than a number row.", "No per-house first-printing convention is documented in the standard bibliographic references (Zempel & Verkler, McBride, Ahearn); treat the above as the modern US trade default applied to this house, not a house-specific rule. Medium confidence." ], "era": "1992–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/soho-crime", "name": "Soho Crime / Soho Press", "slug": "soho-crime", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Soho Press (parent)", "Soho Crime", "Soho Teen" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern descending number line on the copyright page; a first printing shows the full line ending in '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'). Lowest digit present = the printing.", "Often accompanied by a 'First published in the United States ...' or 'First edition' statement; rely on the number line as the controlling signal.", "Soho Crime hardcovers typically carry a matching price on the jacket flap; price-clipped or remainder marks indicate handling, not state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1986 (Soho Press); Soho Crime line specializes in international/atmospheric crime (Cara Black, Qiu Xiaolong, Peter Lovesey reprints).", "Some Soho Crime titles appeared first in the UK or originating country; the US 'first' is then a first US/first-thus, not the true world first — note the copyright-page 'first published' wording.", "Trade-paperback originals exist for parts of the list; a paperback original is its own first, not a 'reprint' of a hardcover." ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/soho-press", "name": "Soho Press", "slug": "soho-press", "region": "US (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Soho Crime", "Soho Teen", "Soho Constellation", "Hera (UK partner line)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry 'First U.S. edition' or 'First edition' on the copyright page together with a full descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a retained '1' marks the first.", "If the '1' has been stripped from the number line the book is a later printing, even where the 'First edition' wording was left standing in error.", "Soho Crime's signature compact small-trim hardcovers follow the same copyright-page convention as the parent Soho Press line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Soho Crime is an imprint, not a separate company; copyright pages read 'Published by Soho Press, Inc.' regardless of the Soho Crime branding on the spine and jacket.", "Many Soho Crime titles are the first U.S. appearance of a translated or foreign author, so a 'First U.S. edition' can post-date a true first publication abroad — flag this for points-conscious collectors.", "Distinctive small-trim hardcovers; book-club editions are rare for this house, so a stated first with an intact number line is generally the true first." ], "era": "1986–present (Soho Crime launched 1999)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/solaris-books", "name": "Solaris Books", "slug": "solaris-books", "region": "UK (part of Rebellion Publishing, Oxford; founded under BL Publishing / Games Workshop)", "imprints": [ "Abaddon Books (sister imprint)", "Solaris Satellites (novella line)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade paperback and hardcover originals state the 'First published' year and carry a number line on the copyright page; the first printing is the state retaining the lowest number ('1'). UK printings often use a split-style line such as 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2, but the exact sequence varies by printer, so identify the first by the lowest digit present rather than a fixed string.", "Originally under BL Publishing (a Games Workshop division), then Rebellion from 2009 — the parent name on the copyright page dates the edition.", "Abaddon Books (shared-world/franchise fiction) is the sister imprint and carries its own title-page branding." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded February 2007 under BL Publishing (Games Workshop) to serve genre midlist alongside Black Library; acquired by Rebellion (publisher of 2000 AD) in September 2009 — the ownership change is a copyright-page tell.", "Sister imprint Abaddon Books handles original shared-world series; both follow the standard UK number-line convention.", "A trade publisher, not a limited-edition house." ], "era": "2007–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sounds-true", "name": "Sounds True", "slug": "sounds-true", "region": "US (Boulder, then Louisville, Colorado)", "imprints": [ "Sounds True (books)", "Sounds True Audio" ], "idMethods": [ "The collectible-first logic applies only to the print-book line; for audio and spoken-word products the concept of a 'first edition' is largely inapplicable.", "On a first printing of a print book, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.", "The copyright page typically reads 'Published ... by Sounds True' with the first-printing year, which on a first printing matches the title-page year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1985 by Tami Simon in Boulder, Colorado, beginning as a real-time audio and spoken-word publisher (cassettes, then CDs and digital); now headquartered in Louisville, Colorado.", "The print-book program began in 2005 and is distributed by Macmillan; the list covers mindfulness, somatics, psychology, and contemporary spirituality.", "Because the modern print program is recent, the number line is the reliable first-printing signal and there is little deep collectible backlist in print form." ], "era": "1985-present (audio first; print-book program began in 2005)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/south-dakota-historical-society-press", "name": "South Dakota State Historical Society Press", "slug": "south-dakota-historical-society-press", "region": "Pierre, South Dakota", "imprints": [ "Pioneer Girl Project" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1997–present: Small historical-society press (established 1997). First printings generally carry no explicit 'First Edition' statement; rely on the number line on the copyright page where present, with the lowest number indicating the printing (a '1' present indicates a first printing). A standard CIP/ISBN block appears on most titles. Where no number line is present, a single un-annotated copyright date with no later-printing line is consistent with a first printing.", "High-profile titles ran through MULTIPLE rapid printings: 'Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography' of Laura Ingalls Wilder (2014) sold out an initial run quickly and went into a second printing within months, reaching many printings since. Read the number line or printing statement carefully, as later printings of the first edition are common and are frequently mistaken for true firsts." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing arm of the South Dakota State Historical Society, established 1997; focus on Plains/Dakota history and Western Americana.", "Publisher of the bestselling annotated 'Pioneer Girl' (2014), which had several quick printings, so the printing line is decisive for first-printing collectors.", "Small press: most scholarly titles see a single printing, which makes the absence of a later-printing line a reasonable indicator of a first printing." ], "era": "c.1997–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/southern-illinois-university-press", "name": "Southern Illinois University Press", "slug": "southern-illinois-university-press", "region": "Carbondale, Illinois", "imprints": [ "Shawnee Classics (regional reprint series)", "Crab Orchard Series in Poetry" ], "idMethods": [ "1956–c.1975: No explicit first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression line.", "c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block.", "Shawnee Classics (regional Illinois reprint series): a Shawnee Classics edition is a REPRINT with its own series page, not the original first edition. Crab Orchard Series in Poetry (began 1998): prize and first-printing poetry volumes; check the number line to confirm a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by SIU president Delyte Morris in the mid-1950s; first book published October 20, 1956. Major lists in rhetoric/composition, First Amendment and theatre studies, and Illinois/Midwest regional studies; publisher of 'The Collected Works of John Dewey' and 'The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant'.", "Shawnee Classics revives out-of-print Illinois titles; the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry (begun 1998) produces award-winning first printings.", "One of several Illinois university presses, so verify the imprint against the University of Illinois Press and Northern Illinois University Press." ], "era": "1956–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/southern-methodist-university-press", "name": "Southern Methodist University Press", "slug": "southern-methodist-university-press", "region": "US (Dallas, TX)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing", "First printing copyright page without later-printing notices", "Later printings add printing statements" ], "notablePoints": [ "SMU Press, established 1937; notable for literary fiction and Southwest/Texas literature before it suspended new trade publishing on June 1, 2010", "Briefly reorganized in 2011 on a smaller budget before closing in 2015, so its active literary trade era was relatively short and many titles exist only in first printing — but verify via number line", "Distinct from TCU Press and Texas A&M Press" ], "era": "1937-c.2010 (new trade publishing; press later closed 2015)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/specialty-press-aviation", "name": "Specialty Press (Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers)", "slug": "specialty-press-aviation", "region": "North Branch, Minnesota, USA", "imprints": [ "WarbirdTech series", "X-Planes / experimental aircraft line", "Specialty Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1980s-2000s (founded in the 1980s as a US aviation publisher and wholesaler): first printings carry a number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' ending in '1' is a first printing. Many titles also state 'First edition' explicitly.", "2000s-present: the number-line convention continues; revised or expanded editions are stated ('Revised edition') and reset the line — a reset line beneath a revised-edition statement is the first printing of that revised edition.", "All eras: distinguish the Minnesota aviation house from generic 'specialty press' imprint wording on unrelated publishers' copyright pages; because this house also distributed other publishers, a distribution line naming Specialty Press on a third-party book does not make it a Specialty Press edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "A leading US source for detailed jet, experimental and Cold War aviation monographs (WarbirdTech, X-Planes).", "Also acted as the US distributor for other aviation publishers (including AIRtime, Airlife, Crécy, Midland and Hikoki), so distribution lines on third-party books are not Specialty Press editions.", "Color-heavy references issued in multiple printings — rely on the number line rather than appearance." ], "era": "c.1985-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/spiegel-and-grau", "name": "Spiegel & Grau", "slug": "spiegel-and-grau", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Spiegel & Grau" ], "idMethods": [ "For the PRH-era titles, first printing carries a full number line descending to 1, typically with a \"First Edition\" statement, following Random House practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Celina Spiegel and Julie Grau in late 2005, launched within Random House's Doubleday division and later moved to Random House proper; shuttered by Penguin Random House in January 2019", "Relaunched by the same founders as an INDEPENDENT publisher (announced late 2020, first title in 2021) - so current titles are NOT a Big Five imprint", "The ownership/era split is the load-bearing caveat: only the original PRH-era titles follow Random House first-edition conventions" ], "era": "2005-2019 (within Random House / PRH), 2021- (independent)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/springer-verlag", "name": "Springer (Springer-Verlag / Springer Science+Business Media)", "slug": "springer-verlag", "region": "Germany / United States (Berlin, Heidelberg, New York)", "imprints": [ "Springer-Verlag", "Springer", "Springer New York", "Springer US", "Birkhäuser (subsidiary)", "Apress (technical, subsidiary)", "Copernicus", "Plenum (merged 1998)", "Kluwer Academic (merged into Springer 2004)", "Humana Press", "Spektrum Akademischer Verlag (German trade-science)" ], "idMethods": [ "1842-c.1960 (German tradition): German-language scientific works denote edition by 'Auflage' (for example '1. Auflage' is the first edition, '2. Auflage' the second). A first edition is the one stating '1. Auflage' or, on earliest issues, carrying no Auflage statement at all. The printing-versus-edition distinction is carried by 'Auflage' (edition) versus occasional reprint notes.", "c.1960-c.1990 (US/English titles): Springer-Verlag New York and the yellow-spine 'Graduate Texts in Mathematics' and 'Lecture Notes' series. A first printing is often denoted by a printing line or coded statement, and many English titles state the edition. Series volumes (GTM, and Lecture Notes in Mathematics from 1964) are identified by SERIES NUMBER plus edition.", "c.1990-present: number line on the copyright page for English-language trade and textbook titles, with the lowest digit indicating the printing; German titles continue the 'Auflage' system. Modern Springer copyright pages frequently print a DOI alongside a coded printing/year line. For STM the edition number is the primary identification unit.", "Birkhäuser, Plenum and Kluwer (merged imprints): retain their own legacy copyright-page styles before merger and conform to Springer house style afterward." ], "notablePoints": [ "Distinguish Springer-Verlag (the German STM science house, founded 1842 by Julius Springer) from Springer Publishing Company (a separate U.S. health/medical/nursing house founded in New York in 1950/1951 by a Springer descendant) — the two are commonly conflated.", "The yellow 'Gelbe Reihe' and numbered series (GTM, LNM) are collector touchstones; track the series number.", "'Auflage' (edition) is the single most important German-language identification tell." ], "era": "1842-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/springer-publishing-company", "name": "Springer Publishing Company", "slug": "springer-publishing-company", "region": "United States (New York)", "imprints": [ "Springer Publishing", "Demos Medical Publishing (acquired)", "Demos Health" ], "idMethods": [ "1950-c.1985: Independent US house, founded 1950 by Bernhard Springer (great-grandson of Julius Springer of the German firm), specializing in nursing, gerontology, psychology, social work, counseling, and rehabilitation texts. Early titles carried edition statements; a first printing is identified by the absence of any later-printing notice on the copyright page.", "c.1985-present: Number line on the copyright page, lowest digit present = the printing. For its heavily revised nursing and medical references, the edition number on the title page or spine is the practical identification unit rather than the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Entirely separate company from Springer-Verlag (now Springer Nature) despite the shared family surname; the two have always been independent firms.", "Long-standing strength in gerontology and aging references and in nursing test-prep titles." ], "era": "1950-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/squadron-signal-publications", "name": "Squadron/Signal Publications", "slug": "squadron-signal-publications", "region": "Warren, Michigan, then Carrollton, Texas; later Ellijay, Georgia, USA", "imprints": [ "In Action series", "Walk Around series", "On Deck (ships)", "Detail & Scale (closely associated/distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Squadron/Signal published saddle-stitched and softcover military aircraft, armor, and ship monographs; the first 'In Action' title appeared in 1971. A first printing carries a single original copyright year and no reprint notation; later printings typically add a revised printing date or a 'Second printing' line.", "Many numbers were reprinted over the years, sometimes with updated cover art but the same series catalog number. The series number (e.g. 'Aircraft No. 1 in Action') is a catalog designation, not an edition state; identify a true first by the original copyright/printing date rather than the series number.", "The line was relaunched in 2022 under new ownership. A relaunched edition is not the original first printing even when it bears the same series number, so verify the original 1970s-1980s copyright date for an early first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Series numbers are catalog numbers, not edition states.", "The company suspended publishing in January 2021 and the line was relaunched in May 2022; the original-vs-relaunch ownership split is the key collectibility divider.", "Detail & Scale was a closely associated line with its own numbering." ], "era": "1968-2021 (original run); relaunched 2022-present under new ownership" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/st-martins-press", "name": "St. Martin's Press", "slug": "st-martins-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Minotaur Books (mystery)", "Thomas Dunne Books", "Griffin (trade paper)", "St. Martin's Essentials", "Wednesday Books (YA)", "Truman Talley Books", "SMP Swerve" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1 ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').", "Reliable test: explicit 'First Edition' statement together with the number-line 1.", "Pre-modern St. Martin's: first printings identified by absence of later-printing statements plus any 'First Edition' wording.", "Minotaur and Thomas Dunne (imprints) carry their own imprint name on the title page but use the same SMP/Macmillan convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1952 as the US arm of UK's Macmillan; now part of Macmillan (Holtzbrinck) trade group.", "Minotaur is the flagship mystery/crime imprint; Thomas Dunne Books was a prominent editor imprint (wound down 2020).", "Griffin is the trade-paperback REPRINT line — usually NOT a first.", "Watch for book-club editions of SMP mysteries: BCEs lack the number line / price and have a blind stamp or dot on the rear board." ], "era": "1952–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stackpole-books", "name": "Stackpole Books", "slug": "stackpole-books", "region": "Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA (founded in Harrisburg)", "imprints": [ "Stackpole Classics", "Lyons Press (sister imprint under Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade publisher founded by Edward J. Stackpole in Harrisburg in 1930; the Stackpole Books name dates from a 1959 merger. Modern titles: a descending number line on the copyright page with 1 present indicates a first printing; later printings drop the low digits.", "Many titles also state 'First edition' explicitly; revised editions are labeled (Second edition, Revised and expanded).", "Earlier mid-century titles without a number line: a single copyright/title-page date with no added printing statement indicates a first printing.", "A number line may be printed left-to-right or right-to-left; the presence of 1, not the direction, signals a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Included here for its large outdoors, natural history, military history, and Americana lists rather than for a regional focus.", "Now part of the Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield group (acquired 2015); sister imprint Lyons Press overlaps in subject matter, so check the actual imprint on the copyright page.", "Outdoor/how-to and military titles were frequently revised and reprinted, so the number line plus any edition statement is the reliable tell." ], "era": "1930-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stamperia-valdonega", "name": "Stamperia Valdonega", "slug": "stamperia-valdonega", "region": "Verona, Italy", "imprints": [ "Officina Bodoni (sister hand-press)" ], "idMethods": [ "First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. From 1948 Giovanni Mardersteig ran a mechanized (machine) press he named the Stamperia Valdonega, alongside the hand-press Officina Bodoni, to produce larger editions more quickly while keeping the same typographic standards. Because Valdonega books are machine-printed rather than hand-pressed, the colophon naming Stamperia Valdonega is the key tell that distinguishes them from Officina Bodoni hand-press work.", "Identify by the Valdonega imprint or colophon and the Mardersteig-associated types (including Dante). The firm often printed for outside publishers, so the Valdonega name commonly appears as printer in the colophon. After Giovanni Mardersteig's death in 1977 his son Martino Mardersteig ran the press, occasionally still using the Officina Bodoni imprint for genuine hand-press work." ], "notablePoints": [ "Critical pairing with the Officina Bodoni: Valdonega is the machine press, Officina Bodoni is the hand press; collectors must not conflate the two.", "Continued the Mardersteig typographic standard into the present under Martino Mardersteig.", "Frequently printed for outside publishers, with the Valdonega name appearing as printer in the colophon." ], "era": "1948-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stanford-university-press", "name": "Stanford University Press", "slug": "stanford-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Redwood Press", "Stanford Briefs", "Stanford Business Books", "Stanford Law Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page notes later printings/editions; a first printing shows only the copyright line (no later-printing statement). Modern titles carry a number line where '1' = first printing.", "Stanford copyright pages often print 'Last figure below indicates year of this printing' followed by a year line and/or a separate printing-number line — read both.", "Revised editions are explicitly numbered and dated." ], "notablePoints": [ "The dual 'year line + printing line' on the copyright page is a common academic format; the lowest figures present indicate the first printing.", "Standard convention: later printings marked rather than the first affirmatively stated for older books." ], "era": "1925–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stark-house-press", "name": "Stark House Press", "slug": "stark-house-press", "region": "US (Eureka, CA)", "imprints": [ "Stark House Press", "Black Gat Books", "Stark House Film Noir / Noir Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "Because the house overwhelmingly reprints earlier works, the operative point is the first-thus statement: copyright pages read 'First Stark House Press Edition,' 'First Edition,' 'First Thus,' or 'First Ed. Thus' with the month and year.", "The spine tail typically carries the Stark House (or Black Gat) imprint name — a standard reprint-house tell that the volume is a Stark House issue rather than an original-publisher copy.", "Two-novels-in-one trade paperbacks with a new introduction and bibliography are the characteristic Stark House format; the dated 'First Stark House edition' line identifies that specific reissue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Reprint specialist founded in 1999 by Greg Shepard in Eureka, CA — most titles are NOT true first editions of the text; collectors value them as the first available/affordable reissue ('first thus'), and occasionally for first-ever-collected or restored content.", "Black Gat Books is the mass-market-sized (about 4.25 by 7 inch) paperback sub-line launched in May 2015 with Harry Whittington's 'A Haven for the Damned'; the Noir Classics / Film Noir series pair a novel with film-related material.", "When two reissues exist, the dated 'First Stark House Press Edition' statement distinguishes the original reissue printing from a later one." ], "era": "1999–present (Black Gat line from May 2015)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/north-dakota-institute-regional-studies", "name": "State Historical Society of North Dakota / North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies", "slug": "north-dakota-institute-regional-studies", "region": "Fargo / Bismarck, North Dakota", "imprints": [ "North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies Press (NDSU; renamed North Dakota State University Press in January 2016)", "State Historical Society of North Dakota" ], "idMethods": [ "c.1950–c.1985: Small institutional/regional publisher (North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies at NDSU, founded 1950, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck). No explicit first-printing statement; later printings noted when they occur, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-printing line.", "c.1985–2015: Number line on the copyright page where used (lowest number present indicates the printing); standard CIP/ISBN block on most titles. Many titles are single-printing regional monographs, so the absence of later-printing notation is consistent with a first printing.", "From January 2016: the NDIRS publishing program was renamed North Dakota State University Press. Titles bearing the 'North Dakota State University Press' imprint are 2016-or-later editions and follow that press's number-line conventions; do not treat them as the original NDIRS-imprint issues." ], "notablePoints": [ "The North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies (North Dakota State University, Fargo, founded 1950) is the oldest Plains-studies center in the US and housed the state's only university-based press; it published as the NDIRS Press until renaming to North Dakota State University Press in January 2016.", "The State Historical Society of North Dakota (Bismarck) separately issues regional publications and the journal 'North Dakota History'.", "Very small print runs; institutional imprints sometimes appear in place of a conventional publisher line, so identify by matching dates and the absence of reprint notation.", "Grouped together because catalog records inconsistently attribute North Dakota regional titles to one body or the other; the NDSU-affiliated press and the Bismarck society are distinct organizations." ], "era": "c.1950–2015 (NDIRS Press imprint); succeeded by North Dakota State University Press in January 2016" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wisconsin-historical-society-press", "name": "State Historical Society of Wisconsin / Wisconsin Historical Society Press", "slug": "wisconsin-historical-society-press", "region": "Madison, Wisconsin", "imprints": [ "Wisconsin Historical Society Press", "State Historical Society of Wisconsin" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-2001 (State Historical Society of Wisconsin imprint): no explicit first-printing statement; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression line. The society's book publishing dates to 1855 (Volume I of the Wisconsin Historical Collections).", "2001–present (Wisconsin Historical Society Press): the institution rebranded its public-facing name from 'State Historical Society of Wisconsin' to 'Wisconsin Historical Society' in 2001, and books carry the 'Wisconsin Historical Society Press' imprint. Use the number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing), with a standard CIP/ISBN block. Reprints of Wisconsin classics carry a new copyright/printing line and are not the original first edition.", "Imprint name is a dating aid: 'State Historical Society of Wisconsin' on the title/copyright page generally indicates a pre-2001 issue; 'Wisconsin Historical Society Press' generally indicates 2001 or later." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing arm of the Wisconsin Historical Society (founded 1846, chartered 1853); the society rebranded its name from 'State Historical Society of Wisconsin' to 'Wisconsin Historical Society' in 2001, though the older name remains its official statutory name.", "Wisconsin's oldest book publisher: its first title, Volume I of the Wisconsin Historical Collections, appeared in 1855.", "Strong list on Wisconsin and Upper-Midwest history, including some reprints of regional classics.", "Distinct from the University of Wisconsin Press, though both are in Madison." ], "era": "1855–present (society chartered 1846; first book published 1855)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/steidl", "name": "Steidl", "slug": "steidl", "region": "Germany (Göttingen)", "imprints": [ "Steidl", "Steidl Dangin", "SteidlMACK (imprint c.2004–2010, while Michael Mack was at Steidl; Mack left to found MACK in 2010)", "Edition 7L / Steidl (Karl Lagerfeld imprint)", "Steidl co-editions with museums and galleries" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon (usually at the rear of the book, Steidl's signature placement) is the key page: a true first carries 'First edition' or 'First printing' (often in English and German) with the year and no reprint line.", "Reprints are explicitly stated: 'Second printing 20xx', 'Reprinted 20xx', or a revised colophon. Steidl reprints successful titles freely, so checking for these lines is essential.", "There is no conventional descending number line on most Steidl trade photobooks; rely on the printed edition statement and year, not a printer's key.", "Limited/special editions carry a numbered limitation in the colophon, often with a signed tipped-in print or special binding/box." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1968 by Gerhard Steidl in Göttingen (initially a screen-printing/graphic-art workshop); the internationally oriented photobook program began in the mid-1990s (commonly dated 1994 or 1996).", "Because Steidl reprints liberally and the design is often unchanged between printings, the colophon edition-line and any printer/date change are the only reliable tells; a second printing can look identical to a first.", "SteidlMACK was the imprint created (c.2004) for Michael Mack's list within Steidl; Mack left in 2010 to found MACK, and titles were later reissued under MACK alone, so the imprint name dates the issue.", "Co-published museum catalogs may show both Steidl and the institution; the institutional co-edition can be a distinct issue.", "Steidl colophons frequently credit the specific paper, ink, and printing supervised by Gerhard Steidl; a change in those credits can flag a later printing." ], "era": "1968–present (international photobook program from 1994/1996)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stein-and-day", "name": "Stein and Day", "slug": "stein-and-day", "region": "New York / Briarcliff Manor, New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Stein and Day", "Scarborough House (successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "1962-c.1987: Most first printings carry a number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing (dealer-confirmed examples show lines such as '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').", "Where no number line appears, identify the first by the absence of any later-printing statement, treating that as supporting rather than conclusive evidence.", "Beware UK/US co-editions: Stein and Day frequently issued American editions of British books, so the true world first may be the British printing rather than the Stein and Day issue — confirm before calling a Stein and Day copy 'the first.'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1962 by Sol Stein and Patricia Day; an independent trade house known for fiction, true crime, and commercial non-fiction.", "Went bankrupt in 1987 and ceased operating by 1989; assets reorganized under the Scarborough House name.", "Co-edition status matters: confirm whether a Stein and Day printing is the world first or an American reprint of a British original." ], "era": "1962-1989" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sterling-publishing", "name": "Sterling Publishing", "slug": "sterling-publishing", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Sterling Innovation", "Sterling Children's Books", "Union Square & Co. (post-2022 rebrand)", "Sterling Ethos", "Puzzlewright Press", "Lark Books", "Hearst Books (distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Standard descending number line on the copyright page (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a terminal '1' marks a first printing.", "A consistent number-line user; read the lowest digit in the line rather than looking for prose wording.", "Usually no separate prose 'First Edition' statement, so the number line is the operative key." ], "notablePoints": [ "High-volume publisher of how-to, puzzles and games, reference, gift, and nature/field-guide-adjacent titles.", "Owned by Barnes & Noble for many years; the business rebranded as Union Square & Co. in 2022, so newer printings carry the Union Square & Co. or Union Square Kids imprint, which helps date them.", "Most titles are commodity nonfiction, so collectible interest is title-specific rather than house-wide." ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stone-and-kimball", "name": "Stone & Kimball", "slug": "stone-and-kimball", "region": "Cambridge, Massachusetts, then Chicago, Illinois (with a New York phase, 1895-1896)", "imprints": [ "Stone & Kimball", "Herbert S. Stone & Co. (successor, 1896-1905)", "The Chap-Book (periodical)", "Green Tree Library", "Carnation Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1893-1894 (Cambridge, Mass.): earliest imprints read 'Stone & Kimball, Cambridge'; first editions carry no 'First Edition' statement. Identify by the Cambridge imprint, the dated title page, and the firm's distinctive book design, often including a colophon naming the press and any limitation.", "1894-c.1896 (Chicago, after relocation): imprint reads 'Stone & Kimball, Chicago'; many titles are limited editions with a colophon or limitation statement giving the number of copies printed, which serves as the primary first-issue tell.", "1895-1896 (New York / partnership split): when Kimball left, he took the book business and the Stone & Kimball name to New York, where the imprint appears briefly before the business failed and was reorganized as the Cheltenham Press; Herbert Stone continued in Chicago as Herbert S. Stone & Co. Distinguish the successor firms by imprint name and city. There is no printed 'First Edition' statement; rely on imprint form, dated title page, and bibliography points.", "Authoritative reference: Sidney Kramer, 'A History of Stone & Kimball and Herbert S. Stone & Co., with a Bibliography of Their Publications, 1893-1905' (1940), which supplies issue points title by title." ], "notablePoints": [ "Landmark 1890s aesthetic-movement trade publisher founded by Herbert Stuart Stone and Hannibal Ingalls Kimball while Harvard undergraduates.", "Published The Chap-Book, an influential little magazine, and elegantly designed editions with colophons and limitation statements.", "At the split, Kimball took the Stone & Kimball book business to New York (it soon failed and became the Cheltenham Press) while Herbert Stone formed Herbert S. Stone & Co. in Chicago, publisher of House Beautiful; the Stone firm dissolved by 1905.", "Distinctive typography and press colophons are design tells, not edition statements." ], "era": "1893-1896 (Stone & Kimball); Herbert S. Stone & Co. successor 1896-1905" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stone-wall-press-merker", "name": "Stone Wall Press (Kim Merker)", "slug": "stone-wall-press-merker", "region": "Iowa City, Iowa, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON limitation statement. Kim (K.K.) Merker founded the Stone Wall Press in Iowa City in 1957 as his own private press, after working with Harry Duncan at the Cummington Press. Books were hand-composed and hand-printed on hand-presses, then hand-bound; the colophon states the limitation, types, paper, and date. Documented edition sizes generally run roughly 200 to 300 copies (not as small as a hundred). Verify the Iowa imprint and the colophon.", "Distinguish from the WINDHOVER PRESS, Merker's later University of Iowa sponsored imprint begun in 1967, and from the unrelated Washington, D.C. 'Stone Wall Press' (a trade natural-history publisher). The Iowa Stone Wall Press is the fine-press one. Merker's running keepsake numbering reserved numbers 1-199 for Stone Wall Press, so a low series number with an Iowa colophon supports the attribution." ], "notablePoints": [ "Merker's foundational private press; early fine-press poetry titles including work by Donald Justice, Mark Strand, Philip Levine, W.S. Merwin, and reprints of Pound and Roethke.", "Name-clash with an unrelated Washington, D.C. trade publisher of the same name; verify by the Iowa imprint and the colophon.", "All books are limited firsts, controlled by the colophon limitation." ], "era": "1957-1970" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/storey-publishing", "name": "Storey Publishing", "slug": "storey-publishing", "region": "US (North Adams, Massachusetts)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Number-line based: the first printing carries a line ending in 1, with the low digits dropping out on later printings.", "As a Workman imprint, modern titles commonly also carry a printing statement; confirm the number line ends in 1.", "Earlier (pre-Workman, Storey Communications) titles are less consistent in their copyright-page formatting, so rely primarily on the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Country-skills, homesteading and food-preservation lifestyle publisher (canning, gardening, livestock, fermentation).", "Became a Workman imprint in 2001 when Workman acquired a majority stake; now part of Hachette Book Group via the 2021 Workman acquisition.", "Many titles run through multiple revised editions (for example the 'Storey's Guide to...' series) -- distinguish a new EDITION from a new PRINTING by reading the edition statement on the title and copyright pages." ], "era": "1983-present (as Storey)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/story-line-press", "name": "Story Line Press", "slug": "story-line-press", "region": "USA (Santa Cruz/Brownsville, OR; Ashland, OR)", "imprints": [ "Story Line Press", "The Reaper (associated magazine, not a book imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing identified by 'First edition' or 'First printing' on the copyright page, and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Absence of any later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "Many poetry titles are single-printing; when a title is reprinted, the copyright page states the later printing.", "Number lines appear more consistently on 1990s-2000s titles than on the earliest releases; a line ending in 1 indicates the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1984 by Robert McDowell (with Mark Jarman and Lysa McDowell); McDowell served as cofounder and executive director.", "Central press of the New Formalism / New Narrative movement; grew out of the magazine The Reaper, which Mark Jarman and Robert McDowell started in 1980 to promote narrative and formal verse (The Reaper ran 1980-1989).", "Recognized by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation among influential independent literary publishers; published New Formalist poets and ran prize series.", "The McDowell era is the collectible window; backlist/assets were later transferred within Red Hen Press circles." ], "era": "1984-c.2008" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/subterranean-press", "name": "Subterranean Press", "slug": "subterranean-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Subterranean Press", "Earthling Publications (distinct house, often confused)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade first edition: copyright-page number line with '1' present and no additional printings listed", "Limited states identified by a signed limitation/signature sheet near the front giving the print run; issued in NUMBERED (signed, e.g. /250, /500, /1000) and more-exclusive LETTERED states (typically 26 copies A–Z), often with slipcase or traycase", "Lettered copies are the top state; the limitation statement text and the hand-applied letter/number are the definitive tell" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1995 (Bill Schafer); high-end SF/F/horror collectibles (King, Gaiman, Martin, Joe Hill)", "Many releases are simultaneous trade + numbered + lettered — 'true first' depends on which state collectors seek; the trade hardcover is the textual first, the lettered is the prestige first", "No second printings of lettered editions" ], "era": "1995–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sun-and-moon-press", "name": "Sun & Moon Press", "slug": "sun-and-moon-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Sun & Moon Classics", "Green Integer (successor press)" ], "idMethods": [ "Late-20th-century convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' and frequently carries 'Sun & Moon Classics' series number; a descending number line may be present on later titles.", "First has no later-printing notice; series number fixes the title in the Classics line.", "Successor Green Integer titles bear that imprint and a separate numbered-series scheme." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Douglas Messerli (with Howard N. Fox) in 1976 as a magazine, becoming Sun & Moon Press in the 1980s (College Park, MD / Los Angeles); avant-garde/Language poetry and translation.", "Published Language poets (Bernstein, Hejinian's My Life, Coolidge) and modernist reprints; the numbered 'Sun & Moon Classics' series is the key bibliographic spine.", "After Sun & Moon wound down (~late 1990s), Messerli founded Green Integer (1999) — do not conflate the two imprints; a Green Integer copy is not a Sun & Moon first." ], "era": "1980s–late 1990s (Green Integer 1999–)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sunbelt-publications", "name": "Sunbelt Publications", "slug": "sunbelt-publications", "region": "Southwest / Southern California — San Diego area (El Cajon, later Chula Vista), California", "imprints": [ "Sunbelt Publications", "Sunbelt Natural History Guides", "Adventures in the Natural and Cultural History of the Californias (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1984/1988-present: First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles add a 'First edition' or 'First printing' statement.", "Separate edition from printing: frequently revised regional guidebooks carry edition statements (new copyright year, 'Second edition,' etc.); the first printing of the first edition is the collectible point." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Diana and Lowell Lindsay; began informal operations as Sunbelt Books in 1984 and was incorporated as Sunbelt Publications in 1988 in the San Diego area (El Cajon, California). The house dates its own founding to 1984. Headquarters later moved from El Cajon toward Chula Vista, and ownership has since passed to longtime employees.", "Specializes in the natural and cultural history of the Californias, Baja California, the desert Southwest, and outdoor recreation guides.", "Also operates as a regional distributor and wholesaler, so some listed titles are distributed rather than published — check the imprint, not just the spine." ], "era": "1984-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sunstone-press", "name": "Sunstone Press", "slug": "sunstone-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Sun-stone petroglyph logo", "Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence", "Number line on later titles", "Offset vs. print-on-demand paper stock" ], "notablePoints": [ "Original offset printings (c.1970s–2005) feel different from later print-on-demand reissues, which use brighter, thicker, toner-printed stock even when the cover and copyright page look identical." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/swallow-press", "name": "Swallow Press", "slug": "swallow-press", "region": "Chicago, Illinois / Athens, Ohio (originally Denver, Colorado)", "imprints": [ "Alan Swallow", "Sage Books", "Big Mountain Press", "Swallow Press/Ohio University Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1940s-1966 (Alan Swallow, Denver): No 'first edition' statement on first printings; later printings noted on the copyright page when reprinted. Identify a first printing by the absence of any later-printing notation. Many wartime and early titles are stapled or saddle-stitched pamphlets and chapbooks with the date matching the copyright.", "Sage Books imprint (Swallow's Western/regional line, 1950s-1960s): same practice — no first-printing statement; later printings noted.", "1967-1979 (Swallow Press Inc., Chicago, after Alan Swallow's 1966 death): generally no explicit 'First Edition' line; later printings or 'Second printing' stated on the copyright page. Number lines begin appearing on some trade titles in the 1970s.", "1979 onward (licensing agreement with Ohio University Press; Athens, OH): transitional; copyright pages increasingly use a number line, lowest digit present (for example '...3 2 1') = first printing.", "Modern Swallow Press/Ohio University Press titles: full number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' = first printing, alongside a Library of Congress CIP block." ], "notablePoints": [ "Alan Swallow (1915-1966) was a one-man literary press championing Yvor Winters, J.V. Cunningham, Janet Lewis, Anais Nin, Frank Waters, Vardis Fisher, and Western/Mountain-West writers; he also ran the University of Denver Press (1947-1953).", "After Swallow's death the firm moved to Chicago (Swallow Press Inc.). Ohio University Press entered a licensing agreement with Swallow Press in 1979 and formally acquired the imprint and its back catalog of 276 titles in 2008, operating it as the trade imprint Swallow Press/Ohio University Press.", "Early Denver imprints (Swallow & Critchlow, The Swallow Press, Big Mountain Press, Sage Books, Alan Swallow) overlap and are sometimes conflated; check the imprint name against the date.", "Book Club editions are essentially nonexistent for this literary press; scarcity comes from small print runs, not from book-club-edition risk." ], "era": "1940s-present (Alan Swallow 1940s-1966; Swallow Press Inc. 1966-1979; licensing with Ohio University Press from 1979; OUP trade imprint from 2008)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sydney-university-press", "name": "Sydney University Press", "slug": "sydney-university-press", "region": "Sydney, New South Wales, Australia", "imprints": [ "Sydney University Press", "Sydney Studies (series, original-era)" ], "idMethods": [ "1962-1987 (original Press): Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by Sydney University Press' with '© [year]' and 'Printed in Australia'; a first printing is identified by the matching year and the absence of any reprint note. After closure in 1987 the name became an imprint of Oxford University Press until the mid-1990s, when OUP relinquished it.", "2003-present (revived Press): Re-established under the University of Sydney Library as a digital and print-on-demand publisher. The copyright page carries 'First published [year]', a full ISBN block (often separate print and ebook ISBNs), and an Australian CIP entry; because of POD, 'printing' state is generally immaterial and first issue is keyed by the edition statement and ISBN. A distinct ISBN signals a distinct edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Original press operated 1962-1987; after it closed, the name was carried as an imprint of Oxford University Press until the mid-1990s, then re-established in 2003 under the University of Sydney Library.", "The 1962-1987 imprint and the post-2003 imprint share a name but are effectively two eras, so a 21st-century ISBN/POD title cannot be a 1960s-70s first.", "Modern output is largely open-access and print-on-demand, so collectible 'first printings' chiefly concern original-era titles." ], "era": "1962-1987 (original Press); imprint of Oxford University Press to mid-1990s; revived 2003-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sylvester-and-orphanos", "name": "Sylvester & Orphanos", "slug": "sylvester-and-orphanos", "region": "Los Angeles, California, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Ralph Sylvester and Stathis Orphanos's press: fine signed limited editions; the colophon states the limitation with numbered and lettered states, signed by the author.", "Identify by elegant letterpress design, often with a photographic frontispiece (Orphanos was a photographer), and a colophon naming paper, type, and limitation.", "A single fixed printing per title; confirm via the numbered/lettered colophon and the author signature." ], "notablePoints": [ "The firm originated c.1972 in Los Angeles (with George Fisher); after Fisher left, Sylvester & Orphanos specialized in signed limited press books from the late 1970s into the 1990s.", "Issued signed limited titles by Tennessee Williams, Graham Greene, Paul Bowles, Nadine Gordimer, James Merrill, John Cheever, John Updike, Gore Vidal, and others.", "Lettered copies (a small run) are the premium state; the press's catalogue and photographs were given to the Library of Congress in 2015." ], "era": "c.1978-1990s (firm originated earlier, c.1972)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/syracuse-university-press", "name": "Syracuse University Press", "slug": "syracuse-university-press", "region": "US (Syracuse, NY)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing", "First printing copyright page free of reprint history", "Later printings add impression statements" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1943; notable Middle East studies, Irish studies, Jewish studies, and Indigenous/Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) studies lists", "As with most university presses, older titles may lack explicit first-printing wording; judge by the absence of reprint notices" ], "era": "1943-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/t-fisher-unwin", "name": "T. Fisher Unwin", "slug": "t-fisher-unwin", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "T. Fisher Unwin", "The Pseudonym Library", "The Autonym Library", "The Mermaid Series", "Children's Library" ], "idMethods": [ "Late-Victorian house that stated editions more explicitly than the earlier three-decker firms: many firsts carry a printed title-page date, and a first shows the original date with no later-impression notice and no reprint listing in the ads.", "Series volumes (Pseudonym Library, Autonym Library, Mermaid Series) carry series numbering; the series setting is the first appearance for many original titles but a reprint for classics — verify which for each book.", "Dated rear advertisements / catalogue support the printing order; a first should not advertise titles issued after its own year.", "Conrad's Almayer's Folly (Unwin, 1895) is the marquee first: the first-issue point is the dropped type in the bottom two lines of page 110 (Wise 1; Cagle A1a). An Outcast of the Islands (1896) follows; collate both against Cagle for binding and ad points." ], "notablePoints": [ "Published Joseph Conrad's first two novels (Almayer's Folly 1895; An Outcast of the Islands 1896) and early W. B. Yeats, Olive Schreiner, and the Pseudonym / Autonym series.", "The Pseudonym Library (small-format anonymous or pseudonymous fiction) is a distinctive collectible series; Conrad's manuscript was submitted toward it but published under his own name on Edward Garnett's recommendation.", "Operated from 1882 into the 1920s; Stanley Unwin (later of Allen & Unwin) was an early employee and nephew of T. Fisher Unwin.", "Transitional house — closer to modern firsts in printing dated title pages than the earlier three-decker houses." ], "era": "1882–1920s (this slice = 1880s–1900)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tb-peterson-brothers", "name": "T.B. Peterson & Brothers", "slug": "tb-peterson-brothers", "region": "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Mid-Atlantic US)", "imprints": [ "T.B. Peterson", "T.B. Peterson & Brothers", "Peterson's (paper-cover series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1840s–1850s (T.B. Peterson): no first-edition statement; a cheap-literature and reprint house, so first printing is identified by the dated title page and the single-name imprint. Many titles are American reprints of British novels, where 'first edition' means first American printing.", "1850s–1890s (T.B. Peterson & Brothers): identify the period by the '& Brothers' imprint, and judge first issue by title-page date, copyright date, and bound-in advertisement/catalog dates. The inserted publisher's catalog (often dated or listing the newest titles) is a key issue tell because plates were reused for years.", "Paper-cover/cheap editions: priority between cloth and wrappers issues is determined by advertisements and the price on the wrappers, not by any printed statement.", "Charles Dickens and popular-fiction reprints: Peterson issued many simultaneous and competing American editions, so the first American printing is established by advertisement state and catalog dating rather than by a statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Major Philadelphia popular-fiction and cheap-reprint publisher; issued Mrs. E.D.E.N. Southworth, early American Dickens editions, and sensational fiction.", "Heavy plate-reuse means catalog/advertisement dating is essential for distinguishing first from later printings.", "Distinct from Peterson's Magazine (Charles J. Peterson) — watch the imprint carefully." ], "era": "c.1845–c.1898" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tab-books", "name": "TAB Books (Tab Books Inc.)", "slug": "tab-books", "region": "Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, USA (later McGraw-Hill)", "imprints": [ "TAB Books", "Aero (acquired aviation imprint)", "TAB/Aero", "TAB/McGraw-Hill (post-acquisition)" ], "idMethods": [ "Founded in 1964 (as Technical Author's Bureau) by Verne M. Ray and Malcolm Parks Jr., and reorganized as TAB Books Inc. in 1980, TAB published technical and hobby how-to titles in electronics, aviation, marine, and automotive subjects. Independent-era first printings carry no later-printing notation; subsequent printings note additional printings.", "After McGraw-Hill acquired TAB, titles follow McGraw-Hill's number-line convention: the copyright page shows a number line, often flanked by a two-letter printer/binder code (for example a 'DOC/DOC' Donnelley code). The presence of '1' in the number line indicates a first printing; the letter codes are printer codes, not edition indicators.", "In all eras, distinguish a first printing from a first/second/third EDITION on revised technical manuals: a stated new edition resets the number line, so the first printing of a later edition carries '1' but is not the original first edition of the work." ], "notablePoints": [ "The Aero imprint reflects TAB's 1986 acquisition of Aero Publishers (Fallbrook, California), a general-aviation and aircraft-history house; later titles appeared under joint Aero/TAB imprints widely collected by pilots.", "McGraw-Hill acquired TAB in 1990; the line later became 'TAB/McGraw-Hill' and folded into McGraw-Hill's professional list, following McGraw-Hill's number-line rule.", "Heavily reprinted reference titles; judge state by the number line rather than the cover." ], "era": "1964-present (independent to 1990, then McGraw-Hill)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tachyon-publications", "name": "Tachyon Publications", "slug": "tachyon-publications", "region": "USA (San Francisco, California)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Trade hardcover and paperback house: a first printing typically states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1; a missing 1 indicates a later printing", "Many titles are reprints, anthologies, or first-collected/first-U.S. editions, so the Tachyon volume may be a first printing of that edition without being the first appearance of the contents — read the copyright page and any acknowledgments for prior publication" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1995 in San Francisco by Jacob Weisman; a literary SF/fantasy/horror trade press publishing originals, reprints, anthologies, and award-winning novellas (authors include Peter S. Beagle and Nancy Kress)", "A trade publisher rather than a multi-state limited press, so printing-state identification by number line and edition statement is the standard method", "Some titles are first U.S. or first collected editions rather than the first appearance of the work" ], "era": "1995–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/talonbooks", "name": "Talonbooks", "slug": "talonbooks", "region": "Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia)", "imprints": [ "Talonbooks", "Talon Books (early styling)", "very stone house (predecessor co-publisher, 1967-1968)" ], "idMethods": [ "Small literary-press convention: first printings typically show only the publication-year copyright with no later-printing statement; many modern titles state 'first edition' and/or carry a number line with '1' present.", "Early Talonbooks (late 1960s-1970s, poetry-magazine origins) frequently lack number lines; rely on the absence of any reprint note and the original copyright year.", "Talonbooks is Canada's leading drama publisher and reprints successful playscripts; always verify the printing statement because reprints of popular plays are common." ], "notablePoints": [ "Grew out of the Vancouver poetry magazine 'Talon' (founded 1963 at Magee High School, later UBC); began book publishing in 1967, initially co-publishing poetry with the small press 'very stone house' before issuing books under the Talonbooks imprint alone from 1968. Major publisher of Canadian drama (George Ryga, Michel Tremblay in translation, George F. Walker) and West Coast poetry.", "Tremblay translations and frequently-staged plays are heavily reprinted; the named-author first printing is the collecting point, not later reprints.", "Name styling shifted from 'Talon Books' to 'Talonbooks', which can serve as a rough dating tell." ], "era": "1967-present (book publishing; magazine origins 1963)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tarcherperigee", "name": "TarcherPerigee", "slug": "tarcherperigee", "region": "US (New York; originally Los Angeles)", "imprints": [ "TarcherPerigee", "Tarcher (the imprint was rebranded back to Tarcher in 2025)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the lowest digit present marks the printing", "As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, do not rely on a printed \"First edition\" statement — many titles carry only the number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Self-help and personal-growth imprint within Penguin Publishing Group, part of Penguin Random House", "Formed by merging Jeremy P. Tarcher (founded 1973 in Los Angeles, bought by Putnam in 1991) with Perigee in 2015" ], "era": "Tarcher founded 1973; Tarcher and Perigee merged into TarcherPerigee in 2015" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tartarus-press", "name": "Tartarus Press", "slug": "tartarus-press", "region": "UK (Coverdale, North Yorkshire)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Hardcovers are typically issued as a stated limited edition (commonly a few hundred copies) with a printed limitation statement in the colophon; the limitation number and the absence of any reprint notice identify the first", "Distinctive house style of cream cloth with a matching dust jacket; a first printing carries the stated limitation and year with no later-printing or reprint statement", "Several titles have been reprinted in matching format or later issued as paperback or ebook, so the earliest limited hardcover (lowest stated limitation and earliest year) is the true first" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1990 by R. B. (Raymond) Russell and Rosalie Parker; a leading press for supernatural and strange/weird fiction (Arthur Machen, Robert Aickman, Walter de la Mare, Oliver Onions) and a multiple World Fantasy Award winner", "Some titles have been reprinted several times in matching format, so collectors should confirm the earliest limited run rather than rely on the house style alone", "Began in 1990 with Russell publishing work by and about Arthur Machen" ], "era": "1990–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/taschen", "name": "Taschen", "slug": "taschen", "region": "Germany (Cologne)", "imprints": [ "Taschen (trade)", "Taschen Collector's Edition", "Taschen Art Edition", "Taschen SUMO / oversized editions", "Bibliotheca Universalis (compact reprints)", "Basic Art Series / Basic Architecture / Basic Genre (trade series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Trade editions: the copyright page carries the year of publication. Because Taschen reissues, revises and reprints heavily, a true first edition of a trade title is identified by the original year of first publication and the absence of any 'revised'/'new edition'/reprint wording, plus the original ISBN, rather than by a number line.", "Limited editions are the clearest cases: the colophon/justification page gives an explicit numbered limitation and signature. Numbering ranges are title-specific (for example a Collector's Edition numbered within a band such as 501-1,947, and an Art Edition numbered 1-250 or 1-1,000) and the artwork that accompanies the book is part of the issue.", "SUMO and oversized limiteds (since Helmut Newton's SUMO, 1999) are signed and numbered, usually with a bookstand or clamshell; the numbered, signed justification page is definitive.", "Bibliotheca Universalis and the Basic Art series are mass-market reprints/repackagings and are explicitly NOT firsts of the original title; their copyright page states the new compact-edition year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Taschen is a reprint-heavy mass house: many titles run through numerous printings under the same ISBN, and trade titles rarely state printings, so first-edition status hinges on the first-publication year and original format, not a number line.", "Art Edition, Collector's Edition and trade are three distinct objects of the SAME title; identify which one a copy is by the limitation/justification page and any accompanying artwork, not by the cover.", "Art Editions are often split into lettered/numbered sub-runs (for example 'Art Edition A' and 'Art Edition B', each with a different signed print); the specific sub-run is recorded in the justification.", "Multilingual and country-specific editions exist; a later-language edition is not the first." ], "era": "1980-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/templar-publishing", "name": "Templar Publishing / Templar Books", "slug": "templar-publishing", "region": "UK/US", "imprints": [ "Templar Books (UK)", "Templar Books (US, via Candlewick)", "Big Picture Press" ], "idMethods": [ "UK firsts: a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention), frequently with no explicit 'First edition' statement", "US co-editions (published by Candlewick Press in North America): number line plus a 'First U.S. edition' statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "UK illustrated/novelty children's house founded in 1978, best known for the Dragonology / 'Ology' series (the series began with Dragonology in 2003), Jonny Duddle's Gigantosaurus titles, and the Amazing Baby novelty range", "Now an imprint of Bonnier Books UK (Templar was acquired by Bonnier Publishing); the copyright-page publisher can change by era, so verify it against the imprint named in the book", "For the 'Ology' titles, condition hinges on the completeness of bound-in novelties and inserts in addition to the first-printing number line" ], "era": "1978-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ten-speed-press", "name": "Ten Speed Press", "slug": "ten-speed-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Ten Speed Press", "Lorena Jones Books", "Watson-Guptill (acquired)", "Celestial Arts (former sister imprint)", "Tricycle Press (former, children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "Independent era (1971–2009): number line on copyright page, first printing shows the full descending line ending in 1; many titles also state 'First Edition' or 'First printing'", "Post-2009: acquired by Crown / Random House (now Penguin Random House); identification follows PRH/Crown conventions — number line ending in 1 plus stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page", "Berkeley, CA, founded 1971 by Phil Wood; cookbooks, reference, humor, the famous 'What Color Is Your Parachute?' annual", "For annual/serially revised titles, edition/year statement matters more than printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Ownership change is the key era caveat: pre-2009 = independent Berkeley imprint, 2009+ = Crown/PRH imprint — title page and copyright-page boilerplate change accordingly", "'What Color Is Your Parachute?' is revised annually; a 'first edition' means little without the year — collect by content year", "Sister imprints Celestial Arts and Tricycle Press (children's) used the same conventional identification", "No idiosyncratic house point of issue" ], "era": "1971–present (PRH/Crown-owned 2009–)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/texas-am-university-press", "name": "Texas A&M University Press", "slug": "texas-am-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Texas A&M University Press", "and consortium member presses it distributes" ], "idMethods": [ "University-press convention: copyright page typically states the printing via a number line (often the printing-and-year double line, e.g., a row of printing numbers over a row of years), first printing = lowest numbers present including 1", "Frequently 'First edition' is stated; scholarly/regional titles emphasize the EDITION (content) over the printing", "College Station, TX, founded 1974; Texas/Western Americana, natural history, military history", "Operates the Texas Book Consortium distributing other Texas regional presses — those carry their own imprint names but similar conventions" ], "notablePoints": [ "University-press double number line (printings over years) is common — read the printing row, not just a single descending line", "Regional natural-history and Texana titles get revised; distinguish 'second edition' (revised) from later printings", "No idiosyncratic house point beyond standard scholarly-press practice" ], "era": "1974–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tcu-press", "name": "Texas Christian University Press", "slug": "tcu-press", "region": "US (Fort Worth, TX)", "imprints": [ "TCU Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing", "A first printing shows a clean copyright page without later-printing notices", "Later printings add an explicit printing statement or drop low digits from the number line" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1947 and formally established for regular publication in 1966; focus on the history, culture, and literature of Texas and the American West", "A distinct house from SMU Press and Texas A&M University Press, the three principal Texas academic presses", "Many regional Texana titles have been reprinted, so identification relies on the number line and any printing statement" ], "era": "1947/1966-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/texas-tech-university-press", "name": "Texas Tech University Press", "slug": "texas-tech-university-press", "region": "Lubbock, Texas, USA", "imprints": [ "Grover E. Murray Studies in the American Southwest", "Plains Histories", "Double Mountain Books (Classic Reissues of the American West)", "American Liberty and Justice series" ], "idMethods": [ "The press dates from 1971, so the modern academic convention applies: first printings are shown by a descending number line on the copyright page that includes the digit 1, often accompanied by an explicit 'First edition' statement.", "Later printings drop the low digits from the number line while the title-page year may remain unchanged.", "Double Mountain Books editions state their own reissue status; because that line reprints Western classics, a Double Mountain first printing is a first printing of a reprint, not the first edition of the original work." ], "notablePoints": [ "Because the press dates entirely from the 1970s onward, the number line is reliably present and is the primary tell; the ambiguity of pre-number-line publishing does not apply.", "Double Mountain Books ('Classic Reissues of the American West') is explicitly a reprint line, so its first printing should not be mistaken for the first edition of the original title.", "Grover E. Murray Studies in the American Southwest (named for Texas Tech's eighth president) and Plains Histories are named subject series under the press." ], "era": "1971-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/text-publishing", "name": "Text Publishing", "slug": "text-publishing", "region": "Australia (Melbourne, VIC)", "imprints": [ "Text", "Text Classics (reprint series)" ], "idMethods": [ "British-Commonwealth convention: the copyright page carries a 'First published by The Text Publishing Company [year]' statement; a true first printing shows that line with no additional 'Reprinted' or 'Second printing' lines beneath it.", "Later printings are signalled by added lines such as 'Reprinted [year]'; the absence of any reprint notice, with the stated publication year matching, indicates a first printing.", "Where a number line appears on more recent titles it runs descending to '1', with '1' present indicating the first printing — but Text has historically relied on the printed statement rather than a number line, so the statement is the primary signal." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1990 in Melbourne by Diana Gribble and Eric Beecher (out of Text Media); over the years majority-owned by Michael Heyward and Penny Hueston in partnership with Maureen and Tony Wheeler (founders of Lonely Planet).", "Acquired by Penguin Random House Australia in early 2025 under a 'charter of independence' retaining editorial control; post-2025 printings may shift toward PRH copyright-page styling, while pre-2025 books follow Text's own statement convention.", "Text Classics (launched 2012) are reprints of out-of-print Australian works (Patrick White, Christina Stead, Thea Astley, Elizabeth Harrower, Madeleine St John and others) — they are NOT first editions of the original text and should be treated as a distinct modern series, not the collectible first appearance." ], "era": "1990–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thames-and-hudson", "name": "Thames & Hudson", "slug": "thames-and-hudson", "region": "UK (London) / US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Thames & Hudson", "World of Art series", "Thames & Hudson / W. W. Norton (US co-publication)", "Photofile series (with Centre National de la Photographie)", "Thames & Hudson Australia" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page: 'First published in [year] by Thames & Hudson Ltd' (often phrased 'in the United Kingdom in [year]') is the core first-edition statement; a first shows that line and no subsequent 'Reprinted' or 'This edition' entries.", "Like most UK art houses, Thames & Hudson generally marks later printings by adding 'Reprinted [year]' lines rather than deleting from a number line, so a first equals no added reprint lines.", "Newer titles may carry a number line; where present, the lowest number indicates the printing.", "US issues often state 'First published in the United States of America in [year] by Thames & Hudson Inc.' and may be distributed by W. W. Norton, so a 'first US edition' can postdate the UK first." ], "notablePoints": [ "World of Art (formerly 'World of Art Library') is a long-running uniform series with many reprints and revised editions, so verify the specific edition statement: a later revised World of Art volume is not the first.", "Thames & Hudson is the non-US/Canada distributor for many museum titles, so a T&H-distributed copy may be a co-edition of a US-published book rather than the true first.", "The UK-first versus US-first distinction matters for collectors; match the 'first published' country and year." ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/amwell-press", "name": "The Amwell Press (National Sporting Fraternity)", "slug": "amwell-press", "region": "USA (Clinton, New Jersey)", "imprints": [ "National Sporting Fraternity (parent/membership arm)" ], "idMethods": [ "1976-1990s: Books were issued as signed, numbered, limited editions, usually leather-bound and slipcased; the first (and usually only) edition is identified by the limitation/colophon leaf giving the total copies and the hand-numbered copy number, signed at the limitation page by the author and Jim Rikhoff (and the illustrator where applicable). Common runs were around 1,000 copies.", "1976-1990s: There is no conventional number line; the numbered limitation leaf plus the absence of a later-printing statement indicates a first. Deluxe/leather sub-issues are separately numbered in a smaller run and form the senior state.", "1976-1990s: Editions tied to the National Sporting Fraternity membership may carry an additional NSF imprint statement or member numbering — confirm against the limitation page rather than assuming a trade printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded March 1976 by Jim Rikhoff, who had earlier been associated with Winchester Press; Amwell specialized in limited-edition big-game hunting, African safari, and classic sporting reprints.", "Drew a 'who's who' of professional hunters and sportsmen as authors; titles were collectible on publication.", "Continued the Derrydale tradition of signed, numbered, slipcased fine-sporting books as the house norm." ], "era": "1976-1990s/2000s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/arthur-h-clark-company", "name": "The Arthur H. Clark Company", "slug": "arthur-h-clark-company", "region": "Originally Cleveland, Ohio; later Glendale, California, and Spokane, Washington; now Norman, Oklahoma (an imprint of the University of Oklahoma Press) — USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Founded 1902; preeminent scholarly Western Americana house, long known for limited editions. Many titles were issued in a stated limited print run; identify the first or only edition via a limitation/colophon statement (for example, an edition limited to a stated number of numbered copies) giving the copy number out of the total.", "For limited issues the limitation statement is the edition point; an unnumbered or later-state copy is not the limited first.", "House typography aids attribution: text was long set in Linotype Caslon Old Style.", "Trade (non-limited) titles: a first printing is shown by a single copyright/title-page date with no later-printing statement; some titles appeared in both a limited and a trade state.", "Post-2006 titles (under the University of Oklahoma Press) follow OU Press number-line conventions while keeping the Clark imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Limited, numbered editions are the defining collectible characteristic; always check for a limitation/colophon leaf and its stated total.", "Acquired by the University of Oklahoma Press in 2006 (relocating to Norman, Oklahoma); that ownership change shifts the identification approach from a limitation statement for classic Clark titles to OU-style number lines for recent titles.", "Multi-volume documentary sets are common (such as overland-diaries series); a complete first issue requires all volumes in the matching limited state." ], "era": "1902-present (independent 1902-2006; OU Press imprint thereafter)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/bodley-head", "name": "The Bodley Head", "slug": "bodley-head", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Bodley Head Children's", "The Bodley Head (under Random House later)" ], "idMethods": [ "From c.1929 onward, first editions state 'First published [Year]' or 'First published [Month, Year]' / 'First edition published [Month, Year]' on the copyright page; this copyright-page convention does NOT apply to the early John Lane / 1890s era (1887-c.1928)", "Later printings are noted with added impression/'Reprinted'/'Second impression' lines on the copyright page; for post-1929 books the absence of such reprint notation indicates a first printing", "Early Bodley Head / John Lane (1887-1920s) books carry no 'First published' statement and must be identified by title-page date, binding and issue points, advertisements, and standard author bibliographies (e.g., the John Lane 3/6 Christie novels) rather than a copyright-page statement", "Known exception: the first edition of John Cheever's 'The Enormous Radio' (1953) bears a Roman numeral '1' with no first-edition statement, so the statement-plus-no-reprint-notation rule is not universally reliable", "Modern Bodley Head (Random House / Penguin Random House sibling) uses a printer's number line; the lowest digit present (a line ending in or containing 1) indicates a first printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Early Bodley Head (John Lane, 1890s) is famous for 'The Yellow Book' (1894-97) and 1890s aesthetic/decadent-movement design (Aubrey Beardsley)", "Published Agatha Christie's first novel 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' (UK, 21 Jan 1921) and her early novels under a Bodley Head contract", "Graham Greene was a director of The Bodley Head (c.1957/58-1968, under Max Reinhardt) and published several of his books there", "Published Maurice Sendak in the UK (Max Reinhardt era)", "Founded 1887 by John Lane and Elkin Mathews; acquired by Random House in 1987 and now a Penguin Random House imprint", "Month is sometimes included in the post-1929 'First published' statement, useful for dating; not present in pre-1929 books" ], "era": "1887-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/caxton-printers", "name": "The Caxton Printers, Ltd. / Caxton Press", "slug": "caxton-printers", "region": "Caldwell, Idaho, USA", "imprints": [ "Caxton Press (publishing division renamed ~1995)" ], "idMethods": [ "Founded 1925; named for William Caxton. Core rule: a first edition has the same date on the title page as on the copyright page, with no additional printings listed on the copyright page; any added printing line (for example, Second printing) disqualifies it.", "Look for the W.C. colophon/insignia on the colophon and spine. This is a house mark, useful for attribution rather than a per-printing edition tell.", "Modern Caxton Press titles may add a number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing, used alongside the matching-date rule.", "The publishing division was 'Caxton Printers' until roughly 1995, then 'Caxton Press'; the imprint name helps date the book." ], "notablePoints": [ "A pillar of Pacific-Northwest and Western Americana (Vardis Fisher, regional history); desirable firsts hinge on the title-page/copyright-date match with a clean copyright page showing no extra printings.", "Reprints of perennial sellers retained the same setting for years, so the absence of any added printing statement is the decisive point.", "Name change to 'Caxton Press' (around 1995) differentiated the publishing line from the parent company's printing and office-supply business." ], "era": "1925-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/the-century-company", "name": "The Century Company", "slug": "the-century-company", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "Scribner & Co. (1870-1881, predecessor)", "The Century Co. (1881 onward)", "St. Nicholas (magazine imprint)", "The Century Magazine (formerly Scribner's Monthly)" ], "idMethods": [ "19th-century rule: no consistent stated-edition convention — match the title-page date to the copyright date and confirm no later printing is noted.", "Many Century books originated as serials in The Century Magazine or St. Nicholas; the first book printing is dated on the title page and lacks reprint notices.", "The imprint name dates the book: predecessor 'Scribner & Co.' (1870-1881) versus 'The Century Co.' (1881 onward)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Began as Scribner & Co. (1870), a subsidiary of Charles Scribner's Sons; bought by Roswell Smith in 1881 and renamed The Century Co. after the Century Association.", "Publisher of St. Nicholas Magazine and the Century Magazine (the renamed Scribner's Monthly), the Century Dictionary, and the 10-volume Nicolay & Hay Abraham Lincoln.", "Merged with D. Appleton in 1933 to form Appleton-Century — the merger re-dates later imprints out of this slice." ], "era": "1881-1933 (independent); 19c + early 20c" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/countryman-press", "name": "The Countryman Press", "slug": "countryman-press", "region": "US (Vermont, then New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "As a W. W. Norton imprint (1996 onward), Countryman first printings are identified primarily by a descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1 (e.g., '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2'); the lowest number present indicates the printing. Norton relies on the number line rather than a routine printed 'First Edition' statement, so do not require that wording.", "Pre-Norton independent era (1973-1996): identification is number-line based when a line is present, with the first printing line ending in 1; some early regional/guide titles may instead carry only a copyright year or a 'first printing' notice, so verify per title." ], "notablePoints": [ "Outdoors, travel, regional cooking, cocktail and lifestyle publisher founded 1973 in Taftsville, Vermont by Peter and Jane Jennison; acquired by W. W. Norton in 1996 and fully relocated to New York by 2015.", "Cookbook, cocktail and guidebook titles (e.g., the long-running Explorer's Guide series) reprint frequently, so the number line is the reliable arbiter of a true first printing." ], "era": "1973-present (a W. W. Norton imprint since 1996)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/doubleday-crime-club", "name": "The Crime Club / Doubleday Crime Club", "slug": "doubleday-crime-club", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Doubleday, Doran Crime Club", "Doubleday Crime Club", "Crime Club Bullseyes (genre symbol classification)" ], "idMethods": [ "Follows parent Doubleday house practice: word 'First Edition' on the copyright page denotes a first printing; the statement is removed on later printings (true for most of the run).", "Gutter/printer dating code at the foot of the last page of text is the most reliable tool. Early period (to ~1958) used a numeric week code (1-52). From early 1959 to 1987 a LETTER prefix was added for year (A=1959, B=1960 ... AA=1985), so a first printing should carry the code matching the stated publication year — a later year-letter on a 'First Edition'-stated book signals a later printing or remainder.", "Crime Club 'Bullseye' symbols (skull = homicide/humor, owl = suspense, gun/pistol = fast action, etc.), introduced 1943 by editor Isabelle Taylor, printed on spine and on the bound-in blurb — useful for series authentication and dating.", "Definitive reference: Ellen Nehr, 'Doubleday Crime Club Compendium 1928-1991', which gives jacket/binding points title-by-title." ], "notablePoints": [ "The Crime Club was a Doubleday imprint (1928-1991), not an independent house; identification piggybacks on Doubleday conventions, with the wrinkle that 'First Edition' was sometimes retained on later printings late in the run — cross-check the gutter code.", "Book Club editions are a major confusion: Doubleday's own Dollar Mystery Guild / Detective Book Club reprints look similar but lack 'First Edition' AND have blind-stamped board dimples or gutter codes that don't match the first-printing year; BCEs are usually cheaper paper and smaller.", "Jackets are everything for value here — many points of issue are jacket price and rear-panel ads, not the book block." ], "era": "1928-1991" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/crossing-press", "name": "The Crossing Press", "slug": "crossing-press", "region": "Trumansburg, New York, then Freedom, California, USA", "imprints": [ "The Crossing Press", "Crossing Press Cookbooks", "Crossing Press Pocket Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1963-2002 (independent, founded by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York, later based in Freedom, California): poetry, cookery, herbal/healing, and feminist titles. First printings: earliest copyright year; number lines are variable, so identify by the absence of any later-printing notation together with the stated cover price and the 'Trumansburg, NY' (earlier) or 'Freedom, CA' (later) imprint on the title page.", "2002-present (Ten Speed Press / Crown / Penguin Random House): acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as an imprint; from that point it follows the Ten Speed number-line convention ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing) and, after the 2009 Random House/Crown acquisition, the Penguin Random House/Crown conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1963 by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York; later relocated to Freedom, California. List spanned poetry, cookery, herbal and healing, and feminist/LGBT titles.", "Acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as one of its imprints, following Ten Speed into Random House/Crown in 2009.", "The number-line tell applies after the 2002 Ten Speed acquisition; earlier independent titles need earliest-copyright and cover-price verification, with the imprint city (Trumansburg vs. Freedom) helping date the printing." ], "era": "1963-2002 (independent); thereafter a Ten Speed Press imprint" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/cummington-press", "name": "The Cummington Press (and Abattoir Editions)", "slug": "cummington-press", "region": "Cummington, Massachusetts; later Iowa City, Iowa & Omaha, Nebraska (Harry Duncan)", "imprints": [ "The Cummington Press", "Abattoir Editions (University of Nebraska at Omaha continuation, from 1972)" ], "idMethods": [ "1941-1956 (Cummington, MA): fine hand-letterpress books in small editions, typically a few hundred copies. Identification = the COLOPHON/LIMITATION statement giving copy count, types, paper, and printers (e.g. 'one of 300 numbered copies'). The first book was 'Incident on the Bark Columbia' (1941).", "Limitation is usually numbered; some titles include a small signed or deluxe sub-issue noted on the colophon. There is no number line — these are discrete hand-press editions, so the stated limitation IS the identification.", "Mid-1950s-1985 (Duncan in Iowa, then Omaha): continued as the Cummington Press, and from 1972 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha he ran Abattoir Editions alongside it. Colophons state limitation, types, paper, and printer; match the descriptive bibliography of the Press and Abattoir Editions for exact states.", "Because each title is a discrete fine-press edition that was rarely reprinted, a copy matching the colophon collation is the first; watch for later commercial reprints of the same texts issued by other publishers (not Cummington)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded within the Cummington School of the Arts; began operations in 1939 and was established as an imprint by Katharine Frazier and Harry Duncan in 1941. Duncan (1916-1997) became the central pressman and a leading figure of the post-WWII private-press movement.", "Published early Wallace Stevens ('Esthétique du Mal', 1945, illustrated by Paul Wightman Williams, in a limited edition of a few hundred copies) along with work associated with other modernist poets.", "Duncan later taught typography (including at the University of Iowa) and moved to the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1972, where he established Abattoir Editions.", "A pre-eminent example of American hand-press poetry printing; collation, type identification, and the colophon are the identification keys." ], "era": "1941-1985 (Duncan's tenure)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/derrydale-press", "name": "The Derrydale Press", "slug": "derrydale-press", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "The Windward House (Connett's trade imprint)", "The Quail Press (associated/sub-issue)" ], "idMethods": [ "1927-1942 (original Connett era): Nearly every title was a numbered, limited edition, so the first edition is the limited issue. Identify it from the limitation/colophon leaf stating the total number of copies (commonly runs such as 750, 1050, or 1250) and the individual hand-numbered copy number; many copies are signed by the author and/or Eugene V. Connett III on the colophon or limitation leaf.", "1927-1942: There is no printed 'First Edition' statement and no number line — Derrydale almost never reprinted, so the stated limitation IS the first-edition proof. An intact numbered colophon plus the absence of any later-printing notice indicates a first.", "1927-1942: Deluxe/large-paper sub-issues are separately numbered in a smaller run (for example 'no. 14 of 75 large-paper copies') and constitute the senior state; ordinary trade-limitation copies are the junior state of the same edition. Match the run size against the published bibliography to place the state.", "1927-1942: The Diana-the-Huntress colophon device is the house signature; presentation copies are out-of-series and hand-inscribed.", "1971-present (revival under Nick Lyons / Lyons Press and later owners): Modern reissues carry standard trade copyright pages with 'First Edition'/'First Printing' statements or number lines and are NOT the collectible 1927-1942 firsts, even when they reuse the Diana colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded and run by Eugene V. Connett III; the premier American sporting fine-press house, publishing 169 titles (about 30 privately printed) between 1927 and 1942 before wartime conditions closed it.", "Because runs were tiny and reprints essentially nonexistent, condition and an intact numbered/signed colophon drive identification more than any printed 'first' statement.", "The name and Diana colophon were revived by later owners (notably under Nick Lyons / Lyons Press), so collectors must distinguish original Connett-era books from revival reissues.", "High points include signed angling and sporting volumes and Connett's own titles." ], "era": "1927-1942 (original); revived 1971-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/dial-press-early", "name": "The Dial Press (early)", "slug": "dial-press-early", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [ "The Dial Press", "Lincoln MacVeagh / The Dial Press (early proprietor imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1923–mid-1930s (Lincoln MacVeagh era): The reliable first-edition tell is a matching date on the title page and the copyright page, combined with the 'Lincoln MacVeagh / The Dial Press' imprint wording. Early Dial firsts generally carry no first-edition statement; the date-match is the primary check, not merely the absence of a later-printing notice.", "Mid-1930s–1945: First printing identified by the same title-page and copyright-page date with no subsequent printings listed. Dial occasionally printed 'First Printing' (its preferred wording was 'First Printing,' not 'First Edition') but did not list later printings during this era, so a stated later printing is the clearest disqualifier.", "Post-1945 (outside this slice): In the late 1960s Dial began stating 'First Printing (Year)' and noting subsequent printings; apply that later rule to post-war Dial titles, which form a distinct, better-documented record." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1923 by Lincoln MacVeagh and grew out of The Dial literary magazine; MacVeagh's name in the imprint is the strongest early-era dating tell.", "Early literary and modernist list; identification rests on the title-/copyright-page date-match convention typical of 1920s–1930s American houses.", "Post-1945 Dial Press is a distinct entity with clearer 'First Printing (Year)' practice and should be deduped against any modern Dial Press record." ], "era": "1923–1945 (early period)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/the-figures-press", "name": "The Figures", "slug": "the-figures-press", "region": "Berkeley, California (1975-1982), then Great Barrington, Massachusetts (Geoffrey Young; co-founded with Laura Chester)", "imprints": [ "The Figures" ], "idMethods": [ "1975-2005 (~135 titles): predominantly perfect-bound offset trade paperbacks, with a few early letterpress/limited items. Identification rests on the COPYRIGHT-PAGE printing statement: first printings carry no later-printing notice and, in most cases, no number line. Because reprints are uncommon, a clean copyright page with no reprint statement indicates a first.", "The press's debut title (1975, poems by Artie Gold and Geoffrey Young) was an elegant limited edition; identify by the stated limitation.", "Some titles were co-published or distributed (e.g. via Small Press Distribution); the title/copyright-page imprint reading 'The Figures' anchors identification.", "Where a number line or 'second printing' note is present, treat its absence as evidence of a first; the press's low reprint rate makes physical collation against the title list decisive." ], "notablePoints": [ "Name drawn from Charles Olson's 'Maximus Poems'; recognized as one of the most important publishers of Language and post-New York School experimental writing.", "Founded after Young ceased his Berkeley poetry magazine 'Stooge' in 1975; early production was aided by the NEA-sponsored West Coast Print Center, which kept costs low.", "Moved with Young to the Berkshires in 1982; the list wound down around 2005, after which Young continued occasional titles and ran a gallery in Great Barrington.", "Distinct trade-paperback design; collected for its central Language-poetry list." ], "era": "1975-2005" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/huntington-library-press", "name": "The Huntington Library (Huntington Library Press)", "slug": "huntington-library-press", "region": "San Marino, California, USA", "imprints": [ "Huntington Library Press", "Huntington Library Quarterly (serial)", "co-published/distributed with University of California Press and others" ], "idMethods": [ "Scholarly institutional press. Trade monographs and catalogues: copyright-page number line where present (line ending in 1 = first printing) and/or 'First edition' plus year.", "Huntington Library Quarterly and other serials: identified by volume/number/date.", "Distributed titles (e.g. via University of California Press): follow the distributor's conventions and ISBN.", "Fine or facsimile/exhibition publications may be issued in stated limited editions — identify by the limitation statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publishing began in 1920 with facsimile reproductions of rare collection items, expanding to bibliographies and scholarly monographs.", "Distribution partnerships shifted over time, affecting ISBN and imprint; verify the number-line convention per title.", "Facsimile, exhibition, and limited publications are the collectible categories.", "Primarily a research library; publishing is a secondary activity." ], "era": "1920s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/jargon-society", "name": "The Jargon Society (Jargon Books)", "slug": "jargon-society", "region": "San Francisco / Black Mountain NC / Highlands NC / Dentdale, England (Jonathan Williams)", "imprints": [ "Jargon", "Jargon Society", "Jargon/Corinth (co-imprint with Corinth Books)" ], "idMethods": [ "Identification is title-by-title via the JARGON NUMBER and a published checklist (Jargon Society: A Checklist), not a uniform number-line system. Each title carries a sequential Jargon number, and fine-press titles carry a colophon stating the limitation and printer.", "1951 / early 1950s: the earliest item (Jargon 1, 1951) is a letterpress broadside/leaflet in a tiny run (50 copies, printed by David Ruff). First-edition status = matching the checklist's limitation, printer, and physical collation; some early items are signed on the colophon.", "Black Mountain / mid-to-late 1950s onward: fine letterpress books (Olson's Maximus Poems 1-10 in 1953, plus Creeley, Levertov, Niedecker and others) with colophons stating exact limitation and printers. Signed/limited states are noted on the colophon.", "1960s-1990s: continued limited letterpress and offset editions, some co-published as Jargon/Corinth. A first = colophon limitation present and matching the checklist; trade co-issues are identified by the absence of a later-printing statement.", "Because runs are small and reprints rare, a Jargon book matching the checklist's collation is almost always the first; later states are usually clearly noted facsimiles or reissues." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1951 by poet Jonathan Williams with painter David Ruff (reportedly conceived in a San Francisco restaurant); a foundational Black Mountain / post-Pound avant-garde imprint.", "Published Charles Olson's Maximus Poems (1-10 in 1953, 11-22 in 1956) and work by Creeley, Levertov, Niedecker, Mina Loy, and Appalachian/outsider figures.", "Williams was a meticulous designer; Jargon books are prized as objects, so collation, paper, and colophon details are the identification keys.", "Roughly 115 titles across the original series (about 85 books plus broadsides and pamphlets); the Jargon number on the colophon is the cataloguing anchor." ], "era": "1951-2008 (active under Williams; Jargon Society continues as a nonprofit)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/jewish-publication-society", "name": "The Jewish Publication Society (JPS)", "slug": "jewish-publication-society", "region": "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA", "imprints": [ "JPS", "The Jewish Publication Society of America (historic name)", "JPS Tanakh / JPS Bible editions" ], "idMethods": [ "1888-1910s: no number line; identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice. Early JPS classics, including the English Graetz History of the Jews and the 1917 JPS Holy Scriptures, have firsts identified by the first copyright/publication year; the 1917 Holy Scriptures is a landmark with a distinct first printing.", "1910s-1960s: explicit printing and edition statements appear inconsistently; copyright year plus the absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first. Multi-volume sets such as Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews (1909-1938) are tracked by each volume's first year.", "1960s-1980s: number and printing-history lines emerge; the New JPS (NJPS) Tanakh translation was issued in parts (Torah 1962, Prophets 1978, Writings 1982) and then complete in 1985, so collectors track the staged firsts.", "1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing. Modern JPS titles are often co-published or distributed with the University of Nebraska Press and follow that partner's number-line convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "JPS was founded (in its enduring form) in 1888 in Philadelphia and is the oldest nonprofit, nonsectarian publisher of Jewish books in English in the United States.", "It published the 1917 Holy Scriptures (the Old JPS, OJPS) and the New JPS (NJPS) Tanakh, completed in 1985 — the standard English Jewish Bible translations; the staged publication of the NJPS makes those firsts significant.", "Landmark multi-volume sets include Graetz's History of the Jews and Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews; each volume's first year should be tracked.", "A modern trade-distribution partnership with the University of Nebraska Press affects later-era copyright-page conventions." ], "era": "1888-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/library-of-america", "name": "The Library of America", "slug": "library-of-america", "region": "New York, USA (non-profit)", "imprints": [ "The Library of America (numbered series, LOA #)" ], "idMethods": [ "1982-present: uniform black-jacketed scholarly editions, each volume bearing a series number (e.g. LOA #1, Melville). These are authoritative collected/reprint editions, generally NOT first appearances of the underlying texts.", "Printing identification: LOA volumes typically carry an explicit PRINTING STATEMENT on the copyright page rather than a classic trade printer's-key number line. A true first printing has no later-printing notation; dealers describe these as 'first printing, no additional printings stated.' Do not assume a '10 9 8 ... 1' descending number line — verify the wording actually present on the copyright page.", "First printings of the earliest, most-reprinted volumes (e.g. LOA #1) are scarcer than later printings, which carry an added printing notation. The series number alone does not establish a first printing.", "House design is uniform across the series (cloth, ribbon marker, acid-free Bible paper, black jacket); design does not distinguish printings — only the copyright-page printing statement does." ], "notablePoints": [ "Collectible interest centers on true first printings of the earliest volumes; the copyright-page printing statement is decisive.", "The LOA series number is a catalog identifier, not a printing indicator.", "Boxed sets and out-of-print volumes add minor collectible variants.", "Jacket present and unclipped matters to the modern collector." ], "era": "1982-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lilliput-press", "name": "The Lilliput Press", "slug": "lilliput-press", "region": "Ireland (Dublin)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page carries a British/Irish-style line, 'First published [year] by The Lilliput Press', with the Dublin address (62-63 Sitric Road, Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7) on post-1989 titles.", "A first printing has no subsequent-impression or reprint notice; later printings add a 'Reprinted' or impression statement.", "No descending number line on standard trade titles; rely on the 'First published' year combined with the absence of any reprint history.", "Limited and fine editions (for example Joyce-related issues) are hand-numbered out of a stated edition size and may be signed — that numbering is the point of issue for those copies." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1984 by Antony Farrell, initially in County Westmeath; the press took its name from a local townland associated with Jonathan Swift, and moved to its present premises at Sitric Road, Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, in 1989.", "One of Ireland's smallest and most prestigious houses; known for Irish literary fiction (including early Donal Ryan and Rob Doyle), history, biography, memoir and Joyce scholarship, producing both ordinary trade editions and deluxe numbered limited editions.", "As a small literary press it uses no formal number-line system; identification is copyright-page based." ], "era": "1984-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/lyons-press-globe-pequot", "name": "The Lyons Press / Globe Pequot", "slug": "lyons-press-globe-pequot", "region": "US (Connecticut / New York)", "imprints": [ "Nick Lyons Books (independent from 1984)", "Lyons & Burford (partnership from 1981)", "The Lyons Press (renamed 1997)", "Globe Pequot Press", "FalconGuides", "Rowman & Littlefield (parent)" ], "idMethods": [ "Standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a terminal '1' marks a first printing.", "The imprint name itself helps establish the era: 'Nick Lyons Books' and 'Lyons & Burford' on early printings, 'The Lyons Press' from 1997, and Globe Pequot/Rowman & Littlefield branding on later ones.", "No distinctive house-wide prose first-edition statement, so combine the number line with the imprint name." ], "notablePoints": [ "A leading publisher of fly-fishing, hunting, outdoor, nature, and sporting literature, with strong niche collector demand for angling and sporting firsts.", "Imprint history: Nick Lyons Books (incorporated independent 1984) and the Lyons & Burford partnership (from 1981) preceded the rename to The Lyons Press in 1997; Globe Pequot acquired it in 2001 and it now sits under Rowman & Littlefield.", "FalconGuides (outdoor/field guides) and Globe Pequot regional and travel titles share the descending-number-line convention.", "Condition and the dust jacket drive collectible interest in the sporting-book niche." ], "era": "1980s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/moma-publications", "name": "The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA Publications)", "slug": "moma-publications", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "The Museum of Modern Art, New York", "MoMA", "MoMA / Distributed Art Publishers (D.A.P.) (US distribution)", "MoMA / Thames & Hudson (non-US distribution)", "MoMA QNS / earlier co-publishers (Doubleday, New York Graphic Society, Abrams as historic co-publishers)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page is the primary tool: many MoMA catalogues explicitly state the edition and printing; reprints carry a stated 'second printing' or 'revised edition' line, so its absence alongside the first-published year supports a first printing.", "Where a modern title carries a number line, apply standard rules (lowest number present = printing); note that older and many institutional catalogues rely on stated wording rather than a number line.", "The museum's exhibition number and show dates help date a catalogue and corroborate first-printing attribution alongside the stated edition.", "The trade distributor on the title page (D.A.P. for US/Canada, Thames & Hudson elsewhere) helps date and locate the issue but does not by itself change first-printing status." ], "notablePoints": [ "Historic MoMA catalogues (1929–1960s) were variously co-published or distributed (Doubleday, New York Graphic Society, Simon & Schuster, Abrams); the co-publisher imprint dates the issue, and many landmark catalogues have well-documented multiple printings.", "'The Family of Man' (1955) and other blockbusters exist in many printings and softcover/hardcover variants — verify the specific title's known points rather than relying on house rules alone.", "Current trade distribution: ARTBOOK | D.A.P. in US/Canada, Thames & Hudson outside; a Thames & Hudson copy is the non-US issue of the same MoMA edition." ], "era": "1929–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/mysterious-press", "name": "The Mysterious Press", "slug": "mysterious-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Mysterious Press (Otto Penzler imprint)", "Mysterious Press (under Warner Books / Grand Central)", "MysteriousPress.com (e-book revival with Open Road)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First Printing' (often with month and year) plus a descending number line that retains a '1' for the first printing — both present on a true first.", "As the imprint moved through corporate parents (independent → Warner Books → Grand Central / Hachette), follow the prevailing parent's number-line convention; the lowest number present indicates the printing.", "Early independent Mysterious Press (founded 1975 by Otto Penzler) issued numbered/limited signed editions of some titles — look for the limitation page/colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Distinct from the related 'Otto Penzler Books' and the Armchair Detective Library; don't conflate imprints.", "Some sought-after firsts (Ellroy, Crumley, Block) exist in both a signed/limited state and a trade first — the limitation colophon distinguishes them.", "Because the imprint changed owners, a stated 'First Printing' should be cross-checked against the number line; a full line with '1' is the safest confirmation." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/newberry-library", "name": "The Newberry Library", "slug": "newberry-library", "region": "Chicago, Illinois, USA (independent research library)", "imprints": [ "The Newberry Library", "Center for the History of the American Indian (D'Arcy McNickle Center) series", "co-publications/distribution with university presses (e.g. University of Nebraska, University of Chicago)" ], "idMethods": [ "Institutional/society publishing. Catalogues, exhibition books, and scholarly series — identify the first printing by the copyright-page number line where present, otherwise by year and single-printing status.", "Co-published or distributed titles follow the partner university press's number-line conventions.", "Conference proceedings and bibliographic guides are typically single-issue and dated.", "Some fine or exhibition publications were issued in limited or special bindings — identify by limitation statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1887 as an independent research library; publishing output is scholarly and occasional rather than trade.", "The D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies was founded in 1972 and anchors a notable scholarly series.", "Partner-press distribution means first-printing conventions follow the trade partner per title.", "Exhibition catalogues are the most collectible category; coverage in standard first-edition pocket guides is limited." ], "era": "1887–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ryerson-press", "name": "The Ryerson Press", "slug": "ryerson-press", "region": "Canada (Toronto, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Ryerson Poetry Chapbooks", "Methodist Book and Publishing House (predecessor)", "William Briggs (predecessor imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1829 to 1919 (Methodist Book & Publishing House, with general trade books issued under the book-steward's name, most notably William Briggs to 1918): religious-press origin; first editions are identified by a dated title/copyright page with no later-impression notice, and a 'First Edition' statement is rare. Verify the imprint name, since 'William Briggs' precedes the 'Ryerson Press' branding adopted in 1919.", "1919 to 1960s (The Ryerson Press): trade and literary publishing; first printings typically lack any added printing line, though 'First published' statements appear on some titles. The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Book series (1925-1962, edited by Lorne Pierce) numbered each chapbook; the chapbooks are usually single-printing firsts, so the series number is a bibliographic aid rather than a printing indicator.", "1960s to 1970: late period; printing lists may appear, but no consistent number-line system existed before the acquisition.", "1970: the United Church sold the trade arm to McGraw-Hill, becoming McGraw-Hill Ryerson, a different corporate entity using McGraw-Hill conventions." ], "notablePoints": [ "Oldest English-Canadian publishing lineage (Methodist Book Room, 1829); the 1970 sale to American-owned McGraw-Hill became a nationalist cause celebre that helped spur Canadian-ownership cultural policy.", "The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Books (roughly 200 titles, including Pratt, Livesay, Dudek, Purdy, and an early Leonard Cohen) are key collectibles, fragile and small-run, identified by series number and original wrappers.", "Lorne Pierce was the influential long-time editor, assuming editorial control in 1920." ], "era": "1829-1970" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/saalfield", "name": "The Saalfield Publishing Company", "slug": "saalfield", "region": "Akron, OH (and New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "Saalfield", "Saalfield Publishing Co.", "Saalfield Muslin/Linen Books", "Little Big Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1900-c.1920: founded in 1900 in Akron by Arthur J. Saalfield (formerly of the Werner Company); early linen, muslin, and cloth picture books carry no edition statement. Date by the Akron imprint and copyright year, with the first printing surmised from the earliest copyright state.", "1920s-1930s: high-volume coloring books, paper dolls, and 'Little Big Books' (Saalfield's answer to Whitman's Big Little Books, begun c.1934). These rarely state an edition or printing; identify the first issue by series or stock number, copyright date, and cover-artwork state, since many titles were reprinted under the same number for years.", "1930s Shirley Temple titles: Saalfield held licenses for Shirley Temple books and paper dolls (ten paper-doll sets between 1934 and 1942); first issues are identified by copyright year, original price, and series number rather than a printing statement.", "c.1940s-1977: continued coloring and activity books with no consistent first-printing identifier; dating relies on stock numbers, price, and copyright. Saalfield ceased operations in 1977 (archives went to Kent State University)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1900 in Akron by Arthur J. Saalfield; one of the largest producers of inexpensive children's books, coloring books, paper dolls, and linen books in the early-to-mid 20th century.", "Produced 'Little Big Books' to compete with Whitman's Big Little Books format beginning around 1934.", "Held the Shirley Temple license and issued ten Shirley Temple paper-doll sets between 1934 and 1942.", "Rarely used explicit edition statements; collectors rely on series and stock numbers, copyright dates, prices, and cover-art states. The company closed in 1977 and its archive was acquired by Kent State University." ], "era": "1900-1977" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/sheep-meadow-press", "name": "The Sheep Meadow Press", "slug": "sheep-meadow-press", "region": "USA (Bronx [Riverdale] / Clinton Corners, New York)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Where a number line is present, the lowest number indicates the printing.", "Some titles state 'First edition'; many genuine firsts carry no number line at all because reprints are uncommon.", "Check the copyright leaf for any later-printing or reprint statement; treat its absence, together with a stated first or original copyright year, as a likely first printing rather than as proof." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1977 by poet Stanley Moss (1925–2024); a nonprofit poetry and belles-lettres house with a strong focus on poetry in translation; published Yehuda Amichai among many others.", "Small print runs and infrequent reprinting mean genuine firsts often lack a number line, so identification leans on copyright-leaf statements rather than a line." ], "era": "1977–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/stinehour-press", "name": "The Stinehour Press", "slug": "stinehour-press", "region": "Lunenburg, Vermont, USA", "imprints": [ "North Country Press (original 1950 name, abandoned 1953 after a naming dispute)", "Meriden-Stinehour (after the 1977 acquisition of/merger with Meriden Gravure Company; post-merger colophons may read Meriden-Stinehour)" ], "idMethods": [ "Stinehour was primarily a fine letterpress PRINTER for museums, institutions, scholarly publishers, and other presses rather than a limitation-issuing private press, so identification is by the printer's imprint/colophon ('Printed by The Stinehour Press') combined with the issuing publisher's own edition statement.", "Where Stinehour issued limited copies itself, the limitation appears in the colophon; otherwise treat the book as a trade or institutional publication and rely on the named publisher's edition statement, not the Stinehour name.", "Identify Stinehour craftsmanship by the colophon naming Stinehour, and for plate work frequently naming Meriden Gravure (the two firms collaborated for years before merging)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Roderick 'Rocky' Stinehour; the firm began as North Country Press and was renamed The Stinehour Press in 1953 after a cease-and-desist over the North Country Press name.", "Stinehour acquired/merged with the Meriden Gravure Company in 1977, forming Meriden-Stinehour; the Meriden, Connecticut operation closed in 1989 and equipment moved to Vermont. The press closed in 2008.", "Because Stinehour usually printed FOR others, the 'first edition' rule defaults to the named publisher; the Stinehour name signals fine printing and quality, not necessarily limitation.", "Catalogues, museum books, and bibliographies are the typical output; check the publisher line, not just the printer line." ], "era": "1953-2008" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/taunton-press", "name": "The Taunton Press", "slug": "taunton-press", "region": "Newtown, Connecticut, USA", "imprints": [ "Taunton Press", "Taunton (Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, Fine Gardening, Threads, Fine Cooking books)" ], "idMethods": [ "1975-c.1990: Magazine-derived how-to publisher (Fine Woodworking launched December 1975). Early book first printings are identified by the earliest copyright year; many compilation or 'Best of Fine Woodworking' volumes circulate, so confirm there is no later-printing notation. Number lines are not consistently present on the earliest titles.", "c.1990-present: First printing is identified by a descending number line, commonly '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', with the lowest digit giving the printing. Taunton also frequently prints an explicit 'First printing: [year]' statement on the copyright page, which is a reliable tell when present. Titles are practical craft, woodworking, sewing, gardening and cooking books tied to its magazines (Threads, Fine Gardening, Fine Cooking)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1975 by Paul and Jan Roman around the magazine Fine Woodworking; later expanded to Fine Homebuilding, Fine Gardening, Threads (sewing) and Fine Cooking.", "A leading craft/woodworking/home-skills publisher; books often grow out of magazine content.", "Where present, an explicit 'First printing: [year]' statement makes first-state identification unusually clean for this house; otherwise rely on the number line to 1.", "Privately held and family-owned; sold its magazine titles to Active Interest Media in the 2010s while continuing as a book publisher." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/whittington-press", "name": "The Whittington Press", "slug": "whittington-press", "region": "Andoversford, Gloucestershire (moved to Risbury, Herefordshire c.1992), England", "imprints": [ "Matrix (the press's annual journal of typography and the private press, from 1981)" ], "idMethods": [ "1971-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of John and Rosalind (Rose) Randle. The colophon records the limitation, the types (handset, letterpress; all work is printed letterpress), the paper (often handmade and named), and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed. There is no number line or 'First Edition' slug to look for.", "Editions are frequently issued in more than one state: an ordinary numbered edition alongside a smaller special or de luxe state (extra plates or specimens, a finer binding such as quarter or full leather, sometimes an accompanying suite or portfolio). The binding and the colophon identify the state; confirm against the Whittington prospectus.", "Matrix (annual, from 1981): each numbered issue is a first. Because issue numbers track the year (Matrix 11 is 1991, and so on), most issues date easily. Some copies were issued in a special state with extra inserts or printed specimens; check the limitation leaf at the rear." ], "notablePoints": [ "One of the foremost British private presses of the late 20th century; handset, letterpress composition is a hallmark, and the press has issued well over 200 books.", "Matrix is among the most important modern journals on type and the private press and is collected in its own right.", "Numbered versus special/de luxe states matter for identification; verify the state against the binding and colophon." ], "era": "1971-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/world-publishing", "name": "The World Publishing Company", "slug": "world-publishing", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "World", "Tower Books", "Forum Books", "Meridian Books", "Rainbow Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "PRIMARY METHOD (the convention omits this): World Publishing typically printed a code on the TITLE PAGE indicating impression and print date. A first printing shows a bare code such as 'WP 9-50' (= printed Sept 1950; actual publication often 1-2 months later). Variants include 'WP363', 'FD566', 'BPWP865'.", "Later printings are signaled by a NUMBER PREFIXED to that title-page code, e.g. '3HC1058' = 3rd printing, printed Oct 1958. Absence of a leading number on the code supports a first printing.", "Some titles also state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page (per Quill & Brush), so a copyright-page statement CAN corroborate a first — but it is secondary to and should be cross-checked against the title-page code; do not rely on copyright-page statements alone.", "Confirm the title is a World ORIGINAL, not a reprint: most Tower Books and Forum Books titles are reprints. (Known Tower Books first-edition exceptions: Raymond Chandler's 'Red Wind' and 'Spanish Blood', marked 'First Printing (Month, Year)'.)", "Treat the claim that 'later titles adopted a number line with 1 present' as UNVERIFIED/likely incorrect for World — no evidence found that World used a Scribner/Random-House-style number line; the leading-digit title-page code was its later-printing signal." ], "notablePoints": [ "Cleveland-based (later added a New York office); best known for affordable reprint lines — Tower Books (1940, 49-cent hardcovers) and Forum Books (1942, low-priced reprints) — and for Webster's New World Dictionary (first ed. 1951/1953). Distinguish reprint imprints from true trade firsts.", "Because much of World's output was reprints, Bibles, and reference, confirm a title was a World ORIGINAL before applying first-edition logic.", "Acquired by The Times Mirror Company in 1962; sold to Collins (UK) in 1974; in 1980 Collins broke up World — dictionary line to Simon & Schuster, children's line to Putnam, Bible division to Riverside — dispersing the trade list.", "House practice is less rigorously documented than marquee firms and the title-page printing code is the most reliable World-specific signal — verify points title-by-title, cross-referencing the code, copyright page, and a reference such as McBride or Quill & Brush." ], "era": "1905-1980s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/theatre-communications-group", "name": "Theatre Communications Group (TCG)", "slug": "theatre-communications-group", "region": "USA (New York, NY)", "imprints": [ "TCG Books", "TCG Translations", "American Theatre (magazine)", "New Plays / TCG playscripts" ], "idMethods": [ "1984–c.2000 (TCG book program era; nonprofit founded as a theatre service organization in 1961, trade books from the mid-1980s): publishes single plays, anthologies, and theatre-craft books. First printing is indicated by a descending number line on the copyright page, the lowest digit being the printing; a line that includes 1 is a first printing. The wording First TCG edition, MONTH YYYY is frequently stated. A separate note of the play's production or premiere history often appears and is not an edition point.", "c.2000–present: continues the descending number line, lowest digit equals the printing, with First edition, MONTH YYYY on the verso. Distribution credits (the book has been carried by trade distributors and, more recently, made available digitally via Drama Online) appear on or near the copyright page and are not edition points." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonprofit theatre service organization founded in 1961; the leading publisher of contemporary American playwrights such as Kushner, Wilson, and Vogel.", "Copyright pages note the play's premiere or production history; that is a performance note, not a printing point. Rely on the number line and the First edition / First TCG edition statement.", "A number line reaching 1 together with a First TCG edition statement indicates a first printing." ], "era": "1984–present (org since 1961)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/quest-theosophical", "name": "Theosophical Publishing House / Quest Books", "slug": "quest-theosophical", "region": "USA (Wheaton IL); parent Theosophical Society Adyar (Chennai, India); London TPH", "imprints": [ "Quest Books (paperback line, 1966-)", "Theosophical Press (predecessor)", "Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton)", "Theosophical Publishing House (Adyar)", "Theosophical Publishing House (London)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1966 (Theosophical Press, Wheaton): older Theosophical Society titles are identified by the copyright year and the 'Theosophical Press' imprint, with no number line. Distinguish the US Wheaton, London TPH, and Adyar TPH editions of the same Blavatsky, Besant, or Leadbeater texts.", "1966-c.2000 (Quest Books / TPH Wheaton): the Quest paperback line launched in 1966 with Bhagavan Das, The Essential Unity of All Religions. The copyright page states 'First Quest Edition, [year]' or 'First Edition', with later titles adding a number line whose lowest number indicates the printing. 'First Quest Edition' is the key first-printing statement for the paperback line.", "c.2000-2023 (Quest Books / TPH): a standard number line, lowest number equals the printing, alongside the 'First Quest Edition' statement.", "2023/2024-present: the Quest Books imprint was sold to Red Wheel/Weiser (which had distributed Quest since 2015), so the newest printings carry RW/W branding; identify the original Quest first edition by the 'First Quest Edition' statement and the Wheaton TPH imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Quest Books is the paperback imprint of the Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton IL), the publishing arm of the Theosophical Society in America; the parent movement was founded in 1875 by H.P. Blavatsky and H.S. Olcott, with the Adyar (Chennai) headquarters established in 1882.", "Key multi-house tell: the same Blavatsky, Besant, and Leadbeater titles exist as Adyar (India), London, and Wheaton (US) editions, so match the specific TPH branch named on the title or copyright page.", "The Quest paperback line launched in 1966; 'First Quest Edition, [year]' is the first-printing statement for that line.", "The 2023-2024 sale of the imprint to Red Wheel/Weiser is the latest era change, and RW/W branding marks recent printings." ], "era": "1875-present (Quest line 1966-present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thistledown-press", "name": "Thistledown Press", "slug": "thistledown-press", "region": "Canada (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)", "imprints": [ "Thistledown Press", "New Leaf Editions (poetry series)", "Young-adult titles" ], "idMethods": [ "Prairie literary press (poetry, fiction, YA): modern titles generally state 'first edition' on the copyright page and may carry a descending number line, with '1' present indicating the first printing.", "Older poetry titles: identify by the original copyright year and the absence of any later-printing or 'reprinted' statement; small runs were usually single printings.", "For any title that drew award attention, check the copyright page for reprint notices before assuming a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1975 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, by poet Glen Sorestad and artist Neil Wagner; the early list was entirely poetry. Al Forrie and Patrick (Paddy) O'Rourke joined in 1980 and built the press into a national literary publisher, later adding fiction and young-adult work.", "Lower-profile house; its identification conventions are typical of a modern small literary press but are lightly documented in the standard first-edition collecting references.", "Known for publishing early or first works of many Canadian writers; the young-adult program is a notable strand for collectors of Canadian YA firsts." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thomas-cook-publishing", "name": "Thomas Cook (Thomas Cook Publishing)", "slug": "thomas-cook-publishing", "region": "United Kingdom (Peterborough)", "imprints": [ "Thomas Cook European Timetable / Overseas Timetable", "Thomas Cook Traveller Guides", "Cook's Continental Time Tables (historic)" ], "idMethods": [ "Timetables are periodic serials identified by the issue MONTH and YEAR printed on the cover; the issue date is the identifier, not an edition or printing point.", "1873-1900s: 'Cook's Continental Time Tables & Tourist's Handbook' began with the issue of March 1873; it was published quarterly until early 1883 and monthly thereafter, so early issues are identified by their cover date and collected as a dated serial run.", "20th century-2013: the 'Thomas Cook European Timetable' (monthly) and 'Overseas Timetable'; the cover month/year is the identifier. The final Thomas Cook-branded European Timetable appeared in August 2013, after which the title was revived independently as the 'European Rail Timetable' (from 2014).", "Guidebooks (Thomas Cook Traveller/Travellers series, late 20th century): conventional copyright-page edition statement and number line, where the first printing shows the debut year and the lowest digit in the line." ], "notablePoints": [ "'Cook's Continental Time Tables' (first issue March 1873) is one of the most famous travel serials, collected by ISSUE DATE; it ran quarterly 1873-1883, then monthly.", "Serial vs. book distinction: timetables are dated issues; guidebooks are number-line editions.", "The Thomas Cook-branded European Timetable ended in August 2013; the publication was revived independently as the European Rail Timetable. (The wider Thomas Cook Group collapsed in 2019.)", "The long historic run makes early Continental Time Tables notable, with publication continuous since 1873 apart from World War II and a short 2013-14 gap." ], "era": "1873-2013 (timetables)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thomas-nelson", "name": "Thomas Nelson", "slug": "thomas-nelson", "region": "Nashville, Tennessee, USA (origins Edinburgh, Scotland)", "imprints": [ "Nelson Books", "W Publishing Group", "Tommy Nelson (children's)", "Nelson Bibles (NKJV publisher)", "Emanate Books", "Grupo Nelson (Spanish)" ], "idMethods": [ "1798-1900s (Edinburgh/British era): the old Scottish house of Thomas Nelson & Sons followed British conventions — 'First published YYYY' with impression history, or no statement at all on 19th-century printings. Identify firsts via edition statements, dated advertisements, and binding/format.", "Early-to-mid 20th c. (US operations): mixed conventions; explicit 'First edition' or printing statements appear inconsistently. Copyright year plus absence of a reprint notice is the baseline test.", "1960s-1980s (modern Nashville house, refounded after Sam Moore's 1969 purchase): explicit printing statements, with later printings noted. Publisher of the New King James Version (NKJV NT 1979, full Bible 1982).", "1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing, so presence of 1 indicates a first printing.", "2012-present (HarperCollins era): acquired by HarperCollins (deal closed July 2012); copyright pages adopt HarperCollins-style impression lines, sometimes with an alphanumeric printing code, lowest value equals the first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Original Thomas Nelson founded 1798 in Edinburgh; the modern American Christian house is effectively a separate lineage after Sam Moore's Royal Publishers bought Nelson in 1969 and rebuilt it as a Nashville Christian publisher.", "Publisher of the New King James Version; Bible editions have distinct printing/edition conventions.", "Acquired by HarperCollins in 2012; now sister imprint to Zondervan within HarperCollins Christian Publishing.", "19th-century Edinburgh Thomas Nelson firsts (travel, juvenile, 'New Century Library' reprints, etc.) are a wholly different collecting field from the modern Nashville imprint." ], "era": "1798-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thomas-seltzer", "name": "Thomas Seltzer, Inc.", "slug": "thomas-seltzer", "region": "New York, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1919–1926: no 'first edition' statement on the copyright page; first printings are identified by the absence of a later-printing notice, with subsequent printings noted — typical of small 1920s New York literary houses.", "A title-page date matching the copyright date supports a first printing; confirm priority through binding and dust-jacket state and through bibliographies of the specific author (notably D. H. Lawrence)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1919 by Thomas Seltzer, a translator and the uncle of Albert and Charles Boni; the chief American champion of D. H. Lawrence.", "Published first US editions of roughly twenty Lawrence titles, including 'Women in Love' and 'Aaron's Rod'.", "Targeted by the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (1922) over 'Women in Love', Schnitzler's 'Casanova's Homecoming', and 'A Young Girl's Diary'; fighting the censorship cases drained the firm financially.", "In 1926 the business was taken over by Seltzer's nephews Albert and Charles Boni, who absorbed its list." ], "era": "1919–1926 (absorbed by Albert & Charles Boni)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thomas-y-crowell", "name": "Thomas Y. Crowell Company", "slug": "thomas-y-crowell", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Crowell", "Apollo Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions carry only the copyright notice on the copyright page, with NO printing statement and no later-printing notation. The defining tell is the ABSENCE of any 'Second/Third Printing' (etc.) legend under the copyright — Crowell identified its books by marking subsequent printings, not by marking firsts.", "Reprints are flagged by a printing legend beneath the copyright (e.g., 'Second Printing,' 'Third Printing'); a book lacking such a legend is presumed a first. Crowell also commonly placed a colophon at the back of the book where later printings were noted (a practice continued as late as the 1980s).", "A number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', with the '1' present indicating a first printing) appears on later/modern Crowell books — some sources note number rows may have been used as early as the 1940s. Per the publisher, an explicit 'first edition' statement plus copyright-page notation of later printings was adopted only around the late 1970s–early 1980s, NOT the late 1960s as claimed." ], "notablePoints": [ "The reliable tell for the earlier period is the ABSENCE of a later-printing legend (and/or an unmarked back-of-book colophon), NOT a 'matching date on title page and copyright page.' The claimed date-matching method is not supported by standard bookseller references; many Crowell title pages did not carry a date at all, so a date-match test is unreliable.", "Crowell was acquired and became part of Harper & Row in 1977/1978 (the Crowell imprint was absorbed into Harper & Row's juvenile/general lists), so the 'merged into Harper & Row (1970s)' point is broadly correct, though Crowell had earlier been part of Dun & Bradstreet's holdings.", "The convention as stated conflates Crowell's actual practice (note the reprint, not the first) with a Scribner-style 'A and seal' / matching-date approach used by other publishers." ], "era": "1870s-1970s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/threshold-editions", "name": "Threshold Editions", "slug": "threshold-editions", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Threshold Editions" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, generally with a \"First Threshold Editions ... edition\" or \"First Edition\" statement, per Simon & Schuster practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Conservative-politics nonfiction imprint launched by Simon & Schuster in 2006 (Mary Matalin founding editor-in-chief, Louise Burke publisher)", "Follows Simon & Schuster first-edition conventions" ], "era": "2006–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/thunderstorm-books", "name": "Thunderstorm Books", "slug": "thunderstorm-books", "region": "Edmond, Oklahoma, USA", "imprints": [ "Gleefully Macabre (Jeff Strand)", "Dark Worlds (J.F. Gonzalez)", "Shadow Side (Jonathan Janz)", "Bitter Ale (Bryan Smith)", "Tempest (ed. Mary SanGiovanni)" ], "idMethods": [ "2008-present: collectible SIGNED LIMITED hardcovers; the numbered (and sometimes lettered) limitation page identifies the edition - print runs are small and usually single-state per format.", "Author-driven imprint lines (Gleefully Macabre, Dark Worlds, Shadow Side, Bitter Ale, Tempest) appear on the title/series page; identify the series and its position, as several lines ran to fixed completion (e.g., Shadow Side 11 vols, Bitter Ale 12 vols).", "High output: match the specific title's stated limitation rather than assuming a uniform number across the catalog.", "Some titles issued as matched-numbered sets within a series; set-matching numbers are a collecting point." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2008 by Paul Goblirsch; major modern limited-edition horror house.", "Publishes Brian Keene, Joe R. Lansdale, Edward Lee, Paul Tremblay, Jonathan Janz, and many others; recognized as an HWA Specialty Press.", "Distinctive author-imprint model with completed finite series lines." ], "era": "2008-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ticknor-and-fields", "name": "Ticknor and Fields", "slug": "ticknor-and-fields", "region": "Boston, Massachusetts, USA", "imprints": [ "William D. Ticknor & Co. (1832-1843)", "William D. Ticknor & Company (1843-1849)", "Ticknor, Reed & Fields (1849-1854)", "Ticknor and Fields (1854-1868)", "Fields, Osgood & Co. (1868-1871, successor)" ], "idMethods": [ "No formal first-edition statement existed; rely on date agreement: the year on the title page should match the copyright date with no later printing noted.", "First printings carry a dated title page and frequently a publisher's catalogue/advertisement section at the rear; rear-ad dates can help establish printing priority.", "Absence of any 'second/third thousand' or reprint notice on the title page or verso indicates an early printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Name evolved through several partnerships; the date-agreement rule holds across Wm. D. Ticknor & Co., Ticknor, Reed & Fields, and Ticknor and Fields.", "Operated out of the Old Corner Bookstore, Boston (until Fields sold it in 1864); published Hawthorne, Longfellow, Emerson, Holmes, Whittier, Stowe, and Thoreau, plus authorized US Dickens and Tennyson.", "Rear-advertisement/catalogue dating is a useful printing-priority aid for this house given the absence of stated editions.", "Succeeded by Fields, Osgood & Co. (1868), then James R. Osgood & Co. (1871); the firm lineage eventually became Houghton Mifflin." ], "era": "1832-1868 (firm name); antiquarian" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/timber-press", "name": "Timber Press", "slug": "timber-press", "region": "US (Portland, Oregon)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Number-line based: the first printing carries a line ending in 1, with the low digits dropping out on later printings.", "Titles often print a copyright year and, for revised reference works, an edition statement; treat a changed edition statement as a new edition rather than merely a new printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Gardening, horticulture and natural-history lifestyle publisher; founded in 1978 in Portland, Oregon.", "Became a Workman imprint in 2006 and is now part of Hachette Book Group via the 2021 Workman acquisition.", "Reference gardening titles are frequently revised, so separate a new edition from a new printing by reading the edition statement carefully." ], "era": "1978-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tin-house-books", "name": "Tin House Books", "slug": "tin-house-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Tin House (magazine, 1999–2019)", "Tin House New Voices" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: copyright page states 'First U.S. Edition' or 'First Edition' with a descending number line (1 present = first printing).", "First lacks later-printing notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2005 in Portland, Oregon / Brooklyn (Win McCormack; Rob Spillman, Lee Montgomery) as the book arm of Tin House magazine.", "Poetry and literary fiction; distributed via W.W. Norton — later printings follow standard trade number-line conventions.", "Young press, conventions consistent." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tinder-press", "name": "Tinder Press", "slug": "tinder-press", "region": "UK (London)", "imprints": [ "Tinder Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Tinder Press', an imprint of Headline Publishing Group (Hachette UK).", "Descending number line; first printing ends in '1' (Headline/Hachette house style).", "No reprint or later-impression note on a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Launched in 2013 as Headline's literary-fiction imprint; follows Headline/Hachette number-line conventions.", "Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet (first published 31 March 2020) is the marquee Tinder Press title; its points are jacket and number-line specific.", "Being recent (2013 onward), there are no archaic conventions; the number line ending in 1 is the reliable tell." ], "era": "2013–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tinsley-brothers", "name": "Tinsley Brothers", "slug": "tinsley-brothers", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Tinsley Brothers", "Tinsleys' Magazine" ], "idMethods": [ "No edition statement: a first is identified by the title-page date with no later-printing wording, complete in the correct number of volumes (usually three), with half-titles present.", "Inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue (often at the rear): dated ads not listing later titles support a first printing; Tinsley reused ad gatherings, so dating them is essential.", "Original primary cloth (Tinsley firsts are notoriously fragile and often rebound); original cloth in the correct grain and stamping supports first-issue state.", "Collate against the author bibliography for textual points; much Tinsley value rests on the author (Hardy, Collins, Braddon) rather than a house convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Published Thomas Hardy's first books: Desperate Remedies (1871, 3 vols, published anonymously) and Under the Greenwood Tree (1872, 2 vols, anonymous) — both high spots with delicate points.", "Major sensation-fiction house: Wilkie Collins, M. E. Braddon, and others; the three-decker format dominates.", "Firm was chronically undercapitalized; print runs were small and survival is poor, so condition and completeness drive value.", "Edward Tinsley died 1866; William Tinsley continued; the firm faded by the late 1880s." ], "era": "c.1854–c.1888" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/titan-books", "name": "Titan Books", "slug": "titan-books", "region": "UK (London; division of Titan Publishing Group)", "imprints": [ "Hard Case Crime (distributed/co-published)", "Titan Comics" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry a 'First edition' statement with month/year on the copyright page alongside a descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') or the alternating '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' form; in either case the lowest number present (a retained '1') marks the first printing.", "Many Titan releases are film/TV tie-ins or the first UK edition of a US original, so distinguish a 'first Titan edition' from the true first appearance, which is often the original US printing.", "Hard Case Crime titles published under the Titan umbrella from 2011 carry Hard Case Crime branding and a series number (the Titan-era series restarted at HCC-101)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1981; a large publisher of media tie-ins, art books, and reprints as well as original fiction.", "Hard Case Crime (founded 2004 by Charles Ardai and Max Phillips) moved to Titan in 2011 after Dorchester/Leisure ceased publishing it; earlier Dorchester-era HCC titles carry different indicia.", "A Titan 'first' is frequently the first hardcover or first UK edition rather than the first appearance of the text — set first-in-format expectations accordingly." ], "era": "1981–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tokyopop", "name": "Tokyopop — English-language manga (and OEL)", "slug": "tokyopop", "region": "USA (Los Angeles, California; founded 1997 as Mixx Entertainment)", "imprints": [ "Mixx / MixxZine (historical, late 1990s)", "Smile (historical)", "Chix Comix (historical)", "Blu (BL/yaoi)", "Rising Stars of Manga (OEL anthology)", "Tokyopop / T-Pop" ], "idMethods": [ "Right-to-left 'authentic manga' era (2002-2011 original run): identified by a number line on the copyright page, with a descending line ending in 1 indicating a first printing and the lowest digit present giving the printing number. Tokyopop popularized the unflipped, small-format manga and used standard US-trade number-line indicia.", "1997-2001 Mixx and early Tokyopop era: earlier flipped/Westernized editions and MixxZine serializations; first printings are identified by stated date and/or number line where present. Early Mixx editions (Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth) are scarce collectibles.", "First defunct period (May 2011 to roughly 2019): Tokyopop ceased North American publishing in 2011, so titles from the original run that were never reprinted are scarce by attrition rather than by any special printing marking.", "Revival era (around 2019-present): the relaunched line (Disney manga, BL, new licenses) uses current US-trade number-line conventions; new printings are distinct from pre-2011 originals." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded as Mixx Entertainment in 1997 by Stuart (Stu) Levy; rebranded to Tokyopop around 1998-2002.", "Pioneered the 2002 'authentic' right-to-left, unflipped, affordable manga format that reshaped the US market.", "Many 2002-2011 licenses were orphaned at the 2011 shutdown, leaving incomplete series and making certain late-volume first printings genuinely scarce.", "OEL/'global manga' titles (Rising Stars of Manga winners, Bizenghast, .hack//) are a distinct collectible niche.", "Blu was the BL/yaoi imprint." ], "era": "1997-2011 (original); 2019-present (revival)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/top-shelf-productions", "name": "Top Shelf Productions", "slug": "top-shelf-productions", "region": "USA (originally Marietta, GA; an imprint of IDW Publishing since 2015)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Book-format graphic novels: the copyright/indicia page of a first printing typically states 'First Printing' (often with the year) and carries no later-printing statement; subsequent printings add an explicit 'Second Printing' (or higher) line.", "Some collected editions also carry a descending number line on the copyright page; when present, the lowest digit indicates the printing (a '1' present = first printing). Treat the explicit printing statement as the primary point and the number line as corroborating.", "Post-2015 (under IDW ownership) editions follow IDW's dated printing-statement convention; pre-2015 independent editions carry the original Top Shelf indicia. Match the specific publisher and edition rather than the title alone." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1997 by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock (out of discussions at the 1997 Small Press Expo). Acquired by IDW Publishing in January 2015; Warnock left comics publishing and Staros stayed on as editor-in-chief.", "Marquee titles include 'Blankets' (Craig Thompson), the Top Shelf collected 'From Hell' (Moore/Campbell), 'March' (John Lewis), and 'Essex County' (Jeff Lemire); these went to multiple printings, so the stated first-printing line is the decisive point.", "'From Hell' has a layered edition history: originally serialized in the anthology Taboo, then issued in single volumes via Tundra and Kitchen Sink Press, first collected by Eddie Campbell Comics in 1999, with Top Shelf publishing the U.S. trade edition. Identify the exact publisher and edition before treating any copy as a 'first.'" ], "era": "1997-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tor-books", "name": "Tor Books", "slug": "tor-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Forge (historical/thriller)", "Tor.com / Tordotcom", "Tor Teen", "Orb (reprints)", "Tor Nightfire (horror)", "Starscape", "Nightshade (later)" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1 (e.g. '0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or with the lowest being 1).", "Tor's reliable test: the explicit 'First Edition' line PLUS the number line — both must be present for a hardcover first.", "Mass-market paperback originals: 'First Tor edition (Month Year)' / 'First printing' with no later printings.", "Forge uses the identical convention (sister SF/historical imprint)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1980 by Tom Doherty; the leading US SF/fantasy house. Now part of Macmillan (Tom Doherty Associates), so follows Macmillan 'First Edition' + line-to-1 convention.", "Tor frequently issues a title FIRST as a hardcover then a mass-market; both can exist — the hardcover with 'First Edition' + line-to-1 is the true first.", "Tordotcom (novellas) and Tor Nightfire (horror) follow the same convention.", "Orb is a trade-paperback REPRINT line — usually NOT a first." ], "era": "1980–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tordotcom", "name": "Tordotcom", "slug": "tordotcom", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Tordotcom", "Tor.com Publishing (former name)" ], "idMethods": [ "For trade print firsts, a number line whose lowest digit is 1, often with a \"First Edition\" statement, following Tor house style" ], "notablePoints": [ "Original science-fiction and fantasy imprint within Tor Publishing Group, Macmillan, best known for novellas but also publishing novel-length works (multiple Hugo-winning titles)", "Rebranded from Tor.com Publishing to Tordotcom; early titles were ebook/print-on-demand first, so number-line conventions apply chiefly to standard trade printings" ], "era": "2015-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/touchstone", "name": "Touchstone", "slug": "touchstone", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Fireside (sister, defunct)" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Touchstone edition (Year)' / 'First Edition' on the copyright page; for a first printing the number line descends to 1 (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'). Note: S&S-family lines are often interleaved/odd-even split (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2') rather than a clean descending run — the rule is that the LOWEST number present indicates the printing, so the presence of 1 = first printing of that Touchstone edition.", "S&S-family convention: the verbose 'First [Imprint] edition' / explicit 'First Edition' wording on the copyright page is the reliable positive signal; absence of any later-printing statement combined with a 1 in the line supports a first printing.", "Many Touchstone titles are trade-paperback editions — confirm whether it is the FIRST appearance of the work or a reprint of an earlier S&S/Scribner/other hardcover. A 'First Touchstone edition' is the first printing of the TOUCHSTONE edition, which is frequently NOT the first edition of the work.", "Caveat that applies to all S&S imprints: a number line beginning/ending in 1 can still sit on a copyright page that explicitly states 'revised edition' or 'second edition' — always read the full copyright/title page, not just the line, before calling it a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Touchstone was Simon & Schuster's trade-paperback imprint, founded in 1970 (NOT 1981) — originally paired as 'Touchstone/Fireside.' The claimed 1981 founding date is incorrect.", "The imprint was discontinued in December 2018 (NOT 'c.2019'); it survives only as a backlist imprint. Minor but worth correcting.", "Because it was largely a paperback line, a 'first Touchstone edition' is often a SECOND (or later) edition of a title already published in S&S/Scribner hardcover — distinguish first edition of the work from first Touchstone printing. (This point is correct.)", "Fireside was the sibling trade-paper imprint (self-help/diet/health/reference); the two were rebranded to just 'Touchstone' in 2010, and 'Fireside' was briefly revived in 2016 for the Ladybird 'Grown-Up Guides' series. Same number-line convention applies. (Correct, with added nuance.)", "Part of Simon & Schuster. (Correct.)" ], "era": "1981–c.2019" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/triumph-books", "name": "Triumph Books", "slug": "triumph-books", "region": "US (Chicago)", "imprints": [ "Sports Illustrated book series (partnership)" ], "idMethods": [ "Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.", "Commemorative/instant championship books are time-sensitive print runs; first printings are dated by copyright year and the number line.", "No distinctive house 'First Edition' statement — rely on the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Leading US sports-book publisher, founded 1989 by Mitch Rogatz; strongest collector interest in athlete biographies, team histories and commemorative championship volumes.", "Owned by Random House 2006-2011, then bought back by its founder; now distributed via Independent Publishers Group / Chicago Review Press.", "Publishes a Sports Illustrated frontlist series in partnership with Authentic Brands Group, owner of the SI brand — photographic and archive-driven titles.", "Championship 'instant books' are often reprinted or updated; confirm the '1' for true first printings." ], "era": "1989-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/truman-state-university-press", "name": "Truman State University Press", "slug": "truman-state-university-press", "region": "Kirksville, Missouri", "imprints": [ "Thomas Jefferson University Press (former name, 1986–c.1996)", "New Odyssey Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1986–c.1996 (as Thomas Jefferson University Press at Northeast Missouri State University): small scholarly press; no first-printing statement. First printing is inferred from matching title/copyright dates with no later-printing line, with a standard CIP/ISBN block present. The 'Thomas Jefferson University Press' imprint name dates a copy to this period.", "c.1996–2021 (renamed Truman State University Press after the university's 1996 renaming): printing number line on the copyright page where used, with the lowest number present indicating the printing; standard CIP/ISBN block. Many titles are single-printing, so absence of a later-printing notation is the more reliable tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1986 as Thomas Jefferson University Press; renamed Truman State University Press after Northeast Missouri State University became Truman State University (name effective July 1, 1996) — the imprint name dates a title.", "Specialized in early-modern/Renaissance studies, including the Sixteenth Century Essays & Studies series.", "Very small print runs; single-printing titles were the norm. The press wound down around 2017 and formally closed in 2021, so it is no longer an active publisher." ], "era": "1986–2021 (ceased operations c.2017; formally closed 2021)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tundra-books", "name": "Tundra Books", "slug": "tundra-books", "region": "Canada", "imprints": [ "Tundra Books", "Puffin Canada", "Penguin Teen Canada", "Tundra Books of Northern New York (former US arm)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles also carry a 'First edition' or 'Published in [year]' statement", "The lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing" ], "notablePoints": [ "Oldest Canadian children's book publisher, founded in 1967 by May Cutler in Montreal (Westmount/Quebec); sold to McClelland & Stewart, headquarters moved to Toronto in 1996, and it is now part of Penguin Random House Canada", "Historically issued in the US through 'Tundra Books of Northern New York' (founded 1971) — that imprint line on the copyright page distinguishes the US issue from the Canadian first", "Reliable modern descending-number-line convention" ], "era": "1967-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tupelo-press", "name": "Tupelo Press", "slug": "tupelo-press", "region": "USA (North Adams, Massachusetts)", "imprints": [ "Dorset Prize", "Berkshire Prize", "Snowbound Series Chapbook Award" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on the copyright page where present; lowest number = the printing.", "Commonly states 'First edition' or 'First paperback edition' with the year.", "Most titles are single-printing, so true firsts often show a full line or no line at all; rely on the stated edition plus the absence of any reprint notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonprofit literary press founded 1999 by Jeffrey Levine, originally in Dorset, Vermont; first five books appeared in 2001, and the press later moved to North Adams, Massachusetts.", "Prize-series labels (Dorset Prize, Berkshire Prize, Snowbound Series Chapbook Award) date or categorize the title only; they do not indicate the printing." ], "era": "1999-present (first titles 2001)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tuttle-publishing", "name": "Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle)", "slug": "tuttle-publishing", "region": "Japan (Tokyo) / USA (Rutland and North Clarendon, Vermont), Asia-focused English-language publishing", "imprints": [ "Charles E. Tuttle Company", "Tuttle Publishing", "Periplus Editions", "Journey Editions", "Tut Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1948–c.1970 (Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo with Vermont ties): firsts identified by an explicit 'First edition, ' or 'First printing, ' statement on the copyright page. Many titles also carry a printing-history block (for example 'First edition, 1958; Second printing, 1959; Third printing, 1959') — the first printing is the topmost or sole entry. No number line in this era; read the block from the top down.", "c.1970–c.1993: continued use of printing-history blocks and 'First Tuttle edition' statements; some later titles begin introducing a descending number line (lowest figure marks the printing). The Tut Books paperback line carries catalog codes.", "1993 onward (Tuttle Publishing, under the Periplus group, Eric Oey as publisher from 1996): conventional number line (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest figure indicating the printing, plus 'Printed in ' and a year on the copyright page.", "Reprint-of-classics caution: Tuttle reissued many older Western and Japanese works, so the Tuttle first is the first Tuttle edition, distinct from the date of the original work." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by Charles E. Tuttle in Occupation-era Tokyo in 1948 (reportedly the 31st company licensed by the Allied administration), drawing on a Vermont family long in printing and antiquarian bookselling; the leading house for Asia-focused English-language books.", "Early titles use an explicit 'First edition'/'First printing' statement and a dated printing-history block rather than a number line — the verifiable example of the Michener-edited 'Hokusai Sketch-Books' (First Edition 1958, with later printings in 1959) illustrates the pattern.", "Nephew Eric Oey, founder of Periplus Editions, took over as publisher in 1996; the house now sits within the Periplus Publishing Group, and later titles use conventional number lines.", "Many Tuttle books are reprints or translations of classics, so the original-work date versus the Tuttle first-edition date is the key point of confusion." ], "era": "1948–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tuumba-press", "name": "Tuumba Press", "slug": "tuumba-press", "region": "Willits / Berkeley, California (Lyn Hejinian)", "imprints": [ "Tuumba Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1976-1984: a defined, finite run of 50 numbered chapbooks (Tuumba 1 through Tuumba 50), published between August 1976 and September 1984. Identification = the TUUMBA SERIES NUMBER plus the printer/limitation statement. The pamphlets are staple-bound.", "Tuumba 1-10 were printed by Willits Printing (a commercial shop); Tuumba 12-50 were printed hand letterpress by Lyn Hejinian herself — the printer attribution segments the run and is a key collation point.", "The letterpress numbers were issued in small editions (commonly cited around a few hundred copies), some with decorative letterpress covers. There is no number line — the series is single-edition, so a matching copy is the first.", "Because the press is a finite, well-documented 50-number series (digitized in the Eclipse archive), completeness and the Tuumba number anchor identification; reprints essentially do not exist." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1976 by Lyn Hejinian; a foundational Language poetry imprint. The series ran from 'A Thought Is the Bride of What Thinking' (Aug 1976) to 'The Guard' (Sept 1984), both by Hejinian.", "Authors include Susan Howe, Ron Silliman, Bob Perelman, Charles Bernstein, Barrett Watten, Rae Armantrout, Larry Eigner, Kit Robinson, Michael Palmer, Alice Notley, Clark Coolidge, Kathleen Fraser, Bruce Andrews, and others.", "Stapling (rather than fine binding) was a deliberate accessibility choice, in keeping with Hejinian's wish that the books arrive 'in the mode of news.'", "The complete 50-number run is a recognized collecting target; the Eclipse archive digitizes the series." ], "era": "1976-1984" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/twelve-books", "name": "Twelve", "slug": "twelve-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Twelve" ], "idMethods": [ "First printing carries a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1; the presence of the 1 confirms a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonfiction-leaning imprint founded by Jonathan Karp in 2005, originally publishing roughly one title per month (hence the name). Launched under the Warner Books division, which was renamed Grand Central Publishing in 2007.", "Now part of Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group; follows standard Hachette/GCP number-line conventions." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/twelvetrees-press", "name": "Twelvetrees Press (historic)", "slug": "twelvetrees-press", "region": "US (Pasadena/Altadena, Los Angeles area, CA)", "imprints": [ "Twelvetrees Press" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon is definitive: it states the press, year, and edition, and for limited issues a numbered limitation, often signed by the photographer.", "Fine-press, small-run productions — most titles are single-printing, so the colophon limitation/edition line is the key identifier.", "Deluxe issues with a tipped-in or boxed original print are separate, higher states recorded in the colophon." ], "notablePoints": [ "Twelvetrees Press is the 1980s fine-press imprint of Jack Woody (named for his grandmother, silent-screen actress Helen Twelvetrees) that evolved into Twin Palms Publishers after Woody relocated to Santa Fe. Original Twelvetrees-imprint firsts are distinct from later Twin Palms reissues of the same titles.", "The press published early monographs by photographers such as Joel-Peter Witkin, Robert Mapplethorpe, George Platt Lynes, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber; the first book was Christopher Isherwood's 'October' (1980).", "Confirm the imprint name on the title or colophon page to distinguish a Twelvetrees first from a Twin Palms reissue." ], "era": "1980–c.1991" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/twin-palms-twelvetrees", "name": "Twin Palms Publishers / Twelvetrees Press", "slug": "twin-palms-twelvetrees", "region": "US (Santa Fe, NM; formerly Pasadena, CA)", "imprints": [ "Twin Palms Publishers", "Twelvetrees Press (earlier imprint, from 1981)", "Twin Palms (trade)", "Twin Palms limited/deluxe editions" ], "idMethods": [ "The colophon is the defining page: Twin Palms/Twelvetrees books are fine-press, small-run productions, and the colophon states the edition, the printing, the press, and often the print-run size.", "Limited editions: the colophon gives a numbered limitation (e.g. 'one of 35' / 'one of 100'), signed by the artist, frequently housed in a clamshell box with an original gelatin-silver print; that signed/numbered colophon defines the limited issue.", "Trade (open) edition first printings: colophon with first-printing year and no reprint statement; many titles had only a single printing.", "Reissues/reprints are stated, and a later reissue is a distinct edition from the original Twelvetrees printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded and run by Jack Woody, who established Twelvetrees Press in 1981 (named after Hollywood actress Helen Twelvetrees, his grandmother); the house later operated as Twin Palms Publishers, so the imprint name distinguishes early (Twelvetrees) from later (Twin Palms) issues, and some titles exist in both.", "Print runs are small and many key titles (Robert Mapplethorpe, Joel-Peter Witkin, George Platt Lynes, Bruce Weber) are single-printing; scarcity is the rule and the colophon limitation is load-bearing.", "Deluxe variants with tipped-in or boxed signed prints are separate issues from the standard hardcover of the same title." ], "era": "1981–present (Twelvetrees Press 1981 onward; Twin Palms thereafter)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/two-dollar-radio", "name": "Two Dollar Radio", "slug": "two-dollar-radio", "region": "Columbus, OH (US)", "imprints": [ "Two Dollar Radio Moving Pictures" ], "idMethods": [ "When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' / 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page.", "If a number line is present, the printing is read from the lowest number shown rather than from the line's direction; many small-press titles carry no number line at all, in which case rely on the stated printing and known issue points.", "Later printings revise the printing statement or drop the lowest number." ], "notablePoints": [ "Family-run press founded 2005 by Eric Obenauf and Eliza Jane Wood-Obenauf (with Brian Obenauf), based in Columbus, OH; the Obenaufs also run Two Dollar Radio Headquarters, a bookstore/café in Columbus.", "Acquired by Seven Stories Press in April 2025 as its fourth imprint while remaining editorially independent (Obenauf stays as publisher); post-2025 copyright pages may add a Seven Stories imprint/distribution line that does not change the first-printing rule.", "Small print runs make firsts scarce; no per-house convention is documented in the standard references, so treat the above as the modern trade default. Medium confidence." ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/tyndale-house", "name": "Tyndale House Publishers", "slug": "tyndale-house", "region": "Carol Stream (formerly Wheaton), Illinois, USA", "imprints": [ "Tyndale Momentum", "Tyndale Kids", "Tyndale Espanol", "NavPress (distributed)", "Tyndale Bibles (NLT publisher)" ], "idMethods": [ "1962-1970s: founded 1962 by Kenneth N. Taylor to publish his paraphrase, beginning with Living Letters (the Epistles, 1962). Early titles: copyright year and absence of a reprint notice indicate a first printing; printing statements appear inconsistently. The Living Bible appeared in sections before the complete edition (1971), so collectors track the staged editions.", "1970s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines, with later printings noted. The Living Bible was printed in vast quantities, so first printings are common.", "1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing. Tyndale typically prints a year line plus an impression line; presence of 1 in the impression line indicates a first printing.", "1996-present: publisher of the New Living Translation (NLT, 1996); Bible editions carry separate text-edition and printing codes." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1962 by Kenneth N. Taylor; the name honors Bible translator William Tyndale. Began by publishing Taylor's own paraphrase, which grew into The Living Bible (complete 1971).", "Publisher of the Left Behind series (LaHaye/Jenkins), launched with 'Left Behind' in December 1995 — enormous print runs, so firsts are not scarce; points and jackets matter for the early volumes.", "Publisher of the New Living Translation (NLT) since 1996.", "Do not confuse with Tyndale House, Cambridge — a British biblical-studies research institute, a different entity sharing the same namesake." ], "era": "1962-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ubc-press", "name": "UBC Press (University of British Columbia Press)", "slug": "ubc-press", "region": "Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada", "imprints": [ "UBC Press", "On Point Press (trade non-fiction, launched 2016)", "Purich Books (Indigenous studies/law; assets of Purich Publishing acquired 2015)", "Pacific Educational Press", "On Campus" ], "idMethods": [ "1971-c.1990: Copyright page reads '© The University of British Columbia Press [year]' with 'Printed in Canada' and a Canadian CIP block; a first printing is identified by the matching year and the absence of any reprint statement. Note the press's books carried the 'UBC Press' wording only from 1990 onward.", "c.1990-present: A descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing) accompanies '© UBC Press [year]' and full ISBN/CIP data; many titles list separate cloth and paper ISBNs. A complete line ending in 1 with no 'Reprinted' note indicates a first printing. The number line follows the standard scholarly-press convention rather than a house-specific published rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1971 as a successor to the University of British Columbia Publications Centre (1961); a leading Canadian scholarly press in political science, law, Indigenous studies, and environmental history.", "Purich Books originates from Purich Publishing (founded 1992 by Don Purich and Karen Bolstad); UBC Press acquired its assets in 2015. On Point Press is the trade imprint launched in 2016. The imprint name therefore helps date a title.", "The reliable Canadian CIP block from the 1970s on makes printing-state calls relatively straightforward for this house." ], "era": "1971-present (grew out of the University's Publications Centre, est. 1961; UBC Press imprint name used since 1990)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ugly-duckling-presse", "name": "Ugly Duckling Presse", "slug": "ugly-duckling-presse", "region": "USA (Brooklyn, New York)", "imprints": [ "Lost Literature Series", "Eastern European Poets Series", "Dossier Series", "Señal (with BOMB / Libros Antena)" ], "idMethods": [ "Colophon-driven: most UDP books carry a rear colophon that states the edition size (often 'printed in an edition of N copies') and frequently a printing statement; the colophon is the primary identifier.", "Letterpress covers and handmade elements are characteristic, and many editions are limited, with the colophon giving the print run.", "Trade offset titles may carry a number line, where the lowest digit is the printing; chapbooks and full-length books are typically single-state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Volunteer-run nonprofit editorial collective in Brooklyn that grew out of a 1990s zine; has published well over 500 titles (catalog now in the mid-500s).", "A craft and letterpress house, so identification lives in the colophon rather than a number line.", "Limited or numbered states exist for many titles; a numbered colophon copy is a distinct collectible from any unnumbered trade state, and the colophon disambiguates titles that exist in multiple physical states." ], "era": "1993-present (books from late 1990s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/underwood-miller", "name": "Underwood-Miller", "slug": "underwood-miller", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Underwood-Miller", "Underwood Books (later, Tim Underwood)", "Chuck Miller (later separate ventures)" ], "idMethods": [ "Editions identified by the limitation/colophon statement: many titles issued in trade plus signed/numbered and sometimes lettered states — the limitation leaf gives the run", "First printings indicated by absence of later-printing notation; the publisher's name 'Underwood-Miller' (joint era) vs. later solo imprints helps date the state", "Match correct binding/slipcase as specified for the limited issue" ], "notablePoints": [ "Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller partnership (c.1976–early 1990s); definitive collectible hardcovers of Jack Vance, Philip K. Dick, Roger Zelazny, Stephen King nonfiction", "After the partnership dissolved, Underwood and Miller continued separately (Underwood Books; Miller's later imprints) — joint 'Underwood-Miller' imprint marks the classic era", "The Jack Vance hardcovers are especially sought; verify signed/numbered limitation state via the colophon" ], "era": "c.1976–1994 (joint imprint)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/us-government-printing-office", "name": "United States Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office)", "slug": "us-government-printing-office", "region": "Washington, D.C., USA", "imprints": [ "U.S. Government Printing/Publishing Office", "Superintendent of Documents" ], "idMethods": [ "1861-present: government documents do NOT follow trade first-edition conventions. There is generally no printer's-key number line and no trade 'First edition' statement. Identify and date a document by its issuing agency, series, and year, and by the SuDoc (Superintendent of Documents) classification number, which is provenance-based (arranged by issuing agency) rather than subject-based.", "Editions/printings of a recurring title (reports, regulations) are distinguished by the printing year and any 'edition' or 'revised' note on the title page or cover, plus the GPO printing identifier sometimes printed at the foot of a page.", "Congressional documents are identified by Congress number, session, and document/report number rather than by a printing key.", "For collectible government items (early NASA, USGS, exploration, and war reports), the first issue is established bibliographically by year, agency, and document number; later reprintings carry a later year or a revised-edition note." ], "notablePoints": [ "The SuDoc number is the canonical identifier, arranged by issuing agency (provenance-based classification developed c.1895).", "No trade number line; rely on agency + series + year + document number.", "The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) is the bibliographic finding tool of record.", "Reprints and revised editions are common for regulatory and recurring titles — check the year and any 'revised' statement." ], "era": "1861-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-alaska-press", "name": "University of Alaska Press", "slug": "university-of-alaska-press", "region": "Fairbanks, Alaska", "imprints": [ "University of Alaska Press", "Snowy Owl Books", "Classic Reprint Series" ], "idMethods": [ "1987-present: The University of Alaska's scholarly and regional press (Fairbanks). First printings of scholarly titles typically carry no number line; identify a first by a copyright year matching the publication year and the absence of any later-printing or revised-edition statement. As with most university presses, many titles see only a single printing.", "Trade and general-audience titles, including the Snowy Owl Books imprint, may carry a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit indicates the printing) and an explicit 'First printing' statement; treat the lowest number present as the printing indicator.", "Distribution tell: since 2021 the press's list has been distributed through the University Press of Colorado consortium, so a distribution notice naming University Press of Colorado on the copyright page postdates the original 1987-2020 imprint state and points to a 2021-or-later printing or distribution." ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1987 as the University of Alaska's scholarly press, focused on Alaska, the Arctic, Indigenous languages, and circumpolar regions.", "Snowy Owl Books is its general-audience imprint (children's books, guidebooks, fiction, poetry) on Alaska and the North.", "Small print runs and remote subject matter make many titles scarce regardless of printing.", "Joined the University Press of Colorado distribution consortium in 2021; a separately named Snowy Owl Books listing also appears under that consortium, so confirm the Alaska imprint when disambiguating." ], "era": "1987-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-alberta-press", "name": "University of Alberta Press", "slug": "university-of-alberta-press", "region": "Edmonton, Alberta, Canada", "imprints": [ "University of Alberta Press", "Robert Kroetsch Series (Canadian creative writing, fiction and poetry)", "Wayfarer (literary travel narratives)" ], "idMethods": [ "1969-c.1995: Copyright page reads '© The University of Alberta Press [year]' with 'Printed in Canada'; a first printing is keyed by the matching year, the Canadian CIP block, and the absence of any reprint statement.", "c.1995-present: The copyright page carries a descending number line (lowest digit = printing) plus '© [year]' and full ISBN/CIP data; a complete line ending in 1 with no reprint note indicates a first printing. This follows the standard scholarly-press number-line convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1969 as a department of the University of Alberta; strengths in natural history, Indigenous studies, and Canadian poetry and creative writing.", "Print runs are small, so true first printings of literary titles are scarce; the CIP block and number line are the practical tells.", "The press sometimes co-publishes or distributes through larger Canadian houses, so the imprint of record should be verified on the copyright page." ], "era": "1969-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-arizona-press", "name": "University of Arizona Press", "slug": "university-arizona-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 978-0-8165", "Negative-evidence on 1959–early-1970s titles", "Number line consistently from c.1985" ], "notablePoints": [ "Successor volumes (e.g., Asteroids → Asteroids II) are new works, not revised editions of the original." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-california-press", "name": "University of California Press", "slug": "university-of-california-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Luminos (open access)", "California Studies series", "Ahmanson-Murphy Fine Arts (distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings state 'First Edition' or carry the copyright line alone with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are noted on the copyright page.", "Modern UC Press titles use a number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.", "Revised editions give the original and revised publication dates." ], "notablePoints": [ "Like most academic presses, UC Press historically denoted LATER printings rather than stamping the first — absence of a reprint notice is the working signal for older books.", "Many UC Press regional/natural-history titles are reprinted repeatedly with the same copyright year; use the number line.", "Luminos titles are open-access digital-first — print copies are print-on-demand and not collectible 'first printings' in the traditional sense." ], "era": "1893–present (number lines standard later 20th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-chicago-press", "name": "University of Chicago Press", "slug": "university-of-chicago-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Phoenix Books", "Midway Reprints", "University of Chicago Press / distributed presses" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page typically prints a sequence of edition/printing/year codes. Older Chicago books show two date rows: a row of EDITION years and a row of IMPRESSION/printing years; the earliest impression year present indicates the printing date — later printings strip the earliest figures.", "Statement of printing: e.g., 'Published 19xx' / 'First Edition' on first printings; 'Second Impression,' 'Third Impression' for later runs.", "Modern Chicago titles use a number line on the copyright page; a line including '1' = first printing.", "Chicago's own house style (the Chicago Manual) prescribes the impression-line format, so its books are unusually consistent — read the impression line at the foot of the copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "The distinctive Chicago 'impression year' line (a row of years, lowest = current printing) is the key tell on mid-20th-century books and can be confused with a number line — read it as impression dates, not a 1-10 sequence.", "Phoenix Books (from 1956) and Midway Reprints are paperback/reprint lines — not first printings of the original cloth first edition.", "Chicago publishes many heavily revised reference works (e.g., the Chicago Manual of Style itself); each 'edition' is numbered and dated — match the edition number to the first." ], "era": "1891–present (impression-line style mid-20th c.; number lines later)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-georgia-press", "name": "University of Georgia Press", "slug": "university-of-georgia-press", "region": "US (Athens, Georgia)", "imprints": [ "University of Georgia Press", "Brown Thrasher Books (paperback reprint line for Georgia and Southern classics)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint history; later printings add printing-year lines or an explicit paperback-edition statement.", "Pre-number-line titles (the Press was founded in 1938) carry no first-edition statement, so use the matching-year plus no-reprint-notice test." ], "notablePoints": [ "Brown Thrasher Books is the Press's imprint for reprints of Georgia and Southern classics, so a Brown Thrasher issue is not the first edition of a cloth original.", "Publishes the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction series, established in 1983, whose volumes are collectible literary firsts identified by the terminating-1 number line.", "Oldest and largest publishing house in Georgia, with a strong Southern literature and history list." ], "era": "1938-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-hawaii-press", "name": "University of Hawaii Press", "slug": "university-of-hawaii-press", "region": "US (Honolulu, Hawaii)", "imprints": [ "University of Hawai'i Press", "Kolowalu Books (regional/Pacific imprint)", "Latitude 20 (regional imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing list.", "Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint notices; the absence of such a notice is the first-printing signal." ], "notablePoints": [ "Kolowalu Books and Latitude 20 are both genuine University of Hawai'i Press imprints for Hawaii and Pacific regional trade titles; they are sub-imprints, not separate houses.", "Founded in 1947; strong Asian and Pacific studies list, with the press name styled 'University of Hawai'i Press' on modern imprints.", "Standard academic number-line conventions apply; sparsely documented in collector guides, so use the single-year plus no-reprint-notice test." ], "era": "1947-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-illinois-press", "name": "University of Illinois Press", "slug": "university-of-illinois-press", "region": "US (Urbana/Champaign, Illinois)", "imprints": [ "University of Illinois Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint history; later printings add a printing-year line or an explicit later-edition statement.", "Pre-number-line titles (the Press was founded in 1918) carry no first-edition statement, so use the matching-year plus no-reprint-notice test.", "Cloth and paper bindings are often issued together; each binding may carry its own number line, so a paperback line terminating in 1 only marks the first paperback printing, which is not necessarily the first edition if a cloth issue preceded it." ], "notablePoints": [ "Cloth and paper editions are frequently issued simultaneously, so verify which binding came first before treating a terminating-1 line as the true first edition.", "Strong music, sport history, communications, and labor history lists.", "When a letter or code appears alongside the number line, it may denote a printing, manufacturer, or binding detail rather than the edition; do not assume it confirms a first without corroboration." ], "era": "1918-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-iowa-press", "name": "University of Iowa Press", "slug": "university-of-iowa-press", "region": "US (Iowa City, Iowa)", "imprints": [ "University of Iowa Press", "Bur Oak Books (regional/natural-history imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint list.", "Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Iowa's only university press; publishes the Iowa Short Fiction Award and Iowa Poetry Prize series, whose collectible literary firsts follow the terminating-1 number-line rule.", "Bur Oak Books is the regional Great Plains natural-history sub-imprint, named for Iowa's state tree.", "Smaller list; standard academic conventions, thin points documentation." ], "era": "1969-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-massachusetts-press", "name": "University of Massachusetts Press", "slug": "university-of-massachusetts-press", "region": "US (Amherst, Massachusetts)", "imprints": [ "University of Massachusetts Press", "Bright Leaf (regional New England trade imprint, launched 2017)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.", "First printings state a single year with no reprint list.", "Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint notices." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1963; the scholarly press of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.", "Bright Leaf is the press's regional New England trade imprint, launched in 2017; it is a sub-imprint, not a separate house.", "Publishes the Juniper Prize series (poetry since 1975, fiction since 2004, creative nonfiction since 2018), whose collectible literary firsts follow the terminating-1 number-line rule." ], "era": "1963-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-michigan-press", "name": "University of Michigan Press", "slug": "university-of-michigan-press", "region": "US (Ann Arbor, Michigan)", "imprints": [ "University of Michigan Press", "Ann Arbor Paperbacks (paperback reprint series, begun 1954; now inactive)", "Sweetwater Fiction (regional literary imprint, with Originals and Reintroductions lines)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating '1' indicates the first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing or impression list.", "Ann Arbor Paperbacks reissues note the original cloth date alongside the reprint year and are not first editions of the original work." ], "notablePoints": [ "Ann Arbor Paperbacks (launched 1954 under Fred Wieck) is a long-running reprint series, now inactive; its presence signals a paperback reprint, not a first edition.", "Strong English-language teaching, classics, and political science lists, with frequent revised editions of textbooks.", "For pre-number-line backlist, rely on the matching single copyright year plus the absence of any reprint notice." ], "era": "1930-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-minnesota-press", "name": "University of Minnesota Press", "slug": "university-of-minnesota-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Univocal", "Posthumanities series", "Quadrant" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page carries a number line on modern titles ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); lowest number present = printing, '1' = first printing.", "First printings otherwise show only the copyright line; later printings/editions are noted.", "Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Strong critical-theory and translation list (Deleuze, Theory and History of Literature series); many translations are reprinted — check the number line.", "Standard academic convention; number line is the most reliable modern signal." ], "era": "1925–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-missouri-press", "name": "University of Missouri Press", "slug": "university-of-missouri-press", "region": "Columbia, Missouri", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1958–c.1975: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line.", "c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.", "Paperback reissues/reprints state the new printing year; distinguish a later printing from the original cloth first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1958 by William Peden of the university's English Department; lists in Mark Twain and Langston Hughes studies, American literature, journalism, and Missouri/Midwest regional history.", "Slated for closure in 2012 amid budget cuts, but reversed after public protest and restructured under the university system — publishing continued.", "Smaller regional/scholarly list; many titles do not reach a second printing." ], "era": "1958–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-nebraska-press", "name": "University of Nebraska Press", "slug": "university-of-nebraska-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Bison Books", "Bison Classic Editions", "Potomac Books", "Jewish Publication Society (JPS, distributed)" ], "idMethods": [ "Copyright page states 'First Nebraska printing' / 'First printing: 19xx' and lists later Bison/Nebraska printings; absence of a later-printing line = first printing of that edition.", "Modern titles carry a number line; '1' present = first printing.", "Reprints of older works state the original publication date and the 'First Bison Books printing' date." ], "notablePoints": [ "CRITICAL: Bison Books (founded 1961) is largely a REPRINT/paperback imprint of Western Americana and previously published works — a Bison Books copy is typically NOT the first edition of the work; its copyright page will say 'First Bison Books printing 19xx' under an earlier original copyright. Collect the original cloth first edition, not the Bison reissue, unless the Bison printing IS the first appearance.", "Bison Classic Editions are explicitly reissues.", "Potomac Books (military/intelligence/sports) was acquired by Nebraska and may show pre-Nebraska printing history." ], "era": "1941–present (Bison imprint 1961–present)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-nevada-press", "name": "University of Nevada Press", "slug": "university-of-nevada-press", "region": "US (Reno, NV)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Full descending number line with '1' present indicates the first printing.", "First printing has a clean copyright page with no reprint or later-printing history.", "Later printings are denoted by added impression statements or a revised number line, where the lowest surviving number gives the printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1961 by Robert Laxalt; strong regional Great Basin and Western Americana list, plus the Basque Book Series.", "As with most academic presses, older titles may carry only a copyright date with no first-printing statement, so identification rests on the absence of reprint notices." ], "era": "1961-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/unm-press", "name": "University of New Mexico Press", "slug": "unm-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 978-0-8263", "Negative-evidence (no later-printing language) on pre-1970 titles", "Number line from c.1980" ], "notablePoints": [ "When a hardcover and a simultaneous paperback exist (standard from the mid-1970s), the hardcover in dust jacket is the collector's first.", "A “Revised and expanded edition” (e.g., deBuys's Enchantment and Exploitation) is a separate collecting object, not a reprint." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-north-carolina-press", "name": "University of North Carolina Press", "slug": "university-of-north-carolina-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "UNC Press Enduring Editions", "H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series", "John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are stated on the copyright page. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.", "Copyright page commonly prints a manufacturing/printing line; the lowest figure indicates the printing.", "Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Enduring Editions are print-on-demand reissues of backlist titles — not first printings.", "Strong Southern history/Civil War list; many titles reprint frequently with an unchanged copyright year — use the number line.", "Standard academic later-printing-noted convention for older books." ], "era": "1922–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-notre-dame-press", "name": "University of Notre Dame Press", "slug": "university-of-notre-dame-press", "region": "US (Notre Dame, IN)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.", "First printing copyright page lists the copyright year with no later-printing notices.", "Later printings add impression statements to the copyright page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1949; major Catholic studies, theology, philosophy, and medieval studies list; describes itself as the largest Catholic university press.", "Some titles are co-published or distributed for other houses, so check the copyright page for the originating press's conventions.", "Older titles may omit explicit first-printing wording." ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-oklahoma-press", "name": "University of Oklahoma Press", "slug": "university-oklahoma-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefix 0-8061", "Interlocked OU monogram", "Number line (1970s+)", "Edition statements / printing history (older titles)" ], "notablePoints": [ "Home of the Civilization of the American Indian series (250+ volumes from 1932) and the Western Frontier Library — popular titles reprint often." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-pennsylvania-press", "name": "University of Pennsylvania Press", "slug": "university-of-pennsylvania-press", "region": "US (Philadelphia, PA)", "imprints": [ "Pine Street Books (paperback reprint imprint)", "Haney Foundation Series" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern trade and scholarly titles: full descending number line; lowest digit '1' present indicates a first printing", "First printing copyright page carries no later-impression or reprint statements", "Later printings add printing/impression statements; revised editions are stated as such" ], "notablePoints": [ "Incorporated 1890; among the oldest US university press imprints", "Pine Street Books is the paperback reprint line, so a 'First Pine Street Books edition' marks a later paperback issue, not the original first edition", "As with most university presses, older titles may lack explicit first-printing wording, so judge by the absence of reprint notices rather than the presence of an 'First Edition' line" ], "era": "1890-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-pittsburgh-press", "name": "University of Pittsburgh Press", "slug": "university-of-pittsburgh-press", "region": "US (Pittsburgh, PA)", "imprints": [ "Pitt Poetry Series", "Drue Heinz Literature Prize (series)", "Pitt Series in Russian and East European Studies" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing", "First printing copyright page shows no later-printing history", "Pitt Poetry Series and Drue Heinz Prize titles follow the same number-line convention; first printings matter most for prize and poetry collectibility, so confirm the line carries '1'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1936; the Pitt Poetry Series (launched 1968) is heavily collected, including early Ted Kooser, Larry Levis, and Toi Derricotte, so verify the number line carries '1'", "Drue Heinz Literature Prize short-fiction volumes (prize initiated 1981) are sought-after firsts", "Later printings of popular poetry titles retain the original copyright year, so rely on the number line rather than the date" ], "era": "1936-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/pitt-poetry-series", "name": "University of Pittsburgh Press — Pitt Poetry Series", "slug": "pitt-poetry-series", "region": "USA (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)", "imprints": [ "Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize", "Donald Hall Prize in Poetry (with AWP)", "Cave Canem Poetry Prize" ], "idMethods": [ "University-press convention: number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.", "Hardcover and simultaneous trade-paperback issues are common — distinguish the clothbound first from the simultaneous paperback (same printing, different binding).", "The 'Pitt Poetry Series' designation on the copyright leaf places the title within the series." ], "notablePoints": [ "Series established 1968 by press director Frederick A. Hetzel and editor Paul Zimmer, with early funding via the A. W. Mellon trust and the International Poetry Forum; one of the most prestigious American poetry series.", "General editors: Paul Zimmer (1968–1978), Ed Ochester (1979–2021), Terrance Hayes (2021–present). The named prizes are real: the Starrett Prize and Cave Canem Prize are Pitt-published; the Donald Hall Prize is sponsored by AWP and published by the Press.", "Simultaneous cloth-plus-paper issuance is the main collecting nuance — the cloth issue is usually the priority state; verify both binding state and the number line." ], "era": "1968–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-queensland-press", "name": "University of Queensland Press (UQP)", "slug": "university-of-queensland-press", "region": "Australia (Brisbane, QLD)", "imprints": [ "UQP", "Paperback Poets (series)", "Black Australian Writers / First Nations Classics (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "The copyright page states 'First published [year] by University of Queensland Press' for a first printing; no 'Reprinted' lines beneath indicate a first impression.", "Later printings add 'Reprinted [year]' lines; the publication-year statement matching the copyright year with no reprint line is the first-printing tell.", "Original wrappers/jackets and SBN/ISBN format help date a copy: pre-1970 imprints predate ISBNs, and Paperback Poets volumes are identified by series number plus the absence of a reprint notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1948 as the scholarly publishing arm of the University of Queensland; moved into trade/literary publishing in the late 1960s, with the Paperback Poets series (instigated by David Malouf) launched in 1970.", "Published the first books of Peter Carey, David Malouf, Kate Grenville, Rodney Hall, Olga Masters, Roger McDonald, Murray Bail and Marion Halligan — these UQP firsts are key collectible points; e.g. Malouf's 'Bicycle and Other Poems', one of the three 1970 Paperback Poets launch titles.", "Paperback Poets volumes were issued in card wrappers; the condition of those fragile wrappers is the main value driver. A few early poetry titles exist in both wrappered and (rarely) cloth states." ], "era": "1948–present (trade publishing since the late 1960s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-tennessee-press", "name": "University of Tennessee Press", "slug": "university-of-tennessee-press", "region": "US (Knoxville, TN)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing", "A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing lines", "Later printings add an impression or printing statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1940 by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees; lists in Appalachian studies, Southern history, African American studies, and material culture", "Older titles may lack explicit first-printing wording, so apply the usual academic-press caveat and corroborate with bibliographic detail" ], "era": "1940-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-texas-press", "name": "University of Texas Press", "slug": "university-of-texas-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Texas Pan American Series", "Jack and Doris Smothers Series", "Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Series in Latin American and Latino Art and Culture" ], "idMethods": [ "First printings state 'First Edition' (or 'First edition, 19xx') on the copyright page on many titles, or carry the copyright line alone; later printings/editions are noted.", "Modern UT Press titles use a number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.", "Revised/expanded editions are dated and numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Strong Latin American, Texana, film, and Mexican-American studies lists; many regional titles reprint frequently with an unchanged copyright year — rely on the number line or 'first edition' statement, not the copyright date.", "Standard academic later-printing-noted convention for pre-number-line books." ], "era": "1950–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-texas-press", "name": "University of Texas Press", "slug": "university-texas-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "University of Texas Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Scholarly-press identification: 'First edition' stated on copyright page; number line (often printing-over-year double line) where present, first printing shows 1 and earliest year", "Austin, TX, founded 1950; Latin American studies, Texana, Western/borderlands, film", "Distinguish edition (content) from printing; revised editions stated explicitly" ], "notablePoints": [ "Long-lived scholarly titles reach many printings; the printing row of the number line is the tell", "Borderlands/Chicano studies and Latin American titles are the notable collecting areas; identification is conventional scholarly-press", "No proprietary house key" ], "era": "1950–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-tokyo-press", "name": "University of Tokyo Press", "slug": "university-of-tokyo-press", "region": "Tokyo, Japan", "imprints": [ "University of Tokyo Press", "Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai (東京大学出版会)" ], "idMethods": [ "Japanese-language titles (1951-present): identify the printing from the colophon (奥付, okuzuke) on the final leaf rather than a western copyright page. The colophon gives the edition and impression as 第1版第1刷 ('1st edition, 1st impression') beside the issue date (発行); a first printing shows 第1刷 with the earliest 発行 date. Any higher impression number (第2刷, 第3刷, etc.) is a later printing.", "English-language / Western titles (earliest years onward): the Press was a pioneer of English-language academic publishing in Asia and uses a western copyright page for these — 'First published [year] by University of Tokyo Press' with the copyright year. A first printing is keyed by that year and the absence of any reprint note; some later-period titles add a number line, lowest digit present indicating the printing.", "Cross-check: for Japanese titles always read the okuzuke — the 版 (edition) and 刷 (impression) figures with the 発行 (issue) date are the authoritative first-printing tells. ISBNs appear on the colophon from the 1980s onward and help date later printings but do not by themselves establish a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1951 as 東京大学出版会 (Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai), the University of Tokyo's own press; a member of the Association of University Presses.", "A pioneer of English-language scholarly publishing in Asia, issuing English titles from its earliest years alongside its large Japanese list.", "The Japanese colophon convention (奥付) differs fundamentally from a western copyright page; 第1版第1刷 is the key first-edition/first-impression marker.", "English-language titles are often co-distributed abroad, so a foreign co-publisher may issue its own separate western first." ], "era": "1951-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-toronto-press", "name": "University of Toronto Press", "slug": "university-of-toronto-press", "region": "Canada (Toronto, ON)", "imprints": [ "Aevo UTP", "UTP Higher Education", "Rotman-UTP Publishing" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line, '1' present = first printing", "First printing copyright page states copyright/first-publication year with NO later-printing or revised-edition lines", "Later printings/revised editions add explicit statements; reprints note 'Reprinted YYYY'" ], "notablePoints": [ "Oldest and largest scholarly publisher in Canada (founded 1901; first books issued 1911); major collected editions include 'The Collected Works of Erasmus' and 'The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill' (33 volumes, 1963-1991) — multi-volume sets where each volume's first printing must be checked individually", "Canadian academic-press printing conventions mirror US academic number-line practice", "Older titles may lack any explicit first-printing statement — rely on absence of reprint notices" ], "era": "1901-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-utah-press", "name": "University of Utah Press", "slug": "university-of-utah-press", "region": "US (Salt Lake City, UT)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing", "A first printing shows a copyright page without reprint history", "Later printings add an impression or printing statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1949, the oldest university press in Utah and a division of the J. Willard Marriott Library", "Strong lists in Great Basin archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, and Western and Mormon-studies history", "Older titles may lack explicit first-printing wording, so apply the usual academic-press caveat" ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-virginia-press", "name": "University of Virginia Press", "slug": "university-of-virginia-press", "region": "US (Charlottesville, VA)", "imprints": [ "Rotunda (digital imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing", "A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing notices", "Later printings add an impression statement", "The publisher name on the title and copyright page helps date the printing era: 'University Press of Virginia' through 2001 versus 'University of Virginia Press' from 2002 onward" ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1963 as the University Press of Virginia; renamed University of Virginia Press in 2002", "Known for Jefferson and early-American documentary editions and Southern literature and history", "Rotunda is the digital-publishing imprint and is not relevant to identifying print first editions" ], "era": "1963-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-wales-press", "name": "University of Wales Press", "slug": "university-of-wales-press", "region": "Cardiff, Wales (UK)", "imprints": [ "University of Wales Press", "Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru (Welsh-language imprint name)", "Gwasg Gomer (occasional co-publisher)" ], "idMethods": [ "1922-c.1990: Standard British copyright-page convention; many titles are bilingual or Welsh-language. First printing: 'First published [year]' or the Welsh 'Argraffiad cyntaf [year]' (first edition/impression) with no reprint note, and '© University of Wales Press / Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru'. Later printings note 'Reprinted [year]' or the Welsh 'Ailargraffwyd [year]'.", "c.1990-present: 'First published [year]' plus a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression) and an ISBN/copyright block; bilingual imprint statement common. The Welsh 'Argraffiad cyntaf' is the equivalent first-edition/first-impression tell." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1922 as a central service of the federal University of Wales (recommended by the 1918 Haldane Royal Commission); based in Cardiff with a backlist of over 3,500 titles.", "Bilingual imprint: 'Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru' is the same publisher; the Welsh 'Argraffiad cyntaf' means first edition/impression and 'Ailargraffwyd' means reprinted — key Welsh-language tells.", "Strong in Welsh and Celtic studies, Welsh history, literary studies, and medieval studies." ], "era": "1922-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-washington-press", "name": "University of Washington Press", "slug": "university-of-washington-press", "region": "US (Seattle, WA)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing", "A first printing shows a copyright page without later-printing lines", "Later printings add an explicit printing statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "Established 1915 as a division of the University of Washington; its first book appeared in 1920", "Major lists in Pacific Northwest, Asian American, and Native American art and studies", "Distributes for several regional and museum presses, so a distributed title follows the originating press's first-edition convention rather than the press's own", "Named endowments and series such as the McLellan books fund and the Samuel and Althea Stroum Lectures in Jewish Studies are funding or series designations, not separate publishing imprints with their own first-edition rules" ], "era": "1915-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-of-wisconsin-press", "name": "University of Wisconsin Press", "slug": "university-of-wisconsin-press", "region": "US (Madison, WI)", "imprints": [ "Terrace Books (regional trade imprint)", "Popular Press (acquired from Bowling Green)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern: full descending number line, '1' present = first printing", "First printing copyright page free of later-printing history", "Later printings add impression statements" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1936; strong LGBTQ studies, Southeast Asian studies, and regional Wisconsin lists", "Terrace Books is the trade imprint named for the Memorial Union Terrace; the Bowling Green State University Popular Press (popular-culture studies, founded 1967) was acquired by UW Press in 2002", "Standard academic caveat: older titles may lack an explicit first-printing statement, so rely on absence of reprint notices" ], "era": "1936-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-press-of-kansas", "name": "University Press of Kansas", "slug": "university-press-of-kansas", "region": "US (Lawrence, Kansas)", "imprints": [ "University Press of Kansas" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.", "First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint history.", "Later printings add printing-year/impression lines." ], "notablePoints": [ "Consortium scholarly press for the Kansas Board of Regents universities; the imprint reads 'University Press of Kansas' (note 'Press of'), distinguishing it from a single-campus press.", "Strong presidential/political history and military history lists (American Presidency Series, Modern War Studies).", "Standard academic conventions; sparse points documentation." ], "era": "1946-present (consolidated 1976)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-press-of-kentucky", "name": "University Press of Kentucky", "slug": "university-press-of-kentucky", "region": "US (Lexington, Kentucky)", "imprints": [ "University Press of Kentucky", "Fireside Industries (regional Appalachian imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.", "First printings state a single year with no later-printing list.", "Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint statements." ], "notablePoints": [ "Consortium press for Kentucky's public universities and several private colleges and historical societies; the imprint reads 'University Press of Kentucky' (note 'Press of'). Organized in 1969 as successor to the University of Kentucky Press, with scholarly publishing sponsored since 1943.", "Strong film studies (Screen Classics series) and Appalachian/regional history; film-history firsts follow the terminating-1 rule.", "Fireside Industries is the press's Appalachian-literature imprint, a collaboration with Hindman Settlement School (launched 2018)." ], "era": "1943-present (consolidated 1969)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/university-press-of-mississippi", "name": "University Press of Mississippi (trade)", "slug": "university-press-of-mississippi", "region": "South (Jackson, Mississippi)", "imprints": [ "University Press of Mississippi", "Banner Books (literary reprint series)", "Muscadine Books (regional trade series)", "Willie Morris Books in Memoir and Biography (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "1970-1980s: Scholarly/trade convention - treat a first printing as a single copyright date with no later-printing or 'second printing' notation; the press generally did not print 'First Edition.' For the trade/regional list, a matching copyright date plus no printing statement is the practical first-printing tell.", "1980s-present: Standard academic-press practice - a number line on the copyright page in which the lowest number present indicates the printing (a '1' present indicates a first printing). Titles typically also state the year of first publication, and later printings or paperback editions are noted explicitly ('First paperback printing,' etc.).", "Banner Books (literary reprint imprint) and Muscadine Books (regional trade imprint): these are reprint/regional lines, so a Banner Books issue is usually NOT the first edition of the work - identify the original publisher for a true first; the Banner/Muscadine issue itself follows the press number-line convention for that specific printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1970; sponsored by Mississippi's eight state universities, with a substantial trade/regional list (Eudora Welty material, Mississippi history, blues, comics studies, folklore) alongside scholarly monographs.", "Banner Books revived out-of-print Southern literary works - a reprint imprint, a key caution for first-edition seekers.", "Nationally important for comics scholarship and music (blues/country) studies as well as Southern regional trade.", "Academic number-line practice means a present '1' is the cleanest first-printing signal." ], "era": "1970-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/unnamed-press", "name": "Unnamed Press", "slug": "unnamed-press", "region": "Los Angeles, CA (US)", "imprints": [ "Smith & Taylor Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' on the copyright page.", "If a number line is present, read the printing from the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Some titles may carry no number line, in which case rely on the stated printing.", "Later printings drop the lowest number or revise the statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Independent Los Angeles press co-founded in 2014 by Chris Heiser and Olivia Taylor Smith; Heiser has been publisher since founding. Smith moved to Simon & Schuster in 2022.", "Launched the Smith & Taylor Classics imprint in 2024 to reissue overlooked classics.", "Not individually documented in print bibliographies; the convention above is the modern US trade default applied to the house, not a verified house-specific rule. Medium confidence." ], "era": "2014–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/uwa-publishing", "name": "UWA Publishing (University of Western Australia Press)", "slug": "uwa-publishing", "region": "Australia (Perth, WA)", "imprints": [ "UWA Publishing", "UWAP", "UWAP Scholarly", "UWAP Poetry (from 2016)", "Cygnet (children's, from 1985)", "University of Western Australia Press (1948–2009 name)" ], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing the copyright page states 'First published [year] by UWA Publishing' (or 'University of Western Australia Press' before 2009), shows no reprint line, and the stated year matches the copyright year.", "Later printings add a 'Reprinted [year]' line; number lines are uncommon for this scholarly house, so the printed statement is the primary signal.", "Imprint-name era tell: 'Text Books Board' indicates 1935–1948, 'University of Western Australia Press' indicates 1948–2009, and 'UWA Publishing' indicates 2009 onward." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1935 as the Text Books Board; became University of Western Australia Press in 1948; renamed UWA Publishing in 2009.", "The University of Western Australia announced plans to close UWA Publishing in November 2019; the press nonetheless continued operating and remains active, so output around 2019–2020 may be thinner.", "UWAP Poetry (from 2016) is a significant Australian poetry list and the Cygnet children's imprint dates from 1985; the Dorothy Hewett Award (from 2015) is associated with the house." ], "era": "1935–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/valancourt-books", "name": "Valancourt Books", "slug": "valancourt-books", "region": "USA (Richmond, Virginia / Oakhurst, California)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Primarily a reviver and reprint publisher: most volumes are new editions of older works and state so, often adding a new introduction — they are not first appearances of the text", "Valancourt's own first printings, such as newly commissioned English translations or first-collected works, are identified by the Valancourt edition statement and year on the copyright page, with a number line where present", "Trade-paperback and print-on-demand heavy, so identification rests on the Valancourt edition statement rather than any hand-press limitation" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2005 by James Jenkins and Ryan Cagle; specializes in rediscovered Gothic, horror, and LGBT classics from the 18th century through the 1980s", "Most collectible interest is in the WORK rather than the Valancourt printing state, since they reprint rare originals; the chief exceptions are first-ever English translations they commission", "Distinguish a 'first Valancourt edition' from the original — and far older — first edition of the same text" ], "era": "2005–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/vanguard-press", "name": "Vanguard Press", "slug": "vanguard-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Vanguard Press" ], "idMethods": [ "No printing statement on first editions; Vanguard had no 'First Edition' designation and sometimes even failed to note subsequent printings, so absence of a printing statement is the chief (weak) indicator for pre-1970s titles.", "From the 1970s onward: Vanguard instituted a number row (number line) on the copyright page; a sequence containing '1' indicates a first printing.", "The number row may have been abandoned for some titles in the mid-1980s, so for that period rely again on the absence of a later-printing statement.", "Identification is copyright-page based ONLY; Vanguard does NOT use a number at the foot of the last page. High-spot titles (Dr. Seuss, early Joyce Carol Oates) should be confirmed against a title-specific bibliography rather than a generic publisher rule." ], "notablePoints": [ "Vanguard does NOT share the foot-of-last-page parenthetical numbering convention — that is D. Appleton & Co.'s method ('(1)' = first printing at the foot of the last page), not Vanguard's. Vanguard's points are on the copyright page.", "Published the first books of Dr. Seuss (And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 1937; The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, 1938) and Joyce Carol Oates's early work (her first book plus ~20 more, including the 1970 National Book Award novel them) — high-spot titles warrant title-level verification.", "Sold to Random House in October 1988 after 62 years as an independent house (founded 1926, originally with Garland Fund backing)." ], "era": "1926-1988" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/verse-press", "name": "Verse Press", "slug": "verse-press", "region": "USA (Northampton, Massachusetts)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Number line where present; lowest digit = the printing.", "Some titles state 'First Edition' with the year; many single-printing firsts carry no line.", "The imprint name 'Verse Press' on the title or copyright leaf distinguishes the original edition from any later Wave Books reissue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Predecessor to Wave Books; founded in 2000 by Matthew Zapruder and Brian Henry and run on a volunteer basis until it folded into Wave Books in 2005 (Zapruder and Joshua Beckman carried over as Wave editors).", "For works first issued by Verse Press, the Verse Press printing is the true first edition even if Wave Books later reprinted the title." ], "era": "2000-2005" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/verso-books", "name": "Verso Books", "slug": "verso-books", "region": "UK (London) / USA (Brooklyn, from the 1990s), radical theory and politics", "imprints": [ "Verso", "New Left Books (NLB), the original name of the house", "Verso Classics", "Radical Thinkers / Radical Thinkers Classics" ], "idMethods": [ "1970–late 1970s (New Left Books / NLB): the house published as NLB; firsts carry a 'First published by NLB' (or New Left Books) edition statement. Number lines are commonly absent in this early era — the first printing is shown by the absence of any later impression or reprint line, not by a printer's key.", "Late 1970s onward (Verso): 'Verso' was launched as a paperback imprint at the end of the 1970s and became the house's sole imprint thereafter. Firsts show 'First published by Verso ' on the copyright page, increasingly with a descending number line in which the lowest figure (1) marks the first printing.", "Radical Thinkers / Radical Thinkers Classics (series launched 2005): these are reissues of older theory titles. The collectible first is the original NLB or Verso edition, not the later series volume, which is plainly marked as a reissue with its own date.", "Verso Classics and similar reissue lines: same caution — match the earliest 'First published' date to the original edition; later series printings add impression detail." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1970 as New Left Books, the book imprint of New Left Review; its early logo referenced Tatlin's monument to the Third International.", "'Verso' (the left-hand page of an opening) began as a paperback imprint at the end of the 1970s and went on to become the house's sole imprint; it is inaccurate to describe this as a simple 1980 renaming.", "Early NLB titles (translations of Adorno, Althusser, Benjamin, Mandel, plus original work by Anderson, Nairn, Williams) rely on edition statements rather than number lines." ], "era": "1970–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/vertical-inc", "name": "Vertical, Inc. / Vertical Comics — English-language manga & Japanese literature", "slug": "vertical-inc", "region": "USA (New York; founded 2001; majority-acquired by Kodansha and Dai Nippon Printing 2011; merged into Kodansha USA 2021)", "imprints": [ "Vertical Comics (manga)", "Vertical (literary/prose)" ], "idMethods": [ "2001-2021 independent era: manga and prose volumes are identified by a number line on the copyright page, with a descending line ending in 1 indicating a first printing, and/or by a stated first-edition date. Distribution shifted over the years (Random House early on, then Kodansha-owned channels after the 2011 acquisition), but the volumes still use standard US-trade number-line indicia, so identification rests on the printing line and date rather than the distributor.", "Osamu Tezuka prestige editions (Buddha, Apollo's Song, Ode to Kirihito, MW, Black Jack, 2003 onward) are the marquee Vertical manga collectibles; first printings are identified by the number line or stated date, and several Tezuka titles were reprinted, so the printing line matters.", "2021-present under Kodansha USA: backlist reissues carry Kodansha number-line indicia; original Vertical-era printings predate the 2021 merger and are distinguished by the older imprint indicia." ], "notablePoints": [ "Tezuka's English-language prestige line (the 8-volume Buddha and multi-volume Black Jack) is the defining Vertical collectible; early printings are sought after.", "Also published Japanese literary fiction (Koji Suzuki's Ring, Natsuo Kirino); prose first printings are identified by number line and stated date.", "Founded 2001; majority-acquired by Kodansha and Dai Nippon Printing in 2011; fully merged into Kodansha USA in 2021.", "Known for high design standards, with Chip Kidd designing several early covers." ], "era": "2001-2021 (independent); backlist continues under Kodansha" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/victor-gollancz", "name": "Victor Gollancz", "slug": "victor-gollancz", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Gollancz (SF/Fantasy 'yellow jacket' line)", "Left Book Club (1936-1948)", "VGSF" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1984: NO first-edition statement was made — first printings carry no 'First published' line; ONLY later printings were noted (so absence of any printing statement = likely first, presence of a reprint note = later)", "From 1984 onward: began stating \"First published in [Year] by Victor Gollancz Ltd\" on the copyright page of firsts", "Modern Gollancz uses number lines; lowest digit = printing", "For pre-1984 titles, confirm via dust-jacket points, dated jackets, and absence of reprint notation rather than a positive statement" ], "notablePoints": [ "The famous plain bright-YELLOW dust jackets with red/black type are an instant Gollancz visual marker (esp. crime/SF)", "Pre-1984 'no statement on firsts' policy is a classic trap — collectors must rely on negative evidence and jacket/ad dating", "Orwell's early books, Daphne du Maurier, Kingsley Amis, John le Carré ('The Spy Who Came in from the Cold', 1963) were Gollancz", "Left Book Club editions (orange limp cloth) are NOT trade firsts" ], "era": "1927-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/gollancz", "name": "Victor Gollancz Ltd (incl. Gollancz SF)", "slug": "gollancz", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Gollancz", "Gollancz SF", "VGSF (paperback)", "Gollancz SF Masterworks / Fantasy Masterworks (reprint series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Classic British-house method: 'First published ' on the copyright/verso with NO later-printing or 'reprinted' statements; an unbroken impression line or absence of added impression dates confirms a first", "The distinctive plain YELLOW dust jacket with black + magenta typography (no pictorial art) is a strong era marker for firsts roughly 1920s–mid-1980s", "Match jacket: original unclipped yellow jacket with the correct price; later pictorial jackets (mid-1980s on) accompany the firsts of that later era", "Date on title/copyright page should agree with 'First published' year — added 'Second impression'/reprint lines indicate later states" ], "notablePoints": [ "Yellow jackets became almost synonymous with UK hardcover SF c.1961–mid-1980s; pictorial jackets phased in mid-1980s", "SF list proper introduced under Hilary Rubinstein after the 1961 UK edition of Amis's 'New Maps of Hell'", "SF/Fantasy Masterworks are reprint series — NOT firsts of the contained works", "Now part of the Orion Publishing Group (Hachette UK); the Gollancz SF imprint carries on", "Yellow jackets are fragile and fade/soil easily — condition and an unclipped price strongly affect first-edition value" ], "era": "1927–present (yellow-jacket era c.1927–mid-1980s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/victoria-university-press-te-herenga-waka", "name": "Victoria University Press / Te Herenga Waka University Press", "slug": "victoria-university-press-te-herenga-waka", "region": "New Zealand (Wellington)", "imprints": [ "Victoria University Press (to 2021)", "Te Herenga Waka University Press (from 2022)" ], "idMethods": [ "On a first printing the copyright page states 'First published [year]' and 'Published by Victoria University Press' (pre-2022) or 'Te Herenga Waka University Press' (2022 onward), with no 'Reprinted' line and a matching year.", "Later printings add an explicit 'Reprinted [year]' line, the standard NZ small-press convention; number lines are uncommon, so the printed statement is the primary first-printing signal.", "Imprint-name era tell: a copyright page reading 'Victoria University Press' dates the book to 2021 or earlier, while 'Te Herenga Waka University Press' dates it to 2022 or later — the same title reissued under the new name is a later state." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in the early 1970s; Fergus Barrowman has been publisher since 1985 and remains in charge; renamed Te Herenga Waka University Press effective 1 January 2022 (the university adopted the Māori name Te Herenga Waka in 2019).", "Published Eleanor Catton's 'The Rehearsal' (2008) and 'The Luminaries' (2013, Booker Prize winner) under the VUP imprint; the VUP-imprinted firsts are the key NZ collectible points, with any Te Herenga Waka–imprinted reissues being later states.", "Major NZ literary house (Bill Manhire and many NZ poets); small runs and card/wrapper editions mean condition drives desirability." ], "era": "early 1970s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/viking-childrens", "name": "Viking Children's Books (Viking Junior Books) / Penguin Young Readers Group", "slug": "viking-childrens", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Viking Children's Books", "Frederick Warne (Beatrix Potter)", "Puffin Books", "Philomel Books", "G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR", "Grosset & Dunlap", "Nancy Paulsen Books", "Dutton Children's Books", "Kokila", "Razorbill", "Speak (YA paperback)" ], "idMethods": [ "Viking historical: stated 'First published in (Year) by The Viking Press' / 'Published by The Viking Press in (Year)'; in the 1980s a number row was added to LATER printings only — so a first lacks the number line in that transitional period", "Modern Penguin house style across the children's imprints: full descending number line ending in 1, often with a stated 'First Edition' / 'First American Edition'", "Philomel and Dutton (Penguin children's imprints) likewise use the Penguin number-line-to-1 convention" ], "notablePoints": [ "Viking published Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline, Robert McCloskey (Make Way for Ducklings — Caldecott), Don Freeman's Corduroy, the original Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel)", "TRANSITION TRAP: for 1980s Viking, presence of a number line can indicate a LATER printing, opposite of the modern rule — date by the 'First published' statement for that era", "Frederick Warne (Beatrix Potter) firsts have their own complex early-1900s points and predate Penguin ownership entirely", "All now consolidated under Penguin Young Readers (Penguin Random House)" ], "era": "1933–present (Viking children's); Penguin number-line era 1980s–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/viking-penguin", "name": "Viking Press / Penguin", "slug": "viking-penguin", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "“First Published by Viking in [Year]” statement (1937–present)", "On 1980s titles, a number line appears on later printings only" ], "notablePoints": [ "Counter-intuitive: a number line on a 1980s Viking usually signals a later printing, not a first." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/viking-press", "name": "Viking Press / Viking", "slug": "viking-press", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Viking", "Viking Studio", "Pamela Dorman Books", "Penguin Press (sister imprint within Penguin Publishing Group)" ], "idMethods": [ "Earliest era (1925 to roughly 1937): Viking used no first-edition statement and instead noted later printings; treat the absence of any later-printing notice, with the title-page/copyright dates matching, as the first.", "From about 1937 onward: first printings state \"First published by The Viking Press in [year]\" or \"Published by The Viking Press in [year]\" with no later-printing notice; later printings were noted, and from the 1980s a number row was added to later printings only.", "Modern Viking under Penguin / Penguin Random House: a full number line whose lowest digit is 1, sometimes with \"First American Edition.\"" ], "notablePoints": [ "The Rockwell Kent longship colophon (designed 1925) is a Viking brand mark carried across printings, not a first-issue point on its own.", "Pamela Dorman Books is a Viking literary imprint; Viking now sits within the Penguin Publishing Group under Penguin Random House.", "For older Viking books the decisive tells are the date statement and the absence of a later-printing notice rather than the colophon." ], "era": "1925–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/vintage-books", "name": "Vintage Books", "slug": "vintage-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Vintage Contemporaries", "Vintage Crime/Black Lizard", "Vintage International", "Vintage Español", "Black Lizard (crime reprints)", "Anchor (sister, Doubleday side)" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Vintage … Edition (Month Year)' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.", "Predominantly a trade-paperback REPRINT line — 'first Vintage edition' is usually NOT the first edition of the work.", "Trace true firsts to the original Knopf / Random House / Pantheon hardcover.", "Some titles (notably Vintage Contemporaries in the 1980s) were PAPERBACK ORIGINALS — those ARE firsts." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1954 as Random House's quality trade-paperback imprint; now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (PRH).", "Vintage Contemporaries (launched 1984, distinctive cover design) issued notable paperback originals — e.g. Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City and Raymond Carver collections — which are collected as true firsts.", "Critical confusion: most Vintage editions are reprints; verify whether a given title was a Vintage original before calling it a first.", "Vintage Crime/Black Lizard reprints classic noir — reprints, not firsts." ], "era": "1954–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/viz-media", "name": "Viz Media (Viz Comics / Viz LLC) — English-language manga", "slug": "viz-media", "region": "USA (San Francisco, California; founded 1986) / parent Shueisha-Shogakukan", "imprints": [ "Shonen Jump (Shonen Jump Advanced / SJ)", "Shojo Beat", "VIZ Signature (SIG)", "Haikasoru (prose SF)", "VIZBIG Editions", "Perfect Square (kids)", "Pulp (historical magazine, 1997-2002)", "Animerica (historical)", "Editor's Choice (historical)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern graphic-novel era (roughly 2002-present, right-to-left unflipped volumes): identified by a Western-style descending number line on the copyright/indicia page. A complete line ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) indicates a first printing; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a line missing the 1 is a later printing. This is the canonical Viz first-printing tell.", "Many Viz volumes also print an explicit 'First printing, Month Year' line near the ISBN, corroborating the number line.", "Early Viz era (1987-2001, flipped/Westernized comic-format trades, Pulp/Animerica period): earlier trades used flipped art; first printings are identified by stated printing date and/or number line where present. Early floppies and first trade printings (early Ranma 1/2, Battle Angel Alita, etc.) are scarcer.", "VIZBIG and later 3-in-1 omnibus reissues carry their own number line and date distinct from the original single-volume printings, and high-volume Shonen Jump titles run through many printings, so the number line should be checked carefully." ], "notablePoints": [ "A descending number line ending in 1 is the standard tell for modern Viz manga, consistent with general Western trade practice and confirmed in manga collector references.", "Early-volume first printings of hot series (Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, One Piece) are sought modern collectibles; later printings drop the low digits from the line.", "Viz moved to authentic right-to-left format around 2002; the earlier flipped editions form a distinct collectible category.", "Pulp (1997-2002) and Animerica (1992-2005) were Viz serialization magazines carrying some first English appearances.", "Owned jointly by Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (VIZ Media's parent ownership)." ], "era": "1986-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/vehicule-press", "name": "Véhicule Press", "slug": "vehicule-press", "region": "Canada (Montreal, Quebec)", "imprints": [ "Véhicule Press", "Signal Editions (poetry imprint)", "Esplanade Books / Esplanade Fiction (fiction imprint, founded 2003)", "Ricochet Books (vintage Canadian noir reissues)", "Dossier Quebec (history/nonfiction series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Montreal English-language literary press: modern titles state 'first edition' on the copyright page and may carry a descending number line, with '1' present indicating the first printing.", "The imprint matters for identification — Signal Editions (poetry) and Esplanade Books (fiction) are named on the title/copyright page; confirm the specific imprint when describing a first.", "Earlier titles from the Véhicule Art gallery / cooperative origins (1970s): rely on the original copyright year and the absence of any later-printing statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1973 in Montreal out of the Véhicule Art gallery cooperative by Guy Lavoie and Simon Dardick; from 1981 Nancy Marrelli and Simon Dardick continued as publishers as the co-op wound down. One of Quebec's most important English-language literary presses.", "Signal Editions is a distinguished poetry imprint (long edited by Michael Harris, later Carmine Starnino). Esplanade Books, the fiction imprint, was founded in 2003 (founding editor Andrew Steinmetz, later Dimitri Nasrallah) — both are collectible runs.", "Strong in Montreal/Quebec-anglophone literary history, in translations of Francophone literature, and in vintage Canadian noir reissues via the Ricochet Books series." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wb-saunders", "name": "W. B. Saunders Company", "slug": "wb-saunders", "region": "United States (Philadelphia, PA)", "imprints": [ "W. B. Saunders", "Saunders", "Saunders Elsevier", "Harcourt Health Sciences (parent era)", "Elsevier (current)" ], "idMethods": [ "1888-c.1950: Founded 1888 by Walter Burns Saunders in Philadelphia as a premier medical and surgical textbook house. Clinical texts are identified primarily by the numbered EDITION stated on the title page and spine; a revised edition is the bibliographic and value unit. The first printing of a given edition is indicated by the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page; later impressions are commonly marked 'Reprinted [year]'.", "c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; printing history is sometimes shown as dated reprint lines. First printing of an edition = only the edition's original dated line present, with no later 'Reprinted' lines.", "c.1985-present (as Saunders/Elsevier): A number line on the copyright page is common, with the lowest digit indicating the printing; Elsevier house style also uses a coded printing/year line. The EDITION number remains the dominant identification and value unit for these continuously revised clinical references.", "Ownership: family-owned until sold to CBS in 1968, then to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1986 (later Harcourt Health Sciences), and now an Elsevier imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publisher of landmark clinical references (e.g., 'Cecil Textbook of Medicine', 'Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics', and 'Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary') that are collected and used by edition.", "Medical-text collecting centers on edition currency; a true first edition of a foundational text can carry a premium.", "Now Saunders/Elsevier; modern titles carry Elsevier coded printing lines." ], "era": "1888-present (imprint continues under Elsevier)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wh-freeman", "name": "W. H. Freeman and Company", "slug": "wh-freeman", "region": "United States (San Francisco / New York)", "imprints": [ "W. H. Freeman", "Scientific American Books", "Scientific American Library", "Worth Publishers (sister house, distributed)", "Spektrum (UK academic imprint, 1990s)" ], "idMethods": [ "1946-c.1965: founded in 1946 by William H. Freeman (a former Macmillan editor) in San Francisco, with Linus Pauling as first author and advisor. Early scientific monographs and textbooks carried no first-printing statement, so a first printing is identified by the ABSENCE of any later-printing or impression notice on the copyright page; later printings are explicitly noted (for example 'Second printing, 1958').", "c.1965-c.1980: transitional period. Some titles begin showing a printing-history line or a coded letter/number group; the first printing is the one with no later printing stated, or the printing code resolving to the first. Edition statements ('Second Edition') reliably appear on revised textbooks.", "c.1980-present: number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many texts also carry a coded year cluster. For revised STM textbooks the title-page edition number (1st, 2nd, 3rd ed.) is the primary identification unit, not a first-printing point.", "Scientific American Library series (1980s-2000s): collectible numbered series volumes whose first printings follow the contemporary Freeman number-line convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Pauling's 'General Chemistry' (1947) was the firm's inaugural title and an early landmark.", "Acquired by Scientific American in 1964 and brought under Holtzbrinck ownership in 1986 (via Scientific American); now an imprint under the Macmillan Learning / Holtzbrinck lineage.", "Book-club editions: for the Scientific American Library, watch for an absent price or club gutter codes; true firsts retain a priced jacket and the number line." ], "era": "1946-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/norton", "name": "W. W. Norton", "slug": "norton", "region": "trade", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" plus a number line containing 1" ], "notablePoints": [ "Like HarperCollins, Norton sometimes leaves the first-edition statement on later printings — the number line is the tiebreaker." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wakefield-press", "name": "Wakefield Press", "slug": "wakefield-press", "region": "Australia (Adelaide, South Australia)", "imprints": [ "Wakefield Press (current independent publisher)", "The Wakefield Press (original 1942 imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1942-1950s (original 'The Wakefield Press'): Founded in 1942 by Adelaide bookseller Harry Muir to publish small South Australian historical monographs. First editions are identified by a dated copyright/imprint page and a 'First published' statement where present; absence of a reprint notice indicates a first printing.", "1989-present (current Wakefield Press): Independent Adelaide publisher under Michael Bollen (with Stephanie Johnston) from 1989, the name having been revived by the South Australian government for its 1986 sesquicentenary before passing to private ownership. First editions are identified by a 'First published 19xx/20xx' statement on the copyright/imprint page, with reprints adding 'Reprinted' lines. Where a number line appears, the lowest number indicates the printing; no reprint line plus the earliest stated year indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "South Australia's leading independent publisher under its current management since 1989, strong in South Australian history, food and wine, and local literature; publishes around 40 titles a year.", "The name evokes Edward Gibbon Wakefield's colonisation scheme for South Australia rather than honouring a founder; the original 1942 press was started by bookseller Harry Muir, and the name was later revived by the state government for the colony's 150th anniversary.", "Standard Australian identification: a 'First published' statement plus the absence of a reprint line, with a number line on many modern trade titles." ], "era": "1942-1950s (original); 1989-present (current management)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/walker-books-uk", "name": "Walker Books (UK)", "slug": "walker-books-uk", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Walker Books", "Walker Studio", "Walker Entertainment", "Big Picture Press", "Walker Books US = Candlewick Press (US sister)" ], "idMethods": [ "British convention: a first printing carries a complete number line on the copyright page ending in 1 (commonly '2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present is the printing", "Typically NO 'First edition' statement on UK firsts — rely on the complete number line", "Usually a 'First published 20xx by Walker Books Ltd' line; on later printings the number line rises but the 'First published' date stays the same" ], "notablePoints": [ "UK independent founded in 1978 by Sebastian Walker (with Amelia Edwards and Wendy Boase); flagship titles include Where's Wally?/Where's Waldo, Guess How Much I Love You, and We're Going on a Bear Hunt", "The US co-edition is published by sister company Candlewick Press (established 1991); the true first is the UK Walker printing, and a US 'First U.S. edition' postdates it", "Do not confuse with Bloomsbury's separate US 'Walker Books' imprint, nor with the older US Walker & Company (adult/nonfiction)" ], "era": "1978–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ward-ritchie-press", "name": "Ward Ritchie Press", "slug": "ward-ritchie-press", "region": "Los Angeles, California, USA", "imprints": [ "Anderson & Ritchie", "Anderson, Ritchie & Simon", "Laguna Verde Imprenta (Ritchie's later private imprint, Laguna Beach)" ], "idMethods": [ "1932-1960s: fine and limited titles are identified by the COLOPHON (limitation, date, designer = Ward Ritchie, illustrator, and types). Trade titles under the Ward Ritchie Press imprint follow conventional first-edition practice for the era — look for the absence of a later-printing notice together with a stated copyright date matching the title page.", "Early period (from 1932): colophon-driven for limited work, with the imprint 'The Ward Ritchie Press' on the title page or colophon.", "The printing firm operated as Anderson & Ritchie and later Anderson, Ritchie & Simon; that firm name appears in the colophon as printer, while the publishing imprint may still read 'Ward Ritchie Press.'", "Later trade titles: first printings generally carry no additional-printing statement, with later printings adding 'second printing' and the like; limited issues continue to be colophon-identified.", "Laguna Verde Imprenta (Ritchie's retirement private press in Laguna Beach, on an Albion hand press): identify by the colophon limitation statement, hand-numbered." ], "notablePoints": [ "Ritchie trained at the Frank Wiggins Trade School in Los Angeles and under François-Louis Schmied in Paris; design quality is a key authenticity signal.", "Distinguish the PRINTING firm names (Anderson & Ritchie; Anderson, Ritchie & Simon) from the PUBLISHING imprint (Ward Ritchie Press).", "The Ward Ritchie imprint focused on keepsakes, limited editions, cookbooks, and Western Americana / local history; the larger firm handled commercial printing.", "Ritchie retired in 1974 and moved to Laguna Beach to run the Laguna Verde Imprenta on an Albion hand press." ], "era": "1932-1974 (press); Laguna Verde Imprenta from the 1970s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/ward-lock", "name": "Ward, Lock & Co.", "slug": "ward-lock", "region": "London, UK", "imprints": [ "Ward & Lock (from 1854)", "Ward, Lock & Tyler (1865–1873)", "Ward, Lock & Co. (1873 onward)", "Ward, Lock & Bowden (from 1893)", "Beeton imprints (acquired 1866)" ], "idMethods": [ "Largely a popular, reprint and reference house: confirm whether Ward, Lock issued a title first or is reprinting it; many 'editions' are later impressions of cheap series.", "No formal edition statement on early firsts: use the title-page date, the absence of a later-printing notice, and the partnership style (Ward & Lock 1854– ; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co. from 1873; Ward, Lock & Bowden from 1893) to date a printing.", "Dated advertisements / catalogue at the rear (the firm's catalogues are extensive) help pin the printing order.", "Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet first appeared in Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887 (issued November 1887); the first separate book edition is July 1888. The annual is the true first appearance and a famous, near-unobtainable point-book — beware later facsimiles." ], "notablePoints": [ "Published Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887, containing the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes (A Study in Scarlet) — one of the rarest objects in modern collecting.", "Acquired the Beeton list in 1866, gaining Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, and many illustrated, reference and guidebook series.", "The imprint changed repeatedly (Ward & Lock; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co.; Ward, Lock & Bowden from 1893) — useful for dating.", "Predominantly popular reprints, so default to 'later edition' unless priority or first-appearance is established." ], "era": "1854–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/washington-state-university-press", "name": "Washington State University Press", "slug": "washington-state-university-press", "region": "Pullman, Washington (Pacific Northwest)", "imprints": [ "WSU Press", "Washington State University Press" ], "idMethods": [ "1928-1980s (early/scholarly era): Scholarly monographs and journals; first printings typically carry no number line — identify by the copyright year and the absence of any later-printing or revised-edition statement. University-press first printings of this era are frequently the only printing.", "1980s-present (modern trade/regional era): Trade and regional titles use a descending number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing (for example '5 4 3 2 1' is a first printing). 'First printing' is sometimes stated. As with most university presses, many titles see only a single printing, so a matching copyright and publication year usually indicates a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Established in 1928 under WSU (then Washington State College) President Ernest O. Holland; its first scholarly journal, Research Studies, appeared in 1929. By the mid-2020s the press had issued more than 260 titles and averages about eight new titles a year.", "Henry Grosshans served as press editor from the 1950s until his retirement in 1982 and raised the press's profile, helping attract and establish scholarly journals associated with it, including Poe Studies and ESQ: A Journal of the American Renaissance.", "Focus on the American West and Pacific Northwest history, environment, politics, and culture; print runs are small, so condition and scarcity drive collectibility more than printing state." ], "era": "1928-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/watson-guptill", "name": "Watson-Guptill", "slug": "watson-guptill", "region": "US (New York; now administered via Berkeley/New York within Penguin Random House)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern era (Random House ownership from 2008, a Ten Speed Press / Crown imprint from 2013 within Penguin Random House): first printings follow the Crown convention of a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page with a number line ending in 1; later printings drop the low digits.", "Independent/older era (founded 1937; under Billboard Publications/VNU before 2008): identification is number-line based when a line is present, with the first printing line ending in 1; some art-instruction titles instead carry only a copyright/printing year, so verify per title." ], "notablePoints": [ "Art-instruction, drawing, craft and design how-to publisher founded in 1937 by Ernest W. Watson, Ralph Reinhold and Arthur L. Guptill; relevant to the lifestyle slice for craft and design titles.", "Random House acquired Watson-Guptill in 2008 and made it a Ten Speed Press imprint in 2013; modern titles follow the Crown/PRH convention, so date the rule to ownership." ], "era": "1937-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wave-books", "name": "Wave Books", "slug": "wave-books", "region": "US", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' with a descending number line; '1' present indicates the first printing.", "Distinctive minimalist design (heavy use of blind/letterpress-style covers); design is a house signature, not a printing point.", "First lacks later-printing notice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 2005 in Seattle by Charlie Wright; absorbed/continued Verse Press (founded 2000, Matthew Zapruder/Joshua Beckman) — pre-2005 titles may bear the Verse Press imprint.", "Publishes Mary Ruefle, CAConrad, Eileen Myles, Dorothea Lasky; known for fine production and special signed/limited issues with rear colophons.", "Young press, so number-line/stated-first practice is consistent; Verse Press predecessor titles should be identified under that name." ], "era": "2005–present (Verse Press 2000–2005)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/way-and-williams", "name": "Way & Williams", "slug": "way-and-williams", "region": "Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US)", "imprints": [ "Way & Williams" ], "idMethods": [ "1895-1898: short-lived fine-press trade publisher; first editions bear the 'Way & Williams, Chicago' imprint with no 'First Edition' statement. Identify by the imprint, the dated title page, and frequently a colophon or limitation statement and decorated bindings, some designed by Frank Hazenplug and Bruce Rogers.", "Limited issues: rely on the limitation or colophon page stating the copy count as the first-issue point.", "1898 dissolution: remaining titles and contracts transferred to Herbert S. Stone & Co.; copies bearing a later Stone imprint or a cancel title page are not the Way & Williams first issue." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1895 by W. Irving Way and Chauncey L. Williams, a peer of Stone & Kimball in the 1890s Chicago aesthetic-publishing scene.", "Notable for finely designed books, including early design work by Bruce Rogers and Frank Hazenplug.", "Dissolved in 1898, with assets and contracts absorbed by Herbert S. Stone & Co.", "Its small total output makes its first editions scarce and collectible." ], "era": "1895-1898" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wayne-state-university-press", "name": "Wayne State University Press", "slug": "wayne-state-university-press", "region": "Detroit, Michigan", "imprints": [ "Great Lakes Books", "Painted Turtle" ], "idMethods": [ "1941–c.1975 (scholarly titles): No first-printing statement; later printings and revised editions noted on the copyright page. Identify a first printing by the absence of later-printing language and a single copyright date matching the title page.", "c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.", "Great Lakes Books series (regional series, inaugurated 1986) and the Painted Turtle imprint both follow the press's number-line convention; the series or imprint is named on the series/title page." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1941 by Wayne University faculty to disseminate scholarly work; strong regional list on Detroit, Michigan, and the Great Lakes, plus Jewish studies and folklore/fairy-tale studies.", "The Great Lakes Books series (inaugurated 1986 to honor Michigan's 1987 sesquicentennial) mixes original titles with reprints of Michigan classics; a Great Lakes Books reprint carries a new copyright/series page and is not the work's original first edition.", "Painted Turtle, named for Michigan's state reptile, is the press's general-readership regional imprint." ], "era": "1941–present (Great Lakes Books series inaugurated 1986)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wednesday-books", "name": "Wednesday Books", "slug": "wednesday-books", "region": "US (New York)", "imprints": [ "Wednesday Books" ], "idMethods": [ "Stated \"First Edition\" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing", "First printing: full number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notice, following St. Martin's/Macmillan practice" ], "notablePoints": [ "Young-adult imprint within the St. Martin's Publishing Group at Macmillan, launched in 2016", "Known for YA and fantasy debuts", "Identification follows St. Martin's/Macmillan conventions" ], "era": "2016–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/weidenfeld-and-nicolson", "name": "Weidenfeld & Nicolson", "slug": "weidenfeld-and-nicolson", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Weidenfeld & Nicolson", "Phoenix", "Orion (later group)", "W&N" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions state \"First published in Great Britain [Year] by Weidenfeld & Nicolson\" on the copyright page; later printings noted", "Modern W&N (Orion group) uses a number line ending in 1; lowest digit = printing", "First printing = statement present and/or number line ending in 1, with no later-edition notation", "Confirm absence of reprint/impression lines" ], "notablePoints": [ "Published the controversial UK first of Nabokov's 'Lolita' (1959), Saul Bellow (UK), Mary Renault, Antonia Fraser", "Founded 1949; now part of the Orion/Hachette group", "Number-line era applies to most of the modern list" ], "era": "1949-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/detail-and-scale", "name": "Wesley B. Small / Squadron Shop-adjacent — Detail & Scale, Inc.", "slug": "detail-and-scale", "region": "USA (Detail & Scale, Inc.; originally distributed through Squadron/Signal Publications)", "imprints": [ "Detail & Scale series", "Colors & Markings series" ], "idMethods": [ "1980s into the 2000s, Bert Kinzey's detailed-aircraft modeler monographs originally distributed via Squadron/Signal: softcover volumes that frequently carry an explicit statement of edition and printing on the copyright/title page. A first printing typically shows the sole original copyright year and a stated first printing; later printings add a revised date or higher printing statement.", "Volumes are numbered ('Detail & Scale Vol. NN'); that volume number is a catalog sequence identifying the title, not an edition state.", "Modern reissues and reprinted/updated re-editions exist — confirm the original 1980s-90s copyright year and any stated printing for a true first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "Standard modeler's detail reference for U.S. military aircraft (cockpits, variants, markings); original Squadron/Signal-distributed printings are the collected firsts.", "Authored line by Bert Kinzey, closely associated with but distinct from Squadron/Signal's house output.", "Later self-published and reissued editions postdate the original printings." ], "era": "c.1980-present (with reissues)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wesleyan-university-press", "name": "Wesleyan University Press", "slug": "wesleyan-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Wesleyan Poetry Series", "Music/Culture series", "Early Classics of Science Fiction" ], "idMethods": [ "States 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page of first editions, and notes subsequent printings.", "DISTINCTIVE older tell: pre-1980s Wesleyan books often carry a numeral in parentheses or brackets at the FOOT OF THE LAST PAGE — '(1)' = first printing, '(2)' = second printing, etc. — sometimes in place of a copyright-page statement.", "Since the 1980s, Wesleyan uses a number row/line (and a year row) on the copyright page to indicate printing and year; lowest figures present = first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "The parenthetical numeral at the foot of the last printed page is the signature Wesleyan point of issue for mid-century books — check the very last page, not just the copyright page.", "Wesleyan Poetry Series is the prestige line (James Wright, Anne Sexton, James Dickey, Robert Bly, etc.) and the most collected — confirm the '(1)' or first-printing statement for true firsts.", "Don't mistake a later 'second printing' poetry volume (very common for award winners) for a first." ], "era": "1957–present (parenthetical-numeral tell pre-1980s; number row from the 1980s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/west-end-press", "name": "West End Press", "slug": "west-end-press", "region": "southwest", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "ISBN prefixes 0-931122 and 0-9826968", "Copyright year matching publication date", "Absence of later-printing notation; some titles state “First edition”" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founder Frank Crawford died in 2019. Distributed through the University of New Mexico Press." ], "era": "" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/west-publishing", "name": "West Publishing Company (law)", "slug": "west-publishing", "region": "United States (St. Paul, MN)", "imprints": [ "West Publishing", "West Group", "Thomson West", "Thomson Reuters / West", "West Academic Publishing", "Foundation Press (acquired)", "Hornbook Series", "Nutshell Series", "American Casebook Series", "Black's Law Dictionary" ], "idMethods": [ "1872-c.1980: John B. West began publishing in St. Paul in 1872, and the firm was incorporated as West Publishing Company in 1882; it became the dominant US legal publisher (National Reporter System, American Digest with the Key Number System, Black's Law Dictionary from 1891). Law books are identified by EDITION, not by first-printing points: each new edition supersedes the prior, so the title-page or spine edition statement ('First Edition,' '5th ed.') is the unit. Reporters and digests are identified by SERIES and VOLUME number. A first printing = the edition statement plus the absence of a later-printing notice.", "c.1980-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but for hornbooks, nutshells, casebooks, and treatises the EDITION number governs identification and value. Pocket-part supplements update editions between revisions, so a complete copy includes the current pocket parts.", "Corporate eras: West Publishing, then West Group (1996), then Thomson West after Thomson's 1996 acquisition, then Thomson Reuters (2008), with West Academic Publishing carrying the student-aid lines (partly divested in 2014). The imprint name on the copyright page dates the printing era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Hornbook, Nutshell, and American Casebook series are the flagship student lines.", "Black's Law Dictionary (1st ed. 1891, by Henry Campbell Black, St. Paul) — the edition number is the key collecting point, and very early editions are scarce.", "Law-book collecting centers on edition currency and completeness (pocket parts), not first-printing points." ], "era": "1872-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/western-national-parks-association", "name": "Western National Parks Association (formerly Southwest Parks and Monuments Association / Southwestern Monuments Association)", "slug": "western-national-parks-association", "region": "Tucson, Arizona, USA", "imprints": [ "Southwestern Monuments Association (SWMA, 1938 founding name)", "Southwest Parks and Monuments Association (SPMA, late 1960s)", "Western National Parks Association (WNPA, from 2002)" ], "idMethods": [ "Nonprofit interpretive publisher partnered with the National Park Service since 1938. The imprint name dates the book and is the primary tell: Southwestern Monuments Association = earliest (from 1938); Southwest Parks and Monuments Association = late 1960s onward; Western National Parks Association = 2002 onward.", "Interpretive guides and booklets are heavily reprinted; editions are usually stated (Second edition, Revised) and many give a printing line. A first printing shows the original date with no revision or reprint statement.", "Modern titles may carry a number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing." ], "notablePoints": [ "First book published was The Guide to Southwestern National Monuments (1938), reissued in later editions, so the edition statement is essential to distinguish a first.", "Because titles are inexpensive interpretive guides sold at park visitor centers, repeated printings with the same content are the norm; trust the stated edition or printing, not the cover.", "The three successive organization names function like dated imprints. The final name change to Western National Parks Association occurred in 2002 (not merely 'current'); match the name to the era to avoid mislabeling a later printing as a first." ], "era": "1938-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/westminster-john-knox-press", "name": "Westminster John Knox Press", "slug": "westminster-john-knox-press", "region": "Louisville, Kentucky (formerly Philadelphia, PA / Atlanta & Richmond, VA)", "imprints": [ "Westminster John Knox (WJK)", "formerly The Westminster Press", "formerly John Knox Press", "Flyaway Books (children's)" ], "idMethods": [ "The Westminster Press (Presbyterian lineage, Philadelphia): in the 19th and early 20th centuries no number line; identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice. By the mid-20th century explicit printing statements appear and later printings are noted.", "John Knox Press (Richmond/Atlanta, Presbyterian Church US): similar conventions, with copyright year plus printing statements and additive printing lines on reprints.", "Both predecessors, 1960s-1980s: number and printing-history lines emerge; the earliest single year indicates a first.", "Westminster John Knox (1988 merger) to present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing. Academic titles often add a year line plus an impression line.", "For heavily reprinted series (the Library of Christian Classics, the Old Testament and New Testament Library, the Interpretation commentaries), a clean impression line is essential because many volumes are reprinted." ], "notablePoints": [ "Westminster John Knox was formed in 1988 by the merger of The Westminster Press (Northern/UPCUSA lineage, Philadelphia) and John Knox Press (Southern/PCUS lineage), following the 1983 denominational reunion that created the Presbyterian Church (USA).", "It is an imprint of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation and a major academic theology house (Walter Brueggemann, Daniel Migliore, the Interpretation commentary series, the Library of Christian Classics).", "The publishing heritage is dated by the house to 1838 (the Presbyterian Board of Publication lineage).", "The pre-1988 imprint name (Westminster versus John Knox) brackets which predecessor and era produced the book." ], "era": "1838-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/westwinds-press", "name": "WestWinds Press", "slug": "westwinds-press", "region": "West / Pacific Northwest — Portland, Oregon (regional trade imprint of Graphic Arts Center Publishing / Graphic Arts Books, later West Margin Press)", "imprints": [ "WestWinds Press (regional trade imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1998–c.2019: As a Graphic Arts Center Publishing / Graphic Arts Books imprint, first printings carry a printing number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit present indicating the printing. Some titles also print 'First Edition' / first-printing wording. Sibling imprint 'Alaska Northwest Books' shares the same parent and convention." ], "notablePoints": [ "Regional trade imprint launched in 1998 by Graphic Arts Center Publishing (Portland, Oregon) for Western US titles and photography, complementing its 'Alaska Northwest Books' line (acquired 1993).", "List covered Western US travel, photography, cookery, history, and humor.", "When Graphic Arts Books rebranded as West Margin Press around 2019, the WestWinds Press imprint was retired and effectively replaced by West Margin — so a WestWinds imprint dates a copy to roughly 1998–2019." ], "era": "1998–c.2019 (imprint retired when parent rebranded to West Margin Press)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/whispers-press", "name": "Whispers Press", "slug": "whispers-press", "region": "Fayetteville / Chapel Hill, North Carolina, then Binghamton, New York, USA", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "Late 1970s-1990s: titles were commonly issued in two states - a trade hardcover and a signed/numbered (often slipcased) limited. The signed/numbered limitation (colophon) page identifies the limited first; the trade hardcover is the standard first.", "Robert Bloch's Strange Eons (Whispers Press, 1978): the signed/numbered slipcased state (300 numbered copies signed at the colophon by Bloch, Stewart, Powers, and Schiff, within a larger run) is the priority collectible; the ordinary hardcover is the trade first.", "The Best of Whispers (1994): 500 numbered copies signed by the editor and contributors - identify via the signed limitation sheet." ], "notablePoints": [ "Book-publishing arm launched in the late 1970s by Stuart David Schiff, editor of the World Fantasy Award-winning magazine Whispers (founded 1973).", "The magazine, and thus the press, moved over time: published from Fayetteville NC, then Chapel Hill NC (from issue #9, 1976), then Binghamton NY (from late 1979). Strange Eons (1978) was a Chapel Hill imprint.", "Produced illustrated dark-fantasy volumes; closely tied to the 1970s-80s small-press horror revival." ], "era": "c.1977-1990s" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/white-pine-press", "name": "White Pine Press", "slug": "white-pine-press", "region": "USA (Buffalo, NY)", "imprints": [ "White Pine Press", "Companions for the Journey (series)", "White Pine Press Poetry Prize series" ], "idMethods": [ "Early titles (1970s-1980s): small letterpress/offset runs; first/only printing identified by colophon or copyright statement; absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.", "Later titles: first printing identified by 'First edition'/'First printing' wording and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Many titles carry a SERIES number (catalog, not printing) — do not confuse series numbering with printing data.", "On translations (the press's core), the first English-language printing is governed by the White Pine copyright-page statement; prior original-language publication abroad does not affect White Pine first-printing status." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1973 by poet/translator Dennis Maloney; based in Buffalo, New York; nonprofit. The idea germinated during Maloney's 1973 independent study in Kyoto, Japan.", "Specializes in world literature in translation (over 100 translated titles within an output of more than 400 books) plus American poetry; published Pablo Neruda, Marjorie Agosin, Matsuo Basho, and others.", "In 2009 it published more volumes of poetry in translation than any other U.S. publisher; series numbering can be mistaken for printing data.", "The annual White Pine Press Poetry Prize is a recurring imprint marker." ], "era": "1973-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/whitman-western", "name": "Whitman Publishing Company (Western Printing & Lithographing)", "slug": "whitman-western", "region": "Racine, WI", "imprints": [ "Whitman", "Big Little Books", "Better Little Books", "Whitman Tell-A-Tale Books", "Whitman Cozy Corner", "Top Top Tales", "Western Publishing" ], "idMethods": [ "Big Little Books, 1932–1938: the format launched in 1932 with The Adventures of Dick Tracy Detective. There is no printed first-printing statement. Identify earlier issues by the assigned series number (low numbers run earlier), the original cover price (typically ten cents), the absence of later cover redesigns, and the title-ad lists printed inside the covers and on the back — an ad list that names only earlier titles points to an earlier printing. No number line.", "Better Little Books, 1938–1949: the series was renamed Better Little Books in 1938 and last issued about 1949. The same logic applies — series number, ad lists, price, and cover/format state. No printed first-edition statement.", "Whitman storybooks and Tell-A-Tale, 1940s–1960s: these carry a copyright date and often a small code. First printings usually lack an explicit first-edition line; later books adopt Western's letter/number print codes.", "Western Publishing letter codes, c.1950s–1980s: Whitman/Western storybooks adopted alphanumeric printing codes. An embedded code (rather than a number line) is the norm, as on the related Little Golden Books line, and a later-printing code or note distinguishes reprints.", "Whitman Authorized/TV Editions, 1950s–1970s: licensed-character hardcovers identified by copyright year and the earliest title list on the rear endpaper or jacket flap. No number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Whitman, a subsidiary of Western Printing & Lithographing of Racine, WI (Whitman acquired 1916; Western itself founded 1907), originated the Big Little Book format in 1932 — a small, thick book pairing a captioned illustration opposite each page of text.", "Big Little Books were renamed Better Little Books in 1938; the format ended about 1949.", "Western Printing also produced Little Golden Books in partnership with Simon & Schuster (launched 1942) — the same Racine operation underlies both lines.", "Key Big Little Book dating tells: series number, ten-cent price, and the title-ad lists printed inside the covers and on the back." ], "era": "1916–1980s (Big Little Books 1932–1949)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wilderness-adventures-press", "name": "Wilderness Adventures Press", "slug": "wilderness-adventures-press", "region": "USA (Belgrade/Bozeman, Montana)", "imprints": [ "Wilderness Adventures Press, Inc." ], "idMethods": [ "1990s-present: Trade firsts state 'First Edition'/'First Printing' on the copyright page and/or carry a descending number line (lowest number present indicates printing; '1' = first).", "1990s-present: Flagship sporting titles and classic reprints are sometimes issued as signed/numbered limited editions; when present, the numbered limitation page identifies that senior state over the trade printing.", "2000s-present: Series guidebooks (the 'Flyfisher's Guide to...' and 'Wingshooter's Guide to...' state guides) are revised across printings/editions — match map/listing currency and the printing statement to confirm a true first printing of a given edition." ], "notablePoints": [ "Best known for the 'Flyfisher's Guide to [State]' and 'Wingshooter's Guide to [State]' series of detailed regional sporting guidebooks; also publishes Best Fishing Waters map books, Big Game Hunter's Guides, Birding Trails guides, and dog-training titles.", "Also reprints classic sporting literature; reprint editions are explicitly noted and are not the original first.", "A Montana sporting-press house (Belgrade) within the state's wing-and-fly guidebook tradition; associated with publisher Chuck Johnson." ], "era": "1990s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wilderness-press", "name": "Wilderness Press", "slug": "wilderness-press", "region": "USA (Berkeley, California; later under Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN, Birmingham, Alabama)", "imprints": [ "Wilderness Press", "Wilderness Press (Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1967-1990s (independent, Berkeley, CA, founder Thomas Winnett): Trade firsts state 'First Edition'/'First printing'; many carry a printing line. Guidebooks are heavily revised, so each edition is explicitly numbered ('2nd edition', '3rd edition') and re-dated — the original first is the earliest edition with no revision note.", "1990s-2000s: Standard descending number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present indicates the printing ('1' = first). Edition number is stated separately for content revisions.", "2008-present (after the 2008 sale to Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN): Continues number-line practice; lowest surviving digit indicates the printing. Confirm edition currency for the long-running trail series before calling a first." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1967 by Thomas Winnett with 'Sierra North'; pioneered the detailed, route-by-route Western backpacking guidebook (John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Tahoe-Yosemite, and Sierra trail guides).", "Because guidebooks are revised across many editions over decades, EDITION (content revision) matters as much as PRINTING for identification.", "Sold by the Winnett family in 2008 to Keen Communications and is now published within the AdventureKEEN family (Birmingham, AL)." ], "era": "1967-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/william-blackwood", "name": "William Blackwood & Sons", "slug": "william-blackwood", "region": "Edinburgh & London, UK", "imprints": [ "William Blackwood & Sons", "Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (Maga)" ], "idMethods": [ "No explicit edition statement on Victorian firsts: identify by title-page date, absence of 'New Edition' wording, correct imprint ('William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London'), and complete volumes with half-titles.", "Many Blackwood novels first appeared serially in Blackwood's Magazine before book form — confirm the first BOOK edition versus the serial and versus cheaper later reissues.", "Dated rear advertisements or catalogue: a first should not list later titles.", "George Eliot points are critical: e.g. Scenes of Clerical Life (1858, 2 vols) and Adam Bede (1859, 3 vols) have well-documented first-issue states — collate against the bibliography." ], "notablePoints": [ "Publisher of George Eliot, John Buchan (early), Margaret Oliphant, some Joseph Conrad, and the long-running Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine ('Maga').", "Adam Bede first (1859, 3 vols): the desirable issue points involve text states and ads; many later printings exist within the publication year.", "The Edinburgh imprint distinguishes the firm; it spanned the 19th and 20th centuries with consistent absence of edition statements on early firsts.", "Serial-first publication is common, so 'first edition' must mean first in book form." ], "era": "1804–1980 (Victorian peak 1850s–1900)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/collins", "name": "William Collins, Sons & Co. (Collins)", "slug": "collins", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Collins Crime Club", "Fontana (paperback)", "Fontana/Collins", "Grafton", "HarperCollins (successor from 1990)", "Collins Children's", "Armada (children's paperback)" ], "idMethods": [ "First editions either carry NO additional printing statement on the copyright page or state \"First published [Year]\" — practice was not fully consistent, so confirm with jacket/ad dating", "Later printings noted with impression lines; their absence supports a first", "Collins Crime Club titles: rely on dust-jacket advertisement dating and absence of reprint notation; Crime Club firsts have well-catalogued jacket points", "After 1990 (HarperCollins) follow HarperCollins number-line conventions" ], "notablePoints": [ "Collins Crime Club is the key collecting area: Agatha Christie's main UK publisher — Christie firsts are identified largely by FIRST-ISSUE DUST JACKETS and price, not always a clean copyright statement", "The inconsistent copyright-page practice makes jackets and advertisement dating essential for Collins firsts", "Fontana was the mass-market paperback line (not trade firsts)" ], "era": "1819-1990 (independent); HarperCollins thereafter" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/william-heinemann", "name": "William Heinemann", "slug": "william-heinemann", "region": "UK", "imprints": [ "Heinemann Educational", "Secker & Warburg (later sibling)", "Mandarin (paperback)", "Windmill Press (printing arm)" ], "idMethods": [ "1890-1921: year of publication printed on the TITLE PAGE of first editions; on later printings the title-page date was removed and a notice added to the copyright page (a title-page year is the first-printing tell for this era)", "From the 1920s onward: \"First published [Year]\" or \"First published in Great Britain [Year]\" stated on the copyright page, with later impressions noted beneath", "Modern Heinemann adopted number lines; lowest digit = printing", "First printing = statement present AND no list of subsequent impressions" ], "notablePoints": [ "Major literary house: Graham Greene, D.H. Lawrence, Somerset Maugham, John Masters, Anthony Burgess, Olivia Manning", "Early-era (pre-1921) reliance on the title-page date is unusual and a common source of error if collectors only check the copyright page", "Windmill Press colophon appears on many mid-century titles" ], "era": "1890-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/william-morrow", "name": "William Morrow", "slug": "william-morrow", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Avon (mass-market romance)", "Morrow/Avon", "Custom House", "William Morrow Paperbacks", "Dey Street Books (sister)", "Mariner-adjacent (HC)", "Voyager (former SF, UK-linked)" ], "idMethods": [ "Pre-1973: usually printed 'First Printing (Month, Year)' on the copyright page and ALWAYS indicated later printings — so a first shows only the first-printing notation.", "Post-1973 / modern: states 'First Edition' AND uses a number line; the number row indicates year/printing, with the lowest number 1 present on a first.", "Modern HarperCollins-era Morrow: 'First Edition' + descending line ending in 1 is the reliable test.", "Absence of later-printing lines confirms a first across eras." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1926 by William Morrow; acquired by Hearst, then by HarperCollins (1999). Now a HarperCollins imprint.", "The pre-1973 'First Printing (Month Year)' habit is a distinctive, reliable Morrow tell.", "Avon (acquired with Morrow) is the mass-market romance line — many Avon paperback originals are firsts.", "Watch for HarperCollins-era number line that can include a year-code digit; the presence of 1 is the key." ], "era": "1926–present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/williams-wilkins", "name": "Williams & Wilkins / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW)", "slug": "williams-wilkins", "region": "United States (Baltimore, MD / Philadelphia, PA)", "imprints": [ "Williams & Wilkins", "Waverly Press", "Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW)", "Wolters Kluwer Health" ], "idMethods": [ "1890-c.1970: Founded 1890 in Baltimore as a major medical and scientific text and journal publisher (scientific journal publishing began 1909). Texts are identified by the numbered EDITION on the title page; the first printing of an edition is indicated by the absence of a later-printing or impression notice. Journals are identified by volume and year.", "c.1970-1998: A number line is increasingly used (lowest digit = printing) alongside the edition statement on revised clinical texts.", "1998-present: Wolters Kluwer acquired Waverly (parent of Williams & Wilkins) and merged it into Lippincott-Raven to form Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), now under Wolters Kluwer Health. Modern medical titles are identified by EDITION number, with printing shown by a number line (lowest digit = printing)." ], "notablePoints": [ "A distinct Baltimore medical house that was merged into the Lippincott line in 1998 to form LWW.", "Publisher of major journals and clinical references collected and used by edition.", "Often conflated with Lippincott after 1998 — the standalone 'Williams & Wilkins' imprint dates the pre-1998 era." ], "era": "1890-present (as LWW imprint under Wolters Kluwer)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/willow-creek-press", "name": "Willow Creek Press", "slug": "willow-creek-press", "region": "USA (Minocqua, Wisconsin)", "imprints": [ "Willow Creek Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Mid-1970s-1990s: Sporting and nature titles typically state 'First Edition' or 'First printing' on the copyright page and/or carry a descending number line in which '1' indicates the first printing. Where a signed or numbered limited issue exists, it is identified by its own limitation/colophon page stating the copy number.", "1990s-present: Standard number-line practice applies; the lowest surviving digit indicates the printing. Nature and photographic gift books are frequently reprinted, with later printings shown only by the number line rather than an explicit later-printing statement." ], "notablePoints": [ "Family-owned Wisconsin Northwoods house (Minocqua) publishing nature, outdoor, sporting, gardening, wildlife, and photographic gift books, with a strong calendar and gift-book line in recent decades.", "Known for hunting, fly-fishing, sporting-dog, and wildlife titles among its trade output.", "A separate nature publisher, NorthWord Press, also operated out of Minocqua, Wisconsin; a formal corporate affiliation between the two is not firmly documented and should not be asserted." ], "era": "mid-1970s-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/winchester-press", "name": "Winchester Press", "slug": "winchester-press", "region": "USA (New York / Garden City, NY; successor New Win Publishing later in Piscataway, NJ)", "imprints": [ "Winchester Press", "Winchester Press / Nick Lyons Books (co-imprint)", "New Win Publishing (successor, with Winchester Press as a continuing imprint)" ], "idMethods": [ "1969-late 1970s (Olin/Winchester corporate ownership, New York / Garden City NY): Firsts typically state 'First Edition'/'First Printing'; some titles also carry a descending number line where the lowest digit present indicates the printing ('1' = first). Hunting, shooting, and fishing focus.", "Co-branded 'Winchester Press / Nick Lyons Books' titles (Garden City, NY) appear as Nick Lyons developed his imprint alongside Winchester in the later 1970s; the co-imprint name on the title/copyright page is a recognized tell for that period.", "1982 onward (after New Century acquisition; New Win Publishing successor, later Piscataway, NJ): Continued trade practice with a printing statement and/or number line; the change of imprint to New Win signals the later era." ], "notablePoints": [ "Sporting-arms publisher originating as an Olin/Winchester corporate venture; associated with Jim Rikhoff, who later founded Amwell Press.", "An important link between corporate sporting publishing and the Nick Lyons lineage — the co-imprint 'Winchester Press / Nick Lyons Books' is a recognized identifier.", "Specialized in firearms, hunting, fishing, and outdoor reference; acquired by New Century in 1982 and continued as New Win Publishing." ], "era": "1969-early 1980s (Winchester Press); New Win Publishing successor from 1982" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/windhover-press", "name": "Windhover Press", "slug": "windhover-press", "region": "Iowa City, Iowa, USA (University of Iowa)", "imprints": [], "idMethods": [ "1967-2003: First/only edition by the COLOPHON; Windhover was the University of Iowa fine press directed by Kim (K.K.) Merker. The colophon states the limitation (editions commonly run a few hundred copies), the type, the paper, and the date; books are hand-set and hand-printed.", "1967-1980s: colophon-driven; many titles set in metal type and printed on fine or dampened handmade paper named in the colophon.", "Distinguish from Merker's personal STONE WALL PRESS and from his collaborative work with Harry Duncan's Cummington Press; Windhover is specifically the University of Iowa imprint. Merker even segregated copy-number ranges (roughly 1-199 for Stone Wall, 200-399 for Windhover)." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded by K.K. (Kim) Merker, a central figure in the American private-press revival and the University of Iowa book-arts program; Windhover was among the first fine presses sited within a university.", "All Windhover books are limited single printings, so the colophon is the only identification needed.", "Distinct from Merker's Stone Wall Press, which was his personal imprint and predates Windhover." ], "era": "1967-2003" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wisdom-publications", "name": "Wisdom Publications", "slug": "wisdom-publications", "region": "US (Somerville, Massachusetts, Boston area)", "imprints": [ "Wisdom Publications", "The Library of Tibetan Classics (series)", "Teachings of the Buddha (series)" ], "idMethods": [ "Wisdom is not covered in the standard by-publisher first-edition references, so no house-specific convention is documented; apply the general modern-trade signal.", "On a first printing, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.", "Some titles add an explicit 'First edition' or 'First Wisdom edition' line, but this is not consistent across the list, so the number line is the more reliable check." ], "notablePoints": [ "Nonprofit publisher historically affiliated with the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition); specializes in Tibetan and Theravada Buddhism, including titles by the Dalai Lama and scholarly translation series.", "Core titles see steady scholarly reprints, so the number line is the practical first-printing signal.", "Distinct from Shambhala despite overlapping Buddhist subject matter; confirm the imprint name on the copyright page." ], "era": "1975-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wits-university-press", "name": "Wits University Press (Witwatersrand University Press)", "slug": "wits-university-press", "region": "Johannesburg, South Africa", "imprints": [ "Wits University Press", "Witwatersrand University Press (historic form)" ], "idMethods": [ "1922-c.1990 (as Witwatersrand University Press): South African scholarly press following British/Commonwealth convention. A first printing typically shows 'First published [year]', a copyright line for that year, and 'Printed in South Africa', with no reprint note; later printings add 'Reprinted [year]'.", "c.1990-present (as Wits University Press): the modernized imprint shows 'First published [year]' with a number line for the impression (lowest digit indicates the printing) and a full ISBN/CIP block. A full number line ending in 1 with no reprint statement indicates a first printing.", "Co-publishing tell: some titles are co-published or co-distributed with overseas presses (for example via Cambridge or NYU Press partnerships), so confirm the market of issue, since the overseas partner's printing may differ from the South African first." ], "notablePoints": [ "South Africa's oldest university press, founded in 1922 at the University of the Witwatersrand; its first book, The Natural Resources of South Africa by R. A. Lehfeldt, appeared in April 1922.", "The imprint name was shortened from 'Witwatersrand University Press' to 'Wits University Press' in the modern era, which serves as a rough dating tell.", "Strengths include African studies, history, politics, archaeology and rock art, art and heritage, and literary studies; some titles are co-published with overseas presses, so verify the market of issue." ], "era": "1922-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/eerdmans", "name": "Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company", "slug": "eerdmans", "region": "US (Grand Rapids, Michigan)", "imprints": [ "Eerdmans Books for Young Readers", "Eerdmans (academic/biblical studies)" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern Eerdmans first printings are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page; a complete line ending in '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or paired letter/number forms like 'P 5 4 3 2 1') indicates the first printing.", "Later printings drop the low digits, so the lowest surviving number equals the printing number.", "Some volumes additionally print a year-paired line (e.g., '00 99 98 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') where the lowest year and lowest digit together date the first printing.", "Older (pre-1970s) academic titles often state nothing or simply give a copyright year with no printing statement; identify the first printing by the absence of any 'Second printing/Reprinted' notice and by matching the copyright year to the title-page/dust-jacket year." ], "notablePoints": [ "Primarily an academic and theological (Reformed, biblical-studies) house founded 1911, so many titles are scholarly hardcovers reprinted repeatedly; the number line is the reliable arbiter for post-1980 books.", "Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (children's imprint, established 1995) follows the same number-line convention.", "Book-club editions are rare for this academic list; the bigger trap is later printings of long-selling theology titles that retain the original copyright date but show a shortened number line." ], "era": "1911-present (number-line convention reliable from roughly the 1970s-1980s onward)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wolsak-and-wynn", "name": "Wolsak and Wynn", "slug": "wolsak-and-wynn", "region": "Canada (Hamilton, Ontario)", "imprints": [ "Wolsak and Wynn", "Buckrider Books (literary fiction/nonfiction imprint)", "James Street North Books", "Poplar Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Small literary press (poetry, and via its imprints fiction and nonfiction): first printings show the original copyright year with no later-printing statement; modern titles often state 'first edition.'", "Imprint titles (Buckrider Books, James Street North Books, Poplar Press) follow the parent copyright-page convention.", "Small runs mean most titles are single printings; verify absence of reprint notes." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1982 in Hamilton, Ontario, by poets Heather Cadsby and Maria Jacobs; originally a poetry-only press. Noelle Allen purchased the company in 2007 and expanded its scope to fiction, nonfiction, and translation.", "Buckrider Books (described by the press as its 'outlaw imprint,' headed by Paul Vermeersch) marks the move into literary fiction and nonfiction and is a useful era/imprint tell for dating a title.", "Lower-profile house; conventions follow typical modern small-press practice but are not documented in standard collecting references." ], "era": "1982-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/wonder-books", "name": "Wonder Books", "slug": "wonder-books", "region": "New York, NY", "imprints": [ "Wonder Books", "Wonder Treasure Books", "How and Why Wonder Books" ], "idMethods": [ "1946–1949 (Random House era): Wonder Books launched in 1946 as a low-priced picture-book line owned by Random House, competing with Little Golden Books. First printings carry a series/stock number; identify the earliest issue by the shortest back-cover or interior title list (later printings list more titles) and by copyright year. There is no number line or explicit first-edition statement.", "1949–1953 (Grosset & Dunlap control; Curtis distribution): Grosset & Dunlap gained control via stock acquisition in 1949 and styled the line 'Wonder Treasure Books'; Curtis Publishing handled distribution from 1949. The Wonder Treasure Books wording dates a book to this window. Still no printing statement — use the back-cover title list and stock number.", "1953–c.1977 (Curtis/Grosset & Dunlap joint venture): in 1953 Wonder Books became part of a Curtis plus Grosset & Dunlap joint venture. The educational How and Why Wonder Books series was introduced in 1960. First printings are identified by the shortest title list, price, and copyright year; reprints add later titles. The line ended about 1977 when Curtis shut down." ], "notablePoints": [ "A direct low-price competitor to Little Golden Books, begun in 1946 under Random House.", "Ownership and branding arc: Random House (1946), then Grosset & Dunlap control with Wonder Treasure Books branding and Curtis distribution (1949), then a Curtis plus Grosset & Dunlap joint venture (1953), ending about 1977.", "Primary dating tools: stock/series number, the shortest back-cover or endpaper title list (shortest list is earliest), and copyright year. No number line.", "Spawned the popular educational How and Why Wonder Books series, introduced in 1960." ], "era": "1946–c.1977" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/workman-publishing", "name": "Workman Publishing Company", "slug": "workman-publishing", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Workman", "Artisan", "Storey Publishing", "Timber Press", "Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill", "Algonquin Young Readers" ], "idMethods": [ "Number line on copyright page; a first printing shows the complete line including '1' (descending style typical, '10 9 8 7 ... 1')", "Many Workman trade nonfiction/calendar/gift titles omit an explicit 'First Edition' statement and rely on the number line alone — absence of a stated-first is normal, so the number line is the primary signal", "Workman self-distributed (including its imprints) until the 2021 Hachette Book Group acquisition; post-2021 titles follow HBG production norms", "Printing date / 'Printed in China' or printer note sometimes present but not an edition signal" ], "notablePoints": [ "Imprints Storey (how-to/country living), Timber (gardening/natural history), Artisan (illustrated/cookbooks), and Algonquin (literary) all use the same conventional number-line approach", "High-volume gift/reference titles are frequently reprinted; the absence of a low number on the line is the reliable tell for a later printing", "Do not expect a colophon device unique to Workman — there is no house point of issue" ], "era": "1968–present (HBG-owned 2021–)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/yale-university-press", "name": "Yale University Press", "slug": "yale-university-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "Yale Nota Bene", "Yale Anchor Bible (Anchor Yale Bible)", "Margellos World Republic of Letters" ], "idMethods": [ "Older/standard convention: the copyright page of a REPRINT states the date of first publication and lists subsequent printings/editions; a copy whose copyright page carries only the copyright line (no reprint or later-printing data) is a first printing.", "Revised editions always state the date of the original edition plus the revision — so any 'Second edition'/'Revised edition'/'Reprinted' language rules out a first printing of the first edition.", "Modern Yale titles include a number line on the copyright page; a line containing '1' marks the first printing.", "Some first printings explicitly state 'First published 19xx by Yale University Press' with no further printing history." ], "notablePoints": [ "Yale, like most academic presses, historically identified LATER printings rather than affirmatively stamping the first — so 'no reprint notice' is the operative signal for pre-number-line books.", "Watch dual US/UK imprints: Yale UK (London) and Yale New Haven may show different printing histories for the same title.", "Anchor Yale Bible commentary volumes are frequently revised/reissued — verify edition statements carefully." ], "era": "1908–present (reprint-statement convention throughout; number lines added in later decades)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/yankee-books", "name": "Yankee Books (Yankee Publishing, Inc.)", "slug": "yankee-books", "region": "New England (Dublin, New Hampshire)", "imprints": [ "Yankee Books (book division of Yankee Publishing)", "Yankee Magazine (parent periodical)", "The Old Farmer's Almanac (related title)" ], "idMethods": [ "1935-1970s (Yankee Publishing periodical era): Book output was sporadic and tied to Yankee Magazine. Identify a first printing by a single copyright date and the absence of any later-printing or reprint statement rather than by any 'First Edition' slug.", "1980s-early 1990s (Yankee Books trade-book era): Many titles state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and a first printing is also commonly confirmed by a descending number line with '1' present as the lowest digit. Some titles were co-published or distributed, so check for any co-publisher or distributor statement on the copyright page.", "Because the trade-book line later changed hands, identify the actual copyright holder printed in the book before applying any single rule, since post-handoff titles may follow the new owner's number-line practice rather than the Dublin house's earlier practice." ], "notablePoints": [ "Yankee Publishing, Inc. was founded in 1935 by Robb and Beatrix Sagendorph; it publishes Yankee Magazine and, from 1939, The Old Farmer's Almanac.", "Its list emphasizes regional New England nonfiction, including New Hampshire, Maine, and broader New England history, cooking, crafts, and humor.", "Distinguish the periodical (Yankee Magazine) from the trade-book imprint (Yankee Books) when cataloging, since their identification practices differ.", "The 'Yankee Books' trade-book imprint changed ownership over time, which is why number-line and statement conventions can vary by era and printed copyright holder." ], "era": "1935-present (book imprint principally 1980s-1990s)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/year-book-medical-publishers", "name": "Year Book Medical Publishers", "slug": "year-book-medical-publishers", "region": "United States (Chicago, IL)", "imprints": [ "Year Book Medical Publishers", "Mosby-Year Book (post-merger)", "The Year Book of... series" ], "idMethods": [ "1901-c.1985: Chicago medical house (founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931) famous for the annual 'Year Book of [specialty]' abstract serials (Surgery, Medicine, Pediatrics, and others). These serial volumes are identified by SPECIALTY plus YEAR, not by first-printing points; each annual supersedes the prior one. Monographs are identified by edition plus copyright year, with the first printing indicated by the absence of a later-printing notice.", "1989-1990s: Times Mirror merged the house with C. V. Mosby to form 'Mosby-Year Book'; the copyright-page imprint reflects the merger. The name was subsequently absorbed into the Mosby/Elsevier line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931; defunct as an independent name after the 1989 Mosby merger.", "The annual 'Year Book of...' series is collected as dated runs by specialty.", "Identification is by year and specialty, not by edition points." ], "era": "1901-c.1990" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/yen-press", "name": "Yen Press — English-language manga & light novels", "slug": "yen-press", "region": "USA (New York; founded 2006) / co-owned by Hachette Book Group and Kadokawa (Kadokawa majority since 2016)", "imprints": [ "Yen Press", "Yen On (light novels, launched 2014)", "Yen Audio (2021)", "JY (middle-grade, 2017; formerly Yen Press Kids)", "Ize Press (Korean webtoons/manhwa, est. 2022)" ], "idMethods": [ "2006-present: manga and light-novel volumes are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page (line ending in 1 = first printing; lowest digit present = printing number). As a Hachette Book Group-distributed imprint, Yen Press follows standard US trade number-line conventions, often alongside a 'First Yen Press Edition: Month Year' statement.", "Light novels (Yen On, from 2014) and color/special editions use the same number-line tell.", "Ize Press print editions from 2022 (Solo Leveling, Omniscient Reader and similar manhwa) follow the same Hachette-distribution number-line convention.", "Reissues of orphaned licenses absorbed from earlier publishers carry new Yen Press indicia and number lines rather than the original house's." ], "notablePoints": [ "Hachette distribution yields clean, reliable US-trade number lines, making Yen Press among the easier manga first printings to authenticate.", "Solo Leveling (via Ize Press) and Spy x Family early volumes are hot modern collectibles; reprints drop the low digits from the line.", "Co-owned by Hachette Book Group and Kadokawa, with Kadokawa holding a 51% majority stake since April 2016.", "Founded in 2006 by Kurt Hassler (former Borders buyer) and Rich Johnson (former DC Comics VP)." ], "era": "2006-present" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/yolla-bolly-press", "name": "Yolla Bolly Press", "slug": "yolla-bolly-press", "region": "US", "imprints": [ "James & Carolyn Robertson (founders)" ], "idMethods": [ "Letterpress limited editions (Covelo, California); printed colophon with stated limitation, frequently SIGNED by the author and/or illustrator", "Original commissioned art, fine papers; deluxe vs. standard states distinguished by binding and extra signed prints stated in the colophon", "No number line — signed/numbered colophon identifies" ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1975 by James and Carolyn Robertson in Covelo, CA (named for the Yolla Bolly mountains); noted for collaborations issuing signed limited editions of contemporary American writers (e.g., Wallace Stegner, Wendell Berry, Barry Lopez)", "Author-signed colophons make these desirable association-quality firsts of the limited issue", "Some titles produced for trade publishers in a deluxe limited concurrent state", "Distinct from other California fine presses (Grabhorn/Arion) — a later, photo-offset-and-letterpress operation" ], "era": "1975–c.2008" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/zed-books", "name": "Zed Books", "slug": "zed-books", "region": "UK (London), global South, development and politics", "imprints": [ "Zed Books", "Zed Press (the original name)", "Zed Scholar" ], "idMethods": [ "1977–c.1990 (Zed Press): firsts identified by 'First published by Zed Press'; number lines are often absent, so the first printing is shown by the absence of a reprint statement. Many titles were issued simultaneously in hardback and paperback — distinguish by binding (and price/ISBN), as each binding is a first in its own right.", "c.1990–2019 (Zed Books): 'First published by Zed Books Ltd' with a descending number line (lowest figure, 1, marks the first printing).", "2020 onward: Zed's assets were absorbed into Bloomsbury (Bloomsbury Academic); titles issued after the acquisition follow Bloomsbury's number-line convention. A true independent-Zed first predates this and carries the standalone Zed imprint." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded in 1977 as Zed Press by Roger van Zwanenberg; a pioneer of African, Asian and feminist development scholarship in English, and for decades a worker-owned cooperative.", "Simultaneous hardback and paperback issue was common — both are firsts in their respective bindings.", "Bloomsbury acquired Zed's assets in March 2020; the earlier independent Zed imprint is the collectible first." ], "era": "1977–2019 (independent)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/zenith-press", "name": "Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint", "slug": "zenith-press", "region": "St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (MBI Publishing; later Quayside/Quarto Group)", "imprints": [ "Zenith Press (military history / military and civil aviation)", "MBI Publishing sister imprints: Motorbooks and Voyageur Press" ], "idMethods": [ "Launched 2004 as MBI Publishing's military-history imprint (sister to Motorbooks and Voyageur Press): descending number line on the copyright page, lowest digit present indicating the printing, so a line containing '1' indicates a first printing. Many titles also carry a 'First published in [year]' statement.", "After the 2007 acquisition by Quayside (part of the Quarto Group), the MBI sister imprints continued the same number-line house convention.", "Revised or expanded editions are stated explicitly and reset the number line; check the 'First published' line, since co-editions and licensed reprints occur." ], "notablePoints": [ "Military-history counterpart to Motorbooks within the same MBI family (Motorbooks, Voyageur Press, Zenith Press), sharing production conventions; founded under Richard Kane, formerly of Presidio Press.", "Not related to the older 'Zenith' radio/electronics name — this is the MBI/Quarto military imprint.", "Co-editions and licensed reprints occur, so verify the 'First published' line for a true first printing." ], "era": "2004-c.2018 (Zenith Press imprint name)" }, { "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/publishers/zondervan", "name": "Zondervan", "slug": "zondervan", "region": "US (Grand Rapids, Michigan)", "imprints": [ "Zonderkidz", "Zondervan Academic", "Zondervan Reflective", "Editorial Vida (Spanish-language)", "Blink" ], "idMethods": [ "Modern first printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present equals the printing number.", "Many Zondervan titles use a year-paired line such as '24 23 22 21 20 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or a printer-code block; the first printing shows both the lowest year and the digit 1 present.", "Some editions additionally state 'First printing' wording on the copyright page alongside or instead of the number line." ], "notablePoints": [ "Founded 1931; now an imprint within HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Zondervan was acquired by Harper & Row on July 14, 1988 (Harper & Row became HarperCollins in 1989-1990), and the Christian list was consolidated under HarperCollins Christian Publishing in 2012; the underlying number-line convention did not change.", "Publisher of the NIV Bible; Bible editions are notoriously hard to 'first-edition' because of constant reprints, format variants and text revisions (1973 NT, 1978 full NIV, 1984, 2011) -- treat Bible printings with caution and rely on stated printing lines plus the text-revision year.", "Zonderkidz (children's) and Zondervan Academic follow the same descending-number-line rule.", "High-volume evangelical trade titles often reach dozens of printings, so a clean '...3 2 1' line is the only safe first-printing signal." ], "era": "1931-present" } ], "version": "1.2.0", "datePublished": "2026-06-28", "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition-points-registry", "changelog": [ { "version": "1.2.0", "date": "2026-06-28", "note": "Expanded to 503 publishers/imprints across 17 categories (exhaustive sweep; all net-new houses adversarially verified)." }, { "version": "1.1.0", "date": "2026-06-28", "note": "Expanded to 209 publishers across 11 categories (US trade, vintage, UK/Commonwealth, SF/F, mystery, children's, university, poetry, fine press, regional, Southwest)." }, { "version": "1.0.0", "date": "2026-06-28", "note": "Initial public registry: 30 publishers with first-printing identification methods, decision flows, and notable points." } ] }