Western National Parks Association (formerly Southwest Parks and Monuments Association / Southwestern Monuments Association) — first-edition identification

Western National Parks Association (formerly Southwest Parks and Monuments Association / Southwestern Monuments Association) (Tucson, Arizona, USA; 1938-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Southwestern Monuments Association (SWMA, 1938 founding name); Southwest Parks and Monuments Association (SPMA, late 1960s); Western National Parks Association (WNPA, from 2002). Background: 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.


Westminster John Knox Press — first-edition identification

Westminster John Knox (WJK)
formerly The Westminster Press
formerly John Knox Press
Flyaway Books (children's)

Westminster John Knox Press (Louisville, Kentucky (formerly Philadelphia, PA / Atlanta & Richmond, VA); 1838-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Westminster John Knox (WJK); formerly The Westminster Press; formerly John Knox Press; Flyaway Books (children's). Background: 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.

New Mexico Literacy Project (newmexicoliteracyproject.org)


WestWinds Press — first-edition identification

WestWinds Press (West / Pacific Northwest — Portland, Oregon (regional trade imprint of Graphic Arts Center Publishing / Graphic Arts Books, later West Margin Press); 1998–c.2019 (imprint retired when parent rebranded to West Margin Press)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: WestWinds Press (regional trade imprint). Background: 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.


Whispers Press — first-edition identification

Whispers Press (Fayetteville / Chapel Hill, North Carolina, then Binghamton, New York, USA; c.1977-1990s). First-edition identification: 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. Background: 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.


White Pine Press — first-edition identification

White Pine Press
Companions for the Journey (series)
White Pine Press Poetry Prize series

White Pine Press (USA (Buffalo, NY); 1973-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: White Pine Press; Companions for the Journey (series); White Pine Press Poetry Prize series. Background: 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.


Whitman Publishing Company (Western Printing & Lithographing) — first-edition identification

Whitman
Big Little Books
Better Little Books
Whitman Tell-A-Tale Books
Whitman Cozy Corner
Top Top Tales
Western Publishing

Whitman Publishing Company (Western Printing & Lithographing) (Racine, WI; 1916–1980s (Big Little Books 1932–1949)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Whitman; Big Little Books; Better Little Books; Whitman Tell-A-Tale Books; Whitman Cozy Corner; Top Top Tales; Western Publishing. Background: 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.


Wilderness Adventures Press — first-edition identification

Wilderness Adventures Press (USA (Belgrade/Bozeman, Montana); 1990s-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Wilderness Adventures Press, Inc.. Background: 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.


Wilderness Press — first-edition identification

Wilderness Press (USA (Berkeley, California; later under Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN, Birmingham, Alabama); 1967-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Wilderness Press; Wilderness Press (Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN imprint). Background: 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).


William Blackwood & Sons — first-edition identification

William Blackwood & Sons
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (Maga)

William Blackwood & Sons (Edinburgh & London, UK; 1804–1980 (Victorian peak 1850s–1900)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: William Blackwood & Sons; Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (Maga). Background: 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.


William Collins, Sons & Co. (Collins) — first-edition identification

Collins Crime Club
Fontana (paperback)
Fontana/Collins
Grafton
HarperCollins (successor from 1990)
Collins Children's
Armada (children's paperback)

William Collins, Sons & Co. (Collins) (UK; 1819-1990 (independent); HarperCollins thereafter). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Collins Crime Club; Fontana (paperback); Fontana/Collins; Grafton; HarperCollins (successor from 1990); Collins Children's; Armada (children's paperback). Background: 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)


William Heinemann — first-edition identification

Heinemann Educational
Secker & Warburg (later sibling)
Mandarin (paperback)
Windmill Press (printing arm)

William Heinemann (UK; 1890-present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Heinemann Educational; Secker & Warburg (later sibling); Mandarin (paperback); Windmill Press (printing arm). Background: 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


William Morrow — first-edition identification

Avon (mass-market romance)
Morrow/Avon
Custom House
William Morrow Paperbacks
Dey Street Books (sister)
Mariner-adjacent (HC)
Voyager (former SF, UK-linked)

William Morrow (US; 1926–present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Avon (mass-market romance); Morrow/Avon; Custom House; William Morrow Paperbacks; Dey Street Books (sister); Mariner-adjacent (HC); Voyager (former SF, UK-linked). Background: 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.


Williams & Wilkins / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) — first-edition identification

Williams & Wilkins
Waverly Press
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW)
Wolters Kluwer Health

Williams & Wilkins / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) (United States (Baltimore, MD / Philadelphia, PA); 1890-present (as LWW imprint under Wolters Kluwer)). First-edition identification: 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). Imprints and series: Williams & Wilkins; Waverly Press; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW); Wolters Kluwer Health. Background: 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.


Willow Creek Press — first-edition identification

Willow Creek Press (USA (Minocqua, Wisconsin); mid-1970s-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Willow Creek Press. Background: 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.


Winchester Press — first-edition identification

Winchester Press (USA (New York / Garden City, NY; successor New Win Publishing later in Piscataway, NJ); 1969-early 1980s (Winchester Press); New Win Publishing successor from 1982). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Winchester Press; Winchester Press / Nick Lyons Books (co-imprint); New Win Publishing (successor, with Winchester Press as a continuing imprint). Background: 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.


Windhover Press — first-edition identification

Windhover Press (Iowa City, Iowa, USA (University of Iowa); 1967-2003). First-edition identification: 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). Background: 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.


Wisdom Publications — first-edition identification

Wisdom Publications (US (Somerville, Massachusetts, Boston area); 1975-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Wisdom Publications; The Library of Tibetan Classics (series); Teachings of the Buddha (series). Background: 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.


Wits University Press (Witwatersrand University Press) — first-edition identification

Wits University Press (Witwatersrand University Press) (Johannesburg, South Africa; 1922-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Wits University Press; Witwatersrand University Press (historic form). Background: 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.


Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company — first-edition identification

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Eerdmans (academic/biblical studies)

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (US (Grand Rapids, Michigan); 1911-present (number-line convention reliable from roughly the 1970s-1980s onward)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers; Eerdmans (academic/biblical studies). Background: 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.


Wolsak and Wynn — first-edition identification

Wolsak and Wynn (Canada (Hamilton, Ontario); 1982-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Wolsak and Wynn; Buckrider Books (literary fiction/nonfiction imprint); James Street North Books; Poplar Press. Background: 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.


Wonder Books — first-edition identification

Wonder Books
Wonder Treasure Books
How and Why Wonder Books

Wonder Books (New York, NY; 1946–c.1977). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Wonder Books; Wonder Treasure Books; How and Why Wonder Books. Background: 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.


Workman Publishing Company — first-edition identification

Workman
Artisan
Storey Publishing
Timber Press
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Algonquin Young Readers

Workman Publishing Company (US; 1968–present (HBG-owned 2021–)). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Workman; Artisan; Storey Publishing; Timber Press; Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill; Algonquin Young Readers. Background: 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


Yale University Press — first-edition identification

Yale Nota Bene
Yale Anchor Bible (Anchor Yale Bible)
Margellos World Republic of Letters

Yale University Press (US; 1908–present (reprint-statement convention throughout; number lines added in later decades)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Yale Nota Bene; Yale Anchor Bible (Anchor Yale Bible); Margellos World Republic of Letters. Background: 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.


Yankee Books (Yankee Publishing, Inc.) — first-edition identification

Yankee Books (Yankee Publishing, Inc.) (New England (Dublin, New Hampshire); 1935-present (book imprint principally 1980s-1990s)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Yankee Books (book division of Yankee Publishing); Yankee Magazine (parent periodical); The Old Farmer's Almanac (related title). Background: 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.


Year Book Medical Publishers — first-edition identification

Year Book Medical Publishers
Mosby-Year Book (post-merger)
The Year Book of... series

Year Book Medical Publishers (United States (Chicago, IL); 1901-c.1990). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Year Book Medical Publishers; Mosby-Year Book (post-merger); The Year Book of... series. Background: 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.


Yen Press — English-language manga & light novels — first-edition identification

Yen Press — English-language manga & light novels (USA (New York; founded 2006) / co-owned by Hachette Book Group and Kadokawa (Kadokawa majority since 2016); 2006-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: 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). Background: 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).


Yolla Bolly Press — first-edition identification

Yolla Bolly Press (US; 1975–c.2008). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: James & Carolyn Robertson (founders). Background: 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


Zed Books — first-edition identification

Zed Books
Zed Press (the original name)
Zed Scholar

Zed Books (UK (London), global South, development and politics; 1977–2019 (independent)). First-edition identification: 1977–c.1990 (Zed Press): firsts identified by 'First published <year> 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 <year> 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. Imprints and series: Zed Books; Zed Press (the original name); Zed Scholar. Background: 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.


Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint — first-edition identification

Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (MBI Publishing; later Quayside/Quarto Group); 2004-c.2018 (Zenith Press imprint name)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Zenith Press (military history / military and civil aviation); MBI Publishing sister imprints: Motorbooks and Voyageur Press. Background: 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.


Zondervan — first-edition identification

Zonderkidz
Zondervan Academic
Zondervan Reflective
Editorial Vida (Spanish-language)
Blink

Zondervan (US (Grand Rapids, Michigan); 1931-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Zonderkidz; Zondervan Academic; Zondervan Reflective; Editorial Vida (Spanish-language); Blink. Background: 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.


Global rule: The number line (printer's key) is the strongest single tool for books

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.

NMLP First-Edition Points Identifier — global rules


Global rule: When a stated 'First Edition' line and the number line disagree, belie

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.


Global rule: Always confirm the imprint is the original publisher

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.


Global rule: Always rule out a book club 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.


Verdict "first"

Consistent with a true first edition, first printing. Confirm with the title-specific point of issue before you celebrate.

NMLP First-Edition Checker — verdict legend


Verdict "later"

This is a later printing or a later edition, not the first printing.


Verdict "notfirst"

This is not the publisher's trade first edition (book club, reprint house, or wrong imprint).


Verdict "inconclusive"

The copyright page alone cannot settle it. You need to check a physical point of issue or compare against a documented first.


Verdict "arc"

This is a pre-publication copy (proof or advance review copy), not the first edition.


First edition

First edition: A book printed from the first setting of type in the first print run by the original publisher. For modern publishing (post-1900), six points must align: original publisher imprint, stated edition or first-printing notation, full number line ending in 1, copyright year matching the first publication year, unclipped dust jacket flap with original price, and title-specific points of issue.


First printing

First printing: The first run of copies printed from a given edition. The first printing of a first edition is the most collectible state. Subsequent printings of the same edition are reprints with reduced collector value. Identified by the lowest number on the printer's number line (1) plus a stated edition notation.


Number line

Number line: The printer's sequence of numbers on the copyright page that indicates the printing. The lowest number present indicates the printing. '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' both indicate first printing when 1 is present. '2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1' is a Random House first-printing convention. Removing the 1 makes it second printing; removing 1 and 2 makes it third printing; etc.


Stated edition

Stated edition: An explicit edition or printing notation on the copyright page (e.g., 'First Edition', 'First Printing', 'First American Edition', 'First Published in 1985'). Random House, Knopf, Doubleday, and Harper & Row firsts typically state this outright. The absence of a stated edition is not disqualifying — the number line can confirm a first printing — but its presence is the strongest single positive indicator.


Points of issue

Points of issue: Title-specific authentication markers that distinguish a true first printing from later printings. These vary by title: errata states, jacket art variants, binding cloth differences, copyright page typos, paper stock variants, and publisher-specific issue points. Cross-reference the title-specific pillar guide for documented points of issue. Examples: The Hobbit 1937 Allen & Unwin first carries a green cloth blindstamped dragon and an errata state on the rear endpaper; Blood Meridian 1985 Random House has a pictorial dust jacket; A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 2015 collected first follows the original 1998-2010 anthology appearances of Dunk and Egg.


Errata

Errata: A list of typographical or textual errors discovered after printing. Errata sheets are sometimes laid in (loose insert) or printed on the rear endpaper. The presence or absence of an errata can be a point of issue distinguishing first vs second printings. The Hobbit 1937 Allen & Unwin first carries a printed errata state on the rear endpaper.


Imprint

Imprint: The publisher's brand name appearing on the title page, dust jacket, and copyright page. The original first-publication imprint must match for a true first edition. Reprints by different imprints (Vintage, Picador, Penguin, Eos, Avon) are reading-copy reprints, not firsts. Some authors moved between imprints during their career — Cormac McCarthy moved from Random House to Knopf in 1992; verify the imprint matches the title's specific first publication.


Dust jacket

Dust jacket: The detachable paper cover wrapped around a hardcover book. For modern first editions (post-1900), the dust jacket carries 50-70% of total value. A first edition without its original jacket is typically worth 20-30% of the jacketed copy. Dust jacket condition is graded separately from the book's interior condition.


Dust jacket flap

Dust jacket flap: The folded portion of the dust jacket that tucks inside the front and rear boards. The front flap typically carries the original retail price; the rear flap typically carries the author photo or biographical note. The unclipped front flap with original price is required for a first-edition-state dust jacket. A clipped flap drops the condition rating one full grade.


Clipped

Clipped: When the price has been cut off the dust jacket flap (often to disguise a gift). A clipped jacket drops the condition rating one full grade and signals the book may have been gifted (which can affect signature authentication if the signature lacks a personal inscription). Common on McCarthy's Blood Meridian 1985 Random House gift copies; the unclipped first carries the modest value jacket price.


Foxing

Foxing: Small brown or rust-colored spots on paper or dust jackets, caused by oxidation of paper-fiber impurities. Common on cellulose-rich paper stocks from the 1960s-1980s in dry-wet climates like New Mexico. Foxing on the page block reduces condition by one grade; foxing on the dust jacket reduces by one grade additionally. Mild foxing is reversible (paper conservation services); heavy foxing typically is not.


Sun fading

Sun fading: Discoloration on the dust jacket spine and exposed faces caused by long-term UV exposure. Particularly severe in New Mexico due to high altitude (5,000+ ft) and low humidity. Sun-faded jackets drop one full grade. Common on books shelved with the spine facing south- or west-facing windows for 20+ years. Identifiable by uneven fading concentrated on the spine and exposed face.


Chip

Chip: A small piece missing from the edge of a dust jacket, typically at the top of the spine or at the corners. Chips drop the condition rating depending on size: small (under 1/8 inch) drops one grade; medium chips drop two grades; large chips push the jacket into Good or Poor territory.


Tear

Tear: A split in the paper of a dust jacket, typically at the head or foot of the spine where the jacket flexes during shelving. Closed tears (no missing material) are reversible with archival tape; open tears (missing material) are chips. A tear under 1/2 inch drops one grade; over 1/2 inch drops two.


Fine (F)

Fine (F): The highest dust jacket condition grade. Perfect condition, no flaws, no wear, no foxing, jacket bright and unfaded, no edge wear, no clipping. As-issued from the publisher. Rare on books over 30 years old. Premium pricing.


Near Fine (NF)

Near Fine (NF): Almost perfect condition. Very minor wear at edges (slight rubbing on corners, faint shelf wear). Jacket complete and bright. No tears, no chips, no significant flaws. The standard target for collectible firsts. The most common high-quality grade on books 10-30 years old.


Very Good Plus (VG+)

Very Good Plus (VG+): Minor edge wear, very small chips at corners or top spine, light shelf wear. No significant tears. Jacket complete. Common on books 30-60 years old that have been well kept. The standard 'collectible-grade' floor for older firsts.


Very Good (VG)

Very Good (VG): Visible wear: light foxing on jacket or page block, minor edge wear, minor sun fading on spine, light shelf wear, possibly a small tear or chip. Jacket complete and bright. Most common condition for 1970s-1990s firsts that have been on a shelf for 30+ years.


Good (G)

Good (G): Significant wear: chips at corners, tears at top spine, sun fading on spine, water stains, soiling. Jacket complete but visibly worn. Reading copy with collectible value.


Poor (PR)

Poor (PR): Major condition issues: large chips or tears, missing pieces, heavy fading, water damage, mold, taped repairs. Reading copy only.


Book Club Edition (BCE)

Book Club Edition (BCE): A mass-produced reprint edition sold via subscription book club services (Doubleday Literary Guild, Science Fiction Book Club / SFBC, Mystery Guild, History Book Club). Looks almost identical to first editions but has five tells: no price on the dust jacket flap, blind-stamp indentation on the rear board, slightly smaller trim size, lighter paper stock, different binding cloth. BCEs are reading copies — the trade first is the collectible piece. SFBC editions of Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles flood Albuquerque estates.


SFBC

SFBC: Science Fiction Book Club. A Doubleday-owned book club that sold mass-produced reprint editions of science fiction and fantasy hardcovers via subscription from 1953 onward. SFBC editions of Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, and George R.R. Martin's early novels appear regularly in Albuquerque estates. SFBC editions are reading copies; the trade Doubleday/Bantam/etc. firsts are the collectible state.


Blind stamp

Blind stamp: A small shape pressed into the cloth binding without ink, visible at low angle in raking light. SFBC editions use a circle, square, or maple-leaf shape on the rear board as a club-edition indicator. Blind stamps on the front board may also indicate publisher signature programs (e.g., Geoffrey Bles's blindstamped dragon on Tolkien's The Hobbit 1937 first).


Trade edition

Trade edition: The standard hardcover edition issued by the original publisher for general retail sale. Distinct from limited editions, BCEs, paperback originals, and library editions. The trade first is typically the most-sought collector state, with the limited edition variant (where one exists) commanding a premium.


Limited edition

Limited edition: An explicit-print-run signed edition issued by fine-press publishers. Carries a limitation statement on a dedicated page (usually colophon) stating the total print run and copy number. Variants: signed/numbered (most common), signed/lettered (rarer subset, A-Z or AA-ZZ), signed but not numbered. Typically commands 2-5x the trade first edition price.


Signed/numbered

Signed/numbered: A limited edition where each copy carries a hand-numbered serial within the print run total (e.g., 'Copy #142 of 250') plus the author's signature. The number is hand-written on the limitation page; the signature is on a dedicated signature page or the limitation page itself. Most common limited edition variant.


Signed/lettered

Signed/lettered: A limited edition rarer subset where each copy is labeled with a letter rather than a number — typically A-Z (26 copies) or AA-ZZ (52 copies). Lettered copies are usually the most valuable variant of a limited print run, often issued in slipcase, tray case, or portfolio with additional ephemera. Subterranean Press, Underwood-Miller, and Centipede Press regularly issue signed/lettered variants alongside signed/numbered.


Colophon

Colophon: A note typically appearing on the final page or limitation page of a book, providing publication details (printer, paper stock, type face, binding cloth), and for limited editions, the limitation statement and signature block. The colophon is the canonical authentication anchor for fine-press limited editions.


Slipcase

Slipcase: A protective open-ended box that houses a book or set of books, typically issued with limited or fine-press editions. The slipcase is part of the limited edition's value; a slipcase-lost limited edition drops one full condition grade. Slipcases may be cloth-covered, leather, or paper-laminate.


Tray case

Tray case: A higher-grade alternative to a slipcase: a fully enclosed protective case with a hinged or sliding lid. Tray cases typically house lettered limited editions or particularly fine bindings. Always issued with the book; loss of the tray case drops one full condition grade.


Foreign first edition

Foreign first edition: The earliest-published edition of a title in a non-English-speaking country, OR the earliest-published edition in a different English-speaking country than the author's home country. For most modern transatlantic publication, the UK first (Allen & Unwin Tolkien, Geoffrey Bles Lewis, Voyager Martin) precedes the US first (Houghton Mifflin Tolkien, Macmillan/HarperCollins Lewis, Bantam Spectra Martin). The earlier-published edition is the 'true first.'


True first

True first: The earliest-published edition of a work, regardless of country or imprint. For most modern authors, the true first is determined by publication date on the copyright page. Tolkien's The Hobbit true first is the 1937 Allen & Unwin UK edition; the 1938 Houghton Mifflin US is a separate first (the US first) but not the true first.


Advance reading copy (ARC)

Advance reading copy (ARC): A pre-publication promotional edition distributed to reviewers, booksellers, and influencers prior to the trade publication date. ARCs are typically softcover bound with publisher-provided covers stating 'Advance Reader's Edition' or 'Uncorrected Proof'. ARCs of high-profile titles (McCarthy, King, Martin) carry a separate collector category but are not the trade first edition.


Galley proof

Galley proof: An uncorrected pre-publication printing used for proofreading and review distribution before the ARC stage. Galleys are typically larger format than the finished book, with publisher-provided covers stating 'Bound Galley' or 'Galley Proof'. Galleys of significant titles are scarce and carry a separate collector category.


Mass-market paperback

Mass-market paperback: A pocket-sized paperback (typically 4.25 x 6.75 inches) intended for mass retail distribution at supermarkets, drugstores, and airport newsstands. Mass-market originals (no prior hardcover) are a distinct first edition category — Roger Zelazny's This Immortal 1966 Ace Double F-393 and The Dream Master 1966 Ace are mass-market firsts because there was no prior hardcover. Mass-market reprints of hardcover firsts are reading copies.


Trade paperback

Trade paperback: A larger-format paperback (typically 5 x 8 inches or larger) issued at a higher retail price than mass-market. Trade paperbacks are more often used for literary fiction and academic publishing. The trade paperback may be the first edition of a title (no prior hardcover) or a paperback reprint of a hardcover first.


Library edition

Library edition: A reinforced binding edition issued for institutional library use, typically with stronger boards, washable covers, and reinforced gutters. Library editions sometimes lack dust jackets, and may carry library-specific stamps and pocket cards. Library deaccessioned books (former library copies) are reading copies only.


Signature

Signature: An author's handwritten autograph on a book, typically on the title page, half-title, or limitation page. Authentic signatures multiply value 1.5x to 3x for living-author books and 2x to 5x for closed-pool authors. Authentication requires the 7-tier framework: closed pool dating, signing-venue history, exemplar comparison, ink/aging analysis, inscription patterns, autopen detection, and provenance documentation.


Inscription

Inscription: A personal handwritten note from the author to a specific recipient, typically including a name, date, and short message ('To Sue, with my warmest regards, Tony Hillerman, October 1989'). Inscriptions are typically more authentic than flat signatures because they require knowing the recipient's name and an authentic personal voice — harder for forgers to fake. For prolific signers like Hillerman, Anaya, and pre-1995 Zelazny, inscribed copies command a moderate premium over flat-signed copies.


Holograph

Holograph: A document or note entirely in the author's own handwriting. Holograph signatures, inscriptions, marginalia, and full-text manuscripts are the highest-tier autograph category. Distinct from typed materials with hand-signed authentication.


Autopen

Autopen: A mechanical signature device that uses a robotic arm with an actual pen to apply signatures to multiple copies. Autopen signatures are identifiable by uniform pressure throughout the stroke, exact replication across multiple copies, identical placement on the title page, and lack of hesitation marks. Common on celebrity-author book promotions, post-illness authors who can no longer sign by hand, and mass mail-out signed copies. Autopen signatures are NOT considered authentic for collector purposes; verify before transacting.


Exemplar

Exemplar: A documented authentic signature used as a comparison anchor for authenticating a contested signature. Exemplars come from auction-house catalogs (Heritage, Christie's, Sotheby's), ABAA dealer authenticated copies, the author's correspondence in university archives (UNM Center for Southwest Research holds many NM-author exemplars), and PSA/JSA/Beckett certified samples. Signatures evolve over a writer's career; an authentic 1985 signature may not match an authentic 2010 signature in slope, pressure, or letter-form.


Closed signature pool

Closed signature pool: The supply of authentic signatures available from a deceased (or permanently unable to sign) author. Once an author dies or publicly announces inability to sign, no new authentic signatures can enter the market. Closed-pool signed firsts typically reset upward 1.5x to 3x within 12-18 months and continue to compound for 5-10 years. See the comprehensive closed-pool reference for all 38 Albuquerque-relevant authors with death dates and reset percentages.


Open signature pool

Open signature pool: A living author who continues to sign books, OR an author who has not publicly announced inability to sign. Open-pool signed firsts price at the current signing-event premium (typically 1.5x to 2x baseline). Pre-emptive acquisition of open-pool signed firsts is a common collector strategy in anticipation of future closure (e.g., pre-2018 George R.R. Martin signed firsts already command a premium due to his ALS-restricted signing schedule).


Death-date premium

Death-date premium: The price increase observed in signed firsts in the 12-18 months following an author's death (signature pool closure). Driven by completion buyers, estate liquidations, speculative buyers, and forger activity. McCarthy signed Blood Meridian reset 2-3x within 18 months of June 13, 2023. Zelazny signed Lord of Light reset 2x within 18 months of June 14, 1995. The premium typically continues to compound for 5-10 years post-death.


Provenance

Provenance: The chain of ownership documentation for a book — who owned it, when, where, and how it changed hands. For signed copies, provenance is critical: a signed Tony Hillerman first with a Bookworks ABQ October 1988 signing-event sticker carries a documented provenance chain that authenticates the signature. Provenance markers include bookstore stamps, signing-venue stickers, prior owner inscriptions, auction-house records, ABAA dealer pedigree letters, estate documentation, and PSA/JSA/Beckett certifications.


Bookplate

Bookplate: A small printed or engraved label pasted into the front pastedown or front free endpaper indicating ownership ('Ex Libris [name]'). Bookplates from notable owners (academic libraries, famous collectors, the author's own library) raise value; generic bookplates are neutral; library deaccession bookplates with stamps drop value to reading-copy levels.


Pastedown

Pastedown: The endpaper glued to the inside of the front or rear board of a hardcover book. The front pastedown is the canonical location for bookplates and signing-venue stickers. The rear pastedown sometimes carries publisher catalog ads or errata states. Discoloration of the pastedown can indicate moisture exposure or excessive shelf wear.


Endpaper

Endpaper: The blank or decorative leaves at the front and rear of a hardcover book that join the text block to the boards. Front endpapers (free endpaper plus pastedown) and rear endpapers. Sometimes carries marginalia, owner inscriptions, library accession numbers, or signing-event stickers.


Half-title

Half-title: A page bearing only the title of the book (no author or publisher information), located before the title page. The half-title is sometimes the location for signed inscriptions, especially for shorter inscriptions. Half-title page integrity is part of the book's overall condition assessment.


Frontispiece

Frontispiece: An illustration or photograph facing the title page in a hardcover book, traditional in older publishing (pre-1950) and revived in fine-press editions. Frontispieces by named illustrators (Pauline Baynes, Alan Lee, Vaughn Bodé) carry their own collector value beyond the book's text.


Gutter

Gutter: The inner margin of an open book, where the pages meet the binding. Tight gutters indicate well-preserved binding integrity. Loose or split gutters indicate excessive opening or aged glue and reduce condition. Sometimes carries a printer's gutter code (a small letter or number identifier) used to track printing runs.


Foxed

Foxed: Carrying foxing — small brown or rust-colored spots from oxidation of paper-fiber impurities. Foxed dust jackets and foxed page blocks both reduce condition by one grade each. Heavy foxing typically pushes the book into Good or Poor condition territory.


Pagination

Pagination: The numbering of pages in a book. Pagination errors (missing page numbers, repeated page numbers) can be points of issue distinguishing first from later printings. Roman-numeral pagination of front matter (i, ii, iii) followed by Arabic-numeral pagination of the main text is standard.


Asking price

Asking price: The price a seller is currently requesting for a book on a marketplace (eBay, AbeBooks, Amazon, ABAA dealer site). NMLP and SellBooksABQ explicitly do NOT use asking prices for valuation because they are systematically inflated by sellers racing to the top on perceived rarity. Real sold prices are typically 30-60% below asking-price averages.


Sold price

Sold price: The price at which a book actually transacted in an open marketplace. eBay completed listings (filtered to 'Sold'), Heritage Auctions records, ABAA dealer transaction records, and Keepa Amazon sales history are the canonical sold-price data sources. NMLP's pricing methodology uses 60th-percentile sold prices as the minimum floor and the highest sold price within a 33% radius window as the maximum ceiling.


Comparable

Comparable: A documented sold transaction of a similar book — same title, similar condition, similar provenance — used as a pricing anchor. Modern collectors use real-time sold comparables ('comps') from eBay, Heritage Auctions, AbeBooks sold history, and ABAA dealer transactions. Aged comps (5+ years old) for closed-pool authors require death-date premium adjustment.


ABAA

ABAA: Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America. A trade association of professional antiquarian booksellers in the United States. ABAA member dealers issue pedigree letters and authentication documentation that is accepted as third-party provenance. ABAA dealer pricing is a canonical comparable source. ABAA dealers are typically called when authentication is contested or when transactions exceed three-figure collector prices.


ILAB

ILAB: International League of Antiquarian Booksellers. The global federation of antiquarian booksellers' associations, including ABAA and similar national organizations from 22 countries. ILAB dealer certification is accepted globally as third-party provenance for high-value transactions, particularly for transatlantic transactions involving UK firsts (Allen & Unwin Tolkien, Voyager Martin).


PSA

PSA: Professional Sports Authenticator. Originally founded for trading card authentication, PSA now also authenticates autographs and signed books. PSA-certified signatures carry a serial-numbered authentication tag and are accepted as third-party provenance for collector market transactions. Particularly common for celebrity-author signed copies.


JSA

JSA: James Spence Authentication. An autograph authentication service competing with PSA and Beckett. JSA-certified signatures are accepted as third-party provenance for high-value transactions. JSA's 'Letter of Authenticity' is the canonical certification document; the holographic JSA sticker on the book attests to the authentication.


Beckett

Beckett: Beckett Authentication Services (BAS). A third autograph authentication service alongside PSA and JSA. Beckett-certified signatures carry a serial-numbered Letter of Authenticity. Less common in book collecting than PSA and JSA but accepted as valid third-party provenance.


Bubonicon

Bubonicon: An annual science fiction and fantasy convention held in Albuquerque since 1969. Historic signing site for Roger Zelazny (1975-1995), George R.R. Martin (1979+), Walter Jon Williams (1980s+), Melinda Snodgrass (1980s+), Connie Willis, John Scalzi, Daniel Abraham, and other Albuquerque-area genre authors. Bubonicon dealer-room signing-event stickers are well-documented provenance markers for closed-pool sci-fi/fantasy authors.


Bookworks Albuquerque

Bookworks Albuquerque: An independent bookstore on Rio Grande Blvd in Albuquerque's North Valley, founded 1984 by Wyatt and Nancy Rusk Wegner. Current owner Bart Castillo. Primary signing venue for Tony Hillerman, Anne Hillerman, Michael McGarrity, Rudolfo Anaya, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Pat Mora, Joy Harjo, and many other NM-area authors from 1984-present. Bookworks signing-event stickers and front-pastedown stamps are primary provenance markers for ABQ-area signed firsts.


Page One Books Albuquerque

Page One Books Albuquerque: An independent bookstore on Juan Tabo Blvd in Albuquerque's Northeast Heights, founded 1981, closed 2018. Primary signing venue for Roger Zelazny (1981-1995), Tony Hillerman (early career), Rudolfo Anaya, and the Albuquerque sci-fi/fantasy community 1981-2018. Page One stamps and signing-event stickers are extensively documented; stickers from the closed bookstore are particularly valuable as provenance markers.


Collected Works Bookstore Santa Fe

Collected Works Bookstore Santa Fe: An independent bookstore in Santa Fe, founded 1978. Primary signing venue for Cormac McCarthy (rare events), Anne Hillerman, Arthur Sze, Stanley Crawford, John Nichols, Michael McGarrity, and many Santa Fe-area authors from 1978-present. The most documented Santa Fe signing venue. Collected Works stamps are a high-value provenance marker for any Santa Fe-area author.


Quinto Sol Press

Quinto Sol Press: A Berkeley-based small press (1967-1974) that published the foundational Chicano literary movement. Issued first editions of Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima (1972), Tomas Rivera's Y No Se Lo Tragó La Tierra (1971), Rolando Hinojosa's Estampas del Valle (1973), and El Grito journal (1967-1974). Quinto Sol firsts require specific authentication: the 1972 Bless Me, Ultima first carries a 6-point colophon check that distinguishes the true Quinto Sol first from the 1976 Tonatiuh-Quinto Sol successor printing.


Subterranean Press

Subterranean Press: A fine-press publisher in Burton, Michigan (founded 1995) specializing in signed/numbered limited editions of major fantasy and horror authors. Issues George R.R. Martin's Dreamsongs lettered (four-figure collectible territory) and signed/numbered (serious collector territory) limiteds, A Quartet (2001), The Skin Trade (2014), and other moat-relevant limiteds. Subterranean limiteds are a separate collector category from the trade firsts.


Underwood-Miller

Underwood-Miller: A fine-press publisher in Columbia, Pennsylvania (1976-1995) that issued signed/numbered limited editions of science fiction and fantasy. Most relevant moat title: Roger Zelazny's The Last Defender of Camelot (1981 limited, ~250 copies). Underwood-Miller signed limiteds command upper three figures fine.


Donald M. Grant Publisher

Donald M. Grant Publisher: A fine-press publisher in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire (founded 1964) specializing in signed/numbered limited editions, often illustrated. Most relevant moat titles: Roger Zelazny's Way Up High (1992) and Here There Be Dragons (1992) signed/numbered limiteds illustrated by Vaughn Bodé. Donald M. Grant limiteds are mid three to upper three figures fine each.


Phantasia Press

Phantasia Press: A fine-press publisher in West Bloomfield, Michigan (1978-1990) that issued signed/numbered limited editions of fantasy and horror. Most relevant moat title: Roger Zelazny's Madwand (1981 signed limited). Phantasia limiteds run mid three figures fine.


NESFA Press

NESFA Press: The New England Science Fiction Association's small press (Boston, founded 1965). Issues collected-works editions of science fiction authors, often as multi-volume sets. Most relevant moat: Roger Zelazny's 6-volume Collected Stories (2009) — Threshold, Power & Light, This Mortal Mountain, Last Exit to Babylon, Nine Black Doves, The Road to Amber. NESFA volumes are mid double figures to low three figures each fine; matched 6-volume sets carry a strong premium.


Bluejay Books

Bluejay Books: A short-lived fine-press publisher in New York (1983-1986) that issued signed/numbered limited editions and trade firsts of science fiction. Most relevant moat title: George R.R. Martin's Nightflyers (1985 signed/numbered limited, ~250 copies). The Bluejay Nightflyers limited is mid three to low four figures fine — the trophy variant of the title.


Easton Press

Easton Press: A fine-press publisher in Norwalk, Connecticut (founded 1975) specializing in leatherbound classics and signed editions of contemporary authors. Easton Press signed Tony Hillerman, Anne Hillerman, and other major authors are a separate collector category from trade firsts. Easton is a reprint format (not a true first) but Easton signed editions carry their own market.


Folio Society

Folio Society: A London-based fine-press publisher (founded 1947) specializing in cloth-bound illustrated editions of literary classics. Most relevant moat: Tolkien Folio Society centenary 1991 illustrated by Alan Lee. Folio Society editions are reprint format but their illustrated and slipcased presentations carry a separate market.


UNM Press

UNM Press: University of New Mexico Press, founded 1929. The canonical scholarly publisher for New Mexico history, anthropology, literature, and art. Major UNM Press firsts in the moat: Frank Waters's Masked Gods (1950), Fray Angélico Chávez's My Penitente Land (1974), Stanley Crawford's Mayordomo (1988), Robert Julyan's Place Names of New Mexico (1996, revised 1998), Peggy Pond Church's The House at Otowi Bridge (1959). UNM Press first edition identification has its own pillar guide.


Library of America

Library of America: A non-profit publisher (founded 1979) that issues definitive black-cloth omnibus editions of canonical American writers. Library of America editions are NOT firsts — they are reprint editions on archival paper. Library of America Hillerman, Anaya, McCarthy editions are reading copies with separate collector value but not first-edition value.


Heritage Auctions

Heritage Auctions: A major auction house (Dallas, founded 1976) that holds regular Rare Books and Manuscripts sales. Heritage catalog references and lot numbers are accepted as documented provenance for collector market transactions. Heritage's online sold-price archive is one of the canonical sold-comparable data sources for valuing high-value firsts and signed copies.


Christie's

Christie's: An international auction house (founded 1766) holding Books and Manuscripts sales in London and New York. Christie's catalog references are accepted as documented provenance. Particularly relevant for high-value modern firsts (Tolkien Allen & Unwin signed firsts, McCarthy Blood Meridian signed firsts, C.S. Lewis Geoffrey Bles signed firsts).


Sotheby's

Sotheby's: An international auction house (founded 1744) holding Books and Manuscripts sales in London, New York, and Paris. Sotheby's catalog references are accepted as documented provenance. Sotheby's and Christie's are the apex provenance documentation for transactions above four-figure prices.


Keepa

Keepa: A price-tracking service for Amazon listings (Amazon-affiliated, integrated into many seller workflows). Keepa Amazon sales history is a canonical sold-comparable data source for newer firsts that move through Amazon FBM/FBA channels. Particularly relevant for living-author signed copies and 1990s+ collectibles. NMLP's pricing methodology incorporates Keepa data.


Pristine condition

Pristine condition: Informal term for as-issued, no-flaw condition equivalent to Fine (F). Used loosely in marketplace listings; not a formal grade. NMLP's authentication methodology uses formal grades (F, NF, VG+, VG, G, PR) rather than 'pristine' for reliable inter-rater consistency.


Reading copy

Reading copy: A book in condition too degraded for collector market resale, but readable. Reading copies are typically Good (G) or Poor (PR) condition, often missing dust jackets, with significant wear, foxing, sun fading, or minor damage. NMLP routes reading copies to the donation flow (Little Free Libraries, community literacy partners Homeless Project, community literacy partners) rather than the resale flow.


Dust jacket missing (DJM)

Dust jacket missing (DJM): An informal abbreviation indicating the original dust jacket is absent. A first edition without its original jacket is typically worth 20-30% of the jacketed copy. DJM books are often candidates for the donation-track route rather than resale, unless the title is exceptionally rare in any format.


Pulped

Pulped: Books that are recycled into paper pulp at end-of-life. Books that cannot be re-read at NMLP (mold, water damage, completely missing covers, etc.) go through a paper-recycling stream rather than the landfill. Approximately 5-10% of NMLP intake is pulped; the rest is routed to readers.


Paper-recycled

Paper-recycled: The end-of-life processing for books that cannot be re-read. NMLP partners with regional paper recyclers to ensure non-readable books become recycled paper rather than landfill waste. Distinct from BOOK recycling (re-circulating to readers); paper-recycled books are removed from circulation.


Pillar guide

Pillar guide: An author-specific or category-specific deep-dive guide on the New Mexico Literacy Project website covering bibliography, authentication points, signature pool status, signing-venue history, estate fingerprint, and pricing tier guidance for that subject. The moat currently has 60 author/publisher pillar guides plus 1 capstone authentication methodology pillar (61 total).


Estate fingerprint

Estate fingerprint: The recurring pattern of book ownership (composition, condition, provenance markers) characteristic of a specific demographic or geographic estate type. Each pillar guide documents 4-5 estate fingerprint profiles per author — for example, Tony Hillerman estates cluster as: NE Heights / Nob Hill UNM-affiliated households, North Valley / South Valley long-term residents, Santa Fe / Taos literary households, and post-Dark-Winds-TV-era new collectors. Estate fingerprints inform NMLP's pickup routing and pricing methodology.


Signing-venue history

Signing-venue history: The documented record of an author's signing-event appearances at specific bookstores, conventions, libraries, and other public venues. Verified signing-venue history is a primary provenance authentication anchor — a 'signed at Page One ABQ October 1992' claim can be cross-referenced against Page One's documented signing schedule for that period. Signing-venue stickers (event date plus venue) are the strongest provenance marker.