Macmillan (UK) — first-edition identification

Pan Books (paperback)
Picador
Pan Macmillan
Macmillan Children's
Sidgwick & Jackson (acquired)
St. Martin's Press (US sibling)

Macmillan (UK) (UK; 1843-present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Pan Books (paperback); Picador; Pan Macmillan; Macmillan Children's; Sidgwick & Jackson (acquired); St. Martin's Press (US sibling). Background: 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


Magabala Books — first-edition identification

Magabala Books (Australia (Broome, WA); 1987–present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Magabala Books. Background: 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.

New Mexico Literacy Project (newmexicoliteracyproject.org)


Manchester University Press — first-edition identification

Manchester University Press (Manchester, England; 1904-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Manchester University Press; Sherratt & Hughes (early distributor, from 1904); Longmans, Green (later distributor, from 1913). Background: 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.


Marcel Dekker, Inc. — first-edition identification

Marcel Dekker, Inc. (United States (New York); 1963-2003). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Marcel Dekker; Dekker; CRC Press / Taylor & Francis (successor). Background: 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.


Margaret K. McElderry Books — first-edition identification

Margaret K. McElderry Books (US; 1972-present). First-edition identification: 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 Background: 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


Mariner Books — first-edition identification

Mariner Books (US (Boston/New York); as HMH paperback line 1990s-2021; HarperCollins 2021-). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Mariner; Mariner Books Classics. Background: 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


Mark V. Ziesing Books — first-edition identification

Mark V. Ziesing Books (US; 1980s–1990s). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Mark V. Ziesing. Background: 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


Marvel Comics (collected editions: TPB / HC / Omnibus / Epic / Masterworks) — first-edition identification

Marvel Omnibus
Epic Collection
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Premiere Classic
Complete Collection
Modern Era Epic Collection
Mighty Marvel Masterworks

Marvel Comics (collected editions: TPB / HC / Omnibus / Epic / Masterworks) (USA (New York, NY); collected-edition program: 1990s-present (Masterworks since 1987; Omnibus since 2006)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Marvel Omnibus; Epic Collection; Marvel Masterworks; Marvel Premiere Classic; Complete Collection; Modern Era Epic Collection; Mighty Marvel Masterworks. Background: 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.


McClelland & Stewart — first-edition identification

New Canadian Library
Douglas Gibson Books
Tundra Books (children's, associated)
Emblem Editions

McClelland & Stewart (Canada; 1906-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: New Canadian Library; Douglas Gibson Books; Tundra Books (children's, associated); Emblem Editions. Background: '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.


MCD — first-edition identification

MCD (US (New York); 2016-2026). First-edition identification: First printing follows FSG house style: a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, with a "First edition" plus year statement Imprints and series: MCD; MCD x FSG Originals. Background: 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


McFarland & Company — first-edition identification

McFarland & Company (USA (Jefferson, NC); 1979-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: McFarland; Exposit Books; Toplight Books; McFarland (pop-culture/film/music reference). Background: 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.


McGill-Queen's University Press — first-edition identification

McGill-Queen's University Press (Canada (Montreal, QC / Kingston, ON); 1960/1969-present). First-edition identification: 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) Imprints and series: Carleton Library Series (distributed/co-published). Background: 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


McGraw-Hill Book Company — first-edition identification

McGraw-Hill Book Company (US; 1909-1980s (consistent statement from 1956)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: McGraw-Hill; Whittlesey House (trade imprint, 1930s-1950s); Blakiston. Background: 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.


McLoughlin Brothers — first-edition identification

McLoughlin Bros.
Little Showman's Series
Aunt Louisa's Toy Books
Milton Bradley McLoughlin Division

McLoughlin Brothers (New York, NY (later Springfield, MA under Milton Bradley); 1858-c.1944 (roots to c.1850; Milton Bradley division to WWII era)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: McLoughlin Bros.; Little Showman's Series; Aunt Louisa's Toy Books; Milton Bradley McLoughlin Division. Background: 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.


McSweeney's — first-edition identification

McSweeney's (US; 1998–present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: McSweeney's Books; Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern (journal); The Believer (former magazine); McSweeney's McMullens (children's). Background: 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


Melbourne University Press / Melbourne University Publishing — first-edition identification

Melbourne University Press / Melbourne University Publishing (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 1922-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Melbourne University Press; Melbourne University Publishing (corporate name from 2002); MUP Academic; The Miegunyah Press. Background: 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.


Melville House Publishing — first-edition identification

Melville House
Melville International Crime
The Neversink Library (series)
The Art of the Novella (series)

Melville House Publishing (US; 2001–present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Melville House; Melville International Crime; The Neversink Library (series); The Art of the Novella (series). Background: 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


Menasha Ridge Press — first-edition identification

Menasha Ridge Press (USA (Birmingham, Alabama); 1982-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Menasha Ridge Press; Menasha Ridge Press (AdventureKEEN imprint). Background: 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.


Mercer University Press — first-edition identification

Mercer University Press (South (Macon, Georgia); 1979-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Mercer University Press; Sarah Mills Hodge Fund titles (funded series). Background: 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.


Mercury Mystery / Jonathan Press / Bestseller Mystery (Mercury Publications) — first-edition identification

Mercury Mystery / Jonathan Press / Bestseller Mystery (Mercury Publications) (USA (New York, NY - Mercury Publications / The American Mercury); 1938-1950s). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Bestseller Mystery (originally Bestseller Library); Mercury Mystery; Jonathan Press Mystery; American Mercury. Background: 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.


Mercury Publications / Mercury Mysteries (Lawrence Spivak) — first-edition identification

Mercury Publications / Mercury Mysteries (Lawrence Spivak) (US; 1937-1950s). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Mercury Mystery; Bestseller Mystery; Jonathan Press Mystery; Ellery Queen / The American Mercury digest line. Background: 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.'


Methodist Book Concern — first-edition identification

Methodist Book Concern (New York & Cincinnati (US religious publishing); 1789–early 1900s (as Methodist Book Concern)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: 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. Background: 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.


Methuen & Co. — first-edition identification

Methuen
Methuen Drama (Eyre Methuen)
Magnet (children's paperback)

Methuen & Co. (UK; 1889-present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Methuen; Methuen Drama (Eyre Methuen); Magnet (children's paperback). Background: 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


Metropolitan Books — first-edition identification

Metropolitan Books (US (New York); 1995–2022). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Metropolitan; Metropolitan Books. Background: 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


Michael Joseph — first-edition identification

Michael Joseph
Mermaid Books
Pelham Books (sibling)
Michael Joseph (under Penguin later)

Michael Joseph (UK; 1935-present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Michael Joseph; Mermaid Books; Pelham Books (sibling); Michael Joseph (under Penguin later). Background: 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


Michelin (Guide Michelin / Red & Green Guides) — first-edition identification

Michelin (Guide Michelin / Red & Green Guides) (France (Clermont-Ferrand/Paris); 1900-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Guide Michelin (Red Guide); Guide Vert / Green Guide; Michelin maps (carte routière, e.g. the 1:200,000 series). Background: 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.


Michigan State University Press — first-edition identification

Michigan State University Press (East Lansing, Michigan; 1947–present). First-edition identification: 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. Background: 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.


Microcosm Publishing — first-edition identification

Microcosm Publishing (Cleveland, Ohio then Portland, Oregon (Pacific Northwest); 1996-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Microcosm Publishing. Background: 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.


Midland Publishing / Midland Counties Publications — first-edition identification

Midland Publishing
Aerofax (detailed-aircraft series)
Crécy-distributed titles
Ian Allan-distributed

Midland Publishing / Midland Counties Publications (Hinckley / Leicester, United Kingdom; c.1985-present (within Crécy group)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Midland Publishing; Aerofax (detailed-aircraft series); Crécy-distributed titles; Ian Allan-distributed. Background: 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.


Midnight Paper Sales — first-edition identification

Midnight Paper Sales (Stockholm, Wisconsin, USA; 1980-present). First-edition identification: 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. Background: 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.


Midwood Books — first-edition identification

Midwood
Midwood-Tower
Tower (sister)
Midwood F-series / 32-series

Midwood Books (US; 1957-1968). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Midwood; Midwood-Tower; Tower (sister); Midwood F-series / 32-series. Background: 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.


Milkweed Editions — first-edition identification

Milkweed Editions (US; 1984–present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Milkweed (literary fiction/poetry/essay); Seedbank (translation/world literature series). Background: 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


Minnesota Historical Society Press — first-edition identification

Minnesota Historical Society Press (St. Paul, Minnesota; 1859–present (press; Minnesota Historical Society founded 1849)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Borealis Books; Borealis Reprints. Background: 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.


Minotaur Books — first-edition identification

Minotaur Books (US (New York); 1999–present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Minotaur. Background: 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


Minton, Balch & Company — first-edition identification

Minton, Balch & Company (New York, USA; 1924–1930 (independent; imprint name persisted on some titles into the mid-1930s after the Putnam merger)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Minton, Balch & Co.; Putnam – Minton, Balch (post-merger joint usage). Background: 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.


Mirage Press — first-edition identification

Mirage Press (Baltimore, Maryland, USA; 1961-c.1990s). First-edition identification: 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. Background: 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.


MIT Press — first-edition identification

Bradford Books
Zone Books (distributed)
Boston Review Books
Strong Ideas series
Leonardo Books

MIT Press (US; 1962–present (number line standard)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Bradford Books; Zone Books (distributed); Boston Review Books; Strong Ideas series; Leonardo Books. Background: 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.


Mitchell Kennerley — first-edition identification

Mitchell Kennerley (New York, USA (founder English-born; also London ties); c.1906–1924). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: The Forum (periodical); The Little Book-Shop Around the Corner (bookselling arm). Background: 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.


Modern Library — first-edition identification

Modern Library (US (New York); 1917-present). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Modern Library. Background: 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)


Monarch Books — first-edition identification

Monarch Books (US; 1958-1965). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Monarch; Monarch Americana. Background: 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.


Moon (Moon Travel Handbooks / Moon Publications) — first-edition identification

Moon Handbooks
Moon Travel Guides
Moon Spotlight
Moon Metro

Moon (Moon Travel Handbooks / Moon Publications) (United States (founded Chico, CA; later Avalon Travel, Berkeley; now Hachette Book Group); 1973-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Moon Handbooks; Moon Travel Guides; Moon Spotlight; Moon Metro. Background: 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.


Morning Sun Books, Inc. — first-edition identification

Color Guide series
In Color series
Trackside series
Morning Sun Books

Morning Sun Books, Inc. (Scotch Plains / Kutztown, New Jersey & Pennsylvania, USA; 1986-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Color Guide series; In Color series; Trackside series; Morning Sun Books. Background: 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.


Motorbooks International (MBI Publishing Company) — first-edition identification

Motorbooks International (MBI Publishing Company) (Osceola, Wisconsin, USA (later St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota under the Quarto Group); 1973-present (began publishing its own books in 1973; Quarto ownership from 2007)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Motorbooks; MBI Publishing; Crestline (reprint/bargain hardcover line); Zenith Press (military); Voyageur Press (sister). Background: 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.


Mountaineers Books / The Mountaineers — first-edition identification

Mountaineers Books / The Mountaineers (US; 1960s–present). First-edition identification: 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' Imprints and series: Mountaineers Books; Skipstone; Braided River (conservation photography). Background: 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


Mulholland Books — first-edition identification

Mulholland Books (US (New York/Boston); 2011–present). First-edition identification: "First Edition" statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1, following Little, Brown / Hachette practice Imprints and series: Mulholland Books. Background: 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


Museum of New Mexico Press — first-edition identification

Museum of New Mexico Press (southwest). First-edition identification: ISBN prefix 978-0-89013 Negative-evidence (no reprint language) Number line when present Exhibition catalogs are usually single-printing Background: Frequently confused with UNM Press — the ISBN prefix settles it. Acquired the Red Crane Books catalog in 2007.


Mycroft & Moran — first-edition identification

Mycroft & Moran (Sauk City, Wisconsin, USA; 1945-1982). First-edition identification: 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. Background: 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.


Mystic Seaport (Mystic Seaport Museum / Marine Historical Association) — first-edition identification

Mystic Seaport (Mystic Seaport Museum / Marine Historical Association) (Mystic, Connecticut, USA; c.1929-present (incorporated as the Marine Historical Association in December 1929)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Marine Historical Association (early publishing body); Mystic Seaport Museum Inc.; American Maritime Library series. Background: 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.


Naval Institute Press — first-edition identification

Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, Maryland, USA; 1898-present (Naval Institute Press imprint name from 1968)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Bluejacket Books (paperback reprint line); U.S. Naval Institute (parent, founded 1873). Background: 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.


Nazraeli Press — first-edition identification

Nazraeli Press
One Picture Book series
One Picture Book Two series
Six by Six (6x6) portfolio sets
NZ Library
Nazraeli trade monographs

Nazraeli Press (US (Paso Robles, CA; formerly Tucson, AZ / Portland, OR; founded in Munich, Germany); 1989–present (founded Munich 1989, US-based since 1996; One Picture Book from 2000)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Nazraeli Press; One Picture Book series; One Picture Book Two series; Six by Six (6x6) portfolio sets; NZ Library; Nazraeli trade monographs. Background: 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.


NBM Publishing (Nantier Beall Minoustchine) — first-edition identification

ComicsLit
Eurotica (adult)
Amerotica (adult)

NBM Publishing (Nantier Beall Minoustchine) (USA (New York, NY); acquired by Ablaze Publishing in 2022; 1976-present (independent 1976-2022, then under Ablaze)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: ComicsLit; Eurotica (adult); Amerotica (adult). Background: 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.


Necronomicon Press — first-edition identification

Necronomicon Press (West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA; 1976-c.2002). First-edition identification: 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. Background: 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.


NESFA Press (New England Science Fiction Association) — first-edition identification

NESFA Press (New England Science Fiction Association) (Framingham, Massachusetts, USA; 1972-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Boskone Books; NESFA's Choice. Background: 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.


New Directions — first-edition identification

New Classics Series
New Directions Paperbook (NDP)
Poet of the Month
Revived Modern Classics
Pearls (mini-books)
Bibelot

New Directions (US; 1936–present (convention shifts ~1970)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: New Classics Series; New Directions Paperbook (NDP); Poet of the Month; Revived Modern Classics; Pearls (mini-books); Bibelot. Background: 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.


New Harbinger Publications — first-edition identification

New Harbinger Publications (USA (Oakland CA); 1973-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: 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). Background: 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.


New Island Books — first-edition identification

Raven Arts Press (predecessor)
New Island (current)

New Island Books (Ireland (Dublin); 1992-present (Raven Arts 1977-1992)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Raven Arts Press (predecessor); New Island (current). Background: 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.


New World Library — first-edition identification

New World Library (US (Novato, California); 1977-present (founded as Whatever Publishing; renamed New World Library in the mid-1980s)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: New World Library; Nataraj Publishing (a division of New World Library; Shakti Gawain titles - now historical); H J Kramer (joint-venture imprint since 2000). Background: 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.


NeWest Press — first-edition identification

NeWest Press
Nunatak First Fiction Series
Prairie Play Series (drama)

NeWest Press (Canada (Edmonton, Alberta); 1977-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: NeWest Press; Nunatak First Fiction Series; Prairie Play Series (drama). Background: 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.


NewSouth Books — first-edition identification

NewSouth Books (South (Montgomery, Alabama); 2000-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: NewSouth Books; Junebug Books (children's/regional imprint); FootPrint Press (earlier); University of Georgia Press (parent since 2022). Background: 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.


Nick Hern Books — first-edition identification

Nick Hern Books
NHB Modern Plays
Drama Classics series

Nick Hern Books (UK (London); 1988–present (imprint under Walker Books 1988; under Random House 1990; fully independent from 1 January 1993)). First-edition identification: 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). Imprints and series: Nick Hern Books; NHB Modern Plays; Drama Classics series. Background: 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.


Night Shade Books — first-edition identification

Night Shade Books (US; 1997–present (independent era 1997–2013)). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Night Shade Books. Background: 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


Nightboat Books — first-edition identification

Nightboat Books (USA (founded Beacon, New York; now Brooklyn, New York); 2004–present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Nightboat Poetry Prize (historical). Background: 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.


No Exit Press — first-edition identification

No Exit Press (UK (Harpenden, Herts; later London); 1987–present (acquired by Bedford Square Publishers, announced December 2022)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: No Exit Press (imprint of Oldcastle Books); Verve Books (sister imprint); No Exit Press (Bedford Square Publishers era). Background: 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.


Nolo (Nolo Press) — first-edition identification

Nolo Press
Nolo
Nolo.com (self-help law)

Nolo (Nolo Press) (United States (Berkeley, CA); 1971-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Nolo Press; Nolo; Nolo.com (self-help law). Background: 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.


Nonesuch Press — first-edition identification

Nonesuch Press (UK; 1922–1968 (active core 1920s–30s)). First-edition identification: 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 Imprints and series: Francis Meynell, David Garnett & Vera Mendel (founders); later Max Reinhardt / Bodley Head ownership. Background: 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)


North Atlantic Books — first-edition identification

North Atlantic Books (US (founded in Vermont 1974; based in Berkeley, California since 1977; later operations in Berkeley/Richmond); 1974-present). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: 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). Background: 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.


North Point Press — first-edition identification

North Point Press (US (Berkeley, California); 1980-present (independent books 1980-1991, founded 1979; revived as a Farrar, Straus and Giroux imprint after the FSG backlist acquisition ~1992-1993)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux (a Macmillan company) after FSG acquired the North Point backlist and name in the early 1990s. Background: 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.


Northern Illinois University Press — first-edition identification

Switchgrass Books
Three Hundred Years of War (series)

Northern Illinois University Press (DeKalb, Illinois; 1965–2019 (independent); imprint of Cornell University Press thereafter). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: Switchgrass Books; Three Hundred Years of War (series). Background: 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.


Northland Press / Northland Publishing — first-edition identification

Northland Press / Northland Publishing (southwest). First-edition identification: 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 Background: Two production traditions: early Weaver-era fine-press limiteds and later trade editions under Northland Publishing.


Northwestern University Press — first-edition identification

TriQuarterly Books
Hydra Books
Marlboro Press/Northwestern (acquired)

Northwestern University Press (US (Evanston, IL); 1893/1957-present (modern press)). First-edition identification: 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. Imprints and series: TriQuarterly Books; Hydra Books; Marlboro Press/Northwestern (acquired). Background: 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.