James R. Osgood & Company — first-edition identification

James R. Osgood & Company (Boston, Massachusetts, USA; 1871-1885; antiquarian). First-edition identification: Follows the inherited Ticknor/Fields practice: no first-edition statement. Match the title-page date to the copyright date with no later printing noted. Dated rear advertisement/catalogue sections can aid printing priority within a title's issue. For the major Mark Twain titles (The Prince and the Pauper, 1882; Life on the Mississippi, 1883), priority is established by bibliographic points and states (text and illustration points) rather than any publisher edition statement; consult title-specific point references such as BAL. Imprints and series: James R. Osgood & Company (1871-1878); Houghton, Osgood & Company (1878-1880); James R. Osgood & Company (revived, 1880-1885). Background: James R. Osgood rose from clerk at Ticknor & Fields to partner; his firm is the direct continuation of that lineage. Merged with Hurd & Houghton's interests as Houghton, Osgood & Company (1878-1880), after which Houghton continued as Houghton, Mifflin & Co. (retaining the Ticknor and Fields backlist) and Osgood revived his own firm; the firm failed in 1885. Published Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper (1882) and Life on the Mississippi (1883), where priority is set by issue points; also Howells, Henry James, and Aldrich. Because the firm changed names twice, the imprint on the title page is itself a dating signal.


Janus Press — first-edition identification

Janus Press (West Burke (Newark), Vermont, USA; founded in San Diego, California, and moved several times before settling in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom in 1966; 1955-present). First-edition identification: Claire Van Vliet's press: edition limitation stated in the colophon; editions are small (commonly 100-200) and frequently involve handmade paper, dyed pulp-painting, and unusual structural bindings that are themselves identifying features. Identify by Van Vliet's distinctive paper and binding structure plus the colophon; copies are typically signed by Van Vliet and collaborators on the colophon. Variant binding structures (non-adhesive, woven, accordion) are documented title by title; match the structure to the Janus Press bibliography/checklist to confirm the issue. There is no number-line rule. Background: Founded 1955 by Claire Van Vliet (b. 1933) while she was a student in San Diego; one of the longest-running American private presses run by a single artist. Van Vliet received a MacArthur Fellowship in 1989. Published Janus Press bibliographies and checklists document edition size and state; use them to confirm. Because structure varies title to title, the colophon and the bibliography govern identification rather than any single printing convention.

New Mexico Literacy Project (newmexicoliteracyproject.org)


John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) — first-edition identification

John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) (UK (London), with Paris ties through co-publishing arrangements; 1949–2018). First-edition identification: 1949–1963 (John Calder / John Calder (Publishers) Ltd): a first printing is identified by a single 'First published in <year> by John Calder' statement on the copyright page with no subsequent impression or reprint line. No number line is used in this era. Later impressions add a 'Reprinted <year>' or 'Second impression' line. 1963–1975 (Calder & Boyars): the copyright page reads 'First published in <year> by Calder and Boyars Ltd'; a first printing carries no impression statement, and later impressions add 'Reprinted <year>' or an impression number. Number lines are essentially absent in this period; absence of any reprint line is the key first-printing tell. 1975–2018 (Calder Publications / Calder Educational Trust): a 'First published <year>' statement identifies the first; some later titles adopt a descending number line, where the presence of '1' as the lowest figure indicates a first printing. On a jacketed copy an unclipped price can support, but does not by itself prove, first-issue status. Imprints and series: John Calder (Publishers) Ltd; Calder & Boyars; Calder Publications; Calder Educational Trust; John Calder in association with Olympia Press. Background: John Calder was Samuel Beckett's principal British publisher, issuing Beckett's prose, poetry and criticism in the UK; the firm published well over four thousand titles across fiction, poetry, drama and philosophy. Calder was a defendant in major British obscenity proceedings, notably over Hubert Selby Jr's Last Exit to Brooklyn, and co-published controversial titles such as Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer in Britain. The house relied on edition and impression statements rather than number lines for most of its history, so the absence of a reprint line is the decisive first-printing indicator. After the 1975 split, Marion Boyars established her own firm separately.


John F. Blair, Publisher — first-edition identification

John F. Blair, Publisher (South (Winston-Salem, North Carolina); 1954-present). First-edition identification: 1954-1986 (John F. Blair lifetime era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching publication with no later-printing statement; later printings explicitly note 'Second Printing,' etc. The first book, 'Whispering Pines' (1954), and other early titles follow this absence-of-statement convention. 1986-2017 (family/staff era): Mixed but increasing use of number lines; the lowest digit present (a '1') indicates the first printing. Some titles also carry 'First Edition' or 'First printing' wording. Where there is no number line, fall back to the absence of a later-printing notation plus a matching copyright date. 2017/2018-present (Blair, under Carolina Wren Press): Carolina Wren acquired the Blair trademarks and backlist in 2017 and began doing business as 'Blair' effective January 1, 2018; titles follow standard small-press number-line practice (lowest number present indicates the printing), and the imprint line reflects the new 'Blair' entity. Imprints and series: John F. Blair, Publisher; Blair (rebrand under Carolina Wren Press, doing business as 'Blair' from January 1, 2018). Background: Founded 1954 by John F. Blair in Winston-Salem; regional Southeastern nonfiction - history, folklore, travel, cookbooks, ghost-story and coastal-folklore collections (the perennial Charles Whedbee titles) - plus a few novels yearly. After Blair's death in 1986 the family and staff (including Carolyn Sakowski) continued the press for decades. Carolina Wren Press acquired the trademarks and backlist in 2017 and rebranded as 'Blair,' doing business under that name from January 1, 2018; the imprint name on the copyright page distinguishes the eras. Known for heavily reprinted North Carolina and Appalachian ghost and folklore titles, so distinguishing printing from edition matters.


John Lane Company (American branch) — first-edition identification

John Lane Company (American branch) (New York, USA (US branch of London's John Lane / The Bodley Head); c.1896–1920s (US branch)). First-edition identification: Earlier printings: no 'first edition' statement on the copyright page; subsequent printings were noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing. Later practice: first editions state 'First Published [Year]' (or 'First Edition Published [Month, Year]') on the copyright page, with subsequent printings noted. The US issue carries the imprint 'John Lane Company, New York'; a London-only 'John Lane, The Bodley Head' imprint marks the English issue, not the American. By the 1920s many titles carry a combined 'John Lane The Bodley Head / Dodd, Mead' line. Imprints and series: The Bodley Head (parent, London). Background: American branch of the London house John Lane / The Bodley Head, founded by John Lane. The US operation was wound down and its distribution passed to Dodd, Mead & Company in the early-to-mid 1920s; later American 'John Lane' titles often bear a Dodd, Mead line. Priority between the British parent and the American branch must be established carefully, as editions appeared in both London and New York. Mitchell Kennerley worked in John Lane's New York office before going independent.


John Murray — first-edition identification

John Murray (London, UK; 1768–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)). First-edition identification: No formal edition statement on most 19th-century Murray firsts: identify by the title-page date with no 'New Edition' / 'Second Edition' / number-of-thousand line, the correct imprint ('John Murray, Albemarle Street'), and all plates, maps and folding tables present as called for. Inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue, frequently dated (for example 'March 1859'); on travel and scientific works a dated ad catalogue is a strong printing indicator and is sometimes the only dating evidence. Darwin's On the Origin of Species (Murray, 1859): the true first is 1,250 copies. The diagnostic points are the misprint 'speceies' at page 20, line 11, and the 'whale-bear' passage printed in full at page 184 (both corrected/diluted in the second edition). A '4th thousand' or higher number-of-thousand statement on the title page indicates a later printing. Collate against Freeman (F373). Match folding plates, maps and the errata leaf where called for; rebound or made-up copies lack the original cloth and inserted ads. Imprints and series: John Murray (50 Albemarle Street, from 1812); John Murray (II/III/IV — successive proprietors). Background: Storied house: Byron, Jane Austen (later issues), Darwin, Livingstone, Murray's Handbooks for travellers, and the Quarterly Review. On the Origin of Species is the marquee Murray point-book; number-of-thousand statements on the title page distinguish the early printings, with the 'speceies' typo and full whale-bear passage marking the first. Successive proprietors all named John Murray (II–IV in the 19th century) operated from 50 Albemarle Street (from 1812); the address is a near-constant identifier. Acquired Smith, Elder & Co. in 1917, absorbing the Brontë / Thackeray backlist.


John P. Morton & Co. — first-edition identification

John P. Morton & Co.
Morton & Griswold (predecessor)

John P. Morton & Co. (Louisville, Kentucky (South US); c.1858–c.1900 (firm itself ran to 1943)). First-edition identification: Mid-1800s–c.1900: Louisville printer-publisher of Southern/regional literature, textbooks, almanacs, and reference; first editions carry the Morton imprint and a dated title page. No first-edition statement and no number line — identify by imprint form and the absence of a later-printing notice. Predecessor firm names bracket the earliest period: Henry A. Griswold joined in 1838 and the firm operated as 'Morton & Griswold' before becoming 'John P. Morton & Company' after 1860; the imprint form is the dating handle. Regional almanacs, cookbooks, and handbooks were frequently reprinted from standing type — use the bound-in advertisement/catalog state to separate first from later printings. Imprints and series: John P. Morton & Co.; Morton & Griswold (predecessor). Background: Long-running Louisville house (founded by John Price Morton, 1807–1889) important for Southern/Kentucky regional first editions; the firm continued under the family until 1943. Imprint-name evolution (Morton & Smith → Morton & Griswold → John P. Morton & Co.) anchors dating; standard 19th-century identification applies.


John Wiley & Sons (trade/STM) — first-edition identification

Wiley
Wiley-Interscience
Wiley-Blackwell (post-2007)
Wiley-VCH (German STM)
Wiley-Liss
Jossey-Bass
Pfeiffer
Sybex (technical, acquired)
Wrox (technical, acquired)
For Dummies / Wiley Publishing
Capstone
Ernst & Sohn

John Wiley & Sons (trade/STM) (United States (New York / Hoboken, NJ) & United Kingdom (Chichester); 1807-present). First-edition identification: 1807-late 1960s: Firm dates to Charles Wiley's 1807 Manhattan shop; the present John Wiley & Sons name dates to 1876. Through the late 1960s, Wiley scientific, technical, and trade titles carried NO first-printing statement. A first printing is identified by the absence of any later-printing or later-edition notice on the copyright page; revised works state their edition. Late 1960s-present: A number line was adopted on the copyright page; the first printing contains the digit '1' in the sequence (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), and the lowest digit present indicates the printing. This applies to the 'For Dummies' and technical imprints as well. Wiley-Interscience and Wiley-VCH (STM monographs and serials): identified by volume and edition, following the contemporary Wiley number-line convention for the printing. Imprints and series: Wiley; Wiley-Interscience; Wiley-Blackwell (post-2007); Wiley-VCH (German STM); Wiley-Liss; Jossey-Bass; Pfeiffer; Sybex (technical, acquired); Wrox (technical, acquired); For Dummies / Wiley Publishing; Capstone; Ernst & Sohn. Background: The late-1960s transition is the key fact: a Wiley title from before that change has no printing statement, so a copyright page with no later-printing notice is the first. Sources describe this as 'the late 1960s' rather than a single fixed year, so an exact '1969' should not be asserted. Acquired Blackwell Publishing (2007), forming Wiley-Blackwell; Jossey-Bass and Pfeiffer (professional and business) retain their own copyright-page styles. Interscience Publishers was an independent house absorbed by Wiley (1961) and thereafter used as the Wiley-Interscience STM imprint.


Johns Hopkins University Press — first-edition identification

Johns Hopkins University Press (US; 1878–present (oldest continuously operating US university press; number lines standard later 20th c.)). First-edition identification: First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are stated. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing. Copyright page commonly prints '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or similar; lowest figure = printing. Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered (notably the many serial editions of reference/medical titles). Imprints and series: Johns Hopkins Paperbacks; Project MUSE (digital, not a print imprint). Background: Johns Hopkins Paperbacks is a paperback reissue line — typically a later printing/issue, not the original first edition. Hopkins publishes heavily revised medical, reference, and scholarly serials where edition number matters more than printing — match the specific edition. Standard academic later-printing-noted convention for older books.


Johnson Books (Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder) — first-edition identification

Johnson Books (Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder) (Mountain West — Boulder, Colorado; 1978–present (under successor ownership)). First-edition identification: 1978–c.1990s (independent, Johnson Publishing Company of Boulder): first printings identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing/edition notation; some titles carry an explicit 'First Edition'. Later independent titles: a printing number line is standard on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit present indicating the printing. 2005–present (after acquisition by Big Earth Publishing, later Bower House / Globe Pequot): follows the successor's conventions — number line and/or a stated edition, with a first printing shown by the lowest digit or 'First edition' wording. The imprint and address on the copyright page help date a copy. Imprints and series: Johnson Books. Background: Founded 1978 in Boulder as part of the Johnson Publishing Company of Boulder (distinct from the Chicago Johnson Publishing of Ebony/Jet); non-fiction about the American West — natural history, geology, archaeology, guidebooks, outdoor recreation, and cookbooks. Acquired by Big Earth Publishing in 2005; later associated with Bower House / Globe Pequot — ownership changes are useful dating tells. Not to be confused with Arthur H. Clark or other Western scholarly houses.


Jonathan Cape — first-edition identification

Jonathan Cape (UK; 1921-present). First-edition identification: First printings state "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" on the copyright page with NO additional impression lines and traditionally NO number line Later printings noted by added lines (e.g. 'Second impression [year]', 'Reprinted...') — their presence disqualifies a first In the modern era Cape (under Random House) adopted a descending number line ending in 1; lowest digit indicates printing Absence of any later-printing notation combined with the 'First published' line is the core first-printing signal Imprints and series: The Bodley Head (later corporate sibling under Random House); Cape Poetry; Cape Editions; Jonathan Cape Children's. Background: Ian Fleming's James Bond novels were published by Cape — 'Casino Royale' (1953) and especially 'Goldfinger'/'Dr No' have famous dust-jacket and binding points; first-state jackets are decisive for value Cape published Joyce, Hemingway (UK), T.E. Lawrence, Roald Dahl (UK adult/children), Ian McEwan — high-demand modern firsts Watch for US issues and book-club editions sharing sheets Older Cape titles predate number lines — rely on the statement + absence of reprint notes


Junior Literary Guild — first-edition identification

Junior Literary Guild
Junior Literary Guild Selection seal

Junior Literary Guild (New York, NY (children's book club; selections distributed via member trade publishers); 1929–c.1970s (club markings most common 1929–1960s)). First-edition identification: 1929–c.1960s (book-club selections via trade publishers): the Junior Literary Guild, founded 1929 as the children's counterpart to the adult Literary Guild, did not originate texts; it distributed selections published by member trade houses (Doubleday, David McKay, Scribner's and others). A book bearing a 'Junior Literary Guild' line or selection seal is a book-club issue, generally not the trade first edition. Identify the club state by the selection notice on the jacket or copyright page, and by the typically duller, finish-less dust jacket and plainer binding compared with the trade copy. True-first caution: for most titles the trade publisher's first printing precedes the Junior Literary Guild distribution, so collectors treat the Guild marking as a point against trade-first status. Where a club copy lacks the trade publisher's first-printing markers, assume a club or later state. Dating: revert to the originating trade publisher's own first-printing conventions, since the Guild redistributed those publishers' books. A printed selection notice or date helps bracket the year. Imprints and series: Junior Literary Guild; Junior Literary Guild Selection seal. Background: Children's book club founded 1929 as the children's counterpart to the Literary Guild; a 'Junior Literary Guild' selection marking denotes a club issue, generally not the trade first edition. Distinct from the still-operating Junior Library Guild (a library subscription service also tracing to 1929) — the collectible book-club markings belong to the Junior Literary Guild, and the two should not be conflated. Selections drawn from member trade publishers (Doubleday, David McKay, Scribner's); identification reverts to each originating publisher's first-printing rules. Useful chiefly as a negative point: a Junior Literary Guild marking usually signals a non-first-trade state, sometimes confirmable by a duller jacket and plainer binding than the trade copy.


Kalmbach Publishing Co. — first-edition identification

Kalmbach Publishing Co. (Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA (railroad/hobby book lines later sold to Firecrown Media); 1934-present (book lines to Firecrown 2024)). First-edition identification: 1934-c.1970 (founded 1934 by A. C. Kalmbach): hobby and model-railroad books. A first printing carries the sole original copyright date with no later-printing notation; subsequent printings add a 'Second printing' line, often with a date. First printing equals the original copyright year and no reprint line. c.1970-c.2000: the copyright page often states 'First printing, [year]' or carries a number line in which the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Spiral-bound how-to titles were frequently revised, so watch for 'Second edition' or 'Revised' statements that reset the printing sequence. c.2000-2024: number line standard; lowest digit present indicates the printing. Greenberg toy-train price and identification guides (acquired imprint) are dated, annual-style editions in which the stated edition number or year is the key identifier rather than a printing point. 2024-present: the railroad/hobby book lines were sold to Firecrown Media of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Firecrown reissues are not original Kalmbach first printings even where content matches; the imprint masthead is the divider. Imprints and series: Kalmbach Books; Model Railroader books; Trains books; Greenberg Publishing (toy-train guides, acquired 1991); Classic Toy Trains / Astronomy / FineScale Modeler book lines. Background: Core publisher of model-railroading (Model Railroader) and railfan (Trains) book lines; landmark how-to titles are collected by hobbyists. Greenberg's toy-train guides (Lionel and others) are edition-by-edition price and identification guides where the stated edition or year is authoritative, not a first-printing point. The 2024 sale of the book and magazine lines to Firecrown Media is the modern ownership divider; the company itself was named Kalmbach Media in its later independent years.


Karl Baedeker (Verlag Karl Baedeker) — first-edition identification

Baedeker Handbuch für Reisende
Baedeker's Guide Books (English series)
Baedeker Allianz Reiseführer
Baedeker (MairDumont era)

Karl Baedeker (Verlag Karl Baedeker) (Germany (Koblenz/Leipzig); later Freiburg/Ostfildern; 1832-present (antiquarian core 1832-1944)). First-edition identification: Identification is by EDITION ('Auflage'), not impression. Baedeker numbered editions sequentially, and the title-page edition statement (for example '3. Auflage' / 'Third Edition') is the primary identifier; each numbered edition is the collectible unit. 1832-1855: earliest guides (from the Rhine handbook of 1832 onward) issued in tan/yellow illustrated paper-covered boards, before the firm adopted its later house style; no star ratings yet. The title-page edition number is the key tell. 1846-1855: a star rating system was introduced in the mid-1840s; presence or absence of stars helps bracket the edition. 1856-1872: adoption of the now-iconic RED cloth binding with gilt lettering (echoing Murray's guides), in a compact pocket format. Editions are still identified by the title-page Auflage number; imprint typically reads 'Verlag von Karl Baedeker, Coblenz'. 1872-1914: the firm moved to Leipzig (imprint reads 'Leipzig'); this is the peak era. Each edition carries a printed edition number and usually a date on the title page, with integral maps and plans revised per edition. Match the edition number to the standard Hinrichsen bibliography to confirm. 1914-1943: the Leipzig imprint continues; far fewer English editions appear during and after WWI, and war-era editions are scarce. The title-page Auflage remains the identifier. 1948-present: postwar revival under Hamburg/Stuttgart/Freiburg/Ostfildern imprints; later Baedeker Allianz and MairDumont editions use modern copyright-page dating rather than antiquarian edition statements. Imprints and series: Baedeker Handbuch für Reisende; Baedeker's Guide Books (English series); Baedeker Allianz Reiseführer; Baedeker (MairDumont era). Background: Collected by EDITION NUMBER, not first-printing points — the standard reference is Hinrichsen's 'Baedekers Reisehandbücher 1832-1944', which assigns each title an edition code. Red cloth with gilt = post-1856; tan/yellow illustrated boards = earliest issues. Coblenz imprint = pre-1872; Leipzig imprint = 1872-1943. The 1943 'Baedeker raids' on English cities were named after the guide; wartime and Nazi-era editions (such as the 1943 Generalgouvernement) are scarce and notable. Folding maps and plans should be present and matching the edition; completeness materially affects a copy's standing.


Katherine Tegen Books — first-edition identification

Katherine Tegen Books (US; 2003-present). First-edition identification: First printing carries a 'First Edition' statement and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page (HarperCollins house style) Background: HarperCollins Children's editorial imprint launched in fall 2003 Standard HarperCollins caveat: the number line, not a possibly-retained 'First Edition' statement, is the authority


Kelmscott Press — first-edition identification

Kelmscott Press (UK; 1891–1898). First-edition identification: Hand-press letterpress limited editions (1891–1898), each with a printed colophon stating the limitation (paper copies plus a small number on VELLUM) Morris's proprietary types — Golden, Troy, and Chaucer types — plus woodcut borders/initials and the Kelmscott device; on handmade Batchelor paper or vellum Vellum copies are a distinct, far smaller and more valuable sub-state stated in the colophon No number line; identify via the colophon, the Morris types, and the press device. Beware later facsimiles/reprints of Kelmscott titles Imprints and series: William Morris (founder). Background: Founded 1891 by William Morris (Hammersmith, London); launched the modern private-press movement The 'Kelmscott Chaucer' (1896, 425 on paper + 13 on vellum, with Burne-Jones woodcuts) is the supreme private-press book Vellum vs. paper is the principal state distinction and a huge value driver Standard reference: William S. Peterson, 'A Bibliography of the Kelmscott Press'


Kent State University Press — first-edition identification

Kent State University Press (Kent, Ohio; 1965–present). First-edition identification: 1965–c.1980: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line. c.1980–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard. Black Squirrel Books (trade imprint): follows the same number-line convention; the imprint is named on the title page. Imprints and series: Black Squirrel Books. Background: Founded 1965; scholarly publisher of Kent State University, nationally known for U.S. Civil War history, literary/textual scholarship and bibliography, and Ohio regional titles. Black Squirrel Books is its trade imprint, named for the black squirrels on the Kent campus, and is used in part to return out-of-print titles to circulation. One of three Ohio university presses — verify the imprint to avoid conflation with Ohio University Press (Athens) and Ohio State University Press (Columbus).


Key Porter Books — first-edition identification

Key Porter Books (Canada (Toronto, Ontario); 1979-2011). First-edition identification: 1979-2011: Mainstream Canadian trade house. First printings are identified by the standard descending number line on the copyright page (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') with the digit '1' present, and/or a 'First edition' / 'First published' statement. A dated copyright page carrying no 'Reprinted' / later-printing notice indicates a first printing. Where a title carries both a printing line and a separate year cluster, the lowest digit of each indicates the impression and its year. Confirm against the dated copyright statement rather than relying on the number line alone. 2011: Operations ceased in January 2011; backlist dispersed. Imprints and series: Key Porter; Key Porter Kids. Background: Major Canadian trade house founded in 1979 by Anna Porter (formerly managing editor at McClelland & Stewart), strong in Canadian non-fiction, politics, illustrated books and some fiction. Porter sold her stake in 2004; a controlling interest passed to H.B. Fenn that year. Ceased operations in January 2011, citing thin margins and the shift to e-books.


Kingfisher (children's) — first-edition identification

Kingfisher (UK)
Kingfisher (US, Macmillan Children's)

Kingfisher (children's) (UK/US; 1970s-present). First-edition identification: UK firsts: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention) US editions (now under Macmillan Children's): number line ending in 1, often accompanied by a 'First American edition' statement Imprints and series: Kingfisher (UK); Kingfisher (US, Macmillan Children's). Background: Reference and nonfiction children's imprint (encyclopedias, atlases, history and science titles); founded by Daniel Grisewood, who established Kingfisher Books in 1978 (the Grisewood & Dempsey packaging firm dated from 1973), later under Larousse/Groupe de la Cite, then Houghton Mifflin, and now Macmillan Children's Books Frequently revised and updated editions, so distinguish a true first from a 'new/updated/revised edition' reissue by reading the copyright-page edition statement together with the number line Ownership and era changes determine which publisher name appears on the copyright page


Knopf Books for Young Readers (Knopf BFYR) — first-edition identification

Knopf Books for Young Readers (Knopf BFYR) (US; 1915–present (children's line mid-20th c. onward)). First-edition identification: Knopf house convention applies: stated 'First Edition' on copyright page, historically with the Borzoi colophon KEY Knopf quirk inherited by the children's arm: on a true first the number line and the words must AGREE — Knopf's rule is the printing line; a stated 'First Edition' with a number line not ending in 1 is a later printing Modern Knopf BFYR (Random House Children's): full number line ending in 1, plus 'First Edition' Imprints and series: Alfred A. Knopf BFYR; Crown Books for Young Readers; Dragonfly Books (paperback); Anne Schwartz Books (now under Random House). Background: Borzoi (running-dog) device is the Knopf signature; appears in children's titles too Now part of Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House) Roald Dahl US editions, Judith Viorst (Alexander...), and many picture books carry the Knopf imprint


Kodansha Comics (Kodansha USA) — English-language manga — first-edition identification

Kodansha Comics (Kodansha USA) — English-language manga (USA (New York) / parent Kodansha (Tokyo); imprint est. 2008; 2008-present (US imprint)). First-edition identification: 2009-present: English-language volumes are identified primarily by a descending number line on the copyright/indicia page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing (full line ending in 1 = first printing). Many volumes also carry a printing date line near the ISBN. Transition-era titles inherited from Del Rey Manga: Kodansha USA took over the Del Rey Manga license catalog around 2010, and that production used Random House number-line conventions, so those volumes remain reliably number-line-datable. Hardcover deluxe, box-set, and color-edition lines (e.g. Akira reissues, Attack on Titan Colossal Editions) each carry their own number line and date distinct from the standard single-volume printings. Vertical/Vertical Comics backlist retains Vertical's own indicia conventions; new printings after the consolidation carry Kodansha number lines. Imprints and series: Kodansha Comics (renamed Kodansha Manga, 2021); Vertical / Vertical Comics (consolidated 2020-2021); Kodansha Manga (digital-first); K Manga (digital platform). Background: Attack on Titan early-volume first printings are the marquee Kodansha collectible; very large print runs mean many later printings, so the number line must be checked. Kodansha USA was established July 1, 2008; it took over publishing all Del Rey Manga titles (Tsubasa, xxxHolic, Negima, Ghost in the Shell reissues) around October 2010, with Random House as distributor. Vertical Inc. was consolidated into Kodansha USA in 2020, and in March 2021 Kodansha Comics, Kodansha USA International, and Vertical were unified under the Kodansha name (Kodansha Comics renamed Kodansha Manga). Kodansha is the largest Japanese publisher; its US arm scaled rapidly after 2008.


Kodansha International — first-edition identification

Kodansha International (KI)
Kodansha USA
Kodansha America
Kodansha Globe
Kodansha Bilingual Books

Kodansha International (Japan (Tokyo) and USA (New York); English-language books on Japan; 1963–2011). First-edition identification: 1963–c.1990 (Kodansha International Ltd, Tokyo and New York): first printings are identified by an edition/printing statement on the copyright page rather than a number line. Many titles carry an explicit printing-history block (for example 'First edition, 1972' followed by later 'printing' lines); on a true first the first-edition/first-printing line is the only or topmost entry. Number lines are generally absent in this early era, and 'ISBN' appears from the early 1970s. c.1990–2011: many later KI titles use a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit, typically '1', = first printing) together with a 'First published <year> by Kodansha International' statement and a 'Printed in Japan' note. Treat the number line as a general-practice guide for this era rather than a guaranteed rule for every title, since house formatting was not perfectly uniform. 2011 (KI closure): Kodansha International ceased operations at the end of April 2011; the English-language list migrated to Kodansha USA and other publishers. A genuine KI first must bear the KI imprint and predate this; post-2011 reissues under other imprints are not the KI first. Kodansha Bilingual Books / Globe series: these are catalog-numbered series; the series number is not a printing indicator — rely on the edition statement or number line instead. Imprints and series: Kodansha International (KI); Kodansha USA; Kodansha America; Kodansha Globe; Kodansha Bilingual Books. Background: A leading English-language publisher of books on Japan — art, culture, martial arts, cookery, language instruction, and literary translations — operating in the same space as Tuttle. Early titles use 'First edition' statements and printing-history blocks rather than number lines; later titles adopt a number line. Founded in 1963 and shut down at the end of April 2011; these dates bound the window for genuine KI firsts. Distinct from Kodansha's Japanese-language and manga operations (Kodansha Comics / Kodansha USA).


Krause Publications — first-edition identification

Krause Publications
KP Books
Standard Catalog series
Warman's (price-guide line)

Krause Publications (Iola, Wisconsin, USA; 1952-present (brand dispersed after 2019)). First-edition identification: 1952-2002 (independent, Iola WI; founded by Chester L. Krause): hobby and collectibles reference publisher (coins, stamps, firearms, antiques, automobiles). Most Krause titles are annual or serially revised price guides ('Standard Catalog of...', 'Warman's'), so the relevant 'edition' is the numbered or dated annual edition stated on the cover and title page (e.g. '2001 Standard Catalog of World Coins'). The desirable state is the first printing of that dated/numbered edition; identify by the edition year or number plus the number line where one is present. 2002-2019 (F+W Publications / F+W Media ownership): acquired by F&W Publications in June 2002. Book-format titles use descending number lines ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing); annual catalogs continue to be dated by edition year. Copyright pages begin referencing F+W. 2019-present (after F+W bankruptcy): F+W filed Chapter 11 in March 2019. Book assets (including the Krause book catalog) were acquired by Penguin Random House at the June 2019 auction; the Krause/numismatic magazine titles went to Active Interest Media. Post-2019 editions carry new ownership imprints. Imprints and series: Krause Publications; KP Books; Standard Catalog series; Warman's (price-guide line). Background: Founded 1952 by Chester L. Krause in Iola, Wisconsin; the dominant U.S. hobby and collectibles reference and price-guide publisher (coins, stamps, guns, antiques, cars). Its 'Standard Catalog of...' and 'Warman's' price guides are serially revised, so the meaningful identifier is the stated edition year or number rather than a single 'first edition'. Ownership chain: independent, then F&W/F+W (June 2002), then F+W bankruptcy in March 2019 with assets dispersed (book catalog to Penguin Random House, magazines to Active Interest Media). For collectors the desirable copies are usually the earliest edition of a given catalog title, plus the first printing of standalone reference books.


Kwela Books — first-edition identification

Kwela Books (South Africa (Cape Town); 1994-present). First-edition identification: Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Kwela Books' (Cape Town) as an imprint of NB Publishers (Naspers/Media24's book group). Inherits NB Publishers house practice: a 'First published' year statement, often 'First edition, first impression [year]', and may carry a descending number line — the first printing is the earliest impression / has '1' present. No reprint or later-impression notice on the first state; the imprint line names Kwela / NB Publishers. Imprints and series: Kwela (imprint of NB Publishers). Background: Founded 1994 in Cape Town as an imprint of NB Publishers (the Naspers/Media24 trade-book group, alongside Tafelberg, Human & Rousseau, Queillerie and others). A post-apartheid house that nurtured fresh South African fiction (e.g. Achmat Dangor, K. Sello Duiker, Zakes Mda, Niq Mhlongo) — Dangor's 'Bitter Fruit' was the first SA-published novel shortlisted for the Man Booker. As an NB Publishers imprint it follows that group's copyright-page and impression conventions rather than an idiosyncratic small-press style.


Laguna Verde Imprenta — first-edition identification

Laguna Verde Imprenta (Laguna Beach, California, USA; c.1972-1990s). First-edition identification: First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. Ward Ritchie retired in 1972, moved to Laguna Beach, acquired an 1835 Albion hand press, and printed small editions and broadsides under the name Laguna Verde Imprenta (Spanish for 'green lagoon'). Editions were small, typically fewer than fifty copies, often on dampened handmade paper; the colophon states limitation, types, and date, with copy numbers commonly hand-inscribed. Identify by the Laguna Verde Imprenta imprint and Ritchie's design hand. Keep this personal post-retirement press distinct from the earlier commercial Ward Ritchie Press (and its partnership forms Anderson & Ritchie and Anderson, Ritchie & Simon). Background: Ward Ritchie's personal post-retirement private imprint, separate from the Ward Ritchie Press trade firm. Output skews to keepsakes, broadsides, and small editions, many written by Ritchie himself, frequently about friends such as Robinson Jeffers and Lawrence Clark Powell. Colophon-controlled limited firsts, often fewer than fifty copies.


Laird & Lee — first-edition identification

Laird & Lee
Pastime Series
Pinkerton Detective Series

Laird & Lee (Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US newsstand/mail-order); 1883–c.1913). First-edition identification: 1883–c.1913: Chicago cheap-fiction, dictionary, and pocket-handbook publisher distributed largely through railroad newsstands and mail-order; first issues carry the 'Laird & Lee, Chicago' imprint and a dated title page. No 'First Edition' statement is used and no number line — identify by imprint form and the absence of a later-printing notice. Series fiction (Pastime Series, Pinkerton/detective titles): identify the issue by series number, copyright date, and the bound-in advertisement list. Standing plates were reused across printings, so the catalog/advertisement state is the practical first-issue tell rather than any textual point. Reference works (Webster-style dictionaries, vest-pocket guides): the year/edition stated on the title page is the edition designator; these were revised and reissued frequently. Imprints and series: Laird & Lee; Pastime Series; Pinkerton Detective Series. Background: Founded 1883 by Frederick C. Laird and William H. Lee; Lee bought out Laird in 1894 and ran it as one of the largest Chicago publishers (reportedly third-largest in the city by 1899) until his death in 1913. Mass-market plate-reuse house whose paperbacks sold at newsstands rather than bookstores — advertisement and series-number state dating applies; textual first-printing points were rarely tracked.


Lark Books / Lark Crafts — first-edition identification

Lark Books
Lark Crafts
Lark Jewelry & Beading

Lark Books / Lark Crafts (Asheville, North Carolina, USA; 1979-present (independent 1979–1999; under Sterling from 1999; brand activity diminished after ~2017)). First-edition identification: 1979-1999 (independent, Asheville NC; founded by Rob Pulleyn with Kate Matthews): Craft and how-to publisher (jewelry, beading, ceramics, fiber, glass). First printing is identified by the earliest copyright year; number lines are variable on early titles, so identify a first by the absence of any later-printing notation. 1999-2010 (Sterling Publishing ownership): Sterling acquired Lark in 1999. First printing is then identified by a full descending number line such as '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' per Sterling house style, with the lowest digit giving the printing (the presence of a 1 indicates a first printing). The juried '500' anthologies (500 Teapots, 500 Necklaces, etc.) are signature titles of this era. 2010-c.2017 (Sterling under Barnes & Noble ownership, then sold): Sterling/Lark moved with Sterling into Barnes & Noble (2003) and out again when Sterling was sold (2017); the number-line convention continues. The Lark Crafts brand was later wound down, and recent reissues may carry different distributor imprints. Imprints and series: Lark Books; Lark Crafts; Lark Jewelry & Beading. Background: Founded 1979 in Asheville, NC, by Rob Pulleyn (with Kate Matthews); sold to Sterling Publishing in 1999; followed Sterling into Barnes & Noble ownership (2003) and out again (2017). Famous for the juried '500' series, which began with 500 Teapots in 2002 (500 Bracelets, 500 Pendants, and many others followed), plus the Lark Jewelry & Beading line. Follows Sterling's number-line house style once under Sterling: a line reaching 1 indicates a first printing. Lark Crafts brand activity diminished after the late-2010s Sterling sale.


Last Gasp (Last Gasp Eco-Funnies) — first-edition identification

Last Gasp
Last Gasp Eco-Funnies (historical)

Last Gasp (Last Gasp Eco-Funnies) (USA (San Francisco, California; founded 1970); 1970-present). First-edition identification: Underground comix era (1970 through roughly 1980): single-issue underground comix (Slow Death, Wimmen's Comix, Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary 1972, and others) are identified by indicia and, critically, by cover price and printing notations. Underground comix were frequently reprinted, and printings are tracked in the Fogel Underground Price Guide; first printings carry a premium, and reprints often note the printing or change the price and back-cover details. Book and collected era (1980s-present): art books and graphic-novel reprints are identified by the indicia printing statement, and some carry a number line ending in 1 for a first printing. Reprint identification for vintage undergrounds relies on comparing cover price, the printing line on the inside cover or last page, and physical paper and printing quality against the Fogel guide, because undergrounds are notorious for unmarked or lightly marked reprints. Imprints and series: Last Gasp; Last Gasp Eco-Funnies (historical). Background: One of the foundational underground comix publishers, founded by Ron Turner in 1970; Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary (Justin Green, 1972) is a landmark autobiographical comic. Underground comix printing identification relies heavily on the Fogel Underground Price Guide, which catalogs printings, price variants, and color variants. Distributed many other underground publishers, so its catalog overlaps with Rip Off Press, Kitchen Sink, and Print Mint era undergrounds. Later pivoted to art books and lowbrow/pop-surrealism, including manga-influenced artists such as Junko Mizuno.


Lee & Shepard — first-edition identification

Lee & Shepard (Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA); 1862-1904). First-edition identification: 1862-c.1872: no printed edition statement; a Boston juvenile and general-literature house. First printing is identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date and by dated terminal advertising catalogues bound in. The popular series titles (Oliver Optic, etc.) are notoriously hard to date because format stayed constant year to year. c.1872-1900s: same no-statement practice. For heavily reprinted juvenile series (Oliver Optic / William T. Adams, Sophie May, Elijah Kellogg), the first printing requires the earliest-state rear catalogue: it should NOT advertise titles published after the book in hand. A later title in the rear ads indicates a later printing. 1904: Lee & Shepard acquired the bankrupt Lothrop list and the firm continued as Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. An imprint or spine reading 'Lothrop, Lee & Shepard' therefore dates from 1904 or later. No number line was ever used. Imprints and series: Lee, Shepard & Dillingham (NY branch, with Charles T. Dillingham); Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. (successor, 1904). Background: Premier Boston juvenile and series house: Oliver Optic (William T. Adams), Sophie May, Elijah Kellogg; also temperance and reform titles. Because series books kept identical formats year to year and often lack dated title pages, the bound-in rear advertising catalogue is the key dating tool (the latest title advertised sets the earliest possible date). Became Lothrop, Lee & Shepard in 1904; that successor lineage was later absorbed into larger houses.


Legacy Lit — first-edition identification

Legacy Lit (US (New York); founded/announced 2020; first titles 2022–present). First-edition identification: First printing carries a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1; the presence of the 1 confirms a first printing. Imprints and series: Legacy Lit. Background: New imprint announced in October 2020, dedicated to BIPOC voices and social-justice, memoir, and narrative-nonfiction titles, led by Krishan Trotman; first titles published in January 2022. Part of Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group; follows standard Hachette/GCP number-line conventions.


Lerner Publishing Group (children's) — first-edition identification

Lerner Publications
Carolrhoda Books
Carolrhoda Lab (YA)
Millbrook Press
Kar-Ben Publishing
Graphic Universe
Zest Books (YA)
First Avenue Editions
Darby Creek

Lerner Publishing Group (children's) (US; 1959-present). First-edition identification: First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First American edition'; the lowest digit indicates the printing Imprints and series: Lerner Publications; Carolrhoda Books; Carolrhoda Lab (YA); Millbrook Press; Kar-Ben Publishing; Graphic Universe; Zest Books (YA); First Avenue Editions; Darby Creek. Background: Minneapolis independent founded in 1959; one of the largest independently owned US children's publishers, with a large library/educational and trade list Carolrhoda Books dates to 1969 and Carolrhoda Lab is its literary-YA imprint; Kar-Ben (founded 1974) is the leading publisher of Jewish-interest children's books Lerner has handled US distribution/co-editions for Andersen Press at times; such titles are co-editions, not the UK Andersen firsts, so verify the imprint line on the copyright page Reliable modern number-line convention


Lester & Orpen Dennys — first-edition identification

Lester & Orpen Dennys (Canada (Toronto, Ontario); 1973-1991). First-edition identification: 1973 to 1979 (as Lester & Orpen): founded 1973 by Malcolm Lester and Eve Orpen (Orpen died 1978). Identify by the 'Lester & Orpen' imprint on the title page; a first printing is shown by a dated copyright page with no later-impression notice or by a 'First edition' statement. 1979 to 1991 (as Lester & Orpen Dennys, after Louise Dennys joined and the firm was renamed in 1979): first editions typically carry a number line (lowest number indicating the printing) and/or a 'First published' statement; absence of reprint notices on a dated copyright page indicates a first. Verify the exact imprint wording to place a title within the firm's life. 1988 to 1991: ownership passed to Pagurian Corp. (August 1988) then Hees International (December 1988), with Lester and Dennys continuing as publishers until Hees suspended operations in 1991. Louise Dennys later moved to Knopf Canada / Random House of Canada. Imprints and series: Lester & Orpen Dennys; Lester & Orpen (earlier form, 1973-1979). Background: A distinguished independent literary house (1973-1991) known for international literary fiction and high production quality; its International Fiction List brought major world authors to Canadian readers. Published Canadian editions of Graham Greene, John Irving, Don DeLillo, Italo Calvino, Martin Amis, Ian McEwan, and Kazuo Ishiguro, alongside Canadian writers such as Joy Kogawa and P. K. Page; collected for its literary list and elegant design. The imprint-name change from Lester & Orpen to Lester & Orpen Dennys in 1979 helps date a book to a sub-period.


Let's Go (Harvard Student Agencies) — first-edition identification

Let's Go: Europe
Let's Go (country/city titles)
Let's Go Adventure / Map Guides

Let's Go (Harvard Student Agencies) (United States (Cambridge, MA); St. Martin's Press distribution; 1960-2000s). First-edition identification: Annual series: identify by the YEAR in the title (e.g. 'Let's Go: Europe 1985') plus the copyright-page number line, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing. 1960-1970s: produced by Harvard Student Agencies; 'Let's Go' began as a roughly 25-page mimeographed pamphlet (compiled by Harvard student Oliver Koppell, first effort 1959, first guide 1960) handed out to student charter-flight passengers. The earliest pamphlet/booklet printings are crude and scarce; identify them by year and HSA origin. 1980s-2000s: published in book form with St. Martin's Press; rely on the YEAR on the cover/title page as the annual identifier, confirmed by the copyright-page number line for that year's edition. Imprints and series: Let's Go: Europe; Let's Go (country/city titles); Let's Go Adventure / Map Guides. Background: Originated as a circa-1960 mimeographed HSA pamphlet compiled by Harvard student Oliver Koppell; the earliest printings are ephemeral and rare. Annual series: the year in the title is the practical identifier. Written and revised by Harvard students each year; St. Martin's Press handled the modern book-form editions. Modern editions follow standard US number-line conventions.


Leuven University Press — first-edition identification

Leuven University Press (Leuven, Belgium; 1971-present). First-edition identification: 1971-c.1995: established 1971 in association with KU Leuven; titles in Dutch, English, French and German. Continental convention: the verso carries '© [year] Leuven University Press / Universitaire Pers Leuven' with a Belgian legal-deposit ('dépôt légal') code beginning 'D/[year]/...'. A first printing is keyed by the legal-deposit year together with the absence of any 'Tweede druk' or reprint note; Dutch 'Eerste druk' marks the first impression. c.1995-present: '© [year] Leuven University Press' plus a full ISBN block and the Belgian D/ legal-deposit number; later printings or editions are stated explicitly ('Tweede druk' / 'Second edition'). The legal-deposit year with a clean first-impression statement indicates the first printing. Language tell: Dutch 'druk' = impression/printing ('Eerste druk' first, 'Tweede druk' second); French 'édition'; German 'Auflage' — the lowest/first of these indicates the first printing. Imprints and series: Leuven University Press; Universitaire Pers Leuven (Dutch); Presses Universitaires de Louvain (do NOT confuse — separate Louvain-la-Neuve press). Background: Founded 1971 in association with KU Leuven (Universitaire Pers Leuven); a full member of the Association of University Presses and a founding member of the Association of European University Presses. The Belgian 'dépôt légal' code 'D/YYYY/...' on the verso, assigned by the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), is a precise dating tell unique to Belgian imprints. Must not be confused with the Presses Universitaires de Louvain at UCLouvain (Louvain-la-Neuve), a separate francophone press after the 1968 university split. Now distributed in North America via Cornell University Press; strong in theology, philosophy and art history. Multilingual: the same title may carry Dutch, English or French first-edition wording — match the language to the issue.


Limelight Editions — first-edition identification

Limelight Editions (USA (New York, NY; later under various trade-publisher parents); 1984–present). First-edition identification: 1984–2004 (independent, Mel Zerman / Proscenium Publishers era): performing-arts trade publisher covering film, theatre, music, and dance criticism and reference, reviving out-of-print titles alongside some new books. First printing is indicated by a descending number line on the copyright page, the lowest digit being the printing; a line that includes 1 is a first printing. 'First Limelight Edition YYYY' is often stated. 2004–2006 (Amadeus Press ownership): Limelight was acquired by Amadeus Press in 2004; copyright pages and colophons begin to reflect the Amadeus parentage. First printing is still a descending number line reaching 1. 2006–2018 (Hal Leonard ownership): Hal Leonard acquired Amadeus Press and Limelight in 2006 and folded Limelight into its Performing Arts Publishing Group; copyright pages read 'Limelight Editions, An Imprint of Hal Leonard ...'. First printing is a descending number line reaching 1, with a Hal Leonard distribution credit. The 'Imprint of Hal Leonard' colophon marks issues of this period. 2018–2024 (Rowman & Littlefield ownership): in December 2018 Hal Leonard sold Limelight (with Applause, Amadeus, Backbeat, and Hal Leonard Books) to Rowman & Littlefield; copyright pages carry the Rowman & Littlefield group credit. First printing is a descending number line reaching 1. 2024–present (Bloomsbury ownership): Bloomsbury acquired the Rowman & Littlefield trade list in 2024; later copies may carry a Bloomsbury group credit. First printing identification (descending number line reaching 1, often with a 'First Limelight Edition' statement) is unchanged. Imprints and series: Limelight Editions. Background: Founded in 1984 by Mel Zerman (formerly of Random House), through his firm Proscenium Publishers; respected performing-arts list across film, theatre, dance, and music. A number line reaching 1 indicates a first printing in every era; the changing parent-company colophon is the main era tell. Ownership chain for dating: independent 1984–2004, Amadeus Press 2004–2006, Hal Leonard 2006–2018, Rowman & Littlefield 2018–2024, Bloomsbury 2024–present.


Limited Editions Club — first-edition identification

Heritage Press (reprint imprint)
George Macy Companies (parent)

Limited Editions Club (US; 1929–present (classic Macy era 1929–1956; Shiff era 1979 onward)). First-edition identification: Every LEC title is a true limited edition with a printed colophon/limitation leaf (usually at the rear) stating the limitation number out of the edition (commonly 1,500 for the classic Macy era, later varying) The colophon is hand-numbered and bears the SIGNATURE of the illustrator/artist (and sometimes the author, translator, or designer); the autograph(s) on the colophon are the primary authentication The 'Monthly Letter' (newsletter describing the book's making) accompanied each volume on issue; presence is corroborating but not part of the book proper Slipcase typically present; first issue carries the original slipcase and the numbered/signed colophon Imprints and series: Heritage Press (reprint imprint); George Macy Companies (parent). Background: Founded 1929 by George Macy; a subscription club issuing ~12 finely-made books per year, each a single limited printing — so there is rarely a 'second printing' to confuse, but later LEC management (after 1970, under Sidney Shiff from 1979) issued smaller, more lavish editions DO NOT confuse with Heritage Press: Heritage reprints the same titles in cheaper materials WITHOUT a numbered/signed limitation leaf — the absence of the signed colophon is the tell that a copy is Heritage, not LEC Famous signed colophons include Matisse's Ulysses (1935, signed by Matisse; only ~250 of 1,500 also signed by Joyce), Picasso's Lysistrata (1934) Condition of the signature and completeness (slipcase + Monthly Letter) drive value


Lion Books — first-edition identification

Lion Books (US; 1949-1957). First-edition identification: Sequential catalog number on spine/cover identifies the title; Lion ran a 25-cent Lion line and a 35-cent Lion Library line, the latter often carrying LL-prefixed numbers. The number is a title/series identifier, not a printing count. First printing: the copyright page carries no later-printing statement. Lion seldom announced reprints, so a stated reprint is uncommon; rely on the original catalog number and price together with the cover format. When a Lion Library issue reuses an earlier Lion title it takes a new number and often a new cover; the earlier, lower-numbered Lion appearance is the earlier (and usually the first) printing. Imprints and series: Lion Books; Lion Library. Background: Lion (an outgrowth of Martin Goodman's magazine empire, edited largely by Arnold Hano, c.1949-1957) is a heavily collected paperback-original house. Early titles by Jim Thompson, David Goodis, Day Keene and others appeared first as Lion paperbacks, making the Lion the true first of those works. Short-lived line; New American Library bought Lion in 1957 and reissued several Lion titles under its Signet label. Because many Lion noir titles are paperback originals with no hardcover, the Lion paperback is the only first edition of those books.


Little Golden Books (Golden Books / Western Publishing / Simon & Schuster) — first-edition identification

Golden Books
Big Golden Book
Giant Golden Book
A Little Golden Book
Golden Press

Little Golden Books (Golden Books / Western Publishing / Simon & Schuster) (US; 1942–present (letter-code system 1947–c.2000)). First-edition identification: 1947–1970: edition letter hidden in the LOWER-RIGHT CORNER of the LAST page (sometimes under the rear cover/pastedown) — 'A' = 1st edition/printing, 'B' = 2nd, 'C' = 3rd, etc. THE defining Little Golden Book point of issue Pre-1947: edition stated on the first or second page of the book 1971–1991: a series of letters on the first few pages; the letter FARTHEST LEFT indicates the printing (A = first) 1991–c.2000: Roman numerals for the year, followed by letter 'A' (first edition) or 'R' (revised) Imprints and series: Golden Books; Big Golden Book; Giant Golden Book; A Little Golden Book; Golden Press. Background: The 'A' on the back/last page is the single most cited tell in mid-century picture-book collecting — you often must lift the rear cover slightly to see it Earliest LGBs (1942–) had dust jackets and blue spines; later gold foil spines. Spine number and price ('25 CENTS') help date but are not printing indicators Reissues with identical art are extremely common — same title can have dozens of printings spanning decades; only the edition letter distinguishes them. The Poky Little Puppy, Scuffy the Tugboat, Tootle, Saggy Baggy Elephant are heavily reprinted Western Publishing (Racine, WI) produced them; rights later to Golden Books Family Entertainment, then Random House (1999/2001). Modern Random House LGBs use a standard number line


Little, Brown and Company — first-edition identification

Little, Brown and Company (USA (Boston, then New York); 1837–present). First-edition identification: Pre-1930s (founded Boston 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown): there is NO first-edition statement in this era. Establish a first printing NEGATIVELY — confirm the date on the title page matches the copyright/date on the verso and that later-printing notations are ABSENT (the house did note subsequent printings). Because the 'first' is proven by absence, cross-check the specific title against Zempel & Verkler or BAL rather than trusting the copyright page alone. 1930s: the house began stating 'Published [Month] [Year]' (e.g., 'Published September 1934') on the copyright page of a first edition, with no reference to an additional printing. On a genuine first this dated 'Published' line stands alone; later printings normally added printing notations. Treat the 'Published [Month Year]' line, with no reprint line following, as the first-printing marker for roughly 1930–1940. From 1940 onward: Little, Brown adopted an explicit statement, printing 'First Edition' OR 'First Printing' on the copyright page of a first printing. Presence of that phrase, with no overriding later-printing line, denotes a first for the 1940s–1970s window (this is the era of the 1951 The Catcher in the Rye, which states 'FIRST EDITION'). Late 1970s onward: Little, Brown added a descending number line to the copyright page. Per the trade-house standard, the first printing is present only when the line still contains a '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest surviving digit gives the printing, so a line beginning '2' or with the 1 dropped is a later printing. NOTE the house-specific point: Little, Brown's first-printing line ends in 1 — this is unlike Random House, whose first-edition number line historically ends in 2 (the '1' being reserved). During transition years the 'First Edition'/'First Printing' phrase and the number line may appear TOGETHER, and both should agree. Time Inc. / Time Warner corporate era (Time Inc. bought L,B 1968; Time Warner Book Group from 1989; editorial/HQ moved from Boston to New York in 2001): the number-line-must-contain-1 rule holds throughout. Imprint on the title/copyright page reads 'Little, Brown and Company'. A copyright page still reading Boston (e.g., 'Boston · Toronto' or Boston-only) points to pre-2001 production; a New York address points to 2001+. Hachette Book Group era (from 2006, after Hachette Livre bought Time Warner Book Group and formed Hachette Book Group): first printings still carry the descending number line containing 1, now typically paired with 'First Edition' (or 'First North American Edition') and a Hachette Book Group / 'hachettebookgroup.com' credit on the copyright page. The number line remains the authoritative printing marker. Imprint routing to verify before calling any copy a 'Little, Brown first': art/illustrated titles may carry New York Graphic Society or (later) Bulfinch Press under the L,B umbrella; a Back Bay Books line means a trade-paperback reprint (NOT the first hardcover — 'First Back Bay paperback edition' is a first of that paperback only); children's/YA firsts sit under Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; crime under Mulholland Books (2011+). Imprints and series: Roberts Brothers (title list purchased 1898); New York Graphic Society (art/illustrated books; L,B took over operations 1974) / Bulfinch Press (successor art-book imprint); Back Bay Books (trade paperback reprint imprint, est. 1993); Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (children's/YA); Mulholland Books (crime/suspense, 2011); Little, Brown Spark (2018); Voracious (illustrated/lifestyle, 2019); JIMMY Patterson (James Patterson children's/YA imprint). Background: The Catcher in the Rye (Little, Brown, 1951): the true first printing states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page — the value lives in the first-issue jacket. First-issue jacket points: Salinger's photo (slightly cropped) on the rear panel, credited to Lotte Jacobi, and the 'the printed price' price positioned so the '$' and '3' sit over the shoulder of the 'R'. The author photo was dropped in later jacket states, so a jacketless or later-jacket copy is worth a fraction of a first-issue-jacket copy. Book-of-the-Month Club trap (applies to Catcher and many mid-century Little, Brown titles): a BOMC hardcover can share the SAME 'FIRST EDITION' copyright-page wording as the trade first. Distinguish by the JACKET — the trade first shows a printed 'the printed price' price on the front flap, while a book-club jacket has NO printed price. (Caution: the trade first's rear flap itself reads 'A Book-of-the-Month Club Selection' — that promotional line is NOT a book-club tell.) BOMC hardcovers also usually carry a small blind-stamp on the tail of the rear board near the spine. IMPORTANT: that blindstamp is a BOOK-CLUB tell, NOT a Little, Brown house device — do not read it as a mark of authenticity, and do not confuse it with any publisher's colophon. Era-boundary ambiguity: books right around 1940 can show either the 1930s 'Published [Month Year]' style or the new 'First Edition'/'First Printing' statement; and late-1970s crossover books can carry the phrase, the number line, or both. When two signals appear they must agree — a 'First Edition' slug sitting above a number line that has lost its '1' means you are holding a later printing whose leftover 'First Edition' line was not reset. Because pre-1930s firsts have no positive statement, absence of evidence is not proof of a first — a clean copyright page could also be an undated later state. For any 19th- or early-20th-century Little, Brown title (Emily Dickinson via the absorbed Roberts Brothers list, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, etc.), cross-check title-specific points in Zempel & Verkler or BAL rather than trusting the copyright page alone. Imprint confusion: 'New York Graphic Society' and its successor 'Bulfinch Press' ARE Little, Brown but are separate art/illustrated lines; 'Back Bay Books' is Little, Brown's paperback-reprint imprint and is never the first hardcover. Verify the imprint before calling a copy a 'Little, Brown first,' since a Back Bay reissue or book-club copy reprints the same text.


Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR) — first-edition identification

LB Kids
Megan Tingley Books
Poppy (YA, historical)
Christy Ottaviano Books
Jimmy Patterson Books

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR) (US; 1837–present (children's line mid/late-20th c.)). First-edition identification: Little, Brown house convention: modern firsts state 'First Edition' / 'First North American Edition' on copyright page, generally with a number line ending in 1 Historically Little, Brown stated 'First Edition' or 'Published (Month, Year)' and removed it on later printings; combine with number line First printing requires number line to reach 1 Imprints and series: LB Kids; Megan Tingley Books; Poppy (YA, historical); Christy Ottaviano Books; Jimmy Patterson Books. Background: LBYR published Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (2005) — a major modern YA point-of-issue collectible; true first = full number line to 1 plus 'First Edition: October 2005' Also home to the Alvin Ho / Clementine lines and many picture books Part of Hachette Book Group; older Little, Brown was independent then Time Warner — imprint conventions consistent across ownership


Liturgical Press — first-edition identification

Liturgical Press (US (Collegeville, Minnesota); 1926–present (publishing house of Saint John's Abbey)). First-edition identification: First printings carry a descending number line ending in '1' on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing. Many scholarly and liturgical titles state only a copyright year with no printing line, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint or second-printing notice. Series volumes (e.g., Sacra Pagina, Cistercian Studies) are dated by each volume's own copyright year. Imprints and series: Michael Glazier Books (folded into Liturgical Press Academic in 2018); Pueblo Books (folded into Liturgical Press Academic in 2018); Cistercian Publications; Liturgical Press Academic. Background: Founded in 1926 as the publishing house of Saint John's Abbey, the Benedictine community in Collegeville, Minnesota; an internationally known Catholic and ecumenical publisher in liturgy, Scripture, theology, and monastic life. Took over editorial, production, and marketing of Cistercian Publications through a partnership begun in 2008 (not an outright acquisition); older Cistercian volumes predate that partnership and have their own copyright pages, so they may not follow Liturgical Press conventions. Michael Glazier Books and Pueblo Books (scholarly Catholic and liturgical lists) were consolidated into the Liturgical Press Academic imprint in 2018; missals, lectionaries, and worship aids reprint constantly and are generally not collected as 'firsts.'


Liverpool University Press — first-edition identification

Liverpool University Press
Constable (early distributor)
Hodder & Stoughton (early distributor)

Liverpool University Press (Liverpool, England; 1899-present). First-edition identification: 1899-c.1930: Third-oldest English university press; earliest titles were distributed via trade houses. First printing keyed by title-page date and the absence of any reprint note. c.1930-c.1990: Own imprint, standard British practice: 'First published [year]', '© Liverpool University Press', and no reprint line on a first printing; later impressions add 'Reprinted [year]'. c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Liverpool University Press' with a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression) and a full ISBN/copyright block. A line ending in 1 with no reprint statement indicates a first printing. Imprints and series: Liverpool University Press; Constable (early distributor); Hodder & Stoughton (early distributor). Background: Founded 1899 — the third-oldest university press in England after Oxford and Cambridge (marked 120 years in 2019). Strong in modern languages, literatures, history, and visual culture; now hosts science-fiction studies lists (including the Liverpool Science Fiction Texts and Studies series). As with other early UK presses, distributor imprints on pre-1930 titles can obscure the true publisher of record.


Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide — first-edition identification

Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide (US (founded Portland, Oregon, 1901; moved to Los Angeles 1920; since 1961 based in St. Paul, later Woodbury, Minnesota); 1901-present (a clearly stated copyright-page printing notice is reliable from roughly the 1990s onward)). First-edition identification: Modern Llewellyn first printings indicate the printing on the copyright page, typically with a printing notice and a descending number line that includes the digit 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing. Many Llewellyn copyright pages also carry a printing-history block that records subsequent printings by year; a copy that shows only the first year alongside a complete number line is the first printing. Older (pre-1990s) Llewellyn titles may state only a copyright year or use a simpler notice and should be judged with more caution. Imprints and series: Llewellyn; Llewellyn Espanol; Midnight Ink (mystery; launched 2005, closed 2019 - backlist only); Flux (YA; launched by Llewellyn, sold to North Star Editions in 2016 and now published by them). Background: Long-established US publisher of New Age, astrology, Wicca and Pagan, Tarot, and occult and metaphysical books; founded in 1901 by astrologer Llewellyn George (1876-1954) as the Llewellyn Publishing Company, alongside the Portland School of Astrology. Carl Weschcke bought the firm in 1961 and moved it to Minnesota. Long-running annuals such as the Moon Sign Book (published yearly since 1905) and astrological calendars are dated by year and reissued annually, so they are not collected as 'firsts' in the usual trade sense. Many perennial sellers (for example Scott Cunningham and Silver RavenWolf titles) run to many printings, so the number line and printing-history block are the reliable arbiter. Midnight Ink (mystery) and Flux (YA) were genre fiction imprints; both are now historical at Llewellyn (Flux sold off in 2016, Midnight Ink closed in 2019).


Lonely Planet — first-edition identification

Lonely Planet (Australia (Melbourne) / US; 1973-present). First-edition identification: Travel guides are identified mainly by the EDITION number stated on the cover and title/copyright page (e.g. '5th edition'); the earliest edition of a given destination guide is the collectible point. The copyright page carries the edition number and the month/year of that edition, which is the reliable dating tool for a series revised on a short cycle. Number lines are secondary to the explicit edition statement for this series. Background: Founded in 1972/73 by Tony and Maureen Wheeler; the debut 'Across Asia on the Cheap' (1973) began as a homemade, stapled production, and early copies of it and 'South-East Asia on a Shoestring' are genuinely scarce. Ownership passed from the Wheelers to BBC Worldwide (2007/2011), then NC2 Media, then Red Ventures; the owner era can show on later printings but does not change the edition-number identification logic. Because guides are revised every year or two, collectors want the first edition of a given country or region guide; later editions hold little collectible interest. Surviving copies are often heavily used travel companions, so clean early firsts are uncommon.


Longman (Longmans, Green & Co.) — first-edition identification

Longman (Longmans, Green & Co.) (London, UK; 1724–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)). First-edition identification: No edition statement on most 19th-century firsts: rely on the title-page date, the absence of later-printing wording, and the exact partnership style in the imprint, which changed frequently and dates a printing. Dated inserted advertisement catalogue, commonly at the rear; a first should not list books published after the title-page year. For Macaulay's History of England, early Tennyson and other Longman high spots, collate against the author bibliography for textual and binding points — value is point-driven. Complete volumes with half-titles and the original cloth support first-issue state. Imprints and series: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans (1840s–1850s); Longman, Green, Longman & Roberts (from 1859); Longmans, Green, Reader & Dyer (mid-1860s–1880s); Longmans, Green & Co. (settled style from c.1889). Background: One of the oldest English houses (founded 1724); published Macaulay, some Wordsworth, early Tennyson, shares in Scott, and major reference and scientific works. The firm changed its partnership name very often (e.g. Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans; Longman, Green, Longman & Roberts from 1859; Longmans, Green, Reader & Dyer; Longmans, Green & Co. from c.1889) — the imprint style is the primary dating tool. Three-decker fiction and multi-volume histories are common; absence of an edition notice is the norm. The settled 'Longmans, Green & Co.' style indicates a printing of roughly 1889 or later, not the whole post-1862 period.


Lord John Press — first-edition identification

Lord John Press (Northridge, California, USA; 1977-2000s). First-edition identification: Herb Yellin's press specializing in signed limited editions: the colophon states numbered and lettered states, and every copy is signed by the author so the signature is intrinsic, not added later. Typical structure: a signed numbered edition (often a few hundred copies) plus a smaller signed lettered edition in a finer binding/slipcase. Identify by the colophon limitation and author signature; these are first and only printings, so there are no later-printing states to disambiguate. Background: Founded 1977 by Herb Yellin (1935-2014); issued signed limited firsts and keepsakes by Updike, Stephen King, Bradbury, Eudora Welty, Joyce Carol Oates, and others. Lettered copies are the premium state; verify the letter designation and finer binding against the colophon. Yellin typically retained the earliest numbered/lettered copy for himself, often numbered 15 or named rather than numbered.


Lorena Jones Books — first-edition identification

Lorena Jones Books (US (California); 2017-present). First-edition identification: Follows its parent (Ten Speed Press / Crown Publishing Group / Penguin Random House) convention: a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line ending in 1 on the true first printing. On later printings the low numbers drop out and/or the 'First Edition' line is removed. Background: Eponymous cooking and lifestyle imprint within Ten Speed Press, announced January 2017 with its first titles appearing in spring 2017; named for and run by Ten Speed VP/publisher Lorena Jones. Small annual list (roughly six to eight titles a year), so there are few imprint-specific identification quirks beyond the standard Crown convention. Identify exactly as you would any Ten Speed Press / Crown title of the same era.


Lost Horse Press — first-edition identification

Lost Horse Press
Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series
Regenerations: Indigenous Poetry Series

Lost Horse Press (Sandpoint, Idaho (Inland Pacific Northwest); 1998-present). First-edition identification: 1998-present: Independent nonprofit literary/poetry press. Identification is best done by the imprint plus a copyright/publication year that matches first appearance; print runs are small and most titles see a single printing, so a matching year usually indicates a first printing. Where present, a stated 'First edition / First printing, [year]' on the copyright page confirms it. Number lines are not a reliable tell here: as with many small poetry presses, Lost Horse books are inconsistent about descending printing lines, so do not rely on the presence or absence of a number line alone. Treat a 'First edition' statement and the matching year as the primary evidence. Era tell: founded June 1998 near Spokane, Washington, and relocated to Sandpoint, Idaho, shortly after, so a Sandpoint address dates a title to roughly 1999 or later, while the earliest items reflect the Spokane-area origin. Imprints and series: Lost Horse Press; Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series; Regenerations: Indigenous Poetry Series. Background: Founded in June 1998 by Christine Lysnewycz Holbert, who soon relocated the press to a log cabin in Sandpoint, Idaho. Has published well over a hundred poetry titles plus fiction; sponsors the Idaho Prize for Poetry and the Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series. Small print runs and award-winning poets make first printings genuinely scarce; signed copies are common from the source. Recognized with the CLMP Lord Nose Award (2023) for contributions to literary publishing; Holbert has received lifetime-achievement recognition.


Lost Roads Publishers — first-edition identification

Lost Roads Publishers
Lost Roads Press (variant on imprint)

Lost Roads Publishers (USA (Fayetteville, AR; later Providence, RI); 1976-present (Stanford era 1976-1978; C.D. Wright/Forrest Gander era from 1978; Susan Scarlata executive editor from 2009)). First-edition identification: Frank Stanford era (1976-1978): hand-assembled chapbooks and small letterpress/offset runs; first/only printing identified by colophon or a simple copyright statement. Runs were tiny, so most titles are single printings. First printing generally identified by absence of any later-printing notice; some titles state 'first edition.' Number lines are inconsistent on early titles, so do not rely on a number line being present. On signed/numbered titles the colophon states the size of the limitation; numbered copies are the limited issue. C.D. Wright / Forrest Gander era (post-1978): generally one printing per title; the rare later printing is stated on the copyright page. Imprints and series: Lost Roads Publishers; Lost Roads Press (variant on imprint). Background: Founded 1976 in Fayetteville, Arkansas by poet Frank Stanford. C.D. Wright's 'Room Rented by a Single Woman' (1977) was the press's first release. After Stanford's death in 1978, editorship passed to C.D. Wright; she later co-edited with Forrest Gander, and the press moved to Providence, RI. Highly collectible for Frank Stanford material and early C.D. Wright; small runs make first printings scarce. Posthumously co-published Stanford's book-length 'The Battlefield Where the Moon Says I Love You' with Mill Mountain Press. Mission centered on Southern/Arkansas poets and overlooked voices; the press released more than 120 titles over its history.


Lothrop, Lee & Shepard — first-edition identification

Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co.
Lee & Shepard (predecessor)
Lothrop Publishing Co. (predecessor)

Lothrop, Lee & Shepard (Boston, MA / New York, NY; 1904–c.1980s (roots to 1862)). First-edition identification: 19th-century predecessors (Lee & Shepard, 1862–1904; Lothrop Publishing): pre-merger firms generally carry no edition statement. Date by imprint name (Lee & Shepard vs. Lothrop) and address; the earliest printing is surmised from the earliest binding and advertising state. c.1904–c.1940s (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., formed by the 1904 merger of Lee & Shepard and Lothrop): first printings typically carry no explicit 'First Edition' statement. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notation on the copyright page; later printings are stated. Cross-check the copyright date against the title-page date. Mid-20th century onward: the firm adopted a number row on the copyright page, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a line ending in 1 = first). Where no number line appears, the absence of any later-printing note indicates a first printing, and a printed later-printing note overrides. After acquisition into the Morrow / Scott, Foresman lineage (ultimately HarperCollins): late imprint printings follow the parent's number-line convention, lowest digit = printing. Imprints and series: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co.; Lee & Shepard (predecessor); Lothrop Publishing Co. (predecessor). Background: Long-lived Boston/New York children's and general house formed in 1904 from Lee & Shepard plus Lothrop Publishing. Rule of thumb: a first edition is indicated by a number line ending in 1, or by the simple absence of any later-printing notation (later printings are stated). Published many illustrated children's classics; later editions use a standard number row. Eventually absorbed into the Morrow / Scott, Foresman line and ultimately HarperCollins.


Louisiana State University Press — first-edition identification

Louisiana State University Press (US (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); 1935-present). First-edition identification: Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line where present; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing, and later printings add stacked printing years or 'Second printing' notices. Important caveat: not all LSU firsts carry a number line. Older titles, and some landmark ones, state neither 'First Edition' nor a printing line. For these, identify a first by a single matching copyright year with no later-printing notice, supplemented by title-specific points. Do not assume a number line is required; check a reliable bibliography or dealer point-guide for the specific title before concluding. Imprints and series: LSU Press. Background: Founded 1935; one of the oldest university presses in the South, with strong Southern history and literature lists and multiple Pulitzer Prizes. Published John Kennedy Toole's 'A Confederacy of Dunces' (1980), a landmark collectible university-press first. The 2,500-copy first printing carries neither a 'First Edition' nor a 'First Printing' statement and has no number line; it is identified by the absence of any later-printing notice plus dust-jacket state. For 'A Confederacy of Dunces' the primary point is the first-state jacket: stars present in the night sky on front, spine, and rear. After the first printing the production manager removed the stars and intensified the blue of the title, producing the second-state jacket. A Walker Percy introduction/blurb is present on the first-issue jacket.


Lyons Press (Nick Lyons Books / Lyons & Burford) — first-edition identification

Lyons Press (Nick Lyons Books / Lyons & Burford) (USA (New York, NY; later Guilford, Connecticut); late 1970s-present). First-edition identification: Use the imprint name on the title/copyright page to date the book to the correct ownership era, then apply that era's number-line rule. Late 1970s-1981 (Nick Lyons Books era, including subsidiary period and co-branding with Winchester Press): Firsts typically state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page; some titles use a descending number line ('1' present = first). Imprint reads 'Nick Lyons Books' (sometimes co-branded with Winchester Press). 1981-1997 (Lyons & Burford): Standard trade practice — a 'First Edition' statement and/or a full descending number line (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); lowest digit present indicates the printing. Imprint reads 'Lyons & Burford, Publishers'. 1997-2001 (The Lyons Press, after Peter Burford's departure): Descending number line is the rule; '1' present = first printing; 'First Edition' may also be stated. 2001-present (Lyons Press under Globe Pequot Press, later within Rowman & Littlefield): Globe Pequot house style — descending number line where the lowest surviving number gives the printing, sometimes paired with a year line. Imprint reads 'Lyons Press' or 'Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot'. Imprints and series: Nick Lyons Books; Lyons & Burford, Publishers; The Lyons Press; Lyons Press (Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield imprint). Background: Founded by Nick Lyons; began in fly-fishing and expanded into natural history, adventure, outdoor sport, history, and true crime. Nick Lyons partnered with Peter Burford in 1981, and the house became Lyons & Burford, Publishers; in 1984 Lyons bought out the subsidiary rights and Nick Lyons Books, Inc. became an independent company. Peter Burford left in 1997 and the firm was renamed The Lyons Press; Tony Lyons became president that year and roughly tripled the company before its sale. Acquired by Globe Pequot Press (Guilford, CT) in 2001; Globe Pequot later sat under Rowman & Littlefield — modern Lyons Press firsts follow Globe Pequot number-line conventions. The shifting imprint name (Nick Lyons Books -> Lyons & Burford -> The Lyons Press -> Lyons Press) remains the most reliable dating tell.


M. A. Donohue & Company — first-edition identification

M. A. Donohue & Company (Chicago, IL (with later New York offices); 1861 (Cox & Donohue roots)-1960s). First-edition identification: c.1880-1901 (Donohue & Henneberry): predecessor firm issuing inexpensive reprints, fiction sets, and children's books. No edition statements; date a copy by the imprint name and Chicago address, the copyright-page state, and the binding. 1901-1960s (M. A. Donohue & Co.): high-volume inexpensive children's books, linen books, and reprints. First printings carry no 'first edition' statement; identify the earliest state by the Chicago Dearborn Street imprint address, the copyright-page state, and the rear advertised-title list. Because Donohue overwhelmingly reprinted, a Donohue imprint on a famous title generally indicates a reprint rather than a first edition. Raggedy Ann and similar titles: Donohue issued inexpensive reprints of well-known children's properties after the original publishers' lines ended; these are clearly later than the first publishers' firsts and are identified by the Donohue imprint and reset or altered plates. Imprints and series: M. A. Donohue & Co.; Donohue & Henneberry (predecessor, c.1880-1901). Background: Chicago reprint and inexpensive-children's house; its lineage runs Cox & Donohue (bookbinders, c.1861) to Donohue & Henneberry (c.1880) to M. A. Donohue & Co. (1901, after Donohue bought out Henneberry). A Donohue imprint on a well-known title is usually a reprint, not a first edition. Issued later inexpensive reprints of popular children's properties after the originating publishers' lines folded; these are not the originating firsts.


M. Evans and Company — first-edition identification

M. Evans and Company (New York, USA; c.1963-2005). First-edition identification: First printings are generally identified by a number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing; where no line appears, the absence of any later-printing statement supports a first. Distribution note: many M. Evans titles were distributed by J.B. Lippincott and later by other houses; the distributor's name on the jacket or spine does not affect first-printing status, which should be judged by the Evans copyright-page statement. Under successive owners (Rowman & Littlefield from 2005, then Globe Pequot) standard number-line conventions continue, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing. Imprints and series: M. Evans; M. Evans and Company, Inc.; M. Evans (under Rowman & Littlefield, later Globe Pequot). Background: A small independent New York house best known for popular non-fiction, including diet, health, and self-improvement titles. Long associated with J.B. Lippincott as its distributor, which is a frequent source of confusion about who the 'real' publisher of an M. Evans title is. The backlist was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield in 2005 and the M. Evans name was retained as an imprint, later sitting within the Globe Pequot group.


MACK — first-edition identification

MACK (UK (London); 2010–present (SteidlMACK imprint lineage from 2004)). First-edition identification: Colophon states 'First edition' and the year for a true first; MACK trade photobooks are typically issued in a single first printing, so the original year with no 'Second edition'/'reprinted' line indicates a first. No standard descending number line on most titles — rely on the stated first-edition/year line in the colophon rather than a number line. Popular sold-out titles are sometimes reprinted as a stated 'Second edition'; that wording on the colophon means the copy is not the first. Limited/special editions carry a numbered limitation, often with a signed tipped-in or accompanying original print; the limitation statement defines that issue. Imprints and series: MACK; MACK Books; SteidlMACK (imprint within Steidl, 2004–c.2010); MACK First Book Award titles; MACK limited editions (signed/with print). Background: Founded 2010 in London by Michael Mack, formerly managing director at Steidl, where he ran the SteidlMACK imprint beginning in 2004 (not 2008). A title first issued under the SteidlMACK imprint is a separate, earlier issue from a later MACK-alone edition — the imprint name dates the issue. MACK is an award-winning house and its firsts can go out of print quickly; for sought-after titles a stated 'Second edition' is common, so confirm the colophon edition line. MACK runs the First Book Award; debut titles in that line are first editions by definition.


Macmillan — first-edition identification

Macmillan (USA / UK / Canada (three legally separate firms sharing the name); 1843 (London founding) / 1869 (NY office) / 1896 firm split–present). First-edition identification: FIRM SPLIT FIRST — this is the master rule. 'Macmillan' is not one publisher. The London parent was founded in 1843 by Daniel and Alexander Macmillan; George Edward Brett opened the New York office in 1869; in 1896 the firm sold its US operations to the Brett family, creating a legally separate American company (The Macmillan Company) alongside Macmillan & Co., Ltd. (London). A third firm, Macmillan of Canada (Toronto, 1905–2002), operated separately. Each branch used ITS OWN first-edition convention. Identify the branch from the imprint city on the title page BEFORE applying any rule below. The US and UK firms freely shared titles and authors, so many books exist in both a US and a UK 'first' — establish which country holds the true first for that specific title (frequently the UK for British authors) before grading either copy. US Macmillan, pre-late-1800s: no printing statement was used. Treat the book as a first only when the date on the TITLE page matches the last (latest) date on the copyright page. A title-page year EARLIER than the latest copyright-page date signals a later printing. US Macmillan, late-1800s through mid-1936 (the 'Published' era): first printings carry the line 'Set up and electrotyped. Published (Month, Year)' on the copyright page and nothing else. This is the single most reliable US point of the period. On later printings that one line grows into a stacked paragraph — a capsule publishing history ('Published May 1936. Reprinted June 1936…'). ANY reprint/date list below the original 'Published' line means it is NOT the first printing. This is why the famous Gone with the Wind (1936) first reads simply 'Set up and electrotyped. Published May, 1936.' US Macmillan, mid-1936 to 1979 (the 'First printing' era): from mid-1936 the copyright page states the month and year of publication, often with a 'First printing' line. The rule for this whole window: the month-and-year statement with NO added line such as 'Second Printing,' 'Reprinted,' or 'Revised Edition' below it indicates a first. Any stated later printing or added date de-classes it. There is NO number line yet in this period. US Macmillan, post-1979 (number-line era): after a gradual 1970s rollout, from 1979 onward apply the standard number-line test — the digit '1' MUST be present in the sequence (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) for a first printing; if the lowest number is 2 or higher, it is a later printing. The Macmillan line ends in 1 (this is NOT the Random House end-in-2 pattern). Some later Macmillan books also print 'First Edition' above the line; when both are present, both must agree. UK Macmillan (Macmillan & Co. Ltd., London), pre-mid-1920s: first editions carried NO identifying statement — only subsequent printings/reprints were noted. A first is identified by the ABSENCE of any 'Reprinted' / 'Second edition' / 'New impression' notice, with the title-page date matching the impression year. UK Macmillan, mid-1920s onward: London Macmillan states 'First published (Year)' on the copyright/verso page of a first edition, with later printings adding 'Reprinted (Year)' lines beneath. A first shows the 'First published' line and no reprint line below it. Modern Pan Macmillan continues a 'First published' line plus a descending number line in which the presence of '1' marks the first printing. Macmillan of Canada (Toronto, 1905–2002): the standard reference verdict is that this firm DOES NOT DESIGNATE first editions and provides no marks distinguishing printings. Do not assume a Canadian Macmillan first because it lacks a printing statement — absence here is uninformative. Establish the true first through the title's overall priority (often the US or UK Macmillan edition, or another Canadian house) rather than from the Canadian copyright page alone. Imprints and series: The Macmillan Company (New York, 1896–1965); Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. / Macmillan Publishing Company (New York, post-1965 renamings); Macmillan & Co. Ltd. (London); Pan Macmillan (UK trade successor); Macmillan of Canada (Toronto, 1905–2002); The Free Press (US sibling imprint, later grouped with Macmillan); Collier / Collier-Macmillan. Background: Gone with the Wind (Macmillan NY, 1936) is the canonical trap: the true first states 'Set up and electrotyped. Published May, 1936' on the copyright page; a copy reading 'Published June, 1936' with no mention of the May printing is the SECOND printing, not a first. Both were physically in the June rush, so the 'May' line — not the calendar — is the point. Supporting physical tells: the trade first runs to 1037 pages in a single column, while book-club copies are double-column (about 689 pp.) and often lack a date on the title page. Do not read the Macmillan globe/torch-and-'M' colophon or the 'Set up and electrotyped' line as proof of a first — those are house DEVICES / production notes that persist across all printings (the 'Set up and electrotyped' phrase stays at the head of the growing reprint paragraph). The first-edition signal is the specific WORDING that follows it — a lone 'Published (Month, Year)' with no reprint paragraph, a 'First printing' line, or a number line containing 1 — never the mere presence of the logo. Book-club editions are a major Macmillan-era pitfall and are a DIFFERENT thing from the house device: club copies (many issued after WWII) typically lack a printed price on the jacket, may show a blind-stamped dot/indent on the lower rear board, and OMIT the 'Published (Month, Year)' or number-line apparatus (GWTW club copies also switch to double-column setting). A missing 'Published' line is a red flag for a club copy, not a first. Watch the imprint-name changes over time on US books — 'The Macmillan Company,' then 'Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.,' then 'Macmillan Publishing Company' — plus the sibling imprint 'The Free Press' and 'Collier-Macmillan.' These renamings straddle the 1970s number-line adoption, so pin the convention to the copyright-page WORDING and the presence/absence of a number line, not to the exact corporate name. (Note: Scribner's became part of Macmillan in 1984 and thereafter followed Macmillan's number-line procedure.) Era-boundary ambiguity to flag: the mid-1936 changeover means 1936 US titles can appear in BOTH the old 'Published (Month, Year)' style and the new 'First printing' style; and the 1970s number-line rollout was gradual, so late-1970s books may show either a month/year statement or an early number line. When two conventions overlap, corroborate against Zempel (First Editions: A Guide to Identification) or McBride (A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions) rather than relying on a single point.