Texas Christian University Press — first-edition identification

Texas Christian University Press (US (Fort Worth, TX); 1947/1966-present). First-edition identification: Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing A first printing shows a clean copyright page without later-printing notices Later printings add an explicit printing statement or drop low digits from the number line Imprints and series: TCU Press. Background: Founded 1947 and formally established for regular publication in 1966; focus on the history, culture, and literature of Texas and the American West A distinct house from SMU Press and Texas A&M University Press, the three principal Texas academic presses Many regional Texana titles have been reprinted, so identification relies on the number line and any printing statement


Texas Tech University Press — first-edition identification

Texas Tech University Press (Lubbock, Texas, USA; 1971-present). First-edition identification: The press dates from 1971, so the modern academic convention applies: first printings are shown by a descending number line on the copyright page that includes the digit 1, often accompanied by an explicit 'First edition' statement. Later printings drop the low digits from the number line while the title-page year may remain unchanged. Double Mountain Books editions state their own reissue status; because that line reprints Western classics, a Double Mountain first printing is a first printing of a reprint, not the first edition of the original work. Imprints and series: Grover E. Murray Studies in the American Southwest; Plains Histories; Double Mountain Books (Classic Reissues of the American West); American Liberty and Justice series. Background: Because the press dates entirely from the 1970s onward, the number line is reliably present and is the primary tell; the ambiguity of pre-number-line publishing does not apply. Double Mountain Books ('Classic Reissues of the American West') is explicitly a reprint line, so its first printing should not be mistaken for the first edition of the original title. Grover E. Murray Studies in the American Southwest (named for Texas Tech's eighth president) and Plains Histories are named subject series under the press.

New Mexico Literacy Project (newmexicoliteracyproject.org)


Text Publishing — first-edition identification

Text Publishing (Australia (Melbourne, VIC); 1990–present). First-edition identification: British-Commonwealth convention: the copyright page carries a 'First published by The Text Publishing Company [year]' statement; a true first printing shows that line with no additional 'Reprinted' or 'Second printing' lines beneath it. Later printings are signalled by added lines such as 'Reprinted [year]'; the absence of any reprint notice, with the stated publication year matching, indicates a first printing. Where a number line appears on more recent titles it runs descending to '1', with '1' present indicating the first printing — but Text has historically relied on the printed statement rather than a number line, so the statement is the primary signal. Imprints and series: Text; Text Classics (reprint series). Background: Founded 1990 in Melbourne by Diana Gribble and Eric Beecher (out of Text Media); over the years majority-owned by Michael Heyward and Penny Hueston in partnership with Maureen and Tony Wheeler (founders of Lonely Planet). Acquired by Penguin Random House Australia in early 2025 under a 'charter of independence' retaining editorial control; post-2025 printings may shift toward PRH copyright-page styling, while pre-2025 books follow Text's own statement convention. Text Classics (launched 2012) are reprints of out-of-print Australian works (Patrick White, Christina Stead, Thea Astley, Elizabeth Harrower, Madeleine St John and others) — they are NOT first editions of the original text and should be treated as a distinct modern series, not the collectible first appearance.


Thames & Hudson — first-edition identification

Thames & Hudson (UK (London) / US (New York); 1949-present). First-edition identification: Copyright page: 'First published in [year] by Thames & Hudson Ltd' (often phrased 'in the United Kingdom in [year]') is the core first-edition statement; a first shows that line and no subsequent 'Reprinted' or 'This edition' entries. Like most UK art houses, Thames & Hudson generally marks later printings by adding 'Reprinted [year]' lines rather than deleting from a number line, so a first equals no added reprint lines. Newer titles may carry a number line; where present, the lowest number indicates the printing. US issues often state 'First published in the United States of America in [year] by Thames & Hudson Inc.' and may be distributed by W. W. Norton, so a 'first US edition' can postdate the UK first. Imprints and series: Thames & Hudson; World of Art series; Thames & Hudson / W. W. Norton (US co-publication); Photofile series (with Centre National de la Photographie); Thames & Hudson Australia. Background: World of Art (formerly 'World of Art Library') is a long-running uniform series with many reprints and revised editions, so verify the specific edition statement: a later revised World of Art volume is not the first. Thames & Hudson is the non-US/Canada distributor for many museum titles, so a T&H-distributed copy may be a co-edition of a US-published book rather than the true first. The UK-first versus US-first distinction matters for collectors; match the 'first published' country and year.


The Amwell Press (National Sporting Fraternity) — first-edition identification

The Amwell Press (National Sporting Fraternity) (USA (Clinton, New Jersey); 1976-1990s/2000s). First-edition identification: 1976-1990s: Books were issued as signed, numbered, limited editions, usually leather-bound and slipcased; the first (and usually only) edition is identified by the limitation/colophon leaf giving the total copies and the hand-numbered copy number, signed at the limitation page by the author and Jim Rikhoff (and the illustrator where applicable). Common runs were around 1,000 copies. 1976-1990s: There is no conventional number line; the numbered limitation leaf plus the absence of a later-printing statement indicates a first. Deluxe/leather sub-issues are separately numbered in a smaller run and form the senior state. 1976-1990s: Editions tied to the National Sporting Fraternity membership may carry an additional NSF imprint statement or member numbering — confirm against the limitation page rather than assuming a trade printing. Imprints and series: National Sporting Fraternity (parent/membership arm). Background: Founded March 1976 by Jim Rikhoff, who had earlier been associated with Winchester Press; Amwell specialized in limited-edition big-game hunting, African safari, and classic sporting reprints. Drew a 'who's who' of professional hunters and sportsmen as authors; titles were collectible on publication. Continued the Derrydale tradition of signed, numbered, slipcased fine-sporting books as the house norm.


The Arthur H. Clark Company — first-edition identification

The Arthur H. Clark Company (Originally Cleveland, Ohio; later Glendale, California, and Spokane, Washington; now Norman, Oklahoma (an imprint of the University of Oklahoma Press) — USA; 1902-present (independent 1902-2006; OU Press imprint thereafter)). First-edition identification: Founded 1902; preeminent scholarly Western Americana house, long known for limited editions. Many titles were issued in a stated limited print run; identify the first or only edition via a limitation/colophon statement (for example, an edition limited to a stated number of numbered copies) giving the copy number out of the total. For limited issues the limitation statement is the edition point; an unnumbered or later-state copy is not the limited first. House typography aids attribution: text was long set in Linotype Caslon Old Style. Trade (non-limited) titles: a first printing is shown by a single copyright/title-page date with no later-printing statement; some titles appeared in both a limited and a trade state. Post-2006 titles (under the University of Oklahoma Press) follow OU Press number-line conventions while keeping the Clark imprint. Background: Limited, numbered editions are the defining collectible characteristic; always check for a limitation/colophon leaf and its stated total. Acquired by the University of Oklahoma Press in 2006 (relocating to Norman, Oklahoma); that ownership change shifts the identification approach from a limitation statement for classic Clark titles to OU-style number lines for recent titles. Multi-volume documentary sets are common (such as overland-diaries series); a complete first issue requires all volumes in the matching limited state.


The Bodley Head — first-edition identification

The Bodley Head (UK; 1887-present). First-edition identification: From c.1929 onward, first editions state 'First published [Year]' or 'First published [Month, Year]' / 'First edition published [Month, Year]' on the copyright page; this copyright-page convention does NOT apply to the early John Lane / 1890s era (1887-c.1928) Later printings are noted with added impression/'Reprinted'/'Second impression' lines on the copyright page; for post-1929 books the absence of such reprint notation indicates a first printing Early Bodley Head / John Lane (1887-1920s) books carry no 'First published' statement and must be identified by title-page date, binding and issue points, advertisements, and standard author bibliographies (e.g., the John Lane 3/6 Christie novels) rather than a copyright-page statement Known exception: the first edition of John Cheever's 'The Enormous Radio' (1953) bears a Roman numeral '1' with no first-edition statement, so the statement-plus-no-reprint-notation rule is not universally reliable Modern Bodley Head (Random House / Penguin Random House sibling) uses a printer's number line; the lowest digit present (a line ending in or containing 1) indicates a first printing Imprints and series: Bodley Head Children's; The Bodley Head (under Random House later). Background: Early Bodley Head (John Lane, 1890s) is famous for 'The Yellow Book' (1894-97) and 1890s aesthetic/decadent-movement design (Aubrey Beardsley) Published Agatha Christie's first novel 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' (UK, 21 Jan 1921) and her early novels under a Bodley Head contract Graham Greene was a director of The Bodley Head (c.1957/58-1968, under Max Reinhardt) and published several of his books there Published Maurice Sendak in the UK (Max Reinhardt era) Founded 1887 by John Lane and Elkin Mathews; acquired by Random House in 1987 and now a Penguin Random House imprint Month is sometimes included in the post-1929 'First published' statement, useful for dating; not present in pre-1929 books


The Caxton Printers, Ltd. / Caxton Press — first-edition identification

The Caxton Printers, Ltd. / Caxton Press (Caldwell, Idaho, USA; 1925-present). First-edition identification: Founded 1925; named for William Caxton. Core rule: a first edition has the same date on the title page as on the copyright page, with no additional printings listed on the copyright page; any added printing line (for example, Second printing) disqualifies it. Look for the W.C. colophon/insignia on the colophon and spine. This is a house mark, useful for attribution rather than a per-printing edition tell. Modern Caxton Press titles may add a number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing, used alongside the matching-date rule. The publishing division was 'Caxton Printers' until roughly 1995, then 'Caxton Press'; the imprint name helps date the book. Imprints and series: Caxton Press (publishing division renamed ~1995). Background: A pillar of Pacific-Northwest and Western Americana (Vardis Fisher, regional history); desirable firsts hinge on the title-page/copyright-date match with a clean copyright page showing no extra printings. Reprints of perennial sellers retained the same setting for years, so the absence of any added printing statement is the decisive point. Name change to 'Caxton Press' (around 1995) differentiated the publishing line from the parent company's printing and office-supply business.


The Century Company — first-edition identification

The Century Company (New York, USA; 1881-1933 (independent); 19c + early 20c). First-edition identification: 19th-century rule: no consistent stated-edition convention — match the title-page date to the copyright date and confirm no later printing is noted. Many Century books originated as serials in The Century Magazine or St. Nicholas; the first book printing is dated on the title page and lacks reprint notices. The imprint name dates the book: predecessor 'Scribner & Co.' (1870-1881) versus 'The Century Co.' (1881 onward). Imprints and series: Scribner & Co. (1870-1881, predecessor); The Century Co. (1881 onward); St. Nicholas (magazine imprint); The Century Magazine (formerly Scribner's Monthly). Background: Began as Scribner & Co. (1870), a subsidiary of Charles Scribner's Sons; bought by Roswell Smith in 1881 and renamed The Century Co. after the Century Association. Publisher of St. Nicholas Magazine and the Century Magazine (the renamed Scribner's Monthly), the Century Dictionary, and the 10-volume Nicolay & Hay Abraham Lincoln. Merged with D. Appleton in 1933 to form Appleton-Century — the merger re-dates later imprints out of this slice.


The Countryman Press — first-edition identification

The Countryman Press (US (Vermont, then New York); 1973-present (a W. W. Norton imprint since 1996)). First-edition identification: As a W. W. Norton imprint (1996 onward), Countryman first printings are identified primarily by a descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1 (e.g., '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2'); the lowest number present indicates the printing. Norton relies on the number line rather than a routine printed 'First Edition' statement, so do not require that wording. Pre-Norton independent era (1973-1996): identification is number-line based when a line is present, with the first printing line ending in 1; some early regional/guide titles may instead carry only a copyright year or a 'first printing' notice, so verify per title. Background: Outdoors, travel, regional cooking, cocktail and lifestyle publisher founded 1973 in Taftsville, Vermont by Peter and Jane Jennison; acquired by W. W. Norton in 1996 and fully relocated to New York by 2015. Cookbook, cocktail and guidebook titles (e.g., the long-running Explorer's Guide series) reprint frequently, so the number line is the reliable arbiter of a true first printing.


The Crime Club / Doubleday Crime Club — first-edition identification

The Crime Club / Doubleday Crime Club (US; 1928-1991). First-edition identification: Follows parent Doubleday house practice: word 'First Edition' on the copyright page denotes a first printing; the statement is removed on later printings (true for most of the run). Gutter/printer dating code at the foot of the last page of text is the most reliable tool. Early period (to ~1958) used a numeric week code (1-52). From early 1959 to 1987 a LETTER prefix was added for year (A=1959, B=1960 ... AA=1985), so a first printing should carry the code matching the stated publication year — a later year-letter on a 'First Edition'-stated book signals a later printing or remainder. Crime Club 'Bullseye' symbols (skull = homicide/humor, owl = suspense, gun/pistol = fast action, etc.), introduced 1943 by editor Isabelle Taylor, printed on spine and on the bound-in blurb — useful for series authentication and dating. Definitive reference: Ellen Nehr, 'Doubleday Crime Club Compendium 1928-1991', which gives jacket/binding points title-by-title. Imprints and series: Doubleday, Doran Crime Club; Doubleday Crime Club; Crime Club Bullseyes (genre symbol classification). Background: The Crime Club was a Doubleday imprint (1928-1991), not an independent house; identification piggybacks on Doubleday conventions, with the wrinkle that 'First Edition' was sometimes retained on later printings late in the run — cross-check the gutter code. Book Club editions are a major confusion: Doubleday's own Dollar Mystery Guild / Detective Book Club reprints look similar but lack 'First Edition' AND have blind-stamped board dimples or gutter codes that don't match the first-printing year; BCEs are usually cheaper paper and smaller. Jackets are everything for value here — many points of issue are jacket price and rear-panel ads, not the book block.


The Crossing Press — first-edition identification

The Crossing Press
Crossing Press Cookbooks
Crossing Press Pocket Series

The Crossing Press (Trumansburg, New York, then Freedom, California, USA; 1963-2002 (independent); thereafter a Ten Speed Press imprint). First-edition identification: 1963-2002 (independent, founded by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York, later based in Freedom, California): poetry, cookery, herbal/healing, and feminist titles. First printings: earliest copyright year; number lines are variable, so identify by the absence of any later-printing notation together with the stated cover price and the 'Trumansburg, NY' (earlier) or 'Freedom, CA' (later) imprint on the title page. 2002-present (Ten Speed Press / Crown / Penguin Random House): acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as an imprint; from that point it follows the Ten Speed number-line convention ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing) and, after the 2009 Random House/Crown acquisition, the Penguin Random House/Crown conventions. Imprints and series: The Crossing Press; Crossing Press Cookbooks; Crossing Press Pocket Series. Background: Founded 1963 by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York; later relocated to Freedom, California. List spanned poetry, cookery, herbal and healing, and feminist/LGBT titles. Acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as one of its imprints, following Ten Speed into Random House/Crown in 2009. The number-line tell applies after the 2002 Ten Speed acquisition; earlier independent titles need earliest-copyright and cover-price verification, with the imprint city (Trumansburg vs. Freedom) helping date the printing.


The Cummington Press (and Abattoir Editions) — first-edition identification

The Cummington Press (and Abattoir Editions) (Cummington, Massachusetts; later Iowa City, Iowa & Omaha, Nebraska (Harry Duncan); 1941-1985 (Duncan's tenure)). First-edition identification: 1941-1956 (Cummington, MA): fine hand-letterpress books in small editions, typically a few hundred copies. Identification = the COLOPHON/LIMITATION statement giving copy count, types, paper, and printers (e.g. 'one of 300 numbered copies'). The first book was 'Incident on the Bark Columbia' (1941). Limitation is usually numbered; some titles include a small signed or deluxe sub-issue noted on the colophon. There is no number line — these are discrete hand-press editions, so the stated limitation IS the identification. Mid-1950s-1985 (Duncan in Iowa, then Omaha): continued as the Cummington Press, and from 1972 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha he ran Abattoir Editions alongside it. Colophons state limitation, types, paper, and printer; match the descriptive bibliography of the Press and Abattoir Editions for exact states. Because each title is a discrete fine-press edition that was rarely reprinted, a copy matching the colophon collation is the first; watch for later commercial reprints of the same texts issued by other publishers (not Cummington). Imprints and series: The Cummington Press; Abattoir Editions (University of Nebraska at Omaha continuation, from 1972). Background: Founded within the Cummington School of the Arts; began operations in 1939 and was established as an imprint by Katharine Frazier and Harry Duncan in 1941. Duncan (1916-1997) became the central pressman and a leading figure of the post-WWII private-press movement. Published early Wallace Stevens ('Esthétique du Mal', 1945, illustrated by Paul Wightman Williams, in a limited edition of a few hundred copies) along with work associated with other modernist poets. Duncan later taught typography (including at the University of Iowa) and moved to the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1972, where he established Abattoir Editions. A pre-eminent example of American hand-press poetry printing; collation, type identification, and the colophon are the identification keys.


The Derrydale Press — first-edition identification

The Derrydale Press (USA (New York, NY); 1927-1942 (original); revived 1971-present). First-edition identification: 1927-1942 (original Connett era): Nearly every title was a numbered, limited edition, so the first edition is the limited issue. Identify it from the limitation/colophon leaf stating the total number of copies (commonly runs such as 750, 1050, or 1250) and the individual hand-numbered copy number; many copies are signed by the author and/or Eugene V. Connett III on the colophon or limitation leaf. 1927-1942: There is no printed 'First Edition' statement and no number line — Derrydale almost never reprinted, so the stated limitation IS the first-edition proof. An intact numbered colophon plus the absence of any later-printing notice indicates a first. 1927-1942: Deluxe/large-paper sub-issues are separately numbered in a smaller run (for example 'no. 14 of 75 large-paper copies') and constitute the senior state; ordinary trade-limitation copies are the junior state of the same edition. Match the run size against the published bibliography to place the state. 1927-1942: The Diana-the-Huntress colophon device is the house signature; presentation copies are out-of-series and hand-inscribed. 1971-present (revival under Nick Lyons / Lyons Press and later owners): Modern reissues carry standard trade copyright pages with 'First Edition'/'First Printing' statements or number lines and are NOT the collectible 1927-1942 firsts, even when they reuse the Diana colophon. Imprints and series: The Windward House (Connett's trade imprint); The Quail Press (associated/sub-issue). Background: Founded and run by Eugene V. Connett III; the premier American sporting fine-press house, publishing 169 titles (about 30 privately printed) between 1927 and 1942 before wartime conditions closed it. Because runs were tiny and reprints essentially nonexistent, condition and an intact numbered/signed colophon drive identification more than any printed 'first' statement. The name and Diana colophon were revived by later owners (notably under Nick Lyons / Lyons Press), so collectors must distinguish original Connett-era books from revival reissues. High points include signed angling and sporting volumes and Connett's own titles.


The Dial Press (early) — first-edition identification

The Dial Press (early) (New York, USA; 1923–1945 (early period)). First-edition identification: 1923–mid-1930s (Lincoln MacVeagh era): The reliable first-edition tell is a matching date on the title page and the copyright page, combined with the 'Lincoln MacVeagh / The Dial Press' imprint wording. Early Dial firsts generally carry no first-edition statement; the date-match is the primary check, not merely the absence of a later-printing notice. Mid-1930s–1945: First printing identified by the same title-page and copyright-page date with no subsequent printings listed. Dial occasionally printed 'First Printing' (its preferred wording was 'First Printing,' not 'First Edition') but did not list later printings during this era, so a stated later printing is the clearest disqualifier. Post-1945 (outside this slice): In the late 1960s Dial began stating 'First Printing (Year)' and noting subsequent printings; apply that later rule to post-war Dial titles, which form a distinct, better-documented record. Imprints and series: The Dial Press; Lincoln MacVeagh / The Dial Press (early proprietor imprint). Background: Founded 1923 by Lincoln MacVeagh and grew out of The Dial literary magazine; MacVeagh's name in the imprint is the strongest early-era dating tell. Early literary and modernist list; identification rests on the title-/copyright-page date-match convention typical of 1920s–1930s American houses. Post-1945 Dial Press is a distinct entity with clearer 'First Printing (Year)' practice and should be deduped against any modern Dial Press record.


The Figures — first-edition identification

The Figures (Berkeley, California (1975-1982), then Great Barrington, Massachusetts (Geoffrey Young; co-founded with Laura Chester); 1975-2005). First-edition identification: 1975-2005 (~135 titles): predominantly perfect-bound offset trade paperbacks, with a few early letterpress/limited items. Identification rests on the COPYRIGHT-PAGE printing statement: first printings carry no later-printing notice and, in most cases, no number line. Because reprints are uncommon, a clean copyright page with no reprint statement indicates a first. The press's debut title (1975, poems by Artie Gold and Geoffrey Young) was an elegant limited edition; identify by the stated limitation. Some titles were co-published or distributed (e.g. via Small Press Distribution); the title/copyright-page imprint reading 'The Figures' anchors identification. Where a number line or 'second printing' note is present, treat its absence as evidence of a first; the press's low reprint rate makes physical collation against the title list decisive. Imprints and series: The Figures. Background: Name drawn from Charles Olson's 'Maximus Poems'; recognized as one of the most important publishers of Language and post-New York School experimental writing. Founded after Young ceased his Berkeley poetry magazine 'Stooge' in 1975; early production was aided by the NEA-sponsored West Coast Print Center, which kept costs low. Moved with Young to the Berkshires in 1982; the list wound down around 2005, after which Young continued occasional titles and ran a gallery in Great Barrington. Distinct trade-paperback design; collected for its central Language-poetry list.


The Huntington Library (Huntington Library Press) — first-edition identification

The Huntington Library (Huntington Library Press) (San Marino, California, USA; 1920s–present). First-edition identification: Scholarly institutional press. Trade monographs and catalogues: copyright-page number line where present (line ending in 1 = first printing) and/or 'First edition' plus year. Huntington Library Quarterly and other serials: identified by volume/number/date. Distributed titles (e.g. via University of California Press): follow the distributor's conventions and ISBN. Fine or facsimile/exhibition publications may be issued in stated limited editions — identify by the limitation statement. Imprints and series: Huntington Library Press; Huntington Library Quarterly (serial); co-published/distributed with University of California Press and others. Background: Publishing began in 1920 with facsimile reproductions of rare collection items, expanding to bibliographies and scholarly monographs. Distribution partnerships shifted over time, affecting ISBN and imprint; verify the number-line convention per title. Facsimile, exhibition, and limited publications are the collectible categories. Primarily a research library; publishing is a secondary activity.


The Jargon Society (Jargon Books) — first-edition identification

The Jargon Society (Jargon Books) (San Francisco / Black Mountain NC / Highlands NC / Dentdale, England (Jonathan Williams); 1951-2008 (active under Williams; Jargon Society continues as a nonprofit)). First-edition identification: Identification is title-by-title via the JARGON NUMBER and a published checklist (Jargon Society: A Checklist), not a uniform number-line system. Each title carries a sequential Jargon number, and fine-press titles carry a colophon stating the limitation and printer. 1951 / early 1950s: the earliest item (Jargon 1, 1951) is a letterpress broadside/leaflet in a tiny run (50 copies, printed by David Ruff). First-edition status = matching the checklist's limitation, printer, and physical collation; some early items are signed on the colophon. Black Mountain / mid-to-late 1950s onward: fine letterpress books (Olson's Maximus Poems 1-10 in 1953, plus Creeley, Levertov, Niedecker and others) with colophons stating exact limitation and printers. Signed/limited states are noted on the colophon. 1960s-1990s: continued limited letterpress and offset editions, some co-published as Jargon/Corinth. A first = colophon limitation present and matching the checklist; trade co-issues are identified by the absence of a later-printing statement. Because runs are small and reprints rare, a Jargon book matching the checklist's collation is almost always the first; later states are usually clearly noted facsimiles or reissues. Imprints and series: Jargon; Jargon Society; Jargon/Corinth (co-imprint with Corinth Books). Background: Founded in 1951 by poet Jonathan Williams with painter David Ruff (reportedly conceived in a San Francisco restaurant); a foundational Black Mountain / post-Pound avant-garde imprint. Published Charles Olson's Maximus Poems (1-10 in 1953, 11-22 in 1956) and work by Creeley, Levertov, Niedecker, Mina Loy, and Appalachian/outsider figures. Williams was a meticulous designer; Jargon books are prized as objects, so collation, paper, and colophon details are the identification keys. Roughly 115 titles across the original series (about 85 books plus broadsides and pamphlets); the Jargon number on the colophon is the cataloguing anchor.


The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) — first-edition identification

The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; 1888-present). First-edition identification: 1888-1910s: no number line; identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice. Early JPS classics, including the English Graetz History of the Jews and the 1917 JPS Holy Scriptures, have firsts identified by the first copyright/publication year; the 1917 Holy Scriptures is a landmark with a distinct first printing. 1910s-1960s: explicit printing and edition statements appear inconsistently; copyright year plus the absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first. Multi-volume sets such as Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews (1909-1938) are tracked by each volume's first year. 1960s-1980s: number and printing-history lines emerge; the New JPS (NJPS) Tanakh translation was issued in parts (Torah 1962, Prophets 1978, Writings 1982) and then complete in 1985, so collectors track the staged firsts. 1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing. Modern JPS titles are often co-published or distributed with the University of Nebraska Press and follow that partner's number-line convention. Imprints and series: JPS; The Jewish Publication Society of America (historic name); JPS Tanakh / JPS Bible editions. Background: JPS was founded (in its enduring form) in 1888 in Philadelphia and is the oldest nonprofit, nonsectarian publisher of Jewish books in English in the United States. It published the 1917 Holy Scriptures (the Old JPS, OJPS) and the New JPS (NJPS) Tanakh, completed in 1985 — the standard English Jewish Bible translations; the staged publication of the NJPS makes those firsts significant. Landmark multi-volume sets include Graetz's History of the Jews and Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews; each volume's first year should be tracked. A modern trade-distribution partnership with the University of Nebraska Press affects later-era copyright-page conventions.


The Library of America — first-edition identification

The Library of America (New York, USA (non-profit); 1982-present). First-edition identification: 1982-present: uniform black-jacketed scholarly editions, each volume bearing a series number (e.g. LOA #1, Melville). These are authoritative collected/reprint editions, generally NOT first appearances of the underlying texts. Printing identification: LOA volumes typically carry an explicit PRINTING STATEMENT on the copyright page rather than a classic trade printer's-key number line. A true first printing has no later-printing notation; dealers describe these as 'first printing, no additional printings stated.' Do not assume a '10 9 8 ... 1' descending number line — verify the wording actually present on the copyright page. First printings of the earliest, most-reprinted volumes (e.g. LOA #1) are scarcer than later printings, which carry an added printing notation. The series number alone does not establish a first printing. House design is uniform across the series (cloth, ribbon marker, acid-free Bible paper, black jacket); design does not distinguish printings — only the copyright-page printing statement does. Imprints and series: The Library of America (numbered series, LOA #). Background: Collectible interest centers on true first printings of the earliest volumes; the copyright-page printing statement is decisive. The LOA series number is a catalog identifier, not a printing indicator. Boxed sets and out-of-print volumes add minor collectible variants. Jacket present and unclipped matters to the modern collector.


The Lilliput Press — first-edition identification

The Lilliput Press (Ireland (Dublin); 1984-present). First-edition identification: Copyright page carries a British/Irish-style line, 'First published [year] by The Lilliput Press', with the Dublin address (62-63 Sitric Road, Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7) on post-1989 titles. A first printing has no subsequent-impression or reprint notice; later printings add a 'Reprinted' or impression statement. No descending number line on standard trade titles; rely on the 'First published' year combined with the absence of any reprint history. Limited and fine editions (for example Joyce-related issues) are hand-numbered out of a stated edition size and may be signed — that numbering is the point of issue for those copies. Background: Founded 1984 by Antony Farrell, initially in County Westmeath; the press took its name from a local townland associated with Jonathan Swift, and moved to its present premises at Sitric Road, Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, in 1989. One of Ireland's smallest and most prestigious houses; known for Irish literary fiction (including early Donal Ryan and Rob Doyle), history, biography, memoir and Joyce scholarship, producing both ordinary trade editions and deluxe numbered limited editions. As a small literary press it uses no formal number-line system; identification is copyright-page based.


The Lyons Press / Globe Pequot — first-edition identification

The Lyons Press / Globe Pequot (US (Connecticut / New York); 1980s-present). First-edition identification: Standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a terminal '1' marks a first printing. The imprint name itself helps establish the era: 'Nick Lyons Books' and 'Lyons & Burford' on early printings, 'The Lyons Press' from 1997, and Globe Pequot/Rowman & Littlefield branding on later ones. No distinctive house-wide prose first-edition statement, so combine the number line with the imprint name. Imprints and series: Nick Lyons Books (independent from 1984); Lyons & Burford (partnership from 1981); The Lyons Press (renamed 1997); Globe Pequot Press; FalconGuides; Rowman & Littlefield (parent). Background: A leading publisher of fly-fishing, hunting, outdoor, nature, and sporting literature, with strong niche collector demand for angling and sporting firsts. Imprint history: Nick Lyons Books (incorporated independent 1984) and the Lyons & Burford partnership (from 1981) preceded the rename to The Lyons Press in 1997; Globe Pequot acquired it in 2001 and it now sits under Rowman & Littlefield. FalconGuides (outdoor/field guides) and Globe Pequot regional and travel titles share the descending-number-line convention. Condition and the dust jacket drive collectible interest in the sporting-book niche.


The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA Publications) — first-edition identification

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA Publications) (US (New York); 1929–present). First-edition identification: Copyright page is the primary tool: many MoMA catalogues explicitly state the edition and printing; reprints carry a stated 'second printing' or 'revised edition' line, so its absence alongside the first-published year supports a first printing. Where a modern title carries a number line, apply standard rules (lowest number present = printing); note that older and many institutional catalogues rely on stated wording rather than a number line. The museum's exhibition number and show dates help date a catalogue and corroborate first-printing attribution alongside the stated edition. The trade distributor on the title page (D.A.P. for US/Canada, Thames & Hudson elsewhere) helps date and locate the issue but does not by itself change first-printing status. Imprints and series: The Museum of Modern Art, New York; MoMA; MoMA / Distributed Art Publishers (D.A.P.) (US distribution); MoMA / Thames & Hudson (non-US distribution); MoMA QNS / earlier co-publishers (Doubleday, New York Graphic Society, Abrams as historic co-publishers). Background: Historic MoMA catalogues (1929–1960s) were variously co-published or distributed (Doubleday, New York Graphic Society, Simon & Schuster, Abrams); the co-publisher imprint dates the issue, and many landmark catalogues have well-documented multiple printings. 'The Family of Man' (1955) and other blockbusters exist in many printings and softcover/hardcover variants — verify the specific title's known points rather than relying on house rules alone. Current trade distribution: ARTBOOK | D.A.P. in US/Canada, Thames & Hudson outside; a Thames & Hudson copy is the non-US issue of the same MoMA edition.


The Mysterious Press — first-edition identification

The Mysterious Press (US; 1975-present). First-edition identification: Copyright page states 'First Printing' (often with month and year) plus a descending number line that retains a '1' for the first printing — both present on a true first. As the imprint moved through corporate parents (independent → Warner Books → Grand Central / Hachette), follow the prevailing parent's number-line convention; the lowest number present indicates the printing. Early independent Mysterious Press (founded 1975 by Otto Penzler) issued numbered/limited signed editions of some titles — look for the limitation page/colophon. Imprints and series: Mysterious Press (Otto Penzler imprint); Mysterious Press (under Warner Books / Grand Central); MysteriousPress.com (e-book revival with Open Road). Background: Distinct from the related 'Otto Penzler Books' and the Armchair Detective Library; don't conflate imprints. Some sought-after firsts (Ellroy, Crumley, Block) exist in both a signed/limited state and a trade first — the limitation colophon distinguishes them. Because the imprint changed owners, a stated 'First Printing' should be cross-checked against the number line; a full line with '1' is the safest confirmation.


The Newberry Library — first-edition identification

The Newberry Library (Chicago, Illinois, USA (independent research library); 1887–present). First-edition identification: Institutional/society publishing. Catalogues, exhibition books, and scholarly series — identify the first printing by the copyright-page number line where present, otherwise by year and single-printing status. Co-published or distributed titles follow the partner university press's number-line conventions. Conference proceedings and bibliographic guides are typically single-issue and dated. Some fine or exhibition publications were issued in limited or special bindings — identify by limitation statement. Imprints and series: The Newberry Library; Center for the History of the American Indian (D'Arcy McNickle Center) series; co-publications/distribution with university presses (e.g. University of Nebraska, University of Chicago). Background: Founded 1887 as an independent research library; publishing output is scholarly and occasional rather than trade. The D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies was founded in 1972 and anchors a notable scholarly series. Partner-press distribution means first-printing conventions follow the trade partner per title. Exhibition catalogues are the most collectible category; coverage in standard first-edition pocket guides is limited.


The Ryerson Press — first-edition identification

The Ryerson Press (Canada (Toronto, Ontario); 1829-1970). First-edition identification: 1829 to 1919 (Methodist Book & Publishing House, with general trade books issued under the book-steward's name, most notably William Briggs to 1918): religious-press origin; first editions are identified by a dated title/copyright page with no later-impression notice, and a 'First Edition' statement is rare. Verify the imprint name, since 'William Briggs' precedes the 'Ryerson Press' branding adopted in 1919. 1919 to 1960s (The Ryerson Press): trade and literary publishing; first printings typically lack any added printing line, though 'First published' statements appear on some titles. The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Book series (1925-1962, edited by Lorne Pierce) numbered each chapbook; the chapbooks are usually single-printing firsts, so the series number is a bibliographic aid rather than a printing indicator. 1960s to 1970: late period; printing lists may appear, but no consistent number-line system existed before the acquisition. 1970: the United Church sold the trade arm to McGraw-Hill, becoming McGraw-Hill Ryerson, a different corporate entity using McGraw-Hill conventions. Imprints and series: Ryerson Poetry Chapbooks; Methodist Book and Publishing House (predecessor); William Briggs (predecessor imprint). Background: Oldest English-Canadian publishing lineage (Methodist Book Room, 1829); the 1970 sale to American-owned McGraw-Hill became a nationalist cause celebre that helped spur Canadian-ownership cultural policy. The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Books (roughly 200 titles, including Pratt, Livesay, Dudek, Purdy, and an early Leonard Cohen) are key collectibles, fragile and small-run, identified by series number and original wrappers. Lorne Pierce was the influential long-time editor, assuming editorial control in 1920.


The Saalfield Publishing Company — first-edition identification

Saalfield
Saalfield Publishing Co.
Saalfield Muslin/Linen Books
Little Big Books

The Saalfield Publishing Company (Akron, OH (and New York, NY); 1900-1977). First-edition identification: 1900-c.1920: founded in 1900 in Akron by Arthur J. Saalfield (formerly of the Werner Company); early linen, muslin, and cloth picture books carry no edition statement. Date by the Akron imprint and copyright year, with the first printing surmised from the earliest copyright state. 1920s-1930s: high-volume coloring books, paper dolls, and 'Little Big Books' (Saalfield's answer to Whitman's Big Little Books, begun c.1934). These rarely state an edition or printing; identify the first issue by series or stock number, copyright date, and cover-artwork state, since many titles were reprinted under the same number for years. 1930s Shirley Temple titles: Saalfield held licenses for Shirley Temple books and paper dolls (ten paper-doll sets between 1934 and 1942); first issues are identified by copyright year, original price, and series number rather than a printing statement. c.1940s-1977: continued coloring and activity books with no consistent first-printing identifier; dating relies on stock numbers, price, and copyright. Saalfield ceased operations in 1977 (archives went to Kent State University). Imprints and series: Saalfield; Saalfield Publishing Co.; Saalfield Muslin/Linen Books; Little Big Books. Background: Founded in 1900 in Akron by Arthur J. Saalfield; one of the largest producers of inexpensive children's books, coloring books, paper dolls, and linen books in the early-to-mid 20th century. Produced 'Little Big Books' to compete with Whitman's Big Little Books format beginning around 1934. Held the Shirley Temple license and issued ten Shirley Temple paper-doll sets between 1934 and 1942. Rarely used explicit edition statements; collectors rely on series and stock numbers, copyright dates, prices, and cover-art states. The company closed in 1977 and its archive was acquired by Kent State University.


The Sheep Meadow Press — first-edition identification

The Sheep Meadow Press (USA (Bronx [Riverdale] / Clinton Corners, New York); 1977–present). First-edition identification: Where a number line is present, the lowest number indicates the printing. Some titles state 'First edition'; many genuine firsts carry no number line at all because reprints are uncommon. Check the copyright leaf for any later-printing or reprint statement; treat its absence, together with a stated first or original copyright year, as a likely first printing rather than as proof. Background: Founded 1977 by poet Stanley Moss (1925–2024); a nonprofit poetry and belles-lettres house with a strong focus on poetry in translation; published Yehuda Amichai among many others. Small print runs and infrequent reprinting mean genuine firsts often lack a number line, so identification leans on copyright-leaf statements rather than a line.


The Stinehour Press — first-edition identification

The Stinehour Press (Lunenburg, Vermont, USA; 1953-2008). First-edition identification: Stinehour was primarily a fine letterpress PRINTER for museums, institutions, scholarly publishers, and other presses rather than a limitation-issuing private press, so identification is by the printer's imprint/colophon ('Printed by The Stinehour Press') combined with the issuing publisher's own edition statement. Where Stinehour issued limited copies itself, the limitation appears in the colophon; otherwise treat the book as a trade or institutional publication and rely on the named publisher's edition statement, not the Stinehour name. Identify Stinehour craftsmanship by the colophon naming Stinehour, and for plate work frequently naming Meriden Gravure (the two firms collaborated for years before merging). Imprints and series: North Country Press (original 1950 name, abandoned 1953 after a naming dispute); Meriden-Stinehour (after the 1977 acquisition of/merger with Meriden Gravure Company; post-merger colophons may read Meriden-Stinehour). Background: Founded by Roderick 'Rocky' Stinehour; the firm began as North Country Press and was renamed The Stinehour Press in 1953 after a cease-and-desist over the North Country Press name. Stinehour acquired/merged with the Meriden Gravure Company in 1977, forming Meriden-Stinehour; the Meriden, Connecticut operation closed in 1989 and equipment moved to Vermont. The press closed in 2008. Because Stinehour usually printed FOR others, the 'first edition' rule defaults to the named publisher; the Stinehour name signals fine printing and quality, not necessarily limitation. Catalogues, museum books, and bibliographies are the typical output; check the publisher line, not just the printer line.


The Taunton Press — first-edition identification

The Taunton Press (Newtown, Connecticut, USA; 1975-present). First-edition identification: 1975-c.1990: Magazine-derived how-to publisher (Fine Woodworking launched December 1975). Early book first printings are identified by the earliest copyright year; many compilation or 'Best of Fine Woodworking' volumes circulate, so confirm there is no later-printing notation. Number lines are not consistently present on the earliest titles. c.1990-present: First printing is identified by a descending number line, commonly '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', with the lowest digit giving the printing. Taunton also frequently prints an explicit 'First printing: [year]' statement on the copyright page, which is a reliable tell when present. Titles are practical craft, woodworking, sewing, gardening and cooking books tied to its magazines (Threads, Fine Gardening, Fine Cooking). Imprints and series: Taunton Press; Taunton (Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, Fine Gardening, Threads, Fine Cooking books). Background: Founded 1975 by Paul and Jan Roman around the magazine Fine Woodworking; later expanded to Fine Homebuilding, Fine Gardening, Threads (sewing) and Fine Cooking. A leading craft/woodworking/home-skills publisher; books often grow out of magazine content. Where present, an explicit 'First printing: [year]' statement makes first-state identification unusually clean for this house; otherwise rely on the number line to 1. Privately held and family-owned; sold its magazine titles to Active Interest Media in the 2010s while continuing as a book publisher.


The Whittington Press — first-edition identification

The Whittington Press (Andoversford, Gloucestershire (moved to Risbury, Herefordshire c.1992), England; 1971-present). First-edition identification: 1971-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of John and Rosalind (Rose) Randle. The colophon records the limitation, the types (handset, letterpress; all work is printed letterpress), the paper (often handmade and named), and the date; the copy number is hand-inscribed. There is no number line or 'First Edition' slug to look for. Editions are frequently issued in more than one state: an ordinary numbered edition alongside a smaller special or de luxe state (extra plates or specimens, a finer binding such as quarter or full leather, sometimes an accompanying suite or portfolio). The binding and the colophon identify the state; confirm against the Whittington prospectus. Matrix (annual, from 1981): each numbered issue is a first. Because issue numbers track the year (Matrix 11 is 1991, and so on), most issues date easily. Some copies were issued in a special state with extra inserts or printed specimens; check the limitation leaf at the rear. Imprints and series: Matrix (the press's annual journal of typography and the private press, from 1981). Background: One of the foremost British private presses of the late 20th century; handset, letterpress composition is a hallmark, and the press has issued well over 200 books. Matrix is among the most important modern journals on type and the private press and is collected in its own right. Numbered versus special/de luxe states matter for identification; verify the state against the binding and colophon.


The World Publishing Company — first-edition identification

World
Tower Books
Forum Books
Meridian Books
Rainbow Classics

The World Publishing Company (US; 1905-1980s). First-edition identification: PRIMARY METHOD (the convention omits this): World Publishing typically printed a code on the TITLE PAGE indicating impression and print date. A first printing shows a bare code such as 'WP 9-50' (= printed Sept 1950; actual publication often 1-2 months later). Variants include 'WP363', 'FD566', 'BPWP865'. Later printings are signaled by a NUMBER PREFIXED to that title-page code, e.g. '3HC1058' = 3rd printing, printed Oct 1958. Absence of a leading number on the code supports a first printing. Some titles also state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page (per Quill & Brush), so a copyright-page statement CAN corroborate a first — but it is secondary to and should be cross-checked against the title-page code; do not rely on copyright-page statements alone. Confirm the title is a World ORIGINAL, not a reprint: most Tower Books and Forum Books titles are reprints. (Known Tower Books first-edition exceptions: Raymond Chandler's 'Red Wind' and 'Spanish Blood', marked 'First Printing (Month, Year)'.) Treat the claim that 'later titles adopted a number line with 1 present' as UNVERIFIED/likely incorrect for World — no evidence found that World used a Scribner/Random-House-style number line; the leading-digit title-page code was its later-printing signal. Imprints and series: World; Tower Books; Forum Books; Meridian Books; Rainbow Classics. Background: Cleveland-based (later added a New York office); best known for affordable reprint lines — Tower Books (1940, 49-cent hardcovers) and Forum Books (1942, low-priced reprints) — and for Webster's New World Dictionary (first ed. 1951/1953). Distinguish reprint imprints from true trade firsts. Because much of World's output was reprints, Bibles, and reference, confirm a title was a World ORIGINAL before applying first-edition logic. Acquired by The Times Mirror Company in 1962; sold to Collins (UK) in 1974; in 1980 Collins broke up World — dictionary line to Simon & Schuster, children's line to Putnam, Bible division to Riverside — dispersing the trade list. House practice is less rigorously documented than marquee firms and the title-page printing code is the most reliable World-specific signal — verify points title-by-title, cross-referencing the code, copyright page, and a reference such as McBride or Quill & Brush.


Theatre Communications Group (TCG) — first-edition identification

TCG Books
TCG Translations
American Theatre (magazine)
New Plays / TCG playscripts

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) (USA (New York, NY); 1984–present (org since 1961)). First-edition identification: 1984–c.2000 (TCG book program era; nonprofit founded as a theatre service organization in 1961, trade books from the mid-1980s): publishes single plays, anthologies, and theatre-craft books. First printing is indicated by a descending number line on the copyright page, the lowest digit being the printing; a line that includes 1 is a first printing. The wording First TCG edition, MONTH YYYY is frequently stated. A separate note of the play's production or premiere history often appears and is not an edition point. c.2000–present: continues the descending number line, lowest digit equals the printing, with First edition, MONTH YYYY on the verso. Distribution credits (the book has been carried by trade distributors and, more recently, made available digitally via Drama Online) appear on or near the copyright page and are not edition points. Imprints and series: TCG Books; TCG Translations; American Theatre (magazine); New Plays / TCG playscripts. Background: Nonprofit theatre service organization founded in 1961; the leading publisher of contemporary American playwrights such as Kushner, Wilson, and Vogel. Copyright pages note the play's premiere or production history; that is a performance note, not a printing point. Rely on the number line and the First edition / First TCG edition statement. A number line reaching 1 together with a First TCG edition statement indicates a first printing.


Theosophical Publishing House / Quest Books — first-edition identification

Quest Books (paperback line, 1966-)
Theosophical Press (predecessor)
Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton)
Theosophical Publishing House (Adyar)
Theosophical Publishing House (London)

Theosophical Publishing House / Quest Books (USA (Wheaton IL); parent Theosophical Society Adyar (Chennai, India); London TPH; 1875-present (Quest line 1966-present)). First-edition identification: Pre-1966 (Theosophical Press, Wheaton): older Theosophical Society titles are identified by the copyright year and the 'Theosophical Press' imprint, with no number line. Distinguish the US Wheaton, London TPH, and Adyar TPH editions of the same Blavatsky, Besant, or Leadbeater texts. 1966-c.2000 (Quest Books / TPH Wheaton): the Quest paperback line launched in 1966 with Bhagavan Das, The Essential Unity of All Religions. The copyright page states 'First Quest Edition, [year]' or 'First Edition', with later titles adding a number line whose lowest number indicates the printing. 'First Quest Edition' is the key first-printing statement for the paperback line. c.2000-2023 (Quest Books / TPH): a standard number line, lowest number equals the printing, alongside the 'First Quest Edition' statement. 2023/2024-present: the Quest Books imprint was sold to Red Wheel/Weiser (which had distributed Quest since 2015), so the newest printings carry RW/W branding; identify the original Quest first edition by the 'First Quest Edition' statement and the Wheaton TPH imprint. Imprints and series: Quest Books (paperback line, 1966-); Theosophical Press (predecessor); Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton); Theosophical Publishing House (Adyar); Theosophical Publishing House (London). Background: Quest Books is the paperback imprint of the Theosophical Publishing House (Wheaton IL), the publishing arm of the Theosophical Society in America; the parent movement was founded in 1875 by H.P. Blavatsky and H.S. Olcott, with the Adyar (Chennai) headquarters established in 1882. Key multi-house tell: the same Blavatsky, Besant, and Leadbeater titles exist as Adyar (India), London, and Wheaton (US) editions, so match the specific TPH branch named on the title or copyright page. The Quest paperback line launched in 1966; 'First Quest Edition, [year]' is the first-printing statement for that line. The 2023-2024 sale of the imprint to Red Wheel/Weiser is the latest era change, and RW/W branding marks recent printings.


Thistledown Press — first-edition identification

Thistledown Press
New Leaf Editions (poetry series)
Young-adult titles

Thistledown Press (Canada (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan); 1975-present). First-edition identification: Prairie literary press (poetry, fiction, YA): modern titles generally state 'first edition' on the copyright page and may carry a descending number line, with '1' present indicating the first printing. Older poetry titles: identify by the original copyright year and the absence of any later-printing or 'reprinted' statement; small runs were usually single printings. For any title that drew award attention, check the copyright page for reprint notices before assuming a first printing. Imprints and series: Thistledown Press; New Leaf Editions (poetry series); Young-adult titles. Background: Founded 1975 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, by poet Glen Sorestad and artist Neil Wagner; the early list was entirely poetry. Al Forrie and Patrick (Paddy) O'Rourke joined in 1980 and built the press into a national literary publisher, later adding fiction and young-adult work. Lower-profile house; its identification conventions are typical of a modern small literary press but are lightly documented in the standard first-edition collecting references. Known for publishing early or first works of many Canadian writers; the young-adult program is a notable strand for collectors of Canadian YA firsts.


Thomas Cook (Thomas Cook Publishing) — first-edition identification

Thomas Cook (Thomas Cook Publishing) (United Kingdom (Peterborough); 1873-2013 (timetables)). First-edition identification: Timetables are periodic serials identified by the issue MONTH and YEAR printed on the cover; the issue date is the identifier, not an edition or printing point. 1873-1900s: 'Cook's Continental Time Tables & Tourist's Handbook' began with the issue of March 1873; it was published quarterly until early 1883 and monthly thereafter, so early issues are identified by their cover date and collected as a dated serial run. 20th century-2013: the 'Thomas Cook European Timetable' (monthly) and 'Overseas Timetable'; the cover month/year is the identifier. The final Thomas Cook-branded European Timetable appeared in August 2013, after which the title was revived independently as the 'European Rail Timetable' (from 2014). Guidebooks (Thomas Cook Traveller/Travellers series, late 20th century): conventional copyright-page edition statement and number line, where the first printing shows the debut year and the lowest digit in the line. Imprints and series: Thomas Cook European Timetable / Overseas Timetable; Thomas Cook Traveller Guides; Cook's Continental Time Tables (historic). Background: 'Cook's Continental Time Tables' (first issue March 1873) is one of the most famous travel serials, collected by ISSUE DATE; it ran quarterly 1873-1883, then monthly. Serial vs. book distinction: timetables are dated issues; guidebooks are number-line editions. The Thomas Cook-branded European Timetable ended in August 2013; the publication was revived independently as the European Rail Timetable. (The wider Thomas Cook Group collapsed in 2019.) The long historic run makes early Continental Time Tables notable, with publication continuous since 1873 apart from World War II and a short 2013-14 gap.


Thomas Nelson — first-edition identification

Nelson Books
W Publishing Group
Tommy Nelson (children's)
Nelson Bibles (NKJV publisher)
Emanate Books
Grupo Nelson (Spanish)

Thomas Nelson (Nashville, Tennessee, USA (origins Edinburgh, Scotland); 1798-present). First-edition identification: 1798-1900s (Edinburgh/British era): the old Scottish house of Thomas Nelson & Sons followed British conventions — 'First published YYYY' with impression history, or no statement at all on 19th-century printings. Identify firsts via edition statements, dated advertisements, and binding/format. Early-to-mid 20th c. (US operations): mixed conventions; explicit 'First edition' or printing statements appear inconsistently. Copyright year plus absence of a reprint notice is the baseline test. 1960s-1980s (modern Nashville house, refounded after Sam Moore's 1969 purchase): explicit printing statements, with later printings noted. Publisher of the New King James Version (NKJV NT 1979, full Bible 1982). 1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing, so presence of 1 indicates a first printing. 2012-present (HarperCollins era): acquired by HarperCollins (deal closed July 2012); copyright pages adopt HarperCollins-style impression lines, sometimes with an alphanumeric printing code, lowest value equals the first printing. Imprints and series: Nelson Books; W Publishing Group; Tommy Nelson (children's); Nelson Bibles (NKJV publisher); Emanate Books; Grupo Nelson (Spanish). Background: Original Thomas Nelson founded 1798 in Edinburgh; the modern American Christian house is effectively a separate lineage after Sam Moore's Royal Publishers bought Nelson in 1969 and rebuilt it as a Nashville Christian publisher. Publisher of the New King James Version; Bible editions have distinct printing/edition conventions. Acquired by HarperCollins in 2012; now sister imprint to Zondervan within HarperCollins Christian Publishing. 19th-century Edinburgh Thomas Nelson firsts (travel, juvenile, 'New Century Library' reprints, etc.) are a wholly different collecting field from the modern Nashville imprint.


Thomas Seltzer, Inc. — first-edition identification

Thomas Seltzer, Inc. (New York, USA; 1919–1926 (absorbed by Albert & Charles Boni)). First-edition identification: 1919–1926: no 'first edition' statement on the copyright page; first printings are identified by the absence of a later-printing notice, with subsequent printings noted — typical of small 1920s New York literary houses. A title-page date matching the copyright date supports a first printing; confirm priority through binding and dust-jacket state and through bibliographies of the specific author (notably D. H. Lawrence). Background: Founded 1919 by Thomas Seltzer, a translator and the uncle of Albert and Charles Boni; the chief American champion of D. H. Lawrence. Published first US editions of roughly twenty Lawrence titles, including 'Women in Love' and 'Aaron's Rod'. Targeted by the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (1922) over 'Women in Love', Schnitzler's 'Casanova's Homecoming', and 'A Young Girl's Diary'; fighting the censorship cases drained the firm financially. In 1926 the business was taken over by Seltzer's nephews Albert and Charles Boni, who absorbed its list.


Thomas Y. Crowell Company — first-edition identification

Thomas Y. Crowell Company (US; 1870s-1970s). First-edition identification: First editions carry only the copyright notice on the copyright page, with NO printing statement and no later-printing notation. The defining tell is the ABSENCE of any 'Second/Third Printing' (etc.) legend under the copyright — Crowell identified its books by marking subsequent printings, not by marking firsts. Reprints are flagged by a printing legend beneath the copyright (e.g., 'Second Printing,' 'Third Printing'); a book lacking such a legend is presumed a first. Crowell also commonly placed a colophon at the back of the book where later printings were noted (a practice continued as late as the 1980s). A number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', with the '1' present indicating a first printing) appears on later/modern Crowell books — some sources note number rows may have been used as early as the 1940s. Per the publisher, an explicit 'first edition' statement plus copyright-page notation of later printings was adopted only around the late 1970s–early 1980s, NOT the late 1960s as claimed. Imprints and series: Crowell; Apollo Editions. Background: The reliable tell for the earlier period is the ABSENCE of a later-printing legend (and/or an unmarked back-of-book colophon), NOT a 'matching date on title page and copyright page.' The claimed date-matching method is not supported by standard bookseller references; many Crowell title pages did not carry a date at all, so a date-match test is unreliable. Crowell was acquired and became part of Harper & Row in 1977/1978 (the Crowell imprint was absorbed into Harper & Row's juvenile/general lists), so the 'merged into Harper & Row (1970s)' point is broadly correct, though Crowell had earlier been part of Dun & Bradstreet's holdings. The convention as stated conflates Crowell's actual practice (note the reprint, not the first) with a Scribner-style 'A and seal' / matching-date approach used by other publishers.


Threshold Editions — first-edition identification

Threshold Editions (US (New York); 2006–present). First-edition identification: Number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, generally with a "First Threshold Editions ... edition" or "First Edition" statement, per Simon & Schuster practice Imprints and series: Threshold Editions. Background: Conservative-politics nonfiction imprint launched by Simon & Schuster in 2006 (Mary Matalin founding editor-in-chief, Louise Burke publisher) Follows Simon & Schuster first-edition conventions


Thunderstorm Books — first-edition identification

Gleefully Macabre (Jeff Strand)
Dark Worlds (J.F. Gonzalez)
Shadow Side (Jonathan Janz)
Bitter Ale (Bryan Smith)
Tempest (ed. Mary SanGiovanni)

Thunderstorm Books (Edmond, Oklahoma, USA; 2008-present). First-edition identification: 2008-present: collectible SIGNED LIMITED hardcovers; the numbered (and sometimes lettered) limitation page identifies the edition - print runs are small and usually single-state per format. Author-driven imprint lines (Gleefully Macabre, Dark Worlds, Shadow Side, Bitter Ale, Tempest) appear on the title/series page; identify the series and its position, as several lines ran to fixed completion (e.g., Shadow Side 11 vols, Bitter Ale 12 vols). High output: match the specific title's stated limitation rather than assuming a uniform number across the catalog. Some titles issued as matched-numbered sets within a series; set-matching numbers are a collecting point. Imprints and series: Gleefully Macabre (Jeff Strand); Dark Worlds (J.F. Gonzalez); Shadow Side (Jonathan Janz); Bitter Ale (Bryan Smith); Tempest (ed. Mary SanGiovanni). Background: Founded 2008 by Paul Goblirsch; major modern limited-edition horror house. Publishes Brian Keene, Joe R. Lansdale, Edward Lee, Paul Tremblay, Jonathan Janz, and many others; recognized as an HWA Specialty Press. Distinctive author-imprint model with completed finite series lines.


Ticknor and Fields — first-edition identification

Ticknor and Fields (Boston, Massachusetts, USA; 1832-1868 (firm name); antiquarian). First-edition identification: No formal first-edition statement existed; rely on date agreement: the year on the title page should match the copyright date with no later printing noted. First printings carry a dated title page and frequently a publisher's catalogue/advertisement section at the rear; rear-ad dates can help establish printing priority. Absence of any 'second/third thousand' or reprint notice on the title page or verso indicates an early printing. Imprints and series: William D. Ticknor & Co. (1832-1843); William D. Ticknor & Company (1843-1849); Ticknor, Reed & Fields (1849-1854); Ticknor and Fields (1854-1868); Fields, Osgood & Co. (1868-1871, successor). Background: Name evolved through several partnerships; the date-agreement rule holds across Wm. D. Ticknor & Co., Ticknor, Reed & Fields, and Ticknor and Fields. Operated out of the Old Corner Bookstore, Boston (until Fields sold it in 1864); published Hawthorne, Longfellow, Emerson, Holmes, Whittier, Stowe, and Thoreau, plus authorized US Dickens and Tennyson. Rear-advertisement/catalogue dating is a useful printing-priority aid for this house given the absence of stated editions. Succeeded by Fields, Osgood & Co. (1868), then James R. Osgood & Co. (1871); the firm lineage eventually became Houghton Mifflin.


Timber Press — first-edition identification

Timber Press (US (Portland, Oregon); 1978-present). First-edition identification: Number-line based: the first printing carries a line ending in 1, with the low digits dropping out on later printings. Titles often print a copyright year and, for revised reference works, an edition statement; treat a changed edition statement as a new edition rather than merely a new printing. Background: Gardening, horticulture and natural-history lifestyle publisher; founded in 1978 in Portland, Oregon. Became a Workman imprint in 2006 and is now part of Hachette Book Group via the 2021 Workman acquisition. Reference gardening titles are frequently revised, so separate a new edition from a new printing by reading the edition statement carefully.


Tin House Books — first-edition identification

Tin House (magazine, 1999–2019)
Tin House New Voices

Tin House Books (US; 2005–present). First-edition identification: Modern convention: copyright page states 'First U.S. Edition' or 'First Edition' with a descending number line (1 present = first printing). First lacks later-printing notice. Imprints and series: Tin House (magazine, 1999–2019); Tin House New Voices. Background: Founded 2005 in Portland, Oregon / Brooklyn (Win McCormack; Rob Spillman, Lee Montgomery) as the book arm of Tin House magazine. Poetry and literary fiction; distributed via W.W. Norton — later printings follow standard trade number-line conventions. Young press, conventions consistent.


Tinder Press — first-edition identification

Tinder Press (UK (London); 2013–present). First-edition identification: Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Tinder Press', an imprint of Headline Publishing Group (Hachette UK). Descending number line; first printing ends in '1' (Headline/Hachette house style). No reprint or later-impression note on a first. Imprints and series: Tinder Press. Background: Launched in 2013 as Headline's literary-fiction imprint; follows Headline/Hachette number-line conventions. Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet (first published 31 March 2020) is the marquee Tinder Press title; its points are jacket and number-line specific. Being recent (2013 onward), there are no archaic conventions; the number line ending in 1 is the reliable tell.


Tinsley Brothers — first-edition identification

Tinsley Brothers (London, UK; c.1854–c.1888). First-edition identification: No edition statement: a first is identified by the title-page date with no later-printing wording, complete in the correct number of volumes (usually three), with half-titles present. Inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue (often at the rear): dated ads not listing later titles support a first printing; Tinsley reused ad gatherings, so dating them is essential. Original primary cloth (Tinsley firsts are notoriously fragile and often rebound); original cloth in the correct grain and stamping supports first-issue state. Collate against the author bibliography for textual points; much Tinsley value rests on the author (Hardy, Collins, Braddon) rather than a house convention. Imprints and series: Tinsley Brothers; Tinsleys' Magazine. Background: Published Thomas Hardy's first books: Desperate Remedies (1871, 3 vols, published anonymously) and Under the Greenwood Tree (1872, 2 vols, anonymous) — both high spots with delicate points. Major sensation-fiction house: Wilkie Collins, M. E. Braddon, and others; the three-decker format dominates. Firm was chronically undercapitalized; print runs were small and survival is poor, so condition and completeness drive value. Edward Tinsley died 1866; William Tinsley continued; the firm faded by the late 1880s.


Titan Books — first-edition identification

Titan Books (UK (London; division of Titan Publishing Group); 1981–present). First-edition identification: First printings carry a 'First edition' statement with month/year on the copyright page alongside a descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') or the alternating '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' form; in either case the lowest number present (a retained '1') marks the first printing. Many Titan releases are film/TV tie-ins or the first UK edition of a US original, so distinguish a 'first Titan edition' from the true first appearance, which is often the original US printing. Hard Case Crime titles published under the Titan umbrella from 2011 carry Hard Case Crime branding and a series number (the Titan-era series restarted at HCC-101). Imprints and series: Hard Case Crime (distributed/co-published); Titan Comics. Background: Founded 1981; a large publisher of media tie-ins, art books, and reprints as well as original fiction. Hard Case Crime (founded 2004 by Charles Ardai and Max Phillips) moved to Titan in 2011 after Dorchester/Leisure ceased publishing it; earlier Dorchester-era HCC titles carry different indicia. A Titan 'first' is frequently the first hardcover or first UK edition rather than the first appearance of the text — set first-in-format expectations accordingly.


Tokyopop — English-language manga (and OEL) — first-edition identification

Tokyopop — English-language manga (and OEL) (USA (Los Angeles, California; founded 1997 as Mixx Entertainment); 1997-2011 (original); 2019-present (revival)). First-edition identification: Right-to-left 'authentic manga' era (2002-2011 original run): identified by a number line on the copyright page, with a descending line ending in 1 indicating a first printing and the lowest digit present giving the printing number. Tokyopop popularized the unflipped, small-format manga and used standard US-trade number-line indicia. 1997-2001 Mixx and early Tokyopop era: earlier flipped/Westernized editions and MixxZine serializations; first printings are identified by stated date and/or number line where present. Early Mixx editions (Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth) are scarce collectibles. First defunct period (May 2011 to roughly 2019): Tokyopop ceased North American publishing in 2011, so titles from the original run that were never reprinted are scarce by attrition rather than by any special printing marking. Revival era (around 2019-present): the relaunched line (Disney manga, BL, new licenses) uses current US-trade number-line conventions; new printings are distinct from pre-2011 originals. Imprints and series: Mixx / MixxZine (historical, late 1990s); Smile (historical); Chix Comix (historical); Blu (BL/yaoi); Rising Stars of Manga (OEL anthology); Tokyopop / T-Pop. Background: Founded as Mixx Entertainment in 1997 by Stuart (Stu) Levy; rebranded to Tokyopop around 1998-2002. Pioneered the 2002 'authentic' right-to-left, unflipped, affordable manga format that reshaped the US market. Many 2002-2011 licenses were orphaned at the 2011 shutdown, leaving incomplete series and making certain late-volume first printings genuinely scarce. OEL/'global manga' titles (Rising Stars of Manga winners, Bizenghast, .hack//) are a distinct collectible niche. Blu was the BL/yaoi imprint.


Top Shelf Productions — first-edition identification

Top Shelf Productions (USA (originally Marietta, GA; an imprint of IDW Publishing since 2015); 1997-present). First-edition identification: Book-format graphic novels: the copyright/indicia page of a first printing typically states 'First Printing' (often with the year) and carries no later-printing statement; subsequent printings add an explicit 'Second Printing' (or higher) line. Some collected editions also carry a descending number line on the copyright page; when present, the lowest digit indicates the printing (a '1' present = first printing). Treat the explicit printing statement as the primary point and the number line as corroborating. Post-2015 (under IDW ownership) editions follow IDW's dated printing-statement convention; pre-2015 independent editions carry the original Top Shelf indicia. Match the specific publisher and edition rather than the title alone. Background: Founded 1997 by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock (out of discussions at the 1997 Small Press Expo). Acquired by IDW Publishing in January 2015; Warnock left comics publishing and Staros stayed on as editor-in-chief. Marquee titles include 'Blankets' (Craig Thompson), the Top Shelf collected 'From Hell' (Moore/Campbell), 'March' (John Lewis), and 'Essex County' (Jeff Lemire); these went to multiple printings, so the stated first-printing line is the decisive point. 'From Hell' has a layered edition history: originally serialized in the anthology Taboo, then issued in single volumes via Tundra and Kitchen Sink Press, first collected by Eddie Campbell Comics in 1999, with Top Shelf publishing the U.S. trade edition. Identify the exact publisher and edition before treating any copy as a 'first.'


Tor Books — first-edition identification

Forge (historical/thriller)
Tor.com / Tordotcom
Tor Teen
Orb (reprints)
Tor Nightfire (horror)
Starscape
Nightshade (later)

Tor Books (US; 1980–present). First-edition identification: States 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1 (e.g. '0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or with the lowest being 1). Tor's reliable test: the explicit 'First Edition' line PLUS the number line — both must be present for a hardcover first. Mass-market paperback originals: 'First Tor edition (Month Year)' / 'First printing' with no later printings. Forge uses the identical convention (sister SF/historical imprint). Imprints and series: Forge (historical/thriller); Tor.com / Tordotcom; Tor Teen; Orb (reprints); Tor Nightfire (horror); Starscape; Nightshade (later). Background: Founded 1980 by Tom Doherty; the leading US SF/fantasy house. Now part of Macmillan (Tom Doherty Associates), so follows Macmillan 'First Edition' + line-to-1 convention. Tor frequently issues a title FIRST as a hardcover then a mass-market; both can exist — the hardcover with 'First Edition' + line-to-1 is the true first. Tordotcom (novellas) and Tor Nightfire (horror) follow the same convention. Orb is a trade-paperback REPRINT line — usually NOT a first.


Tordotcom — first-edition identification

Tordotcom
Tor.com Publishing (former name)

Tordotcom (US (New York); 2015-present). First-edition identification: For trade print firsts, a number line whose lowest digit is 1, often with a "First Edition" statement, following Tor house style Imprints and series: Tordotcom; Tor.com Publishing (former name). Background: Original science-fiction and fantasy imprint within Tor Publishing Group, Macmillan, best known for novellas but also publishing novel-length works (multiple Hugo-winning titles) Rebranded from Tor.com Publishing to Tordotcom; early titles were ebook/print-on-demand first, so number-line conventions apply chiefly to standard trade printings


Touchstone — first-edition identification

Touchstone (US; 1981–c.2019). First-edition identification: States 'First Touchstone edition (Year)' / 'First Edition' on the copyright page; for a first printing the number line descends to 1 (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'). Note: S&S-family lines are often interleaved/odd-even split (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2') rather than a clean descending run — the rule is that the LOWEST number present indicates the printing, so the presence of 1 = first printing of that Touchstone edition. S&S-family convention: the verbose 'First [Imprint] edition' / explicit 'First Edition' wording on the copyright page is the reliable positive signal; absence of any later-printing statement combined with a 1 in the line supports a first printing. Many Touchstone titles are trade-paperback editions — confirm whether it is the FIRST appearance of the work or a reprint of an earlier S&S/Scribner/other hardcover. A 'First Touchstone edition' is the first printing of the TOUCHSTONE edition, which is frequently NOT the first edition of the work. Caveat that applies to all S&S imprints: a number line beginning/ending in 1 can still sit on a copyright page that explicitly states 'revised edition' or 'second edition' — always read the full copyright/title page, not just the line, before calling it a first. Imprints and series: Fireside (sister, defunct). Background: Touchstone was Simon & Schuster's trade-paperback imprint, founded in 1970 (NOT 1981) — originally paired as 'Touchstone/Fireside.' The claimed 1981 founding date is incorrect. The imprint was discontinued in December 2018 (NOT 'c.2019'); it survives only as a backlist imprint. Minor but worth correcting. Because it was largely a paperback line, a 'first Touchstone edition' is often a SECOND (or later) edition of a title already published in S&S/Scribner hardcover — distinguish first edition of the work from first Touchstone printing. (This point is correct.) Fireside was the sibling trade-paper imprint (self-help/diet/health/reference); the two were rebranded to just 'Touchstone' in 2010, and 'Fireside' was briefly revived in 2016 for the Ladybird 'Grown-Up Guides' series. Same number-line convention applies. (Correct, with added nuance.) Part of Simon & Schuster. (Correct.)


Triumph Books — first-edition identification

Triumph Books (US (Chicago); 1989-present). First-edition identification: Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing. Commemorative/instant championship books are time-sensitive print runs; first printings are dated by copyright year and the number line. No distinctive house 'First Edition' statement — rely on the number line. Imprints and series: Sports Illustrated book series (partnership). Background: Leading US sports-book publisher, founded 1989 by Mitch Rogatz; strongest collector interest in athlete biographies, team histories and commemorative championship volumes. Owned by Random House 2006-2011, then bought back by its founder; now distributed via Independent Publishers Group / Chicago Review Press. Publishes a Sports Illustrated frontlist series in partnership with Authentic Brands Group, owner of the SI brand — photographic and archive-driven titles. Championship 'instant books' are often reprinted or updated; confirm the '1' for true first printings.


Truman State University Press — first-edition identification

Truman State University Press (Kirksville, Missouri; 1986–2021 (ceased operations c.2017; formally closed 2021)). First-edition identification: 1986–c.1996 (as Thomas Jefferson University Press at Northeast Missouri State University): small scholarly press; no first-printing statement. First printing is inferred from matching title/copyright dates with no later-printing line, with a standard CIP/ISBN block present. The 'Thomas Jefferson University Press' imprint name dates a copy to this period. c.1996–2021 (renamed Truman State University Press after the university's 1996 renaming): printing number line on the copyright page where used, with the lowest number present indicating the printing; standard CIP/ISBN block. Many titles are single-printing, so absence of a later-printing notation is the more reliable tell. Imprints and series: Thomas Jefferson University Press (former name, 1986–c.1996); New Odyssey Series. Background: Established 1986 as Thomas Jefferson University Press; renamed Truman State University Press after Northeast Missouri State University became Truman State University (name effective July 1, 1996) — the imprint name dates a title. Specialized in early-modern/Renaissance studies, including the Sixteenth Century Essays & Studies series. Very small print runs; single-printing titles were the norm. The press wound down around 2017 and formally closed in 2021, so it is no longer an active publisher.


Tundra Books — first-edition identification

Tundra Books (Canada; 1967-present). First-edition identification: First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles also carry a 'First edition' or 'Published in [year]' statement The lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing Imprints and series: Tundra Books; Puffin Canada; Penguin Teen Canada; Tundra Books of Northern New York (former US arm). Background: Oldest Canadian children's book publisher, founded in 1967 by May Cutler in Montreal (Westmount/Quebec); sold to McClelland & Stewart, headquarters moved to Toronto in 1996, and it is now part of Penguin Random House Canada Historically issued in the US through 'Tundra Books of Northern New York' (founded 1971) — that imprint line on the copyright page distinguishes the US issue from the Canadian first Reliable modern descending-number-line convention


Tupelo Press — first-edition identification

Dorset Prize
Berkshire Prize
Snowbound Series Chapbook Award

Tupelo Press (USA (North Adams, Massachusetts); 1999-present (first titles 2001)). First-edition identification: Number line on the copyright page where present; lowest number = the printing. Commonly states 'First edition' or 'First paperback edition' with the year. Most titles are single-printing, so true firsts often show a full line or no line at all; rely on the stated edition plus the absence of any reprint notice. Imprints and series: Dorset Prize; Berkshire Prize; Snowbound Series Chapbook Award. Background: Nonprofit literary press founded 1999 by Jeffrey Levine, originally in Dorset, Vermont; first five books appeared in 2001, and the press later moved to North Adams, Massachusetts. Prize-series labels (Dorset Prize, Berkshire Prize, Snowbound Series Chapbook Award) date or categorize the title only; they do not indicate the printing.


Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) — first-edition identification

Charles E. Tuttle Company
Tuttle Publishing
Periplus Editions
Journey Editions
Tut Books

Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) (Japan (Tokyo) / USA (Rutland and North Clarendon, Vermont), Asia-focused English-language publishing; 1948–present). First-edition identification: 1948–c.1970 (Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo with Vermont ties): firsts identified by an explicit 'First edition, <year>' or 'First printing, <month year>' statement on the copyright page. Many titles also carry a printing-history block (for example 'First edition, 1958; Second printing, 1959; Third printing, 1959') — the first printing is the topmost or sole entry. No number line in this era; read the block from the top down. c.1970–c.1993: continued use of printing-history blocks and 'First Tuttle edition' statements; some later titles begin introducing a descending number line (lowest figure marks the printing). The Tut Books paperback line carries catalog codes. 1993 onward (Tuttle Publishing, under the Periplus group, Eric Oey as publisher from 1996): conventional number line (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest figure indicating the printing, plus 'Printed in <country>' and a year on the copyright page. Reprint-of-classics caution: Tuttle reissued many older Western and Japanese works, so the Tuttle first is the first Tuttle edition, distinct from the date of the original work. Imprints and series: Charles E. Tuttle Company; Tuttle Publishing; Periplus Editions; Journey Editions; Tut Books. Background: Founded by Charles E. Tuttle in Occupation-era Tokyo in 1948 (reportedly the 31st company licensed by the Allied administration), drawing on a Vermont family long in printing and antiquarian bookselling; the leading house for Asia-focused English-language books. Early titles use an explicit 'First edition'/'First printing' statement and a dated printing-history block rather than a number line — the verifiable example of the Michener-edited 'Hokusai Sketch-Books' (First Edition 1958, with later printings in 1959) illustrates the pattern. Nephew Eric Oey, founder of Periplus Editions, took over as publisher in 1996; the house now sits within the Periplus Publishing Group, and later titles use conventional number lines. Many Tuttle books are reprints or translations of classics, so the original-work date versus the Tuttle first-edition date is the key point of confusion.


Tuumba Press — first-edition identification

Tuumba Press (Willits / Berkeley, California (Lyn Hejinian); 1976-1984). First-edition identification: 1976-1984: a defined, finite run of 50 numbered chapbooks (Tuumba 1 through Tuumba 50), published between August 1976 and September 1984. Identification = the TUUMBA SERIES NUMBER plus the printer/limitation statement. The pamphlets are staple-bound. Tuumba 1-10 were printed by Willits Printing (a commercial shop); Tuumba 12-50 were printed hand letterpress by Lyn Hejinian herself — the printer attribution segments the run and is a key collation point. The letterpress numbers were issued in small editions (commonly cited around a few hundred copies), some with decorative letterpress covers. There is no number line — the series is single-edition, so a matching copy is the first. Because the press is a finite, well-documented 50-number series (digitized in the Eclipse archive), completeness and the Tuumba number anchor identification; reprints essentially do not exist. Imprints and series: Tuumba Press. Background: Founded in 1976 by Lyn Hejinian; a foundational Language poetry imprint. The series ran from 'A Thought Is the Bride of What Thinking' (Aug 1976) to 'The Guard' (Sept 1984), both by Hejinian. Authors include Susan Howe, Ron Silliman, Bob Perelman, Charles Bernstein, Barrett Watten, Rae Armantrout, Larry Eigner, Kit Robinson, Michael Palmer, Alice Notley, Clark Coolidge, Kathleen Fraser, Bruce Andrews, and others. Stapling (rather than fine binding) was a deliberate accessibility choice, in keeping with Hejinian's wish that the books arrive 'in the mode of news.' The complete 50-number run is a recognized collecting target; the Eclipse archive digitizes the series.


Twelve — first-edition identification

Twelve (US (New York); 2005–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: Twelve. Background: Nonfiction-leaning imprint founded by Jonathan Karp in 2005, originally publishing roughly one title per month (hence the name). Launched under the Warner Books division, which was renamed Grand Central Publishing in 2007. Now part of Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group; follows standard Hachette/GCP number-line conventions.


Twelvetrees Press (historic) — first-edition identification

Twelvetrees Press (historic) (US (Pasadena/Altadena, Los Angeles area, CA); 1980–c.1991). First-edition identification: The colophon is definitive: it states the press, year, and edition, and for limited issues a numbered limitation, often signed by the photographer. Fine-press, small-run productions — most titles are single-printing, so the colophon limitation/edition line is the key identifier. Deluxe issues with a tipped-in or boxed original print are separate, higher states recorded in the colophon. Imprints and series: Twelvetrees Press. Background: Twelvetrees Press is the 1980s fine-press imprint of Jack Woody (named for his grandmother, silent-screen actress Helen Twelvetrees) that evolved into Twin Palms Publishers after Woody relocated to Santa Fe. Original Twelvetrees-imprint firsts are distinct from later Twin Palms reissues of the same titles. The press published early monographs by photographers such as Joel-Peter Witkin, Robert Mapplethorpe, George Platt Lynes, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber; the first book was Christopher Isherwood's 'October' (1980). Confirm the imprint name on the title or colophon page to distinguish a Twelvetrees first from a Twin Palms reissue.


Twin Palms Publishers / Twelvetrees Press — first-edition identification

Twin Palms Publishers / Twelvetrees Press (US (Santa Fe, NM; formerly Pasadena, CA); 1981–present (Twelvetrees Press 1981 onward; Twin Palms thereafter)). First-edition identification: The colophon is the defining page: Twin Palms/Twelvetrees books are fine-press, small-run productions, and the colophon states the edition, the printing, the press, and often the print-run size. Limited editions: the colophon gives a numbered limitation (e.g. 'one of 35' / 'one of 100'), signed by the artist, frequently housed in a clamshell box with an original gelatin-silver print; that signed/numbered colophon defines the limited issue. Trade (open) edition first printings: colophon with first-printing year and no reprint statement; many titles had only a single printing. Reissues/reprints are stated, and a later reissue is a distinct edition from the original Twelvetrees printing. Imprints and series: Twin Palms Publishers; Twelvetrees Press (earlier imprint, from 1981); Twin Palms (trade); Twin Palms limited/deluxe editions. Background: Founded and run by Jack Woody, who established Twelvetrees Press in 1981 (named after Hollywood actress Helen Twelvetrees, his grandmother); the house later operated as Twin Palms Publishers, so the imprint name distinguishes early (Twelvetrees) from later (Twin Palms) issues, and some titles exist in both. Print runs are small and many key titles (Robert Mapplethorpe, Joel-Peter Witkin, George Platt Lynes, Bruce Weber) are single-printing; scarcity is the rule and the colophon limitation is load-bearing. Deluxe variants with tipped-in or boxed signed prints are separate issues from the standard hardcover of the same title.


Two Dollar Radio — first-edition identification

Two Dollar Radio (Columbus, OH (US); 2005–present). First-edition identification: When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' / 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page. If a number line is present, the printing is read from the lowest number shown rather than from the line's direction; many small-press titles carry no number line at all, in which case rely on the stated printing and known issue points. Later printings revise the printing statement or drop the lowest number. Imprints and series: Two Dollar Radio Moving Pictures. Background: Family-run press founded 2005 by Eric Obenauf and Eliza Jane Wood-Obenauf (with Brian Obenauf), based in Columbus, OH; the Obenaufs also run Two Dollar Radio Headquarters, a bookstore/café in Columbus. Acquired by Seven Stories Press in April 2025 as its fourth imprint while remaining editorially independent (Obenauf stays as publisher); post-2025 copyright pages may add a Seven Stories imprint/distribution line that does not change the first-printing rule. Small print runs make firsts scarce; no per-house convention is documented in the standard references, so treat the above as the modern trade default. Medium confidence.


Tyndale House Publishers — first-edition identification

Tyndale Momentum
Tyndale Kids
Tyndale Espanol
NavPress (distributed)
Tyndale Bibles (NLT publisher)

Tyndale House Publishers (Carol Stream (formerly Wheaton), Illinois, USA; 1962-present). First-edition identification: 1962-1970s: founded 1962 by Kenneth N. Taylor to publish his paraphrase, beginning with Living Letters (the Epistles, 1962). Early titles: copyright year and absence of a reprint notice indicate a first printing; printing statements appear inconsistently. The Living Bible appeared in sections before the complete edition (1971), so collectors track the staged editions. 1970s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines, with later printings noted. The Living Bible was printed in vast quantities, so first printings are common. 1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing. Tyndale typically prints a year line plus an impression line; presence of 1 in the impression line indicates a first printing. 1996-present: publisher of the New Living Translation (NLT, 1996); Bible editions carry separate text-edition and printing codes. Imprints and series: Tyndale Momentum; Tyndale Kids; Tyndale Espanol; NavPress (distributed); Tyndale Bibles (NLT publisher). Background: Founded 1962 by Kenneth N. Taylor; the name honors Bible translator William Tyndale. Began by publishing Taylor's own paraphrase, which grew into The Living Bible (complete 1971). Publisher of the Left Behind series (LaHaye/Jenkins), launched with 'Left Behind' in December 1995 — enormous print runs, so firsts are not scarce; points and jackets matter for the early volumes. Publisher of the New Living Translation (NLT) since 1996. Do not confuse with Tyndale House, Cambridge — a British biblical-studies research institute, a different entity sharing the same namesake.


UBC Press (University of British Columbia Press) — first-edition identification

UBC Press (University of British Columbia Press) (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 1971-present (grew out of the University's Publications Centre, est. 1961; UBC Press imprint name used since 1990)). First-edition identification: 1971-c.1990: Copyright page reads '© The University of British Columbia Press [year]' with 'Printed in Canada' and a Canadian CIP block; a first printing is identified by the matching year and the absence of any reprint statement. Note the press's books carried the 'UBC Press' wording only from 1990 onward. c.1990-present: A descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing) accompanies '© UBC Press [year]' and full ISBN/CIP data; many titles list separate cloth and paper ISBNs. A complete line ending in 1 with no 'Reprinted' note indicates a first printing. The number line follows the standard scholarly-press convention rather than a house-specific published rule. Imprints and series: UBC Press; On Point Press (trade non-fiction, launched 2016); Purich Books (Indigenous studies/law; assets of Purich Publishing acquired 2015); Pacific Educational Press; On Campus. Background: Founded 1971 as a successor to the University of British Columbia Publications Centre (1961); a leading Canadian scholarly press in political science, law, Indigenous studies, and environmental history. Purich Books originates from Purich Publishing (founded 1992 by Don Purich and Karen Bolstad); UBC Press acquired its assets in 2015. On Point Press is the trade imprint launched in 2016. The imprint name therefore helps date a title. The reliable Canadian CIP block from the 1970s on makes printing-state calls relatively straightforward for this house.