Tip: a “First Edition” line alone rarely proves a first — the number line is usually decisive. Paste yours into the decoder or run a book through the First Edition Checker. Tap any publisher for its full guide.
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A
A-R Editions 1962-present · USA (Madison, WI; later Middleton, WI)
- 1962-present (scholarly music-edition house): Publishes critical/scholarly editions of music (the 'Recent Researches in Music' series, begun 1964) and musicology. Identify by the series volume number and the…
- All eras: A first issue carries the original copyright year with no 'corrected/second printing' note; corrected reissues add such a note. There is no consumer-style number line; this is a scholarly-edition…
A. Roman & Co. c.1857–c.1875 · San Francisco, California (West US)
- c.1857–c.1875: pioneer San Francisco bookseller-publisher of California/Western literature; first editions carry the 'A. Roman & Co., San Francisco' imprint and a dated title page. No first-edition statement…
- Publisher of the early Overland Monthly (founded 1868, edited by Bret Harte); the magazine bore the 'A. Roman & Company, San Francisco' imprint during Roman's ownership through June 1869. For…
- Eastern co-imprints (New York) sometimes appear on the same title — the San Francisco imprint state is the Western first issue.
A. S. Barnes & Company c.1838-late 20th century (A. S. Barnes & Co. in New York from 1865) · New York, NY (USA); earliest activity Hartford, CT and Philadelphia, PA
- 19th century through mid-20th century: designation of later printings was erratic. A first printing is identified either by the line 'First American Edition (year)' on the copyright page when present, or,…
- Later 20th century: the firm noted later printings on the copyright page more consistently, so a copyright page with no later-printing entries indicates a first printing; number lines appear on more recent…
A.C. McClurg & Co. 1844-c.1930s (publishing imprint c.1872-1930s) · Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US)
- 1872-1886 (as Jansen, McClurg & Co.): first editions carry the Jansen, McClurg & Co. imprint on the title page with no 'First Edition' statement; identify by the dated title page and absence of any…
- 1886-1899: imprint reads 'A.C. McClurg and Co.' with no first-edition statement; a first printing is identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date and absence of any later-impression notation.…
- 1900-1930s: continued reliance on the dated title page; later printings often added 'Published (month, year)' impression lines on the copyright page, so absence of such later dates indicates a first printing.…
A.L. Bancroft & Co. / H.H. Bancroft & Co. 1856–c.1900 · San Francisco, California (West US)
- c.1856–c.1870 (H.H. Bancroft & Co.): West Coast bookseller-publisher founded by Hubert Howe Bancroft; first editions carry the H.H. Bancroft imprint with a dated title page and no first-edition statement.
- c.1870–1886 (A.L. Bancroft & Co.): after Hubert Howe Bancroft withdrew from management (he resigned active management 1868; his brother Albert Little Bancroft took over and renamed the firm c.1869–1871), this…
- 1886–c.1900 (The History Company): later issues of the Histories carry this successor imprint; copies so imprinted are not the A.L. Bancroft first issue.
ABC-CLIO 1953-present · United States (Santa Barbara, CA)
- 1953-c.1990: Founded 1953 by Eric Boehm as a bibliographic/abstracting and reference house (the abstract serial America: History and Life dates to the 1960s). Reference works and bibliographies are identified…
- c.1990-present: Where a number line appears on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicates the printing. For its core encyclopedias and reference sets the meaningful unit is the edition statement plus…
- Post-2008: Acquired the Greenwood Publishing Group from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2008), gaining the Greenwood, Praeger, and Libraries Unlimited imprints; corporate copyright-page style was then applied…
Abingdon Press 1789-present · Nashville, Tennessee, USA (formerly New York)
- The Methodist Book Concern (founded 1789) and early Abingdon (imprint from the early 1900s): in the 19th and early 20th centuries no number line; identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint…
- Abingdon-Cokesbury Press (1940-1954): the merged imprint name brackets this era; copyright year plus the absence of a reprint notice indicates a first printing, though printing statements are inconsistent.
- Abingdon Press (1954-present), mid-20th century onward: explicit printing and edition statements appear; later printings are noted by an added printing line or year.
Abrams Books for Young Readers / Amulet Books Abrams 1949–present; Amulet 2004–present · US
- First printing: number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (lowest digit present = the printing)
- Many Abrams children's titles also state 'First edition [year]' on the copyright page
- Amulet typically prints a '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' number line; presence of the 1 indicates first printing
Abstract Studio 1994-present · USA (Houston, TX)
- Creator-owned publisher (Terry Moore): on Abstract Studio's own floppy issues, the first printing carries no printing statement in the indicia; later printings are explicitly marked (for example, the second…
- Collected trade paperbacks and 'pocket book' editions: the copyright/indicia page states the printing and year; a first printing carries no later-printing statement.
- Because runs are small and self-distributed, many issues and collections were reprinted; the indicia printing statement, or its absence, is the key tell.
Ace Books 1952–present · US
- Primary method (pre-1968): a first printing carries NO printing statement and NO later-printing line on the copyright page. Ace applied this inconsistently, so treat the absence of a printing notice as…
- Use the Ace serial/catalog number (letter-prefixed code, e.g. 'D-xxx', 'F-xxx', 'G-xxx', or post-1968 five-digit numeric like '12345') printed on cover/spine to date and place the edition. The LETTER prefix…
- Caution on 'First Ace printing' / '1st Ace printing' wording: per Ace reference sources this phrase means the first time ACE published the title and IMPLIES a prior hardback or paperback edition exists…
Ace Books (crime / mystery) 1952-present (crime doubles c.1952-c.1973) · USA (New York, NY — A. A. Wyn / Ace Magazines)
- 1952-c.1968 (D-series Ace Doubles, mystery): two novels bound tête-bêche (back-to-back, dos-à-dos) under a single D-prefix catalog number; the mystery doubles begin at D-1 (Keith Vining's Too Hot for Hell…
- Letter-price prefix logic: the D, G, S, F and K prefixes correspond to price points and bracket the issue era (the D-series is earliest, from 1952). Many Ace crime titles are reprints; the Double format…
- Paperback originals versus reprints: where one half of a Double is an original, the Ace edition is that text's first; a copyright page lacking a prior-publisher acknowledgment confirms it.
Action Books 2005–present · USA (Notre Dame, Indiana)
- Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- May state 'First Edition' with the year; many small-run titles carry no number line at all.
- Check the copyright leaf for any later-printing statement; its absence supports a first printing.
Addison-Wesley (technical/STM) 1942-present · United States (Reading, MA / Boston)
- 1942-c.1970: Founded 1942 (first title was Francis Weston Sears' 'Mechanics'); mathematics, physics, and computer-science textbooks and monographs. Early titles are identified by edition statement, with a…
- c.1970-present: A number line on the copyright page is the standard printing indicator (lowest digit = printing). Addison-Wesley Professional computing classics are identified by edition number together with…
AdHouse Books 2002-around 2020 · USA (Richmond, Virginia; founded 2002, largely wound down around 2020 with backlist out of print)
- 2002 to around 2020: design-forward small-press graphic-novel and art-book first printings are identified by the indicia or colophon printing statement, with a first printing stating an original date or…
- Many AdHouse titles (the Project: anthology series, Paul Pope's PulpHope art book, Scott Morse, and Afrodisiac by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca) had single small print runs, so most surviving copies are first…
- Limited and signed editions and convention exclusives state their limitation separately from the printing line.
Akashic Books (Noir Series) 1996-present · US
- Modern copyright-page number line ending in '1' for the first printing; usually a 'First printing' / 'First edition' statement as well.
- Many Noir Series titles are trade-paperback originals — the paperback is the first edition; a few have hardcover library states with their own line.
- Series identification by the '[City] Noir' title and Akashic colophon.
Albert & Charles Boni 1923–c.1939 · New York, USA
- 1923–1930s: No statement of edition on the copyright page of first printings; subsequent printings ARE noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing.
- Title-page year usually present; a title-page year matching the copyright-page year with no added printing line supports a first printing. (Confirmed example: Thornton Wilder's 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey,'…
Aleph Book Company 2011-present · India (New Delhi)
- Copyright page reads 'First published in India in [year] by Aleph Book Company' (sharing the Rupa address, 7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi).
- A first printing is typically stated as 'First edition' or 'First impression [year]' with no later-impression notice; later impressions add impression lines.
- Some titles also carry a descending number line; the digit 1 present indicates the first printing.
Alfred A. Knopf trade
- Stated "First Edition" (1947–present)
- Borzoi running-wolfhound device
- “A Note on the Type” colophon at the rear
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill 1983–present · US
- Stated 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page on early printings
- Full descending number line ending in 1 (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); lowest digit present = printing number, so a true first shows the '1'
- Founded 1983 (Louis Rubin / Shannon Ravenel), Chapel Hill, NC; became a Workman imprint and is now part of Hachette Book Group via Workman — number-line conventions are standard modern American trade
Alice James Books 1973–present · US
- Modern convention: 'First Edition' on the copyright page, often with a descending number line; lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- First shows no later-printing notice.
- Early cooperative-era titles (1970s) were small-run; verify printing statements individually.
Allen & Unwin (Australia) 1990-present (Australian independent) · Australia
- First printings state "First published [Year]" with the descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); lowest digit = printing
- Copyright page names 'Allen & Unwin' Australia and shows the original year with no later-impression line
- First printing = number line ending in 1 + no reprint notation
Allen Lane 1967–present · UK (London)
- Copyright page states 'First published [year]' / 'First published in Great Britain [year] by Allen Lane'; a first carries no later-impression note. Penguin convention identifies firsts by the 'First…
- Penguin-family number line on modern titles; a first printing ends in '1' (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2', the Penguin odd-up/even-down style).
- Allen Lane is Penguin's hardcover imprint, so an Allen Lane hardcover can be the true first of a work also issued later in Penguin paperback — do not assume the paperback is the first.
Allen Press 1939-1985 · Kentfield, Marin County, California (San Francisco Bay Area), USA
- 1939-1985: first/only-edition status is established by the COLOPHON limitation statement; there is no 'First Edition' wording and no number line. Editions were small (commonly on the order of 100-140 copies)…
- Early period (Lewis and Dorothy Allen, from 1939): identify by the colophon limitation and the Allen Press device; many titles are on named handmade papers recorded in the colophon.
- Mature period: the colophon remains controlling and the copy number is frequently hand-numbered; 'The Allen Press Bibliography' is the standard cross-check for points and limitation figures.
Alma Books / Alma Classics 2005-present · UK (Richmond, London), fiction and classics in translation
- 2005-present (Alma Books): a first printing is shown by a descending number line with 1 lowest, alongside 'First published by Alma Books Limited in <year>'.
- Oneworld Classics (launched 2007, a joint venture with Oneworld Publications) was renamed Alma Classics in 2012 after Alma took full control. For these classics and translation reissues the relevant first is…
- Alma holds the Calder Publications back-list. A Calder title reissued under Alma carries Alma imprint data and is not the original John Calder first printing, so do not conflate the two.
Amadeus Press 1980s-present · US (Portland, Oregon, originally; later New York under Hal Leonard)
- Use the descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' indicates a first printing.
- Classical-music/opera reference and biography; no distinctive prose first-edition statement is documented — rely on the number line.
- Where no number line is present on early titles, the stated copyright year serves as the principal date, but is weaker evidence of a true first printing.
American Antiquarian Society 1812-present · Worcester, Massachusetts, USA (learned society, founded 1812)
- Society publishing, not trade firsts. Much of its historical output is the 'Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society,' identified by volume and date of the serial (the new series ran from 1880; the…
- Monographs and bibliographies (often co-published with or distributed by university presses): follow standard scholarly practice — a number line where present, otherwise dated single printings.
- Some titles were issued in stated limited editions (members' editions) — identify by the limitation statement.
American Tract Society 1825–present (peak 19c) · New York / Boston (US religious publishing)
- 1825–c.1876: a stereotype-driven religious publisher whose tracts and books are largely undated and carry no first-edition statement. 'Identification' is by the assigned tract/series number, the New York vs.…
- Undated books and tracts are dated by external evidence (the method documented by the American Antiquarian Society / S.J. Wolfe): the bound-in 'Publications of the American Tract Society' catalog, the form of…
- Premium/gift bindings (gilt, presentation) are binding variants, not separate editions; the same stereotype text was reprinted indefinitely, so a textual 'first printing' is generally not determinable and…
Amistad 1986–present · US (New York)
- True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: the words "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1 (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2…
- If "First Edition" is stated but the lowest digit in the number line is higher than 1, it is a later printing of the first edition, not a first printing; on many later printings the "First Edition" statement…
The Amwell Press (National Sporting Fraternity) 1976-1990s/2000s · USA (Clinton, New Jersey)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Anchor Books 1953–present · US
- States 'First Anchor Books edition (Month Year)' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.
- Predominantly a quality trade-paperback REPRINT line — 'first Anchor edition' is usually NOT the first edition of the work.
- Trace true firsts to the original Doubleday / Nan A. Talese / Knopf hardcover.
Ancient City Press southwest
- ISBN prefix 0-941270
- Santa Fe, New Mexico imprint/address
- Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence
And Other Stories 2011-present · UK (Sheffield/London), translated and literary fiction
- 2011-present: a first printing is shown by a descending number line on the copyright page with 1 present; the copyright page also reads 'First published in <year> by And Other Stories'.
- Many titles are subscriber-supported. The publisher prints the names of the supporters of that specific book at the back of the first print run as a thank-you; a later reprint may drop that list, so its…
- For a translated work the English-language And Other Stories edition is the relevant first; the original-language first-publication date is recorded separately.
Andersen Press 1976–present · UK
- British convention: a first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); lowest digit = printing
- Usually NO 'First edition' statement — identify via the full number line plus the 'First published in [year] by Andersen Press' line
Andrews McMeel Publishing 1970s-present · US (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.
- Comic-strip collections (the core catalog) are dated by copyright year and carry the number line; some titles also print an explicit 'First Printing' / 'First Edition' line.
- For mass-market humor and comic collections the number line is the reliable signal; calendar and gift product often omit a usable key.
André Deutsch 1951-present (imprint within other groups later) · UK
- First editions state "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year] by André Deutsch Limited" on the copyright page; later printings noted
- First printing = statement present with no subsequent-impression lines
- Later titles may carry a number line ending in 1
Angel Hair (Angel Hair Books / magazine) 1966-1978 · New York (Lower East Side / St. Marks Place) and Bolinas, California (Anne Waldman & Lewis Warsh)
- 1966-1978: mimeograph, offset, and occasional letterpress chapbooks and booklets. Identification is per-title via stapled-wrappers collation; most titles are single editions with no printing statement, so a…
- Magazine: six issues, Spring 1966-Spring 1969 — identify by issue number and contents; there were no reprints, so any genuine issue is the original. Most issues carried uniform letterpress paper wrappers…
- Some books exist in a plain mimeo/offset trade state plus a small signed or hardbound sub-issue; the signed or limited state is noted on a colophon when one is present.
Angry Robot Books 2008–present · UK (Nottingham; under HarperCollins UK 2008–2010, then Osprey, then Watkins Media)
- Trade paperback and hardcover originals state the 'First published' year and carry a number line on the copyright page; the first printing is the state in which the lowest number present is '1'. UK printings…
- UK and US/simultaneous editions can differ in number line and ISBN — distinguish the UK first from a US printing by the imprint address and ISBN block, not by the stated year alone.
- Strange Chemistry (YA) and Exhibit A (crime) carried their own copyright-page indicia during their short 2012–2014 runs.
Annick Press 1975-present · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- First printing: number line on the copyright page ending in 1; lowest digit present = the printing.
- Many titles also carry 'First published in [year]' wording on the copyright page.
- For early titles (late 1970s through mid-1980s) issued before number lines were used, identify the first by the 'First published' statement plus first-issue cover and format, not a line.
Aperture Foundation 1952–present · US (New York)
- The copyright/colophon page is the primary locus: look for 'First edition' stated and/or a number line. Modern Aperture titles (1990s–present) typically carry a descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1),…
- Many monographs are single-printing; the absence of any 'Second printing'/'Reprinted' line, plus the original ISBN and jacket-flap price, supports a first.
- Reprints are usually noted explicitly ('Second printing' / 'Reprinted [year]') on the colophon; later printings may also update the printer or binder credit.
Applause Theatre & Cinema Books 1980s-present · US (New York)
- Use the descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' indicates a first printing.
- No distinctive house first-edition statement is documented — rely on the number line rather than on wording.
- Acting-edition play scripts and anthologies are frequently reprinted; confirm the '1' is present and check for added printing notices.
Aqueduct Press 2004–present · USA (Seattle, Washington)
- Trade paperback and hardcover originals; the first printing is identified by the stated-edition line ('First edition') with the copyright year, plus a number line on the copyright page where one is present…
- 'Conversation Pieces' carries a volume number that is a SERIES index (bibliographic sequence), not a printing-state or limited-run number — do not read the volume number as a limitation.
Aralia Press 1983-present · West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
- 1983-present: First/only edition by the COLOPHON or broadside imprint line; the press of Michael Peich. It specializes in poetry (single poems and small collections), frequently issued as signed limited…
- Broadsides: identify by the Aralia Press imprint, the poet's signature, and the stated limitation; these are often first appearances of individual poems by major poets (Wilbur, Hecht, Justice, Hollander, and…
- Pamphlets and chapbooks: colophon-controlled, hand-set, letterpress-printed, and hand-numbered.
Archipelago Books 2003-present · Brooklyn, New York, USA
- 2003-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing; many translations also carry 'First…
- Elsewhere Editions (launched 2017): the children's-in-translation imprint follows the same standard number-line practice.
Arion Press 1974–present · US
- Each title is a single limited edition with a letterpress colophon stating the total limitation (typically 300–400 copies)
- Colophon is hand-numbered in Arabic numerals; a separate run of 'hors de commerce' copies is numbered in ROMAN numerals (not for sale, complimentary distribution)
- Colophon frequently carries original signatures — Andrew Hoyem (printer/designer) and/or the author and artist
Arkham House 1939–present (convention shifts ~mid-1960s and early 1980s) · US
- Pre-mid-1960s: a true first generally shows the SAME year on the title page and the copyright page (and there were typically no reprints to confuse it)
- Arkham did not number lines; the Frank Utpatel-designed colophon/device (introduced 1944) appears at the rear — reprints, when they occurred, were noted there
- Late 1960s onward: copyright page begins stating 'First Edition' or 'First Printing (<year>)' and notes later printings
Arsenal Pulp Press 1971-present (as Pulp Press 1971-1982; Arsenal Pulp Press 1982-present) · Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia)
- Modern Arsenal Pulp titles state 'first edition' and carry a number line on the copyright page (lowest digit '1' present indicates a first printing).
- Predecessor 'Pulp Press' (1970s) titles: identify by the Pulp Press imprint and the original copyright year, with no later-printing notes.
- Reprints are common for bestselling cookbooks and queer-lit staples; verify the number line still retains '1.'
The Arthur H. Clark Company 1902-present (independent 1902-2006; OU Press imprint thereafter) · Originally Cleveland, Ohio; later Glendale, California, and Spokane, Washington; now Norman, Oklahoma (an imprint of the University of Oklahoma Press) — USA
- 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…
- 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.
Artisan 1994-present · US (New York)
- Follows the Workman house convention: the copyright page generally carries a printing statement (often a dated 'First printing' or 'Printed in...' line) together with a number line ending in 1 on the true…
- On later printings the dated printing statement is revised and/or the low digits drop out of the number line. When in doubt, read the number line and the printing statement together rather than relying on…
Ash-Tree Press 1993-c.2013 · Penyffordd (Chester) UK, then Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada
- 1993/1994-c.2013: titles are limited-edition cloth hardcovers; the stated limitation (typically 200-600 numbered copies) on the colophon identifies the first - no trade reprint exists to confuse it.
- Earliest items (1993): e.g., M.R. James 'Two Ghost Stories: A Centenary,' 200 numbered copies in pictorial boards WITHOUT dust wrapper - format itself is a tell.
- Mid/late titles: octavo, publisher's cloth (often burgundy) with bright/copper spine lettering and a glossy pictorial dust jacket; limitation commonly 500-600.
Ashendene Press 1895–1935 · UK
- Hand-press limited editions, most using Hornby's proprietary 'Subiaco' type (and later the 'Ptolemy' type), with hand-illuminated initials in some copies
- Printed colophon stating the limitation; copies on paper plus a few on VELLUM (distinct higher state)
- Press device and colophon authenticate; fine handmade paper
Atheneum Books for Young Readers 1959–present · US
- Through 1986: explicitly states 'First Edition' on the copyright page
- Late 1980s onward: number line on copyright page with '1' present (1 indicates first printing); 'First Edition' statement also frequently used alongside
- First printing requires the number line to include / end in 1
Atlantic Monthly Press 1917–present (Grove/Atlantic imprint since 1993) · Boston, MA / New York, NY (US)
- Pre-1925: did not use a first-edition statement, did not consistently put the publication date on the title page, and did not always list later printings — identification relies on dust jacket, ads, and…
- Late 1920s–1930s: 'Published (Month, Year)' on the copyright page with no additional printings listed indicates a first printing. From 1940 onward 'First Edition' was added above the 'Published' line, while…
- Since 1988: first printings state 'First Edition' and 'First Printing' on the copyright page (this convention predates and is independent of the 1993 Grove/Atlantic merger).
Atria Books 2002–present · US
- States 'First Edition' or 'First Atria Books hardcover edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1.
- Simon & Schuster-family convention: explicit 'First [Imprint] edition (Year)' statement is the reliable signal.
- Number line ending in 1 alongside the statement confirms first printing.
Auckland University Press 1966-present (publishing from 1966; formally named Auckland University Press 1972; independent of OUP from 1986) · Auckland, New Zealand
- 1966-1970: The press's earliest titles were produced under the Oxford University Press imprint on behalf of the University of Auckland; the OUP imprint dates a title to this earliest period. A first printing…
- 1970-1986: Titles bear the joint 'Auckland University Press / Oxford University Press' imprint with 'First published [year]', '© [year]', and 'Printed in New Zealand'; a first printing is keyed by the…
- 1986-present (independent): 'First published [year] by Auckland University Press' with a New Zealand National Library CIP block; from roughly the mid-1990s a descending number line (lowest digit = printing)…
Augsburg Fortress (and predecessors Augsburg Publishing House & Fortress Press) 1855/1891-present · Minneapolis, Minnesota (Augsburg) / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Fortress)
- Augsburg Publishing House (1891-1988): no number line in early years; identify a first printing by the copyright year together with the absence of any added reprint or later-printing notice. Some early…
- Muhlenberg Press era (to ~1962): identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice; printing statements are inconsistent. The imprint name brackets the window (Muhlenberg before about…
- Fortress Press (founded 1962): scholarly Protestant theology house; earliest single copyright year with a clean printing line and no added impression history indicates the first printing.
August House Publishers 1978-present · South (Little Rock, Arkansas; later Atlanta, Georgia)
- 1978-1990s (Parkhurst/Looney Little Rock era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug on the earliest poetry and literary titles; a first printing is identified by a matching copyright date and the absence of any…
- 1990s-2005 (folklore/storytelling peak, Little Rock): Standard small-press practice — a number line on the copyright page where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a present '1' = first…
- 2005-present (Marsh Cove Productions / Marsh Media ownership, Atlanta children's focus): follows children's-publisher practice — lowest digit present in the number line = printing, often with a stated 'First…
Ave Maria Press 1865-present · Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- 1865-mid 20th c. (Ave Maria magazine era): a Holy Cross publishing apostolate whose early output was magazine-centered. On books of this period there is no number line; the copyright year together with the…
- Mid 20th c.-1980s: explicit printing statements appear inconsistently. A copyright year paired with a clean printing line, and no later-printing notice, indicates a first printing.
- 1990s-present: a standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present marks the printing, so a line that still includes 1 indicates a first printing.
Avery 1976–present · US (New York)
- First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1 (for example 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest number present indicates the printing
- As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, Avery titles generally do NOT carry an explicit "First edition" statement — rely on the number line, not on wording
Avid Reader Press 2019–present · US (New York)
- "First Avid Reader Press ... edition" or "First Edition" statement on the copyright page plus a number line ending in 1
Avon Books 1941–present · US
- Mass-market paperback originals: copyright page shows 'First Avon … Printing (Month Year)' / 'First Edition'; a true first lists ONLY the first printing.
- Number line where present: lowest number 1 indicates first printing.
- Absence of any later-printing notation is the core test for paperback originals.
B
B. W. Huebsch 1900–1925 (absorbed by Viking Press) · New York, USA
- c.1902–1925: First printings show the SAME date on the title page as on the copyright page with no additional printings listed; any later-printing line, or a title-page date later than the copyright date,…
- A seven-branched menorah device appears as a Huebsch house mark; treat it as a publisher identifier, not by itself a first-printing point.
- Caveat: some Huebsch titles were issued from imported British sheets (e.g., Joyce's 'Dubliners,' 1916, from Grant Richards sheets), so for those the British printing points and the bibliographic record…
Back Bay Books 1993–present · US (Boston/New York)
- Trade-paperback first printing carries a 'First Back Bay ... edition: [month year]' statement on the copyright page, typically accompanied by a full descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1).
Backbeat Books 1990s-present · US (San Francisco, later New York)
- Standard descending number line on copyright page; '1' present indicates first printing.
- No reliable house 'First Edition' statement — use the number line.
Bad Moon Books 2007-present (press) · Garden Grove, California, USA
- 2007-present (publishing arm; bookselling earlier): titles issued in tiered states - LETTERED (26 copies, A-Z, leather, custom slipcase/traycase, signed), numbered LIMITED hardcover (typically 100-300,…
- Lettered = 26 leather-bound traycased signed copies (top state); numbered limited = roughly 100-300 signed copies; trade = unsigned/unnumbered first.
- First title: Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way by Weston Ochse (2007); earlier 'Bad Moon' references are to the bookselling/catalog business, not the press.
Baen Books 1983–present · US
- Copyright page carries a 'First printing, <Month Year>' statement; first printings show no later-printing notation
- Many Baen titles use a number line with '1' present — lowest digit indicates the printing
- Baen catalog/ISBN and the stated first-printing date are the cross-check (paperback originals are the 'first' for most titles)
Baker Publishing Group Baker Book House founded 1939; Revell acquired 1992, Bethany House acquired 2003 · US (Ada, Michigan; founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1' (often paired with a descending year line, e.g., '24 23 22 21 20 / 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Most trade titles do not state the words 'First Edition'; identification is driven by the number line.
- Academic imprints (Baker Academic, Brazos) follow the same convention; later printings drop the lowest digits.
Ballantine Books 1952–present · US
- Number line on copyright page; first printing has the '1' present. Modern PRH-era Ballantine uses the full descending line '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' with no edition statement, OR with 'First Edition' stated.
- Mass-market paperback originals: copyright page reads 'First Edition: (Month Year)' or 'First Printing: (Month Year)' with NO later printings listed.
- Trade hardcovers/trade paperbacks under Ballantine often state 'First Edition' plus number line ending in 1.
Ballantine Books / Del Rey 1952–present · US
- Paperback originals: first printing has NO additional printings listed on the copyright page
- Reprints of titles first issued elsewhere: copyright page states 'First Printing: <Month Year>' or 'First Edition: <Month Year>' together with a number line containing '1'
- Del Rey titles follow Ballantine practice (number line with '1' and/or stated first printing/date)
Balzer + Bray 2008-present · US
- First printing: a 'First Edition' statement and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page. Titles published 2008-2024 follow HarperCollins house style; titles from 2024 forward follow…
Bantam (mystery/thriller mass-market) 1945-present · US
- Bantam used a code on the copyright page indicating printing and date in some eras; in the modern era a descending number line ending in '1' marks the first printing.
- Mass-market originals: the paperback is the first edition; reprints of hardcovers are firsts-thus only.
- Bantam serial/control number plus printing statement ('First Bantam edition / month year') fixes the printing.
Bantam Books 1945–present · US
- Copyright page printing statement: classic Bantam used a printed-line phrase such as 'Bantam edition / (date)' with a printing history; a true first lists only the first printing.
- Modern Bantam (post-merger) uses a descending number line; first printing retains '1' (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').
- Historically Bantam used a numeric/letter code; for mass-market originals look for a single printing line with no subsequent printings noted.
Bantam Spectra 1985–present · US
- Follows standard Bantam/Bantam Spectra practice: the copyright page carries a full descending number line and a 'A Bantam Spectra Book / [Month Year]' statement; if the number line includes '1' (e.g., '10 9 8…
- For Bantam Spectra mass-market paperbacks (1985-present) the printing is determined by the lowest number in the digit line, NOT by a separate letter code. (Note: the letter+digit date-code key on the last…
- Hardcover Spectra firsts use the number-line-with-1 convention, typically '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' with a stated month/year; later printings drop the low digits.
Barbarian Press 1977-present · Mission, British Columbia, Canada (established 1977 in Kent, England; relocated to Mission, BC in 1978)
- 1977-present: First/only edition by the COLOPHON limitation; the press of Crispin and Jan Elsted. The colophon states the limitation (standard editions commonly a few hundred copies, plus a smaller deluxe…
- Many titles are issued in MULTIPLE STATES: a standard edition and a deluxe/special edition (extra suites, finer binding, sometimes leather, occasionally lettered rather than numbered). The colophon and the…
- Wood-engraving-rich titles (the 'Endgrain' anthology and the ongoing Endgrain Editions series, plus Shakespeare's 'Pericles') are key works; engraver credits in the colophon are an authenticity tell.
Barefoot Books 1992-present · UK/US
- First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles state 'First edition [year]' or 'This [hardback/paperback] edition first published in [year]'
- The lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing
Bart House 1944-c.1946 · USA (New York, NY — Bartholomew House)
- 1944-c.1946 (entire run): a short-lived WWII-era mass-market paperback line (parent Bartholomew House) with titles numbered sequentially from #1 (roughly 30 titles). First printing identified by the catalog…
- The line mixed reprints with some originals. For a reprint, 'first' means the first Bart House printing — the earliest issue carrying no reissue note. The most celebrated title is H.P. Lovecraft's The Weird…
- Series numbering is the primary identifier; the line ended after only a couple of years, so all titles are scarce and printing-level data is thin — corroborate against a Bart House checklist such as the…
Bartholomew (John Bartholomew & Son) 1826-present (as Collins Bartholomew) · United Kingdom (Edinburgh)
- Maps and atlases are dated by the imprint name, copyright year, and any printed revision date in the sheet margin; for the famous Half-Inch series, the marginal printing/revision year identifies the specific…
- 19th century to 1919: 'John Bartholomew & Co.' Edinburgh imprint (the firm also traded as the Edinburgh Geographical Institute); identify by title-page edition and date.
- 1919 to 1980s: 'John Bartholomew & Son Ltd'; the Half-Inch to the Mile layered-relief series is identified by the marginal revision year, and the layered-contour ('Bartholomew colouring') style is a house…
Basic Books 1950–present (Hachette since 2016) · US (New York)
- First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group house practice
- A 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page is common on Basic's serious-nonfiction titles but is not universal; the full number line is the reliable signal
Beacon Books / Beacon Signal 1954-mid-1960s · US (New York City)
- Beacon used B-prefixed catalog numbers on the cover and spine (the early B-100 through roughly the B-700s, with Softcover Library taking over near B-800); the number identifies the title and approximate era.
- First printing: most Beacon titles are paperback originals that were never reprinted, so absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page is the working test, and essentially all surviving copies…
- The Beacon Galaxy science-fiction sub-series and the later Softcover Library rebrand carry their own numbering and mark distinct eras.
Bear & Company 1980-present · USA (Santa Fe NM early 1980s-2000; then Rochester VT under Inner Traditions)
- Early 1980s-2000 (independent, Santa Fe NM, founders Gerry Clow and astrologer Barbara Hand Clow): the copyright page states 'First Edition'; the book typically carries a Santa Fe address. A number line is…
- 2000-present (imprint of Inner Traditions, Rochester VT): follows Inner Traditions house practice, a descending number line with the lowest number indicating the printing, alongside a 'First Edition'…
Belford, Clarke & Co. 1879–1892 · Chicago, New York & San Francisco (Midwest/US, originally Toronto)
- 1879–1892: a cheap-reprint house notorious for unauthorized reprints (famously pirating Mark Twain). For its many reprint/piracy titles the 'Belford, Clarke & Co.' imprint, the city order on the title page,…
- Because so many titles are reprints or piracies, 'first edition' of the work usually belongs to another publisher; for Belford-Clarke's own copyrighted titles, rely on the dated title page and bound-in…
- Imprint and city-order changes (the Toronto Belford Bros. lineage; later Belford-Clarke Company / Rose-Belford forms) help bracket the date of an issue.
Bellevue Literary Press 2007–present · New York, NY (US)
- First printings state 'First Edition' on the copyright page.
- The printing is read from the lowest number present in the number line, not from the direction of the row. The Tinkers first printing, for example, carries the line '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' (odd ascending then…
- Later printings drop the lower numbers.
Berkley / Jove 1955–present · US
- Mass-market originals: copyright page shows a printing statement; a true first reads 'Berkley/Jove edition / (Month Year)' or 'First printing' with NO later printings listed.
- Modern lines use a descending number line; presence of 1 indicates first printing.
- For paperback originals, the absence of any reprint notation is the primary test.
Bethany House Publishers 1956-present · Bloomington / Minneapolis, Minnesota (now under Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- 1950s-1970s (Bethany Fellowship / Bethany Fellowship Press): small missionary-fellowship press; no number line. Copyright year and absence of a reprint notice indicate a first printing; printing statements…
- 1970s-1990s (Bethany House Publishers): explicit printing statements and additive printing/year lines, with later printings noted. Janette Oke's prairie-romance firsts (from 'Love Comes Softly', 1979) fall in…
- 1990s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present equals the printing. A year line plus an impression line is typical; presence of 1 indicates a first printing.
BFI Publishing (British Film Institute) 1980s-present · UK (London)
- Standard UK descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.
- Long-running monograph series (notably BFI Film Classics, launched 1992) often went through many reprints — read the number line carefully, since later printings of popular titles otherwise look identical.
- The trade/distribution-partner statement on the copyright page helps date the printing era (see notable points).
Biblioasis 2004-present (publishing; bookstore from 1998) · Canada (Windsor, Ontario)
- Modern small literary press: first printings generally state 'first edition' on the copyright page and frequently carry a number line ('1' present = first printing).
- Translation Series and essay titles follow the same copyright-page convention.
- Because print runs are small and reprints are frequent for prize winners, verify the absence of a later-printing statement and that the number line retains '1'.
Bilingual Press / Editorial Bilingüe 1973-present · USA — founded 1973 at Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti); at Arizona State University (Tempe) since 1986
- 1973-present: A first printing is indicated by 'First Edition' / 'Primera Edición' wording on the copyright page and/or a descending number line whose lowest digit is 1; absence of any later-printing or…
- Bilingual and dual-language titles: the press's own copyright-page printing statement governs the Bilingual Press edition; for a translated or dual-language work this is the first Bilingual Press printing…
- Clásicos Chicanos / Chicano Classics series reissues earlier Chicano works — for those, the Bilingual Press printing statement, not the original composition or first-publication date, identifies the Bilingual…
Binford & Mort (Binfords & Mort) 1930-present · Portland, later Hillsboro, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)
- Imprint-name era tell: the publishing arm began in 1930 under the Metropolitan Press umbrella (Metropolitan Press itself dated to a Portland printing business founded in 1899). The name 'Binfords & Mort' was…
- 1930-c.1960 (heyday): First editions of this era typically carry NO number line. Identify by a copyright year that matches publication, the correct period imprint, and the absence of any later-printing or…
- c.1960 onward: The no-number-line convention continued, and many titles were reprinted from standing plates over decades. A first printing requires the absence of any added printing notice and, ideally, an…
Bird & Bull Press 1958–c.2013 · US
- Letterpress limited editions printed on Morris's own HANDMADE PAPER (he made the paper as well as printing) — paper character is a house signature
- Printed colophon with small stated limitation (often ~100–300), hand-numbered; many signed by Henry Morris
- Specialist subject matter (history of papermaking, marbling, fine printing) with tipped-in paper/marbling specimens — presence and completeness of specimens authenticates the first issue
Birkhäuser 1879-present (Springer brand) · Switzerland (Basel) / United States (Boston)
- 1879-c.1985: Founded 1879 in Basel by Emil Birkhäuser; the scientific program (mathematics, physics, civil engineering, architecture) developed from the 1920s-1940s onward. German-language works state edition…
- c.1985-present: Acquired by Springer in 1985. English-language titles carry a number line (lowest surviving digit = printing); German titles continue to use 'Auflage.' Modern titles follow Springer house…
Birlinn Ltd 1992-present · Scotland (Edinburgh)
- Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Birlinn Ltd' (West Newington House, 10 Newington Road, Edinburgh) with a descending number line; a first printing has the digit 1 present.
- The imprint line names the specific Birlinn imprint (Polygon, John Donald, etc.); match the imprint to attribute the book correctly within the group.
- A first state shows the first-published year, the 1 in the number line, and no later-impression notice.
Bitter Lemon Press 2003–present · UK (London)
- UK convention: first printings carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the imprint page, with 'First published in [year] by Bitter Lemon Press' stated; the lowest digit present is the printing.
- Translated titles state the original title, translator and original-language publication date — the Bitter Lemon line marks the first English-language edition, which is the relevant point for this house.
- Issued chiefly in B-format trade paperback (some hardcover); a full number line with no later-printing notation marks the first English-language edition.
Black Belt Press 1989-2000 (original imprint) · South (Montgomery, Alabama)
- 1989-2000 (active era under BBCG, Inc.): Standard small-press convention. First printing is typically identified by a number line on the copyright page in which the lowest number present indicates the…
- Continuity caution: Randall Williams and the Junebug Books children's imprint carried directly into NewSouth Books (founded 2000, Montgomery), so late Black Belt and early NewSouth titles share staff and…
Black Inc. (Schwartz Books / Schwartz Media) c.1999–2000–present (Schwartz parent from the 1980s) · Australia (Melbourne, VIC)
- On a first printing the copyright page states 'Published by Black Inc. [year]' (or the relevant imprint, e.g. 'Published by Nero'), shows no reprint line, and the stated year matches the copyright year. This…
- Recent titles often carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', where the lowest digit present indicates a first printing; treat as supporting evidence, as the line is not applied to every title…
- The imprint colophon identifies the sub-brand: La Trobe University Press (a 2017 joint venture with La Trobe University) and Nero/Piccolo Nero each carry distinct imprint statements though produced by the…
Black Lizard Books 1984-1990 (original); 1990-present (Vintage successor) · USA (Berkeley, California - a division of Creative Arts Book Company)
- 1984-1990 (Creative Arts / Barry Gifford era, original Black Lizard): paperback reprints of 1930s-1960s noir in a deliberately pulpy mass-market look; the first Black Lizard printing carries the Creative Arts…
- 1990-present (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, Random House / Knopf Doubleday): after Random House acquired the Black Lizard name in 1990, titles appear as trade paperbacks under 'Vintage Crime/Black Lizard.' A…
- Collector caution: the original Berkeley-era Black Lizard editions (1984-1990) are the scarce, sought-after state; the later Vintage trade paperbacks are common reprints carrying the same brand name but a…
Black Sparrow Press 1966–2002 (original press) · US
- TITLE-PAGE COLOR is the master point: a first printing has a title page printed in two or more colors; ALL later printings have a title page in black only. This is the single most reliable Black Sparrow…
- Copyright page of a first lists no additional printings.
- Multi-tier issue structure per title: (1) lettered signed/limited (e.g., 26 lettered A–Z) often with original holograph or artwork, (2) numbered signed limited (e.g., 250–300 copies) on better paper with a…
Black Sun Press 1927–c.1952 (Paris operation ran to 1936; firm officially continued to Caresse Crosby's death in 1970) · Paris, France
- 1927–1952: expatriate fine press. Each title issued once in a stated LIMITED edition; identify by the COLOPHON/limitation page giving the total number of copies (often with subsets on different papers — Japan…
- The earliest imprint (1927 into 1928) reads 'Éditions Narcisse'; the name changed to 'Black Sun Press' in 1928 — the imprint name on the title page/colophon dates the issue.
- Paper-state subsets (deluxe vellum/Japan copies vs ordinary numbered copies) are distinguished in the limitation statement and are the key variant.
Bloomsbury Publishing 1986-present · UK
- First printings carry a full descending number line "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on the copyright page; the lowest number (1) present = first printing
- Copyright page should show only the original publication year and no later printer/edition statement
- Some later titles also print the words "First Edition" on the copyright page alongside the number line
BOA Editions, Ltd. 1976–present · US
- Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' and/or carries a descending number line (lowest digit present = printing number).
- Series designation 'American Poets Continuum Series, No. NNN' appears on the copyright/series page and dates/places the title.
- First with no later-printing notice; later printings add a printing line or advance the number line.
Bobbs-Merrill Company 1900s-1950s · US
- Early firsts (pre-1920s): a month only on the copyright page, with no printing statement.
- Pre-1920s: a bow-and-arrow device (the Bobbs-Merrill colophon) on the copyright page was the era's first-edition signal — but applied inconsistently. Note: standard dealer references (Quill & Brush,…
- After ~1920: firsts generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page, the printed statement having largely superseded the device — still inconsistent.
The Bodley Head 1887-present · UK
- 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…
- 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…
Boni & Liveright / Horace Liveright 1917-1933 (revived 1970s+) · US
- No statement of printing on the copyright page of firsts; later printings designated 'second printing', etc.
- Therefore: absence of any later-printing notice = first printing (for the vintage era).
- From the 1970s (revived Liveright): a number line with '1' present indicates a first.
Bookcraft 1942-1999 (imprint continued under Deseret Book) · Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- 1942-1960s: Independent LDS publisher founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton (Marvin Wallin became associated later). No number line; identify firsts by copyright year and absence of a reprint or…
- 1960s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines appear; later printings noted by an added line or year. Bruce R. McConkie's 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958) and its substantially…
- 1980s-1999: standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing.
BOOM! Studios 2005-present · USA (Los Angeles, CA)
- Floppy issues: a first printing carries no printing statement in the indicia; later printings are explicitly stated ('Second Printing' and higher).
- Trade paperbacks and hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states 'First Printing' with month and year (and often a print-run count); a first printing shows the earliest single date and no later-printing line.
- The 5-digit UPC supplement on floppies is meant to encode the printing in its fifth digit (1 = first printing), but it is populated inconsistently and should be treated only as a weak corroborating clue, not…
Bowling Green State University Popular Press 1967-c.2002 (independent) · Bowling Green, Ohio
- 1969-c.1985: Small scholarly press; generally no first-printing statement; later printings noted when they occurred. A first printing is indicated by matching title-page and copyright dates with no…
- c.1985-2002: A number line on the copyright page where used; the lowest number present indicates the printing. Many titles were printed only once (popular-culture monographs).
- Post-transfer (c.2002-2003 onward): The list was acquired by the University of Wisconsin Press; later 'Popular Press' titles carry Wisconsin imprint and number-line conventions.
Boyds Mills & Kane 1990-present · US
- First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, frequently accompanied by 'First edition [year]' wording; the lowest digit indicates the printing
- Kane Miller world-picture-book co-editions often state 'First American edition' and may show the foreign original-edition date alongside it
Bradbury & Evans 1830s–20th c. (Dickens publishing 1844–1858) · London, UK
- Originally printers who became publishers: 19th-century firsts carry no edition statement — use title-page date, absence of any later-printing notice, and correct imprint.
- For Dickens novels issued in monthly parts, the true 'first' is the original part-issue (paper wrappers, with the correct inserted advertisements/'Dickens advertiser' and plates in the right states) — the…
- When collecting parts, completeness of all wrappers, slips, and advertisements and correct plate states are the points that determine value; collate against Hatton & Cleaver for Dickens parts.
Bradt Travel Guides (Bradt Guides) 1974-present · United Kingdom (Chalfont St Peter / Bath)
- Identify by edition number plus copyright-page printing detail; a first printing shows the edition's debut year and no later reprint years.
- 1974-1980s: founded by Hilary Bradt (with George Bradt); the origin title 'Backpacking Along Ancient Ways in Peru and Bolivia' (1974) was written while travelling in Peru and issued without a spine, more…
- 1990s-2000s: 'Bradt Publications' then 'Bradt Travel Guides Ltd'; standard copyright page with an edition number ('2nd edition' etc.) and number line, with the first printing the earliest listed.
Brentano's (publishing division) 1853–1933 (publishing division; bookstores longer) · New York, USA (also London/Paris bookstores)
- Pre-1928: no marking on first editions; subsequent/later printings were noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.
- 1928 onward: began stating 'First printed 19—' (the words 'First printed' followed by the year) on the copyright page of first editions, continuing to note subsequent printings.
Brick Books 1975-present · Canada (London, Ontario)
- Poetry-only small press: first printings show the publication-year copyright with no later-printing statement; many modern titles state 'first edition' and may carry a number line.
- Small runs mean most titles are single printings, so absence of reprint notes plus the original copyright year is the working rule.
- Award-shortlisted poetry titles can reprint; verify the printing statement or number line for prize-winner firsts.
Bridget Williams Books 1990-present · New Zealand (Wellington)
- 1990-present: Independent Wellington publisher founded in 1990 by Bridget Williams, who bought the New Zealand list she had developed as managing director of Allen & Unwin NZ when its parent was sold. First…
- From 1995 to 1998 some titles appeared under a joint imprint with Auckland University Press before the house returned to fully independent status; check the imprint line for this period. From 2013, BWB Texts…
Bull Thistle Press late 20th c. (c.1980s-2000s) · Vermont, USA (letterpress poetry)
- Late 20th c.: small hand-letterpress poetry chapbooks and broadsides. Identification = a COLOPHON limitation statement giving a small numbered edition; the first is the stated edition with no later-printing…
- Signed and numbered limited copies are noted on a colophon where issued; broadsides are identified by the stated limitation and any signature.
- Single-edition fine-press production, so a copy matching the colophon's stated limitation and the physical collation is the first; reprints are rare to nonexistent.
Burning Deck Press 1961–2017 · USA (Providence, Rhode Island)
- Letterpress craft house: identification is colophon-driven. A rear colophon typically states the edition size and distinguishes signed/numbered copies from the trade run; number lines are not the relevant…
- Many titles were printed in a single small edition with no reprint statement; the colophon's stated edition size, combined with the absence of any later-printing notice, identifies the issue.
- Signed/numbered limitation copies are a distinct state from the unsigned trade copies of the same edition.
C
C&T Publishing 1983-present · Lafayette / Concord, California, USA
- 1983-present (independent, founded by Carolie & Tom Hensley): Quilting, sewing and fiber-craft specialist. First printing is identified by a descending number line, commonly '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', with the…
- 2010-present: Added Stash Books (modern sewing, launched 2010) and FunStitch Studio (children's craft) sub-imprints, and acquired the Kansas City Star Quilts list in 2015 (with its My Stars and Star Stitch…
C. V. Mosby Company 1906-present (imprint continues under Elsevier) · United States (St. Louis, MO)
- 1906-c.1950: Incorporated 1906 by Charles Vernon Mosby in St. Louis as a medical, dental, nursing, allied-health and veterinary publisher. Texts are identified by the numbered EDITION on the title page and…
- c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; later impressions appear as dated reprint lines. First printing = the edition's original dated line with no later 'Reprinted' lines.
- 1989 (Mosby-Year Book): Times Mirror merged C. V. Mosby with Year Book Medical Publishers (and Wolfe Publishing and PSG Publishing) to form the 'Mosby-Year Book' imprint; copyright pages from this period…
- Edition statement on title/copyright page
- Number line (modern era)
- Absence of later-printing notice (older titles)
Candlewick Press 1992–present · US
- Full descending number line on copyright page; first printing ends in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) — the number-line position of '1' is the authoritative first-printing signal
- Often states 'First edition' or 'First U.S. edition' on the copyright page (Candlewick is the US arm of UK Walker Books, so many titles are 'First U.S. edition' of a prior UK Walker printing)
- Library binding / reinforced trade editions exist; check copyright page number line not binding
Canongate Books 1973-present · Scotland (Edinburgh)
- Modern trade titles (1990s onward) carry a British-style number line on the copyright page; a first printing has the digit 1 present, e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'.
- Copyright page also states 'First published in [year] by Canongate Books Ltd' (Edinburgh address); a first state has no later-impression notice and a number line that still includes the 1.
- For high-spot modern firsts such as Yann Martel's 'Life of Pi', confirm both the 1 in the number line and the 'First published in Great Britain by Canongate' statement, and beware book-club and export states.
Carnegie Mellon University Press 1972–present · USA (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- Series designation ('Carnegie Mellon Poetry Series') appears on the title or copyright leaf; firsts may also state 'First edition' with a year.
- Classic Contemporary Series titles are REISSUES of previously published collections — the CMU printing is not the world first edition; verify the original publisher and date before treating a CMU copy as a…
Cassell & Co. 1848-present · UK
- Pre-early-1920s: year printed on the TITLE PAGE of the first edition with the copyright page left blank; later printings carry a later copyright-page date or reprint note
- Early 1920s onward: "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" stated on the copyright page of firsts; subsequent printings noted
- First printing = era-appropriate (title-page date pre-1920s / copyright statement after) with no reprint notation
Catapult 2015–present · New York, NY (US)
- First printings state 'First Edition' (or 'First hardcover edition') on the copyright page.
- A descending number line ending in 1 accompanies it; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Reprints update the line and typically drop the 'First Edition' statement.
The Caxton Printers, Ltd. / Caxton Press 1925-present · Caldwell, Idaho, USA
- 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…
- 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.
Celadon Books 2017-present · US (New York)
- First printing shows a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the number line is the reliable tell
Celestial Arts 1969-c.2011 · San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA (later a Berkeley-based Ten Speed Press imprint)
- 1969-1983 (independent, founded by Hal Kramer in the San Francisco Bay Area): began with rock posters and broadsides, then new-age, health, cookery, and self-help how-to. First printings: earliest copyright…
- 1983-c.2011 (Ten Speed Press imprint, Berkeley CA): Ten Speed Press acquired Celestial Arts in 1983 and ran it as a subsidiary imprint. From that point Celestial Arts follows Ten Speed's number-line…
Cemetery Dance Publications 1988–present · US
- Limited states identified by a signature/limitation sheet near the front, e.g. 'This is one of 1000 signed Limited copies'
- Traycased LETTERED editions run either 26 (A–Z) or 52 (AA–ZZ) signed copies; there are NO second printings of lettered editions
- Numbered signed editions state the run on the limitation sheet; trade hardcovers follow standard number-line-with-1 / no-later-printing practice
Cengage Learning (reference/technical, incl. Course Technology) 2007-present (lineage to Thomson Learning) · United States (Boston / Stamford, CT)
- Pre-2007 (as Thomson Learning): Technical and reference titles are identified by edition statement plus copyright year; a number line, where present, indicates the printing (lowest surviving digit = printing).
- 2007-present (Cengage): The number line is standard on the copyright page (lowest surviving digit = printing). For continuously revised technical and reference texts the EDITION number is the identification…
- The Gale reference imprint under Cengage is identified by edition, volume, and year — see the separate Gale entry.
Center for Western Studies (Augustana University) 1978–present (Center founded 1964) · Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- 1978–c.2000: Small academic/regional press; first printings generally carry no 'first edition' statement. Later printings are noted when they occur (uncommon given small runs). A first printing shows a single…
- c.2000–present: A number line appears on many titles on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. CIP/ISBN block standard. Where no number line is present, treat a single…
- Limited/signed states and conference-proceedings volumes (the Dakota Conference series) exist — check for limitation or series statements.
Centipede Press 2001–present · USA (Lakewood, Colorado)
- Ultra-limited fine press: a printed limitation page (often at the rear) states a small numbered run, with the copy number and signatures identifying the issue; runs are usually in the low hundreds
- States are distinguished by binding and enclosure — cloth-bound copies in a slipcase are numbered in Arabic numerals, while full-leather deluxe copies in a traycase are designated with Roman numerals or…
- Most titles appear in a single deluxe edition, so the presence of the limitation leaf and completeness of signed plates and enclosure are the identifiers; note that limitation pages occasionally contain errors
The Century Company 1881-1933 (independent); 19c + early 20c · New York, USA
- 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).
Chapman & Hall 1830–1930 (Dickens era 1836–1870) · London, UK
- No edition statement on early firsts: identify by title-page date, absence of later-printing wording, and (for serialized novels) by the original part-issue versus the bound volume.
- For Dickens part-issues (Pickwick, Nicholas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewit, Our Mutual Friend, Edwin Drood), correct plates/etchings, advertisement slips, and wrapper states are the diagnostic points; Pickwick…
- Bound first editions: complete plates in correct states, half-titles, and original cloth; collate against Eckel and Hatton & Cleaver for Dickens.
Charles Scribner's Sons 1846-1978 (vintage convention 1930-1973) · US
- Pre-1930: Scribner seal/device plus month-and-year of publication on copyright page; first printings either carry matching dates on title page and copyright page or show no later printings noted.
- The famous capital 'A' on the copyright page denotes a first printing. Introduced late 1929 and used 1930-1973.
- Classic form 'A-3.64[H]': A = printing (A=1st, B=2nd...), 3.64 = March 1964 date, [H]=hardcover / [P]=paperback. Presence of leading 'A' = true first.
Charles Scribner's Sons trade
- The Scribner “A” on the copyright page (c.1930–1973)
- Number line (1974–present)
- Scribner seal / device
Charlesbridge Publishing 1989-present · US
- First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing
- Many titles also state 'First edition [year]'
Chatto & Windus 1855-present · UK
- No first-edition statement is the norm. Per the authoritative QBbooks/Bookman's and ILAB publisher guides: 'In general, no statement on first editions, although sometimes states "Published by Chatto & Windus"…
- The sometimes-present statement is 'Published by Chatto & Windus' WITHOUT a date, plus the printer's imprint (often R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh, in the early-mid 20th c.). Treat the claimed 'First published in…
- Chatto may have added a descending number line in the early 1990s; under Random House (purchased 1987) / Vintage (Penguin Random House), a number line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.
Cheloniidae Press c.1979–1990s · US
- Small letterpress limited editions with hand-numbered, often-signed colophons; original Robinson wood engravings/etchings (natural-history/animal subjects — the press name is the sea-turtle family)
- Deluxe states typically add an extra suite of signed prints and a special binding, stated in the colophon at a lower number range
- Signed by Alan James Robinson and collaborating writers; no number line — colophon is definitive
Chilton Book Company c.1958-c.1990 (trade) · Philadelphia / Radnor, Pennsylvania, USA
- c.1958-c.1970: trade first printings generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement; a stated later printing rules out a first.
- c.1970s onward: a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing.
- Automotive and technical manuals: numbered by EDITION/YEAR of coverage, not by a printing line — do not apply trade first-printing logic to the repair-manual series.
Chin Music Press 2002-present · Seattle, Washington (Pacific Northwest)
- 2002-present: Independent literary press (Seattle, Pike Place Market) known for design-driven, finely produced books. First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit…
- Era tell: founders Bruce Rutledge and Yuko Enomoto established the press in 2002 while living in Tokyo, so early titles focus on contemporary Japan; the Pike Place Market storefront opened in 2014, which…
ChiZine Publications (CZP) 2008–c.2019 · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- Trade first printings state 'First edition' on the copyright page, typically with a number line where the lowest digit present marks the printing; CZP is a trade house, so the number-line / stated-edition…
- Imprint branding on the title page (ChiTeen for YA, ChiGraphic for comics/graphic work) identifies the line; otherwise the parent CZP copyright-page conventions apply.
Chronicle Books 1967–present · US
- Number line on copyright page; first printing shows the complete descending line ending in 1
- Stated 'First Edition' / 'First published in [year]' appears on many titles, but high-design gift/illustrated titles often rely on the number line alone
- San Francisco publisher founded 1967; design-forward illustrated nonfiction, gift, and cookbooks — conventional modern identification
Chronicle Books (children's) / Levine Querido 1967–present (Chronicle); Levine Querido 2019–present · US
- Chronicle: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; frequently states 'First edition' and the year
- Levine Querido (founded 2019 by Arthur A. Levine): number line to 1; states 'First edition' — a distinct company from the former Arthur A. Levine Books at Scholastic
- First printing requires number line reaching 1
Cinco Puntos Press southwest
- Stated “First Edition” (primary method)
- Number line when present
- ISBN prefix
Citadel Press 1942-present (independent and Lyle Stuart era to 1989) · New York / Secaucus, New Jersey, USA
- Earlier independent era (c.1942-c.1960): a first printing is indicated by a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page or by the absence of any later-printing statement; a stated later printing rules out a…
- Under Lyle Stuart (c.1970-1989): firsts are commonly identified by the absence of a later-printing notice, and some titles add a number line, in which case the lowest digit (1) present indicates a first…
- Under Carol Publishing (1989-2000) and Kensington (2000 onward): standard number-line conventions apply, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing.
City Lights Books / City Lights Publishers 1955–present · US
- Early titles: a first has no additional printings listed on the copyright page (no number line in the early Beat era).
- Later titles: copyright page either states 'First Edition' or simply shows no later-printing notice; modern titles add a descending number line (1 present = first).
- Pocket Poets cover-state points: Nos. 1–6 have the pasted-on wraparound printed paper label tipped to the wrapper; from No. 7 a printed cover simulating that label design was used; from No. 21 (1967)…
Clarke, Irwin & Company 1930-1983 · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- 1930 to 1950s: founded 1930 by William H. Clarke and John C. W. Irwin (with Irene Irwin Clarke). First editions are identified by a dated copyright page with no later-printing notice; some carry 'First…
- 1950s to 1970s: trade, educational, and literary publishing; printing histories are sometimes listed, with later printings adding notices. No fully consistent number line.
- 1970s to 1983: some later titles adopt a number line, lowest number indicating the first printing. The firm was forced into receivership in 1983; assets passed to the Book Society of Canada, which became…
Clarkson Potter 1959–present · US (New York)
- Modern (Crown / Penguin Random House) convention: a true first printing states "First Edition" on the copyright page and carries a full number line whose lowest digit is 1; both signals normally appear…
- The lowest digit of the number line is the decisive tell. On heavily reprinted cookbooks the words "First Edition" can persist into later printings, so rely on a number line ending in 1, not the wording alone.
- Early independent Clarkson N. Potter era (1959–1970s): less consistent. Subsequent printings were typically noted while firsts often were not, so treat the absence of any later-printing notice plus the…
Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger c.1869–1880 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Mid-Atlantic US)
- c.1869–1880: first editions carry the full three-partner 'Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger, Philadelphia' imprint; there is no printed 'First Edition' statement, so identify by imprint form, the dated title…
- Dating tell: the three-partner imprint name is itself a date bracket. After George Remsen's death in 1880 the firm continued as E. Claxton & Co. (to its 1884 failure), so copies bearing the E. Claxton imprint…
- Address changes provide a finer date bracket: 819–821 Market Street (c.1868–1872), then 624–626–628 Market Street (1873–1880). For gift books and juveniles, the first issue is often judged by binding/gilt and…
Clear Light Publishers southwest
- ISBN prefixes 978-0-940666 and 978-1-57416
- Negative-evidence (no reprint language)
- Number line when present
Coach House Press / Coach House Books 1965-1996 (Press); 1997-present (Books) · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- Fine-press / small-press model: identification is colophon-driven. Check the back-of-book colophon for printing details, type and paper notes, and any limitation statement; a stated single printing with no…
- Many early Coach House titles were letterpress and produced in-house under the Coach House Printing device; signed or limited issues carry numbered or lettered colophons, and the limitation statement…
- Most titles did not go to second printings (small literary runs), so the absence of any reprint statement plus the first-appearance copyright year is the working rule.
Coffee House Press 1984–present (Toothpaste Press antecedent 1970s) · US
- Stated 'First Edition' / 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page on early printings is common for literary titles
- Descending number line ending in 1 indicates first printing (contemporary standard)
- Nonprofit literary press, Minneapolis, founded 1984 (grew out of Allan Kornblum's Toothpaste Press); fine-press lineage means some titles have notably designed copyright/colophon pages
Collins Crime Club 1930-1994 · UK
- Collins (UK) generally did NOT use 'First Edition' statements or number lines in the classic era; firsts are identified by the absence of later-printing/reprint notices on the copyright/verso page combined…
- For collected authors (Agatha Christie etc.), identification is point-driven: jacket price, rear-panel advertisements, and the famous Crime Club 'gunman' device on the jacket. 'A Crime Club Sixpenny' lettered…
- First-state jacket points are documented title-by-title (e.g., specific rear-panel ads — OXO, H. Samuel, Bravingtons — on early-1930s sixpenny issues).
Columbia University Press 1893–present · US
- Copyright page states later printings/editions; a first printing carries the copyright line with no subsequent-printing notice. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.
- Revised and expanded editions are explicitly dated and numbered on the copyright page.
- Many translation series (e.g., Translations from the Asian Classics) are reprinted/revised — check the printing history line.
Concordia Publishing House 1869-present · St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- 1869-1920s: official publisher of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, with much early output in German. No number line; identify firsts by copyright year, German vs. English text, and absence of a reprint or…
- 1920s-1960s: English output grows; explicit printing statements appear inconsistently. Copyright year plus absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first. The American Edition of 'Luther's Works' (CPH…
- 1960s-1980s: printing statements and printing-history lines, with later printings noted by an added line or year.
Constable & Co. Ltd c.1890-present (modern firm); historic Edinburgh house from 1795 · UK (London; historic predecessor Edinburgh)
- Late 1890s to about 1920 (the modern London Archibald Constable & Co.): firsts typically carry the date on the title page with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings remove the title-page date or add…
- About 1920 to about 1960: 'First published (year)' on the copyright page; a first impression lists no reprints, while later printings add dated reprint lines.
- About 1960 to about 1999: 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Constable & Co. Ltd' on the verso, with a first printing showing no additional impression statement.
Conway Maritime Press 1972-present · London, United Kingdom
- 1972-c.2000 (founded 1972, UK naval and maritime specialist): the copyright page states 'First published [year] by Conway Maritime Press' with no reprint line on a first; later printings add 'Reprinted…
- Reference series such as 'Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships' are issued in dated volumes by coverage span (e.g. 1860-1905, 1906-1921); the volume's coverage period and first-published date identify the…
- c.2000s-present (under Anova, then Bloomsbury from 2014): the 'First published'/reprint-line convention continues; 'Anatomy of the Ship' titles are occasionally reissued in revised form, stated explicitly.
Copper Canyon Press 1972–present · US
- Modern convention: first printing typically stated as 'First Printing' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page, frequently accompanied by a descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) — lowest digit 1…
- Absence of any later-printing line on the copyright page, combined with the stated first/number line, confirms a first.
- Letterpress / fine-press limited editions exist for some titles with a rear colophon stating the limitation and any signing — these are a separate, more valuable issue identified by the colophon.
Cormorant Books 1986-present · Canada (Toronto, Ontario; founded Dunvegan, Ontario)
- Literary fiction/nonfiction/translation house: modern titles state 'first edition' and carry a descending number line ('1' present = first printing) on the copyright page.
- Award-attention titles (Giller / Governor General's) reprint — verify the number line retains '1' and there is no later-printing statement.
- Older (pre-2000, Dunvegan-era) titles: rely on the original copyright year and the absence of reprint notes.
Cornell Maritime Press 1938-present (independent until 2009) · Founded New York City 1938; later operated from Centreville / Cambridge, Maryland, USA (now under Schiffer)
- 1938-c.1990 (founded 1938 by Felix Cornell to supply U.S. Merchant Marine textbooks): standard merchant-marine, seamanship, and navigation references. A first printing carries no later-printing notation;…
- Long-running professional reference titles (merchant-marine license study guides and seamanship texts) were revised across many editions. For these the EDITION number or date is the key identifier, and a…
- 2009-present (acquired by Schiffer Publishing of Atglen, Pennsylvania): post-acquisition reissues follow Schiffer's house number-line convention. The original Centreville/Cambridge, Maryland imprint signals…
Cornell University Press 1869–present · US
- First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions stated on the copyright page. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.
- Copyright page prints a printing line ('First published 19xx'); revised editions are dated and numbered.
- Comstock (natural history/science) and ILR (labor) imprints follow the same conventions.
Cosmopolitan Book Corporation 1913–1931 (1913–1919 as Hearst's International Library Co.; renamed Cosmopolitan Book Corporation 1919; sold to Farrar & Rinehart 1931) · New York, USA
- 1919–1931 (as Cosmopolitan Book Corporation): First printings carry the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page. This is the reliable tell — its absence, or a later-printing notice, indicates a reprint.…
- 1913–1919 (as Hearst's International Library Co.): No standardized first-edition statement is documented for this earlier imprint; identify by the Hearst's International Library imprint name plus a…
- After the 1931 sale to Farrar & Rinehart: titles continuing on the Cosmopolitan list follow Farrar & Rinehart practice; treat as a successor imprint.
Counterpoint Press 1994–present (consolidated 2007) · US
- Stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page typical for literary titles
- Descending number line ending in 1 on first printings (modern standard)
- Originally founded 1994 (Jack Shoemaker / Frank Pearl, Washington DC), reconstituted in Berkeley; complex lineage merging Counterpoint, Shoemaker & Hoard, and Soft Skull — current Counterpoint dates to 2007…
The Countryman Press 1973-present (a W. W. Norton imprint since 1996) · US (Vermont, then New York)
- 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…
- 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…
Countrysport Press 1980s-2000s · USA (founded Traverse City, Michigan; backlist later acquired by Down East Enterprise, Rockport, Maine; operations associated at points with New Albany, Indiana and Selma, Alabama)
- 1980s-1990s (independent era): Trade firsts generally state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page, or carry a descending number line in which the lowest digit present indicates the…
- 1980s-2000s: Many flagship wingshooting and fly-fishing titles were also issued in signed, numbered LIMITED editions (often full leather with gilt stamping, top-edge gilt, ribbon marker, and slipcase).…
- 2001 onward (after Down East Enterprise acquired the Countrysport list and folded its own Silver Quill imprint in): copyright pages follow standard number-line practice; cross-check any stated limitation…
Covici-Friede 1928–1937 (predecessors from 1922) · New York, USA
- 1928–1937: First editions carry no statement of printing on the copyright page; every later printing states its printing (e.g. 'Second Printing'). The absence of any printing statement indicates the first…
- The Chicago predecessor Covici-McGee stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page of its first editions; the Pascal Covici imprint (c.1924–1928) followed similar small-press practice.
- Many Covici-Friede titles were limited or signed editions with explicit limitation statements — check the limitation notice to establish limited-versus-trade priority.
Coward-McCann 1928-1970s · US
- Generally inconsistent in marking first editions; subsequent printings were usually noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice is the baseline signal (always cross-check title-level point guides).
- Until the mid-1930s: a torch-design colophon on the copyright page typically marked first editions; the torch portion of the colophon was removed on subsequent printings.
- After 1935: 'First American Edition' stated on the copyright page for books first published OUTSIDE the US; NO statement made on books first published in the US (so a US-first book carries no edition…
Cranium Press c.1966-1980s · San Francisco, California, USA
- c.1966-1980s: First/only edition by the COLOPHON or imprint line; the press of Clifford Burke, a key figure in the San Francisco small-press and poetry scene. The colophon states the limitation, the type, and…
- Broadsides: identify by the Cranium Press imprint line and any stated limitation; many were small runs for Bay Area poets (Cranium Press broadsides are documented from at least 1967).
- Note Clifford Burke's authorship of 'Printing Poetry' (1980) and 'Printing It'; the press is closely tied to the West Coast poetry-printing movement.
CRC Press 1903-present (Taylor & Francis imprint) · United States (origin Cleveland, OH; later Boca Raton, FL)
- Origin 1903-c.1970: The Chemical Rubber Company was founded in 1903 in Cleveland, Ohio (by the Friedman brothers) as a rubber-laboratory-supply firm; its publishing arm became CRC Press. It is famous for the…
- c.1970-2003: Expanded into engineering and science monographs and references (acquiring Lewis Publishers and the Auerbach line); a number line where present uses the lowest digit for the printing, while the…
- Post-2003: Acquired by Taylor & Francis (an Informa subsidiary); modern titles carry the CRC/Taylor & Francis imprint and house number-line style, and CRC is now also presented under Routledge/Taylor &…
Creative Age Press 1942-c.1951 · New York, USA
- 1942-c.1951: First printings generally carry no consistent printed 'First Edition' statement. Identify a first by the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page; later printings,…
- After the c.1951 acquisition by Farrar, Straus (then Farrar, Straus & Young), continuing titles follow Farrar, Straus copyright-page practice rather than independent Creative Age practice.
Crest / Fawcett Crest 1955-1980s · US
- First printing: Fawcett gave no general first-edition statement but DID note subsequent printings, so a first is identified by the ABSENCE of any later-printing line; documented firsts read 'First Crest…
- The catalog number, often with a letter-price prefix, is a title/price-era identifier, not a printing count.
- A price bump on the same catalog number indicates a reprint.
The Crime Club / Doubleday Crime Club 1928-1991 · US
- 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…
- 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…
Crippen & Landru 1994-present · US
- Most titles issued in TWO simultaneous states: (1) a clothbound edition, signed and numbered (limited, e.g., 'one of 150/300/400 copies'), and (2) a trade softcover. The limitation page/colophon states the…
- Limited clothbound copies are numbered (e.g., '16/400') and signed by the author and/or editor; many include a separately printed bonus chapbook/pamphlet laid in — presence of the chapbook is a state point.
- Trade softcover is the first softcover edition (not a reprint of the cloth); identify by copyright-page edition statement and absence of limitation/signature.
The Crossing Press 1963-2002 (independent); thereafter a Ten Speed Press imprint · Trumansburg, New York, then Freedom, California, USA
- 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…
- 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…
Crossway 1938-present (Crossway book division established late 1978) · Wheaton (Crossway division); parent Good News Publishers founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- 1938-1978 (as Good News Publishers): primarily a tract publisher; the book imprint did not yet exist. For the rare early book, rely on copyright year and absence of any reprint or later-printing notice.
- Crossway division established late 1978 under Lane T. Dennis. From inception, trade titles carry a number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a first printing shows…
- 2001-present: publisher of the English Standard Version (ESV), first released October 2001 (the ESV Classic Reference Bible). Trade titles use a number line, often alongside a year line, with the lowest value…
Crown Publishers 1933–present · US
- Pre-1970s: NO first-edition statement; first printings identified by the ABSENCE of any later-printing notation on the copyright page. Later printings were noted.
- 1970s onward: began using both a number row AND the words 'First Edition'.
- From c.1980: stated 'First Edition' together with a descending number line ending in 1 — the modern reliable test.
Cuala Press 1902–1946 (Dun Emer 1902–08; Cuala 1908–46, later revivals) · Ireland
- Hand-press limited editions on Irish handmade paper, printed with Caslon type; printed colophon giving a small stated limitation (often a few hundred)
- The Cuala (or earlier Dun Emer) device/colophon and the 'Press' statement identify the issue and era — Dun Emer (1902–08) vs. Cuala (1908 on)
- First Yeats editions: many W. B. Yeats first appearances were issued by Cuala in small limitations — identify by the colophon and the dated Cuala imprint
The Cummington Press (and Abattoir Editions) 1941-1985 (Duncan's tenure) · Cummington, Massachusetts; later Iowa City, Iowa & Omaha, Nebraska (Harry Duncan)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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,…
Cupples & Leon Company 1902–1956 · New York, NY
- 1902–c.1930s: publisher of inexpensive children's series books and early comic-strip reprint volumes. First printings carry no edition statement; the earliest printing is identified by the rear…
- c.1930s–1956: continued series books and comic-strip reprint volumes (Bringing Up Father, Mutt and Jeff, Little Orphan Annie, and others). Later printings are distinguished by expanded ad lists and altered…
Curbstone Press 1975-2010 independent; 2010-present as Northwestern UP imprint · USA (Willimantic, CT)
- Independent era (1975-2010): first printing identified by 'First edition'/'First printing' and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.
- On bilingual/translation titles, the first English-language Curbstone printing is governed by the Curbstone copyright-page statement, regardless of any prior Spanish-language publication.
- Northwestern era (2010-present): follows Northwestern University Press house practice — a 'First [Edition]' statement with number line; first printing = line ending in 1. Treat post-2010 titles as…
Custom House 2016–c.2023 · US (New York)
- First printing shows a complete number line counting down to 1 (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) with no later-printing notice
- Often accompanied by a printed "FIRST EDITION" statement on the copyright page, following standard HarperCollins/William Morrow practice
D
D. Appleton & Company 1830s-1940s · US
- Numerical identification in parentheses/brackets at the FOOT OF THE LAST PAGE of text: '(1)' = first printing, '(2)' = second, etc.
- May occasionally have used a 'First Edition' statement instead of the foot-of-last-page number.
- Match title-page date with single date on copyright page.
D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company 1868-1904 · Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA)
- 1868-c.1887 (D. Lothrop & Co.): no printed edition statement; a juvenile, religious, and gift-book house. First printing by title-page date matching copyright date and the earliest-dated bound-in catalogue;…
- c.1887-1892 (D. Lothrop Company): same no-statement practice. Daniel Lothrop died in March 1892.
- 1895-1904 (Lothrop Publishing Company): the assets of D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company were reorganized under a new Lothrop Publishing Company organized under Maine law in April 1895; conventions…
D. Van Nostrand Company 1848-c.1997 (as active imprint) · United States (New York / Princeton, NJ)
- 1848-c.1940: Founded 1848 by David Van Nostrand; scientific, technical, military, and engineering reference (the 'Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia' began in 1938). Early titles generally carried no…
- c.1940-1968: Edition statements appear on revised references, and a number line was adopted gradually (lowest surviving digit = printing where present). 'Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia' is identified…
- 1968-c.1997 (Van Nostrand Reinhold): In 1968 Litton acquired D. Van Nostrand and Chapman-Reinhold and merged them into Van Nostrand Reinhold; STM/technical and art/architecture titles under the VNR imprint…
Da Capo Press 1964-present · US (New York / Boston)
- Earliest era (founded 1964 as a music-reprint division of Plenum Publishing): primarily a reprint and facsimile house, so many 'first' Da Capo printings are reissues of older works — 'first edition' here…
- Trade era (general trade from the mid-1970s, under Perseus from 1999 and Hachette from the 2010s): standard descending number line on the copyright page (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest digit indicates the…
- No consistent separate 'First Edition' statement across the catalog — rely on the number line.
Dalkey Archive Press 1984–present (Deep Vellum from 2021) · US
- Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' / 'First printing' often with a descending number line; '1' indicates first printing.
- Many Dalkey titles are reprints/translations of older works — the Dalkey edition is a 'first thus' (first Dalkey/first US/first English-language edition), which the copyright page and…
- First lacks later-printing notice.
Dark Harvest 1984-1991 · Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA
- 1984-1991: horror specialty press best known for the Night Visions anthology series; titles were issued as limited signed firsts alongside trade hardcover firsts - the signed/numbered limitation page…
- Night Visions volumes: limited, signed first editions (signed by the contributors, and sometimes the introducer and artist); limitation counts varied by volume - some were limited to around 500 numbered…
- Trade hardcover firsts state 'First Edition' on the copyright page and were released alongside the limited issues; out-of-series presentation copies also exist.
Dark Horse Comics 1986-present · USA (Milwaukie, OR)
- Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the indicia/copyright page states 'First edition:' or 'First printing:' with month and year; later printings update the wording.
- Many Dark Horse collected editions print a printing-history line that adds dates as printings accrue — a first printing shows a single date.
- Floppy issues: a first printing has no printing statement; later printings state the printing in the indicia.
David McKay Company 1882-c.1990 · Philadelphia / New York, USA
- 1882-c.1950: NO reliable first-edition statement of any kind; firsts and reprints are often indistinguishable from the copyright page alone — rely on earliest-state points, binding, jacket, and title-page…
- c.1950-c.1975: later printings begin to be noted on the copyright page, so the ABSENCE of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.
- c.1975 onward: a number-line system is used; the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing.
David Philip Publishers 1971-c.2000 (succeeded by New Africa Books) · South Africa (Cape Town)
- Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd' (Claremont / Cape Town); the first printing has no reprint or later-impression line.
- British-style convention — no number line; rely on the 'First published' year together with the absence of an impression/reprint notice.
- An Africasouth Paperbacks series line dates the paperback state; a New Africa Books imprint line (post-2000) indicates the later corporate era, not a David Philip-era first.
David R. Godine, Publisher 1970-present · US (Boston / Jaffrey, New Hampshire)
- Generally prints a 'First edition' or 'First printing' statement on the copyright page; later printings note the printing.
- Many titles also carry a number line; '1' present = first printing.
- Fine-press/limited and letterpress titles are identified by colophon (stating limitation number, paper, and press) rather than a trade number line.
DAW Books 1971–present · US
- PRIMARY tell is the DAW 'collector's number' (sequential book number), NOT a conventional number line — through June 1984 it sat inside the yellow logo box on the front cover/spine; from mid-1984 it was moved…
- First printings carry a 'First Printing, <Month Year>' statement on the copyright page; absence of any later-printing notation plus the first-printing date confirms a first
- Cross-check the DAW book number against the title's known first-printing number; reprints reuse the same collector's number, so rely on the printing statement / price for state
DC Comics (collected editions: TPB / HC / Omnibus / Absolute / Archive) collected-edition program: 1980s-present (Archive Editions since 1989; Absolute since 2005; Omnibus line from the mid-to-late 2000s) · USA (Burbank, CA / New York, NY)
- Indicia/copyright page carries the publisher block ('Copyright © [year] DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.'), ISBN, and a printing statement: a first printing states 'First Printing', often with no later dates,…
- Modern DC collected editions use a descending number line in the indicia ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest number present is the printing, so '1' present indicates a first printing.
- Reprints add a printing-history line or update the number line by dropping the '1'; first printings have only the original date and the full number line ending in 1.
Deep Vellum Publishing 2013-present · Dallas, Texas, USA
- 2013-present (Deep Vellum imprint): First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. Titles are…
- Dalkey Archive under Deep Vellum (relaunch from 2022): reissued and new Dalkey titles carry Deep Vellum's imprint and follow its number-line practice; check the imprint/publisher line and copyright date to…
Delacorte Press 1921–present · US (New York)
- "First printing" or "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, frequently paired with a number line ending in 1
- Vonnegut-era Delacorte / Seymour Lawrence books: look for an explicit "First printing" statement on the copyright page (e.g. Slaughterhouse-Five is a stated first printing)
Dell (Mapbacks / paperback originals) 1943-1960s · US
- Dell-number identification: every Dell paperback carried a sequential Dell number. Mapbacks run roughly #5 to ~#550 (books #1-4 had no map). The Dell number plus the back-cover map/keyhole-eye logo…
- First printing of a given Dell number is identified by the absence of any reprint/printing notice on the copyright page and a price matching the era; many Dell mapbacks are effectively single-printing, so the…
- Back cover bears a pictorial 'map' (or chart/blueprint) of the scene of the crime, with a front-cover banner sometimes reading 'with crime map on back cover'; 'eye-in-keyhole' logo on the front.
Dell Publishing 1942–present · US
- Mass-market originals: copyright page shows a printing statement; a true first lists only 'First printing (date)' or a number line including 1 with no later printings.
- Delacorte Press hardcovers (the Dell trade-hardcover line) typically state 'First printing' / 'First Edition' and use a number line ending in 1.
- Older Dell mapbacks/paperbacks identified by series number and the absence of reprint notations rather than a stated edition.
Dennis McMillan Publications 1980s–2000s · US (Miami Beach, FL; later Tucson, AZ)
- The first edition is a signed, numbered limited: a printed limitation page (often in a distinctive ink such as red) states the total edition and gives the copy number, signed by the author on the limitation…
- Hardcover, usually issued in dustjacket; the limitation statement and author signature on the limitation/colophon leaf are the controlling first-edition points.
- Some titles had a scarcer lettered or specially-bound deluxe sub-state above the numbered run — check whether the copy is numbered or lettered, lettered being the scarcer state.
The Derrydale Press 1927-1942 (original); revived 1971-present · USA (New York, NY)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Deseret Book Company 1866/1919-present · Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- 1866-1920s (Deseret News Bookstore / early roots): The LDS Church's official bookstore and publisher; lineage traces to George Q. Cannon & Sons (1866), purchased by the Deseret News in 1901 to become the…
- 1919/1920 (Deseret Book Company formed October 1919 by merger of the Deseret News Bookstore and the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore; name adopted 1920) - 1960s: printing and edition statements appear…
- 1960s-1980s: number and printing-history lines emerge; earliest single year with no added printings indicates a first.
Destiny Books 1980s-present · USA (imprint of Inner Traditions, Rochester VT)
- 1980s-present (imprint of Inner Traditions): follows the same standard modern-trade practice as the Inner Traditions parent, a descending number line such as '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' in which the lowest number…
- General: revised editions are restated with a fresh number line and 'Second Edition' (or similar) wording, so verify both the edition statement and the line.
Detective Book Club (Walter J. Black) 1942-1990s · US
- These are BOOK-CLUB editions by design — they are NOT first editions. Identification is the inverse skill: recognizing a DBC volume so it is not mistaken for a first.
- Tells: three novels bound in one omnibus volume; uniform binding/jacket styling across the series; no original publisher's price; cheaper paper; often 'Detective Book Club' on spine/jacket and a…
- Blind-stamped dimple or absence of a true first-edition statement; jacket lacks an original publisher price.
Dewi Lewis Publishing 1994–present (Cornerhouse Publications lineage 1987–1994) · UK (Stockport/Manchester)
- Colophon states 'First published in [year] by Dewi Lewis Publishing'; for a first there is no added reprint line, and this first-published statement is the primary identifier.
- Reprints are stated ('Reprinted [year]' or 'Second edition'); UK convention adds reprint lines rather than deleting from a descending number line.
- Most titles are single-printing photobooks, so the absence of a reprint line together with the original ISBN supports a first.
Dey Street Books 2014–present (as It Books 2009–2014) · US (New York)
- True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1.
- On later printings the lowest digit rises above 1 and the "First Edition" statement is typically removed.
Dial Books for Young Readers 1924–present (children's imprint formalized 1961) · US
- Modern (Penguin/Dial era): full descending number line on copyright page; first printing reaches '1' (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- Often paired with 'First Edition' or 'First American Edition' statement
- Mid-20th century Dial Press parent: pre-mid-1960s matched title-page and copyright-page dates; late 1960s stated 'First Printing (Year)'
Dial Press 1924–present · US
- Pre-mid-1960s (classic Dial, incl. early Baldwin/Mailer firsts): first edition identified by the SAME DATE appearing on both the title page and the copyright page, with no later-printing statement. Early…
- Mid/late-1960s to ~1980: first printings stated 'First Printing (Year)' on the copyright page, with subsequent printings explicitly noted.
- Circa 1980s onward: a descending number line/number row; presence of '1' indicates first printing. This convention began under Doubleday-era ownership, BEFORE the Random House revival — it is not exclusively…
The Dial Press (early) 1923–1945 (early period) · New York, USA
- 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…
- 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…
- 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,…
Disney-Hyperion / Disney Publishing Worldwide (children's) 1991–present (Hyperion children's); Disney-Hyperion brand from 2008 · US
- First printing: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a number line that includes 1
- Lowest digit present in the number row = the printing; 1 indicates first edition, first printing
DK Eyewitness (Dorling Kindersley) 1993-present · United Kingdom (London); Penguin Random House
- Identify by the copyright-page number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' (lowest digit present = printing) combined with a 'First published in [year]' statement and any 'Reprinted with revisions' year list.
- 1993-2000s: series launched 1993, copyright held by 'Dorling Kindersley Limited, London'. A true first printing shows the original publication year and carries NO 'Reprinted with revisions' year list.
- Revised editions: the copyright page accumulates a 'Reprinted with revisions' year list, and the number line on a revised reprint will have lost the '1' — both mark a non-first printing.
Dodd, Mead & Company 1870s-1980s · US
- Prior to 1976: firsts have NO additional printings listed on the copyright page (no number line, no later-printing notice).
- Late 1976 onward: a sequence of numbers on the copyright page with '1' present indicates the first printing.
Dodd, Mead & Company (Red Badge Detective) 1930s-1980s · US
- Dodd, Mead generally stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page for firsts; the statement is removed on later printings (standard mid-century practice).
- Red Badge Detective books carry the Red Badge device/colophon; first printing = 'First Edition' stated with no later-printing notice and a price-present jacket.
- Match jacket price and rear-panel ads to first-state points for collected authors.
Donald M. Grant, Publisher 1964-present · USA (West Kingston, Rhode Island)
- Limitation/colophon page states the print run; many titles issued in signed limited and trade states — the limitation leaf and signature identify the limited first
- Trade firsts: confirm 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page where present, with no later-printing notice; verify the illustrator plates and binding/slipcase match the issued state
- Stephen King 'The Gunslinger' (1982) first Grant edition: 'First Edition' stated on copyright page, brown/maroon cloth boards gilt-lettered, Michael Whelan plates, unclipped jacket; no later-printing statement
Dorothy, a Publishing Project 2010-present · St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- 2010-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback…
Doubleday 1897–present · US
- 1897–c.1920s (Doubleday & McClure / Doubleday, Page): first editions have the SAME date on title page and copyright page with no other printings mentioned.
- Early 1920s–1927: began stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page (not always on books first published outside the US); by 1927 (Doubleday, Doran) used 'First Edition' consistently.
- Mid-1958–early 1959: numerical gutter code (1–52) on the last page of text indicating the WEEK of printing. Early 1959–1987: added a LETTER code before the week code indicating the YEAR.
Doubleday trade
- Stated "First Edition" on the copyright page (no statement on later printings)
- Gutter codes (mid-1958 to mid-1987) as a dating cross-reference
Douglas & McIntyre 1971-2012 (original D&M Publishers); 2013-present (Douglas & McIntyre 2013 Ltd.) · Canada (Vancouver/Madeira Park, British Columbia)
- Modern D&M trade titles state 'First edition' and/or carry a number line ('1' present = first printing) on the copyright page.
- Co-publications (D&M frequently co-published with US/UK houses) require establishing the Canadian first by date and the D&M imprint on the title page.
- For older titles, absence of any later-printing/reprint statement plus the first-appearance year is the working rule.
Dover Publications 1941-present · Mineola (formerly New York), New York, USA
- 1941-present (general rule): Dover is overwhelmingly a reprint/republication house; most of its books are NOT first editions of their texts. The copyright page states the original publication and reads, in…
- 1941-c.1970: On early Dover editions the first Dover printing is identified by the republication statement's year together with the absence of any later-printing line; the price was often printed on the rear…
- c.1970-present: Many Dover titles carry a number line; the first Dover printing shows the full sequence ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or a letter line) with the lowest value present indicating the printing. The…
Dover Publications (Music & Performing Arts) 1941-present · USA (New York; Mineola, NY)
- 1941-present (general rule): Dover is overwhelmingly a REPRINT publisher; most music scores and music/film/theatre books are unabridged republications of earlier editions, so the relevant 'first' is the first…
- All eras — first Dover printing tell: A true first Dover printing carries no later-printing notation; later Dover printings are commonly re-run silently, so collectors rely on the 'first published in YYYY'…
- Music scores: Dover full-size and miniature scores reproduce older engraved plates (frequently Breitkopf & Hartel, Peters, etc.); the 'Dover edition first published YYYY' line dates the Dover issue, while the…
Doves Press 1900–1916 · UK
- Hand-press limited editions in the single proprietary 'Doves' type; austere typography with no illustration, occasional calligraphic initials by Edward Johnston (often hand-painted in red)
- Printed colophon with stated limitation; copies on paper plus a small number on VELLUM (distinct sub-state)
- The Doves bindery dove device / the press colophon authenticates; handmade paper
Down East Books 1967-present · New England (Camden / Rockport, Maine)
- 1967-1980s (Down East Magazine/Enterprise era): No reliable 'First Edition' slug on early titles. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching the publication year with no later-printing…
- 1980s-2000s: Mixed practice. Some titles state 'First Edition' or 'First printing'; a number line (lowest number present indicates the printing) appears on later titles. Where no printing statement is…
- c. 2015-present (Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield ownership): Follows the Globe Pequot/Rowman & Littlefield house convention - a copyright-page printing line and/or number line in which the lowest digit…
Dramatists Play Service 1936–present · USA (New York, NY)
- 1936–present (acting-edition model): founded in 1936 by members of the Dramatists Guild. Publishes inexpensive paperbound acting editions intended for licensing, not collectible trade firsts. These are…
- All eras — first-issue tell: the earliest issue carries only the original copyright year, with no added later copyright dates and no revised-edition note. Later states accrue additional copyright years…
- Ownership for dating later copies: DPS was acquired by Broadway Licensing in 2021 (as part of Broadway Licensing Global, alongside Playscripts and Stage Rights). Broadway Licensing Global was then acquired by…
Drawn & Quarterly 1990-present · Canada (Montreal, QC)
- Book-trade publisher: the copyright page states 'First edition' and/or 'First printing' with a month and year; many titles also carry a descending number line (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') where the lowest…
- First printing = the lowest number in the line is '1' and/or explicit 'First edition' wording with no later-printing statement.
- Distributed in the US by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (a Macmillan imprint), so many D+Q copyright pages follow Macmillan-style number-line formatting; confirm the '1' is present in the line.
Duell, Sloan & Pearce 1939–1961 (independent imprint; became a Meredith affiliate March 1961) · New York, USA
- 1939–1961: First printings are marked either with the words 'First Edition' OR with a Roman numeral 'I' on the copyright page. Later printings are denoted similarly — e.g., 'Second Printing' or 'II.' The…
- From 1951: Little, Brown handled manufacturing, warehousing, promotion, and selling; the two firms stayed independent but books carried both imprints. The joint 'Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown'…
- From March 1961: the firm became an affiliate of Meredith Publishing Company; later imprints are a Meredith property — apply successor rules.
Duke University Press 1921–present · US
- Modern titles carry a number line on the copyright page; lowest number present = printing ('1' = first).
- First printings otherwise show only the copyright line; later printings/editions noted.
- Revised editions explicitly dated and numbered.
Dutton 1852–present · US
- Historic E.P. Dutton (founded 1852): first printings often identified by the absence of later-printing statements; many mid-century titles state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing'.
- Number line / 'W' codes and date codes appear on some 20th-century Dutton books.
- Modern Dutton (Penguin): states 'First Edition' with a descending number line ending in 1.
E
E. P. Dutton & Company 1880s-1990s · US
- Pre-1929: same date on title page and copyright page, no additional printings listed.
- 1929 onward: state 'First Published (year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page.
- 1993 onward: 'First Printing (month, year)' plus a number sequence with '1' present.
Earthling Publications c.1998-present · Northborough, Massachusetts, USA
- c.2000-present: signed limited hardcovers; the numbered/lettered limitation page identifies the first - generally single-printing limited editions.
- Halloween Series (2004-present): standard volumes limited to 300 signed and numbered copies (plus a small lettered/deluxe state for some); the '#/300' limitation identifies the standard limited first.
- Series numbering tell: Mr. Dark's Carnival by Glen Hirshberg (2004) was an ultra-limited run of only 15 signed copies and is counted as #0; Blood Red is #1 - so the canonical series number on early titles is…
Easton Press 1975–present · US
- Most Easton Press volumes are leather-bound REPRINTS (not firsts) — full leather, gilt edges, moiré endpapers, satin ribbon marker, raised spine bands, and a hubbed gilt-stamped spine
- Their genuine first editions come via the 'Signed First Edition' / 'Signed First Edition Society' programs: a bound-in signature leaf signed by the author, plus statements identifying it as a first edition,…
- A Collector's Notes pamphlet often accompanies the volume; a numbered 'edition' COA or limitation may appear for special signed/limited runs
Ecco 1971–present · US
- Independent Ecco Press era (1971–1999): typically stated 'First Edition' / 'First printing' and/or first printings identified by absence of later printings; many were trade paperbacks and poetry.
- HarperCollins-era Ecco (1999–present): states 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.
- Reliable modern test: 'First Edition' + line-to-1.
Ecco Press 1971–present (HarperCollins from 1999) · US
- Independent era (1971–1999): copyright page typically states 'First Edition' or 'First Printing'; number line may appear on later titles (descending, 1 = first).
- HarperCollins era (1999 onward): follows Harper convention — 'FIRST EDITION' stated AND a number line; on Harper imprints the presence of the '1' in the number line is the decisive point.
- First lacks later-printing notice in both eras.
ECW Press 1974 (journal founded); 1979-present (book publishing) · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- Modern ECW titles state 'first edition' and carry a number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.
- For pop-culture/nonfiction titles that reprint, verify that the number line drops digits on later printings.
- Earlier ECW (Essays on Canadian Writing era) scholarly/literary titles: rely on the copyright year and the absence of reprint statements.
Edinburgh University Press 1949-present · Edinburgh, Scotland
- 1949-c.1990: British-convention copyright page. First printing typically states 'First published [year]' with '© [year] Edinburgh University Press' and carries NO reprint note; matching title-page and…
- c.1990-present: 'First published [year]' on the verso, frequently accompanied by a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression). A full line running to 1 with no reprint statement indicates a…
Epicenter Press 1988-present · Fairbanks, Alaska then Kenmore, Washington (Alaska / Pacific NW)
- 1988-c.2000 (Fairbanks era): First printings often carry no number line; identify by a copyright/publication year that matches first appearance and by a 'First printing' or 'First edition' statement where…
- c.2000-present: Descending number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing. Many titles are trade-paperback originals, so a stated 'first edition' may mean the first paperback…
- Velma Wallis's 'Two Old Women' (1993): the Epicenter edition precedes the later HarperCollins/HarperPerennial trade-paperback license, so the true first is the Epicenter printing. Verify the Epicenter imprint…
Eremite Press 1983-1989 · Leeds (Northampton area), Massachusetts, USA
- Eremite Press was the imprint name Leonard Baskin used for his Gehenna Press output from 1983 (beginning with Unknown Dutch Artists) through 1989 (ending with Fancies, Bizarries & Ornamented Grotesques), with…
- Identify by the Eremite Press imprint on the title page or colophon, dated within the 1983-1989 window, paired with Baskin-circle fine-press production (wood engravings, hand-press work). As fine-press…
Estes & Lauriat / Dana Estes & Company 1872-1914; antiquarian · Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- No house first-edition statement; for 19th-century books match the title-page date to the copyright date and look for the absence of any later-printing or later-edition notice.
- The imprint name dates the book: 'Estes & Lauriat' = 1872-1898; 'Dana Estes & Company' = 1898 onward — the 1898 partnership split is a clean cutoff.
- Caution: this firm was a heavy reprinter and price-cutter of standard authors and illustrated gift books (and ran the Aldine cheap editions), so many Estes books are reprints or later editions rather than…
Europa Editions 2005–present · US
- Copyright page states 'First publication [year] by Europa Editions' / 'First Edition'; English-translation first printings note the translation copyright and first English-language publication
- Descending number line ending in 1 where present (modern standard)
- US-based (New York) English-language arm of Italy's Edizioni E/O, founded 2005; identification is conventional
F
F+W (F+W Media / F+W Publications / Writer's Digest Books) 1913-2019 (as F+W; book assets continue under successors) · Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- 1913-2002 (F&W Publishing / F&W Publications; founded 1913 in Cincinnati, the name drawn from its early magazines Farm Quarterly and Writer's Digest): practical how-to, craft, and art-instruction publisher…
- 2002-2019 (F+W Media; aggressive acquisition era): acquired Krause (2002), David & Charles, Interweave, Adams Media and many craft and hobby brands. The number-line convention continues across imprints;…
- 2019 (Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed March 2019; assets sold June 2019): Penguin Random House acquired F+W's book lists at the June 2019 auction; the magazine and e-commerce brands went to other buyers.…
F. A. Davis Company 1879-present · United States (Philadelphia, PA)
- 1879-c.1960: Founded 1879 by Frank Allston Davis; a medical, nursing, and allied-health house. On continuously revised references the EDITION statement on the title page is the identification unit, and a…
- c.1960-present: A number line, where present, indicates the printing (lowest digit shown = that printing). For flagship references that are reissued by edition (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Davis's…
F. Tennyson Neely 1888–c.1903 · Chicago & New York, with a London branch (US subscription/mail-order and cheap-library publisher)
- 1888–c.1903: cheap-library and mail-order publisher; issues carry the 'F. Tennyson Neely' imprint (Chicago and New York, with London added in 1897) — no first-edition statement, so identify by imprint form,…
- Series titles (Neely's Library/Booklet Library): the series number and the bound-in ad list date the issue; reused plates make catalog/ad state the practical first-issue tell.
- Priority between cloth and paper-wrapper issues is judged by advertisements and price, not by any printed statement.
Faber & Faber 1929-present (Faber & Gwyer from 1925) · UK
- First printings state "First published in [Year]" (often "First published in mcmxxxx") on the copyright/verso page, with no list of later impressions
- Prior to 1968 the year was set in ROMAN NUMERALS (e.g. 'First published in mcmliv'); from 1968 onward Arabic numerals were used — a key dating tell
- Since WWII the month was generally dropped from the statement (pre-war statements sometimes named the month)
Faber Music 1965-present · UK (London)
- A printed-music publisher (scores, songbooks, contemporary classical): most product is sheet music identified by a plate/catalog number and edition designation, not by a trade-book printer's number line.
- First issues of a given score are identified by the original plate number and the absence of later-impression notices; reprints often carry a 'Reprinted' notice with a year.
- Where Faber Music issues bound trade-style books, a number line may appear; otherwise rely on plate/catalog numbers.
Faber-style note: book-club & confusions (cross-publisher) 1930s-1990s (peak UK book-club era) · UK
- UK book-club editions typically OMIT the price from the dust-jacket flap and/or carry a small blind-stamped dot/dimple on the rear board (BCA, World Books) — these are NOT trade firsts even if the copyright…
- Book-club copies often have cheaper paper, no price, a printed jacket credit line ('This edition... by arrangement with...'), and sometimes a stated 'Book Club edition'
- True UK trade first = priced dust jacket (un-clipped), 'First published [year]' statement, no club arrangement line, no blind dimple
Falcon Publishing (FalconGuides) 1979-present · USA (Helena, Montana; later Guilford, Connecticut)
- 1979-2000 (independent Falcon Press/Publishing, Helena, MT): Trade firsts state 'First Edition'/'First Printing' and/or use a descending number line ('1' present = first printing). Guidebooks are frequently…
- 2000-present (Falcon as a Globe Pequot Press, later Rowman & Littlefield, imprint): Globe Pequot house style — descending number line where the lowest surviving digit gives the printing; a year line may…
- All eras: For the 'Hiking [State]'/'[State] Hiking Guide' and 'Best Easy Day Hikes' series, confirm EDITION currency (trail data, maps) in addition to the printing statement — many titles cycle through…
Fantagraphics Books 1976-present · USA (Seattle, WA)
- Book-format collections follow standard book-trade conventions: the copyright page carries a 'First printing' or 'First edition' statement with month and year (e.g. 'First printing: September 2019').
- Subsequent printings update the statement to 'Second printing,' etc.; the absence of any higher-printing statement, together with the original stated month, is the first-printing tell.
- Most modern Fantagraphics hardcovers and trade paperbacks use an explicit printing-month line rather than a descending number line; check the line immediately under the copyright/ISBN block.
Fantasy Press 1946–1961 · US
- Trade first edition: copyright page typically without later-printing notation; check against the known single print run (~3,000 copies)
- Signed/limited state is identified by a tipped-in or bound-in 'limitation leaf' after the title page, stating the limitation number and signed by the author (anywhere from ~250 to 500 numbered/signed copies…
- Trade copies lack the limitation leaf; presence of the numbered, author-signed leaf marks the limited issue
- “First printed [Year]” / “First published [Year]” statement
- No number line — the statement is the sole identifier
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers (FSG BYR) 1946–present · US
- FSG house convention applies: descending number line on copyright page; first printing ends in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- FSG historically did NOT state 'First Edition' — relied on the number line; a first printing is identified by the line reaching 1 with no later-printing date added
- Some titles add 'First edition, (Year)' on copyright page in modern era; number line still controls
Fawcett Gold Medal 1950-1970s · US
- Gold Medal pioneered the PAPERBACK ORIGINAL — so the Gold Medal paperback is itself the first edition (no prior hardcover) for most of its crime/noir list. Identification centers on first-PRINTING points, not…
- First printing is identified by the Gold Medal serial number and the copyright-page printing notice: a true first usually has NO 'Second printing'/'Third printing' line; later printings explicitly state the…
- Gold Medal numbering began at 101 (e.g., 'The Persian Cat' = 103). The serial number and cover price help fix the printing/era; reissues were given new numbers and/or new cover prices.
Fedogan & Bremer 1985-present · Minneapolis, Minnesota / Nampa, Idaho, USA
- 1985-present: first printings typically state '1st Edition, First Printing' (or 'First Edition') on the copyright page, echoing Arkham House practice (e.g., The Sand Dwellers, 1998, so stated).
- Many titles were issued in both a trade hardcover and a signed/numbered limited state (commonly 100 numbered, sometimes larger, frequently slipcased and signed at the limitation/colophon page); the numbered…
- Early titles were distributed via Arkham House; Arkham distribution markings on some stock do not change the Fedogan & Bremer first-edition status.
Felony & Mayhem Press 2005–present · US (New York, NY)
- Reprint house: the controlling point is the FIRST-THUS statement — copyright pages typically read 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' (often with a year) marking the first Felony & Mayhem printing.
- Many titles carry no number line and no printing statement; where the dated 'First Felony & Mayhem edition' wording is present it is the identifier, and absence of a number line does not by itself prove a…
- Color-coded spine/category banners (Vintage, British, Hard-Boiled, etc.) signal editorial category only and do not change the copyright-page identification rule.
Fence Books 2001-present · USA (Albany, New York)
- Number line on the copyright page; lowest number = the printing.
- Many titles state 'First Edition' with the year.
- Single-printing titles are common; rely on the stated edition plus the absence of any reprint notice.
Fielding (Fielding's Travel Guides) 1948-1990s · United States (New York; later Redondo Beach, CA)
- Most titles are dated annuals: identify by the YEAR/edition in the title plus the copyright-page number line, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- 1948-1980s: founded by Temple Fielding, whose landmark 'Fielding's Travel Guide to Europe' appeared in 1948 as the upscale counterpart to budget series such as Frommer's. The 1948 first edition was published…
- 1990s: Fielding Worldwide of Redondo Beach, California revived the brand using standard US number-line copyright pages; 'Fielding's the World's Most Dangerous Places' (first published 1998) is the notable…
Fields, Osgood & Co. 1868-1871; antiquarian · Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- No stated-edition convention; use date agreement between title page and copyright date, with no reprint or later-printing notice present.
- Rear publisher's catalogue/advertisement sections are often dated and can aid printing priority, as with Ticknor and Fields.
The Figures 1975-2005 · Berkeley, California (1975-1982), then Great Barrington, Massachusetts (Geoffrey Young; co-founded with Laura Chester)
- 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…
- 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.
First Second Books (:01 First Second) 2006-present · USA (New York, NY)
- Imprint of Roaring Brook Press / Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (Holtzbrinck): the copyright page of a first printing states 'First edition' with the year and almost always carries a descending number…
- First printing is identified by the Macmillan-style number line: the lowest number present (a '1' anywhere in the line, e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or the split two-row Macmillan arrangement) indicates the…
- Look for 'First edition, [year]' wording directly above or below the number line and confirm the lowest digit is '1.'
Fitzcarraldo Editions 2014-present · UK (London), literary fiction and essays in translation
- 2014-present (standard trade): a first printing is shown by a full descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the copyright page also reads 'First published in <year> by Fitzcarraldo Editions'.…
- House design is branding, not an edition point: fiction appears in solid International Klein Blue flapped-card covers with white text, non-fiction in white covers with blue text, and the blind-stamped…
- First Decade Collection (2024, limited): ten linen-cased hardbacks in runs of 1,000 per title with a signed and numbered bookplate, belly band, and marbled endpapers. This is a separate later limited issue,…
Five Star Imprint 1995–present; Mystery line from 1998, exclusively first-edition publications from 2000 · US (Waterville, ME — Thorndike Press / Gale, Cengage Learning)
- Library-oriented hardcovers: first printings are commonly identified by a full number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') on the copyright page and/or a stated 'First Edition' line.
- Some Five Star first printings carry no number line, with the edition indicated only on the copyright/title page — absence of a number line does not by itself prove a later printing for this house.
- The series wording 'Five Star First Edition' indicates an original publication rather than a reprint, which is the key collector distinction since Five Star also reissued earlier work before the line became…
Flatiron Books 2014–present · US (New York)
- Stated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing
- First printing: full line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and no later-printing notice
Fodor's Travel 1936-present (Modern Guides line from 1949; US publishing from c.1950) · Founded in Europe (1936 London debut; Fodor's Modern Guides founded Paris 1949); US-based since the David McKay era and under US ownership today (New York)
- Identified mainly by the EDITION and year printed on the cover and title page; the guides were revised on a regular (often annual) cycle, so the year is the principal identifier.
- Early and mid-century volumes are dated annual editions; the copyright/title-page year identifies that printing.
- Random-House-era Fodor's typically carries a standard descending number line alongside the edition statement, where the lowest digit indicates the printing of that edition.
Folio Society 1947–present · UK
- Most Folio Society books are illustrated REPRINTS (not first editions of the text) issued in a slipcase, NOT individually numbered — they are trade fine editions, not limited
- Identify the FIRST Folio printing by the dated 'Printed in...' / 'First published... by The Folio Society' statement and absence of a 'reprinted' line; later Folio reprints add reprint dates and may change…
- The genuinely collectible Folio items are the explicitly NUMBERED LIMITED EDITIONS (e.g., the Letter Press Shakespeare, deluxe facsimiles) — these have a printed limitation leaf and number, often with a…
Foolscap Press 1990-present · Santa Cruz, California, USA
- 1990-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of Peggy Gotthold and Lawrence G. Van Velzer. The colophon records the limitation (editions typically run about…
- Many titles feature inventive structures or bindings (accordion, tunnel, or custom enclosures) described in the colophon; the structure is an identification feature.
- Identify by the Foolscap Press imprint and the colophon limitation; everything is designed, printed letterpress, and bound in-house, then distributed directly.
Footprint (Footprint Handbooks) 1921/1924-present (Footprint brand from August 1996) · United Kingdom (Bath); acquired by Bradt Guides in 2019
- Identify by edition number plus copyright-page printing line; the 'South American Handbook' is an ANNUAL whose year and edition number on the title page are the identifier.
- 1921/1924-1990s: the lineage began as the 'Anglo-South American Handbook' in 1921 under the Federation of British Industry; it became the 'South American Handbook' published by Trade & Travel Publications Ltd…
- 1996-2000s: Trade & Travel Publications was renamed 'Footprint Handbooks' in August 1996; standard copyright page with an edition number and number line, first printing the lowest digit and debut year.
Fordham University Press 1907-present · US (Bronx, New York)
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright/first-published year with no list of later printings.
- Later printings add an explicit reprint or impression statement; the absence of such a statement is the first-printing signal.
Fords, Howard & Hulbert c.1871-c.1899 · New York City (Northeast USA)
- c.1867-1871 (J.B. Ford & Co., predecessor): no edition statement; first printing by title-page/copyright date concordance and the earliest-dated bound-in catalogue.
- 1871-c.1890s (Fords, Howard & Hulbert): no printed 'First Edition' statement; identify firsts by date concordance (title-page year equal to copyright year, with no later printings noted), priority binding,…
- For heavily reprinted titles (e.g. Henry Ward Beecher's works), use the rear advertising catalogue: it should not list titles published after the book in hand.
Forever 2009–present · US (New York)
- Mass-market and trade printings: a 'First Edition: [month year]' statement on the copyright page together with a descending number line ending in 1 indicates the first printing.
Forge Books 1993-present · US (New York)
- First printing carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1; many titles also state "First Edition" with month and year on the copyright page, following Tor house style
Four Way Books 1993–present · USA (New York, New York)
- Number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.
- Firsts typically state 'First Edition' with a year on the copyright page.
- Single-printing titles are common, so absence of a later-printing statement generally indicates a first printing.
Fourth Estate 1984–present (HarperCollins from 2000) · UK (London)
- Copyright page states 'First published in Great Britain in [year] by Fourth Estate' (early independent years sometimes 'Fourth Estate Ltd').
- Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1' (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' or '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').
- No subsequent-impression or reprint note appears on a true first.
Frances Lincoln Children's Books 1977–present · UK
- British convention: a first printing has a full number line on the copyright page ending in 1; lowest digit present = printing
- Frequently NO 'First edition' statement; rely on the complete number line and the 'First published in [year]' line
Frank Amato Publications 1970s-present · USA (Portland, Oregon)
- 1970s-present: Fly-fishing and fly-tying firsts state 'First Edition' or 'First printing' and/or carry a descending number line ('1' present = first). Spiral-bound fly-pattern and regional river guides are…
- All eras: Premium titles and the 'River Journal' single-river series were also issued in signed/numbered limited formats identified by a limitation page (the River Journal limiteds ran roughly 300-500 copies…
Frank-Maurice, Inc. c.1924-1926 · New York, USA
- No reliable printed first-edition statement is documented for this obscure, short-lived house. Treat a copy as a first printing when the copyright page carries no later-printing or reprint notice, consistent…
- Because no single bibliographic rule is firmly established here, confirm priority by binding and dust-jacket state and by jacket pricing rather than relying on any printed statement, and keep confidence low…
Franklin Library 1973–c.2000 · US
- Two distinct categories: (1) 'Signed First Edition' series — true first printings with a SEPARATELY BOUND-IN leaf bearing a GENUINE author autograph; (2) classics reprints where the introduction is signed but…
- Genuine signed firsts: author signature stands alone on its own conjugate/inserted leaf; facsimile signatures appear at the END of a printed introduction
- Binding tells: full genuine leather throughout the run; imitation leather and quarter-bound genuine leather only in the 1970s–80s; full-leather volumes carry a satin ribbon page-marker bound in
Frederick A. Stokes Company 1881-1941 (Frederick A. Stokes Company from 1890) · New York, NY (USA)
- 1881-1890 (White & Stokes; White, Stokes & Allen; Frederick A. Stokes & Brother): no first-edition statement. Date the book by the imprint name itself, which changed on a known schedule: 'White & Stokes'…
- 1890-c.1910 (Frederick A. Stokes Company): no formal first-edition statement. A first printing is identified when the title-page date matches the copyright date with no later printings listed. A London branch…
- c.1900s-1920s: practice was not uniform across the list. On dated books a first printing's title-page year should equal the copyright year, while reprints add printing or impression lines; printing notations…
Free Press 1947–c.2012 (independent house, then Simon & Schuster imprint) · US (New York)
- Identify chiefly by the general first-printing convention of the era: a "First Edition" or "First Printing" statement and/or a number line ending in 1; do not rely on an imprint-specific "First Free Press…
Fremantle Press (Fremantle Arts Centre Press) 1976–present · Australia (Fremantle, WA)
- Copyright page states 'First published [year] by Fremantle Arts Centre Press' (1976–2007) or 'Fremantle Press' (2007 onward); a first printing shows no 'Reprinted' line and a publication year matching the…
- Later printings add an explicit 'Reprinted [year]' line — important for heavily reprinted titles such as A.B. Facey's 'A Fortunate Life'; the first printing carries the bare statement only.
- Imprint-name era tell: a 'Fremantle Arts Centre Press' colophon indicates pre-2007; 'Fremantle Press' indicates 2007 onward. No formal descending number line is used.
Frommer's 1957-present · US (New York)
- Identified by the EDITION/year statement on the cover and title/copyright page; the franchise revises on a regular cycle, so the year and stated edition are primary.
- The landmark first title 'Europe on the original price a Day' (1957) is the historic collectible, and the dollar figure in the title rose over the decades, so the title itself helps date the printing.
- Owner-era guides (Wiley and after) typically carry a standard descending number line alongside the edition statement, where the lowest digit indicates the printing.
Fulcrum Publishing 1984-present · Mountain West — Golden, Colorado (founded Denver)
- 1984–c.1995: First printings identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement; some titles state 'First Edition'.
- c.1995–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also print an explicit 'First Edition' line above the number…
Funk & Wagnalls 1877-c.1990s · New York, USA
- 1877-c.1929: first editions carry no later-printing statement; occasionally a 'Published [month, year]' line appears on the copyright page. Identify a first by the absence of any later-printing notice.
- c.1929-c.1965: first editions state 'First published [month, year]' and show a Roman numeral 'I' (or Arabic '1') on the copyright page; later printings increment the numeral (II, III, ... / 2, 3, ...). The…
- c.1965 onward (under various owners): conventions move toward a standard number line, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating the first printing.
G
G. P. Putnam's Sons trade
- “First Impression” plus a number line
- Statement removed on later printings
G. Schirmer, Inc. 1861-present · USA (New York, NY)
- 1861-1892 (founding era): Printed music is identified by the engraved PLATE NUMBER at the foot of the page and the firm imprint 'G. Schirmer' with address; editions are distinguished by plate number, not by…
- 1892-c.1960s (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, the yellow-cover series begun 1892): Each volume carries a 'Library Vol. No.' plus an engraving/plate number; reissues keep the same Library number, so…
- 1973-1986 (Schirmer Books, the trade/textbook book imprint founded 1973 as a Macmillan division): Trade music BOOKS use a descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the…
G.W. Carleton & Co. 1857–c.1886 · New York, New York (US trade)
- 1857–1861 (Rudd & Carleton): first editions carry the 'Rudd & Carleton' imprint; there is no first-edition statement, so identify by imprint form, the dated title page, and the absence of any later-printing…
- 1861–c.1886 (G.W. Carleton / G.W. Carleton & Co.): first printing is identified by the Carleton imprint, a dated title page agreeing with the copyright, and bound-in advertisement catalogs. The publisher's…
- Carleton's distinctive cloth-and-gilt bindings and house device help confirm the period; later reissues from the same plates lack the earliest advertisement state.
Gale (Gale Research / Gale Group / Cengage Gale) 1954-present · United States (Detroit / Farmington Hills, MI)
- 1954-c.1985: Founded 1954 in Detroit by Frederick Gale Ruffner Jr. as a reference-only house (Encyclopedia of Associations from 1956, Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literary Biography). Multi-volume…
- c.1985-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but the meaningful unit for serial reference works is the edition number and volume number. Library-bound; the…
- Corporate eras: acquired by International Thomson/Thomson Corporation in 1985, branded Thomson Gale in the 2000s, then sold to Cengage in 2007 (Cengage Gale). The copyright-page imprint reflects the era's…
Gallery Books 2009 (as Gallery)–present; Pocket 1939–present · US
- States 'First Gallery Books hardcover edition (Year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.
- Pocket Books legacy mass-markets: printing-history line; true first lists only the first printing.
- S&S-family convention: explicit 'First [Imprint] edition' statement plus line-to-1.
Garden Way Publishing c.1970-1983 · Charlotte / Pownal, Vermont, USA
- c.1970-1983 (publishing arm of Garden Way Inc.): gardening, homesteading, and country-skills how-to. First printings: earliest copyright year; many trade titles and saddle-stitched bulletins carry no number…
- Note: titles reissued after 1983 carry the Storey imprint, so a Garden Way Publishing imprint reliably indicates the pre-1983 first-state window.
Garland Publishing 1969-c.2006 · United States (New York)
- 1969-c.1990: Founded 1969 (by Gavin Borden); specialized in scholarly reference, facsimile reprint series, bibliographies, and the numbered 'Garland Reference Library of the Humanities / Social Sciences'…
- c.1990-2000s: A number line appears on the copyright page of newer titles, lowest digit = printing. Garland Science (cell and molecular biology textbooks, e.g. Alberts's 'Molecular Biology of the Cell') uses…
- Post-2003: Absorbed into Taylor & Francis / Routledge; later editions carry the Taylor & Francis or Routledge imprint.
Gaspereau Press 1997-present · Canada (Kentville, Nova Scotia)
- Fine-press / printer-publisher house: identification is colophon- and production-driven. Check the colophon (often at the back) for type, paper, press, and binding notes; Gaspereau prints and binds in-house,…
- Most titles are single small letterpress/offset printings, so the absence of any later-printing statement combined with the first-appearance copyright year establishes a first printing.
- Devil's Whim chapbooks and signed/limited issues carry limitation statements that define the point.
Gehenna Press 1942–2000 (Baskin d. 2000; some posthumous completion) · US
- Letterpress limited editions, most with a printed colophon stating a small limitation (often well under 300, some only a few dozen)
- Colophon often signed by Leonard Baskin (and/or collaborating poet, e.g., Ted Hughes, Anthony Hecht); original wood engravings/etchings by Baskin are integral
- Hand-numbered limitation; deluxe sub-states may add an extra signed print suite or special binding
George Allen & Unwin 1914-1990 (UK independent); Australian arm continues · UK
- First editions state "First published [Year]" or "First published in [Year]" on the copyright page (frequently with the printer named), later printings noted with added impression lines
- First printing = the 'First published' statement with NO subsequent-impression notation
- Early/mid-20th-c. titles list later printings as 'Second impression [year]' etc. beneath the original line
George H. Doran Company 1908–1927 (merged into Doubleday, Doran) · New York, USA (founder Canadian-American)
- 1908–c.1920: inconsistent; first editions usually (but not always) bear a black oval colophon enclosing white script 'GHD' on the copyright page (sometimes the title page). The practice was not consistent…
- Early 1920s: the 'GHD' oval colophon on the copyright page, with no later-printing notice, becomes the reliable first-printing point.
- About 1925: began the general practice of printing 'First Edition' in the book or placing the GHD device under the copyright notice.
George Routledge (George Routledge & Sons) 1836–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.) · London, UK
- Primarily a reprint and cheap-edition house: most Routledge books are NOT first editions of the work — first establish whether Routledge issued the title first or is reprinting another publisher's edition.
- No edition statement on the firm's own firsts: use the title-page date, the imprint partnership style ('George Routledge & Co.' to 1864 vs '& Sons' from 1865), and dated rear advertisements to fix a printing.
- Routledge's Railway Library 'yellowbacks' (pictorial glazed boards) are cheap reprints dated by the rear catalogue/ads and series number, not first editions of the text.
Georgetown University Press 1964-present · US (Washington, D.C.)
- Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.
- First printings carry a single year with no subsequent-printing list.
- Later printings or editions are explicitly stated; the absence of such a statement indicates the first.
Getty Publications (J. Paul Getty Museum / Getty Trust) 1980s–present · US (Los Angeles)
- Identify by the copyright page: it names the issuing Getty body and the publication year. For these scholarly/institutional titles the primary first-printing tell is the original publication year combined…
- A descending number line is NOT a consistent Getty convention. Where a number line does appear, the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a line ending in 1 = first printing), but most Getty titles do…
- Most Getty scholarly titles and exhibition catalogues see a single printing; when reprints occur they are stated explicitly on the copyright page.
Gibbs Smith 1969–present · US
- Number line on copyright page indicating printing; first printing shows the full line ending in 1
- 'First Edition' statement present on many trade titles; format follows modern American convention
- Layton, Utah publisher founded 1969 (as Peregrine Smith) by Gibbs M. Smith; Western Americana, architecture/design, cookbooks, humor
Ginn & Company (Ginn Brothers / Ginn, Heath & Co.) 1867-1900 (within slice); firm continued into the 20th century · Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA); printing plant in Cambridge from 1895
- 1867-1876 (Ginn Brothers): educational/textbook publisher using no trade 'First Edition' statement. First printing by title-page/copyright date concordance; because textbooks were routinely revised, the…
- 1876-1885 (Ginn & Heath / Ginn, Heath & Co.): same convention, after Daniel Collamore Heath joined in 1876. An 'edition' or 'Revised Edition' statement, when present, indicates a later issue.
- 1885 onward (Ginn & Company): textbooks frequently carry stacked copyright accretions; the earliest single copyright year with no added later copyrights and no 'revised' note marks the first printing. From…
Giramondo Publishing 1995–present (books since 2002) · Australia (Sydney/Parramatta, NSW; Western Sydney University)
- On a first printing the copyright page states 'First published [year] ... by the Giramondo Publishing Company' with the issuing research-centre/university address, carries no reprint line, and the stated year…
- Print runs are small, so reprints are explicitly noted with an added 'Reprinted [year]' line when they occur; the absence of any such line indicates a first printing. Number lines are not a reliable tell for…
- Series identification: Southern Latitudes (translations) and the Giramondo Shorts short-form series carry distinctive series statements; HEAT issues are numbered serials, not book firsts.
Gnome Press 1948–1962 · US
- First editions generally STATE 'First Edition' on the copyright page — but this alone is NOT conclusive: in offset reprints Gnome sometimes left a prior publisher's 'First Edition' statement standing
- Confirm via binding measurements/bulk and priority dust-jacket points (rear-panel ad titles, jacket art state) documented title-by-title in the Gnome bibliography
- Beware copies bound from Gnome sheets but carrying a 'Doubleday Science Fiction' designation at the spine base — these are late reissues, NOT true Gnome firsts regardless of the copyright statement
Gnomon Press 1965-present · Lexington, later Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
- Jonathan Greene's literary press: poetry-focused; limited issues identified by the colophon limitation and signed/numbered states alongside trade paperbound issues.
- First printing: no later-printing statement present; a signed/numbered hardbound state is distinguished from the simultaneous wrappered trade state by binding and a numbered colophon.
- Identify by Gnomon's Kentucky/Appalachian and small-press literary list and by Greene's book design.
Gold Medal Books (Fawcett) 1950-1990s (imprint name continued under Ballantine) · USA (Greenwich, Connecticut - Fawcett Publications)
- 1950-c.1962 (mass-market originals): paperback originals were the house specialty. Fawcett first issued a pair of unnumbered test anthologies (reprinting Fawcett magazine material) to clear a contractual…
- 1950s reprint tell: when Gold Medal reprinted a title it stated 'Second printing,' 'Third printing,' etc., often with dates and sometimes total-copies-in-print figures. The earliest dated printing line with…
- c.1962-1970s: numbering shifted to letter-prefixed price codes, with the catalog numbers climbing into the thousands over time. First printing is still shown by the stated printing history.
Golden Cockerel Press 1920–1961 · UK
- Letterpress limited editions with a printed colophon stating the limitation; many titles in tiered states — e.g., a numbered standard edition plus a smaller SPECIAL/deluxe edition (extra plates, full-morocco…
- Original wood engravings by major artists (Eric Gill, Robert Gibbings, John Buckland Wright, Eric Ravilious, etc.) integral to the book; the cockerel device authenticates
- Deluxe/special copies are at a lower number range and stated separately in the colophon
Golden Gryphon Press 1997–2010s · US
- Trade first edition: copyright-page first-printing indication (number line with '1' / no later printings)
- Signed limited states identified by a tipped-in or bound signature/limitation page
- Most output is single-print-run hardcover, so absence of later-printing notation typically confirms the first
Goose Lane Editions 1954-present (Fiddlehead Poetry Books 1954-1981; Goose Lane Editions 1981-present) · Canada (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
- Modern Goose Lane titles state 'first edition' and carry a number line ('1' present = first printing) on the copyright page.
- Predecessor Fiddlehead Poetry Books titles (1950s-1970s) are small chapbook/poetry runs; identify by the Fiddlehead Poetry Books imprint, the original year, and the absence of later-printing notes. Many are…
- icehouse poetry imprint titles follow the parent Goose Lane copyright-page convention.
Grabhorn Press 1919–1965 (Grabhorn-Hoyem 1966–1973) · US
- Fine letterpress limited editions (San Francisco); printed colophon with stated limitation, often signed by the Grabhorns or the artist
- Distinctive bold display typography, decorated papers, and the Grabhorn device authenticate; handmade papers
- Deluxe sub-states at lower numbers (special binding/extra plates) stated in the colophon
Grand Central Publishing 1970s (as Warner)–present · US
- Modern: states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line; first printing retains the lowest number (1 or, for Warner-era, sometimes 10).
- Warner Books-era (pre-2007): 'First Printing: (Month Year)' on the copyright page plus a number line; true first lists only the first printing.
- Hachette-family convention: 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' statement is the reliable signal alongside the line.
Granta Books 1989–present · UK (London)
- Copyright page states 'First published in Great Britain by Granta Books [year]'; a first carries no reprint or later-impression note.
- Descending number line ending in '1' indicates a first printing on titles that carry one.
- Granta Books was distributed by Penguin at its 1989 launch, so early Granta Books firsts can show Penguin-related distribution imprint lines on the copyright page even though Granta is the publisher — confirm…
Graphic Arts Books / Alaska Northwest Books (West Margin Press) 1959-present (Alaska Northwest) / 1967-present (Graphic Arts) · Portland, Oregon & Anchorage, Alaska (Pacific NW / Alaska)
- Alaska Northwest Publishing era (1959-1993): Early Alaska Northwest titles often carry no number line; identify first printings by a copyright/publication year that matches the title's first appearance and by…
- Graphic Arts Center Publishing era (1967 onward, large-format/coffee-table titles): Photo-book first editions frequently state 'First edition' and/or carry a printing line; the lowest number in a printing…
- After 1993 (Graphic Arts acquired Alaska Northwest Books): titles appear under Graphic Arts, Alaska Northwest Books, and WestWinds Press imprints, generally with a standard descending number line where the…
Graphic Books / Graphic Mystery late 1940s-c.1957 (paperback-original program from c.1951) · USA (New York, NY)
- Late 1940s-c.1957 (entire run): mass-market paperbacks strong in mystery and hardboiled fiction. Titles were numbered sequentially (for example a Graphic title at #14 in 1949 and #21 in 1950), with later…
- The line published paperback ORIGINALS as well as reprints, but its original-novel program began only around 1951 (Publishers Weekly reported in May 1952 that Graphic had begun publishing originals about a…
- Reprint tell: a copyright page acknowledging a prior hardcover publisher means the Graphic is a reprint, not the first; an original has no such acknowledgment.
Gray's Sporting Journal Press / GSJ Press Mid-1970s-1980s (book/anthology issues) · USA (South Hamilton, Massachusetts; later Augusta, Georgia)
- 1980s: Book collections and anthologies drawn from the journal (e.g., the 'Tales from Gray's' / 'Gray's Journal' selections) were issued in trade and signed/numbered limited states. The limited issue is…
- All eras: Where both a numbered limited and a trade hardcover exist, the signed/numbered limitation page identifies the senior state. Confirm a stated printing or the limitation page rather than assuming a…
Graywolf Press 1974–present · US
- Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' and carries a descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest number present indicates the printing — a first shows '1'.
- First printing has no additional printing/date notice beyond the stated first.
- Earliest Graywolf (late 1970s Port Townsend era) included letterpress/limited chapbooks with rear colophons — identified by limitation statement rather than a number line.
Great Lakes Books (series imprint) 1986–present · Detroit, Michigan
- 1986–present: A regional series of Wayne State University Press; a first printing is identified by Wayne State's number line on the copyright page (the lowest digit, or a '1', present indicates the first…
- For reprinted Michigan/Great Lakes classics issued in the series: the Great Lakes Books edition is a new edition with its own copyright/series page and is not the true first edition of the work — its number…
Greenberg, Publisher c.1924–1958 · New York, USA
- Like most American trade houses of the period, Greenberg did not use a consistent 'First Edition' statement; the practical test is the absence of any later-printing notice on the copyright page, with…
- Where a copyright page carries 'Published [Year]' or a 'First printing' line with no later-printing notice, that indicates the first printing.
- When no statement is present, corroborate priority through binding and dust-jacket state, and keep per-title confidence guarded.
Greenwillow Books 1974-present · US
- On first printings, the copyright page carries a 'First Edition' statement together with a number line whose lowest digit is 1
- First printing is indicated by the presence of '1' as the lowest number in the number row
Greenwood Publishing Group / Greenwood Press 1967-present (as imprint group) · United States (Westport, CT / Santa Barbara, CA)
- 1967-c.1990: Founded 1967 (by Harold Mason and Harold Schwartz) as a reprint house and academic/reference publisher; many early titles are scholarly reprints, so a first Greenwood edition is identified by the…
- c.1990-present: Number line on the copyright page, lowest digit = printing. For multi-volume reference encyclopedias the edition plus copyright year is the practical identification unit, and the…
- Post-2008: ABC-CLIO took a perpetual license to the Greenwood imprints; Greenwood and Praeger titles are now issued under the ABC-CLIO (Bloomsbury-affiliated) umbrella and follow its copyright-page style.
Gregynog Press 1923–1940 (original); 1974–present (revived) · UK (Wales)
- Hand-press letterpress limited editions printed at Gregynog Hall, Wales; printed colophon with stated limitation (usually small)
- A subset of each edition bound in elaborate SPECIAL bindings by the Gregynog bindery (George Fisher) — these specially-bound copies are a distinct, far more valuable sub-state, identified in the colophon and…
- Original wood engravings (Blair Hughes-Stanton, Agnes Miller Parker, etc.); press device authenticates
Greycliff Publishing Company 1990s-2000s · USA (Helena, Montana)
- 1990s-2000s: Trade firsts state 'First Edition' or 'First printing' and/or carry a descending number line ('1' = first); the 'Greycliff River Book Series' of single-river guides and the Montana fly-fishing…
- All eras: Confirm both the edition currency (river/access data) and the printing statement before assigning a first printing of a given edition.
Grosset & Dunlap (children's / series books) 1898–present (as imprint) · New York, NY
- 1898–c.1930s (reprint house): founded 1898 and primarily a reprint publisher. For reprinted titles, the Grosset & Dunlap imprint itself signals a reprint, not a first edition — the true first is the original…
- Series books (Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins), c.1910s–1970s: early states are identified not by a printing statement but by the advertised-title-list point system — the list of titles…
- 1930s–1960s originals: genuine G&D firsts (e.g., the King Kong photoplay and Lone Ranger titles) state 'First Printing' or similar on the copyright page; absence of any later-printing note plus the earliest…
Groundwood Books 1978-present · Canada
- First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; often with a 'First published in [year]' or 'First edition' statement
- The lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing
Grove Press 1947–present (as Grove/Atlantic since 1993) · New York, NY (US)
- First editions and later printings are noted on the copyright page; the modern practice uses a number row/printer's key, with the presence of '1' (or the lowest digit) indicating a first printing.
- Grove added a number row around 1969 (initially on the last page before the rear free endpaper, later on the copyright page) but often failed to remove a 'First Edition' statement from reprints — so a 'First…
- Later-printing dust jackets can carry a small letter code on the rear panel (e.g., 'ii' for a second printing) — a useful corroborating tell.
- Stated on the copyright page
- Dust-jacket rear-panel letter code on later printings (pre-1993)
- Number line (1993–present)
H
H. W. Wilson Company 1898-present (print reference continued under Grey House) · United States (New York / Bronx, NY)
- 1898-c.1980: Founded 1898 by Halsey William Wilson as the great library-index and reference house (Cumulative Book Index from 1898, Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature from 1901, Current Biography).…
- c.1980-present: Where number lines appear, the lowest digit indicates the printing, but the edition/volume/year remains the identification unit. This is a library-market house with a minimal first-printing…
- Post-2011: Wilson merged with EBSCO Publishing (June 2011); EBSCO holds the database business while Grey House Publishing produces the print reference editions under license, so the copyright-page imprint…
H.M. Gousha Company 1920s-1990s · United States (Chicago; later San Jose, CA)
- Road maps are dated by an internal alphanumeric DATE CODE printed in a corner or margin, decoded via the Road Map Collectors Association 'Dating Rand McNally and Gousha Maps' tables; the code is the…
- 1920s-1940s: Chicago-era Gousha maps (frequently produced for oil companies such as Chevron and Texaco); locate the small code near the legend or in a corner to date the printing. Note that in a Gousha code…
- 1947-1990s: San Jose, California era (the company moved there in 1947); the same date-code logic applies, and cover art and oil-company branding help bracket the period.
Hachette Books 1991 (as Hyperion)–present · US
- States 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.
- Hyperion-era (Disney-owned, pre-2013): used 'First Edition' + number line; sometimes 'First U.S. Edition' for imports.
- Hachette-family standard: stated edition plus line-to-1; reprints drop the statement and/or the 1.
Hackett Publishing Company 1972-present · USA (Indianapolis IN)
- 1972-c.1990 (founders Bill and Frances Hackett, Indianapolis): academic philosophy texts and translations; the copyright page states the printing and copyright year, and because many titles are perennially…
- c.1990-present: standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); the copyright page often shows a printing-year line. Revised or second…
- recent: Hackett took over Focus Publishing / R. Pullins Company, and Focus titles (including the Focus Classical Library) continue under their own series identity within Hackett's conventions.
Hal Leonard (Hal Leonard Books / Performing Arts Publishing Group) 1947-present (book imprints largely 1990s-present) · US (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
- Trade/book titles use a standard descending number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.
- Primarily a sheet-music and folio publisher — most output is method books, songbooks, and scores that are not 'editions' in the collector first-edition sense; printings of folios are typically undated or…
- For the trade book lines (biographies, reference) treat the number line as authoritative.
Halstead Press 1929-1970s (printer); 1991-present (publisher) · Australia (Sydney, NSW; later also Canberra)
- 1929-1970s (as Angus & Robertson's printing house): Halstead Press was principally a PRINTER, not a trade publisher. George Robertson bought the Eagle Press in 1929 and renamed it Halstead Press after his…
- 1991-present (modern Halstead Press): A separate independent Sydney (later also Canberra) publisher of history, heritage, current affairs and scholarly works, set up in 1991 after Robertson's great-grandson…
Hamish Hamilton 1931-present · UK
- First editions state "First published in Great Britain [Year]" or "First published [Year]" on the copyright page; later printings noted
- First printing = statement present with no list of later impressions
- Under Penguin ownership (modern era) descending number lines ending in 1 appear; lowest digit = printing
Hammond (C.S. Hammond & Co. / Hammond Inc.) 1900-2000s · United States (founded Brooklyn, New York; later Maplewood, NJ)
- Atlases are identified by the named edition plus the copyright year on the title/copyright page; a first printing shows the copyright year with no list of later revision printings.
- c.1900-1950s: 'C.S. Hammond & Company' imprint; tiered named editions (Ambassador, Medallion, Citation, Superior) indicate market level and era — the named tier plus the copyright year brackets the printing.
- c.1966-1990s: the imprint becomes 'Hammond Incorporated, Maplewood, N.J.'; the copyright-page year remains the dating anchor, and later printings add a revision-year list.
Hampton Roads Publishing Company 1989-present · USA (Charlottesville VA; now under Red Wheel/Weiser, Newburyport MA)
- 1989-2009 (independent, Virginia; founders Robert S. Friedman and Frank DeMarco): copyright page states 'First Edition'/'First Printing' alongside a number line, with the lowest number present indicating the…
- 2009-present (acquired by Red Wheel/Weiser): Hampton Roads continues as a Red Wheel/Weiser imprint using a standard number line (lowest number present = printing) plus a 'First Edition' statement; a…
Handi-Books (Quinn Publishing) 1941-1951 · USA (Kingston, NY — Quinn Publishing Co., Inc.)
- 1941-1951 (entire run): Quinn's Handi-Book line was numbered sequentially (from #1 into the #150s); the Handi-Book number on the cover and spine identifies the title. A first printing is shown by the absence…
- The line mixed reprints with some paperback originals. For an original — for example Harry Whittington's The Brass Monkey, Handi-Book #133 (1951), a paperback original confirmed by multiple antiquarian…
- Wartime issues (1942-1945) often carry paper-conservation notices that help date them, and the number range brackets the year. Map number to title and date against a Handi-Books checklist such as the…
Hanging Loose Press 1966-present · USA (Brooklyn, NY)
- Early books (late 1960s-1970s): first/only printing identified by colophon or copyright statement; small runs, often single printings.
- First printing identified by 'First edition'/'First printing' wording and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.
- Many poetry titles are single-printing; reprints are explicitly stated on the copyright page when they occur. The loose-sheet format applies to the magazine, not the conventionally bound books.
Harcourt, Brace & Co. 1919-1990s · US
- 1919-1921 (Harcourt, Brace & Howe): number '1' on copyright page = first printing, '2' = second, etc.
- 1921-1931: no statement on first printings; the first-edition notice (when later adopted) was simply absent, so rely on no later-printing notice.
- c.1931 onward: stated 'First Edition' or 'First American Edition' on copyright page; the statement was removed on subsequent printings.
Hard Case Crime 2004-present · US
- Mass-market and trade paperback originals with pulp-style painted covers; copyright page carries a printing statement and/or number line. First printing shows 'First Hard Case Crime edition' (or 'First…
- Each title has a series number (the 'HCC-0xx' designation) — useful for series collecting but the printing is set by the copyright-page line.
- Note the distributor era: early titles (2004-2010) were distributed via Dorchester/Leisure; the relaunch (2011+) is under Titan Books — copyright-page imprint wording differs by era.
Harmony Books 1972-present (Crown imprint; Crown owned by Random House / now Penguin Random House since 1988) · US (New York)
- For titles from roughly the early 1980s onward, Crown/Harmony first printings are identified by a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page together with a number line ending in 1; later printings drop…
- For 1970s Harmony titles, do not assume the 'First Edition' statement: Crown only adopted the stated-first-edition-plus-number-line practice in the late 1970s to early 1980s. Earlier Crown-group books often…
Harper & Brothers 1912-1962 (code 1912-1949) · US
- 1912-1949: month/year letter code on copyright page. Month: A=Jan, B=Feb, C=Mar, D=Apr, E=May, F=Jun, G=Jul, H=Aug, I=Sep, K=Oct, L=Nov, M=Dec (J skipped).
- Year code (J skipped): M=1912, N=1913 ... Z=1925, then A=1926, B=1927 ... Z=1950 (cycles).
- Code reads as two letters (month-year), e.g. 'K-Z' = October 1925.
Harper (flagship imprint) 1817-present (Harper lineage) · US (New York)
- Modern HarperCollins: a stated "FIRST EDITION" on the copyright page together with a number line; on a first printing the number line descends to 1
- Historic Harper & Brothers / Harper & Row letter date code (used from 1912 and discontinued after 1949): a two-letter code on the copyright page where the FIRST letter is the month (A=Jan through M=Dec,…
- Do NOT use the letter code to identify modern books: it was abandoned by mid-century, so post-1950 and especially post-1990 HarperCollins firsts are determined by the "FIRST EDITION" statement plus number…
Harper Perennial 1980s–present · US
- States 'First [Harper] Perennial edition (Year)' on the copyright page, with a descending number line ending in 1 for that printing.
- Because it is predominantly a trade-paperback REPRINT line, the 'first Perennial edition' is usually NOT the first edition of the work.
- To find the true first, trace back to the original Harper / Harper & Row / HarperCollins hardcover.
Harper Voyager US imprint 2011–present · US (New York)
- Hardcover first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1.
- Mass-market paperbacks may instead carry a "First [imprint] printing" line plus a number line ending in 1; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- U.S. Harper Voyager is distinct from HarperCollins UK Voyager — verify the edition's country of publication before identifying the first.
HarperCollins trade
- Stated "First Edition" (1922–present)
- Modern titles add a number line
- Letter date-codes (Harper & Brothers, 1912+)
HarperCollins Children's Books (formerly Harper & Row Junior Books / Harper & Brothers) 1817–present (date-code era 1912–1949; stated-First-Edition + number-line era 1949–present) · US
- Modern (post-1990 HarperCollins, and Harper & Row from c.1975): stated 'First Edition' on copyright page PLUS a full descending number line ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- CRITICAL QUIRK: Harper repeatedly FAILED to remove the 'First Edition' statement from later printings — the NUMBER LINE is the authoritative signal, not the words. A book stating 'First Edition' but with a…
- 1922–1949 (Harper & Brothers): two-letter date code on copyright page — first letter = month (A=Jan ... excluding J; K=Oct, L=Nov, M=Dec), second letter = year (M=1922-cycle). 'First Edition' also stated from…
HarperOne HarperOne name 2007–present; lineage via HarperSanFrancisco (1990s–2007) and Harper & Row San Francisco religious division · US (San Francisco, California)
- First editions follow the standard HarperCollins convention: the words "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1 — both required for the true…
- If "First Edition" is stated but the number line's lowest digit is higher than 1 (or the line is incomplete), it is a later printing of the first edition, not a first printing.
- Removal of the "First Edition" statement on later printings is standard HarperCollins practice; a copy lacking the statement is not a first.
HarperVia 2019–present · US (New York)
- True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line ending in 1.
- Because most titles are works in translation, the U.S. HarperVia edition is the first English-language (translation) edition, not the original-language first — verify which you are identifying.
Harrison Smith & Robert Haas 1932–1936 · New York, USA
- 1932–1936: The firm did NOT consistently use a first-edition statement. First printings are identified primarily by the absence of any subsequent-printing notice on the copyright page (later printings were…
- Faulkner titles (Light in August 1932; Pylon 1935; Absalom, Absalom! 1936): rely on the copyright page lacking a later-printing line, plus author-specific first-state points and dealer-documented points of…
- After 1936: the firm merged into Random House; books bearing the Random House imprint thereafter follow Random House rules. The Smith & Haas imprint ends at the 1936 merger.
Harry N. Abrams 1949-present · US (New York)
- Copyright page: Abrams first editions are identified by the publisher's descending number line; the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a complete line such as 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 with a 1 present…
- Many mid-century Abrams art books state the year of publication; the absence of any 'Second printing' or 'Reprinted' note, together with a full number line, supports a first.
- On later and modern Abrams titles the standard number line applies, with the lowest number present indicating the printing.
Harvard University Press 1913–present (title-page-year practice strongest mid-20th c.; number lines common from the 1970s–80s onward) · US
- Classic Harvard tell: the YEAR OF PUBLICATION is printed on the TITLE PAGE of a first edition; on later printings the year is removed from the title page and a printing/reprint notice is added to the…
- Modern HUP (and Belknap) books carry a descending number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present indicates the printing (a '1' = first printing).
- Copyright page states 'First printing' on many recent titles, or lists 'Second printing,' 'Third printing,' etc. for subsequent runs; a copyright year matching the title-page year with no later-printing line…
Harvill Press 1946–2005 (continued as Harvill Secker) · UK (London)
- Copyright page states 'First published [year]' or 'First published in Great Britain [year]' under the named imprint (The Harvill Press, or Collins Harvill / Collins and Harvill Press in the HarperCollins era).
- Descending number line; the lowest digit present indicates the impression, with a first printing ending in '1'.
- Translated-literature house: many firsts cite the original-language first publication separately and state the English translation date. The line naming the Harvill imprint identifies the English first edition.
Hatje Cantz Verlag 1945–present (Hatje Cantz name from 1999 merger) · Germany (Berlin; formerly Ostfildern/Stuttgart)
- The colophon (Impressum) states the year and edition; a first printing shows the first-published year with no 'Reprinted' or higher-'Auflage' line.
- German 'Auflage' (edition/impression) wording is the key tell: '1. Auflage' or no Auflage statement indicates a first; '2. Auflage' and higher indicate later printings.
- Most exhibition and monograph titles are single-printing; the printer credit (historically 'Dr. Cantz'sche Druckerei') appears in the colophon.
Hawthorn Books 1952–1977 · New York, USA
- 1952–c.1977: First printings generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page; a stated later printing rules out a first. Where no statement appears, treat the book cautiously and rely on the absence of…
- 1970s: where a number line appears, the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing.
- After the 1976 Dutton acquisition: late Hawthorn titles can follow Dutton-style copyright-page conventions; check for a Dutton association and for a number line.
Hay House 1984-present · US (Carlsbad, California); also Hay House UK, Australia, and India
- On a first printing, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.
- Many Hay House copyright pages also carry an explicit edition-and-date line such as '1st edition, [Month Year]', which when present is a helpful corroborating signal, though it should be cross-checked against…
- Later printings increment the stated edition or printing line and drop the lowest number-line digits.
Heavenly Monkey 2000-present · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2000-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the private letterpress and binding studio of Rollin Milroy, with most books printed on a handpress. Editions are very…
- Many titles were offered in a standard state plus a smaller deluxe or special binding state (Milroy works with binders on variant editions); the binding and colophon distinguish them.
- Identify by the Heavenly Monkey imprint; the press also issues its own bibliographic checklists documenting the output (for example the 'HM = X' first-decade checklist and the 2022 'This Monkey's Gone to…
Henry Holt & Company 1866-1990s · US
- Pre-1945: identified by the LACK of a later-printing statement on the copyright page.
- 1945 onward: usually placed a first-edition statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).
- After 1985: first-edition statement PLUS a number row (presence of '1' = first).
Henry Holt and Company 1866–present · US
- Pre-1945: first editions identified chiefly by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statement on the copyright page.
- 1945–c.1985: usually placed a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).
- c.1976/1985 onward: 'First Edition' statement PLUS a descending number line ending in 1 — the modern reliable test.
Heritage Press 1935–c.1980s · US
- NO limitation page and NO signed colophon — this absence distinguishes Heritage from its parent LEC (the books otherwise often share the same plates/illustrations)
- Original issue accompanied by the 'Sandglass' — a 4-page (sometimes folded) pamphlet describing the book and illustrator; the Sandglass code/number helps date the printing
- Sandglass numbering and the publisher's address/colophon device indicate New York (early) vs. later Connecticut/Norwalk printings; earlier NY issues are generally the desirable first Heritage state
Hesperus Press 2001-present · UK (London), classic and rediscovered short works in fresh editions and translation
- 2001-present: a first printing is shown by a descending number line on the copyright page with 1 lowest, alongside 'First published <year> by Hesperus Press Limited'.
- For the Hesperus Classics and Modern Voices series, which reissue earlier or public-domain works, the collectible 'first' is the first Hesperus edition of that text, not the date the work was originally…
- The uniform small-format flapped-paperback series design is house branding and does not by itself indicate a first printing.
Heyday Books (Heyday) 1974-present · West — Berkeley, California
- 1974–c.1990: Early Margolin-era titles often lack a formal 'First Edition' slug; a first printing is shown by a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement. Some early…
- c.1990–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing'. California…
Hill and Wang 1956-present · US (New York)
- First printing follows FSG house style: a copyright-page statement such as "First edition" or "First published" with the year, generally accompanied by a number line ending in 1
Hill Street Press 1998-c.2009 · South (Athens, Georgia)
- 1998-c.2008 (active era): Standard small-press convention. First printing is typically identified by a number line on the copyright page in which the lowest number present indicates the printing (a '1'…
- Hill Street Classics (reprint line): a reprint imprint, so a Hill Street Classics issue is generally NOT the first edition of the underlying work; the issue itself follows the house number-line convention for…
Hippocampus Press 1999-present · New York, New York, USA
- 1999-present: first printings generally state 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' on the copyright page; predominantly trade paperback and cloth, often single-printing scholarly editions.
- Later and revised/corrected editions are noted on the copyright page - check for 'second printing', 'revised edition', or changed text, as the texts (frequently edited by S.T. Joshi) are revised over time.
- I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft (2010) is the uncut restoration of Joshi's earlier H.P. Lovecraft: A Life (Necronomicon Press, 1996), restoring roughly 150,000 cut words; treat it as the…
Hodder & Stoughton 1868-present · UK
- Pre-1940s: no consistent practice — first/later printing identification is unreliable and requires jacket/ad/binding/bibliographic analysis
- 1940s onward: may state "First Printed [Year]" on firsts and note subsequent printings (transitional, not universal)
- By 1976: consistent "First published in [Year]" on the copyright page of firsts, with later printings/impressions explicitly noted
Hogarth (US) 2012–present (revival) · US (New York)
- Crown / Penguin Random House house style: true first printing states "First Edition" on the copyright page and carries a full number line whose lowest digit is 1.
- The lowest number in the number line is the decisive signal for the first printing.
Holiday House 1935–present · US
- Modern: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on copyright page, typically accompanied by a descending number line ending in 1
- Number line is the controlling signal when both are present; first printing requires '1'
- Older mid-century titles: stated 'First Edition' / 'First printing' with no number line
Hong Kong University Press 1956-present · Hong Kong
- 1956-c.1990: The press of the University of Hong Kong, publishing in English and Chinese. A first printing uses 'First published [year]', a copyright line for Hong Kong University Press in that year, and…
- c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Hong Kong University Press' with a number line (lowest digit indicates the printing) and a full ISBN block, often with separate hardback and paperback ISBNs. A full…
- Bilingual note: a Chinese-language edition and the English edition are separate firsts; match the language and ISBN to the specific issue being identified. Some titles are co-published or distributed with US…
Houghton Mifflin trade
- “First Printing” statement (pre-1970s)
- Number line (1970s–present)
Houghton, Osgood & Co. 1878-1880 · Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA)
- 1878-1880: a short-lived transitional imprint formed in 1878 when Hurd & Houghton (operating the Riverside Press, Cambridge) merged with James R. Osgood & Co., the successor to Ticknor & Fields. The house…
- Dissolved/reorganized in 1880 when Osgood withdrew, becoming Houghton, Mifflin & Co. For ongoing 1880s practice see the Houghton Mifflin / Riverside (early) entry.
House of Anansi Press 1967-present · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- Early Anansi (1967 through the 1970s) were small-run literary firsts often without number lines; identify by the original copyright-page year matching publication, the Anansi spider colophon/device, and the…
- Modern Anansi typically states 'First edition' and/or carries a number line on the copyright page; '1' present indicates a first printing.
- Cross-check against later printings: Anansi frequently reprinted breakout titles (for example Atwood's 'Survival', 1972, went through many printings), so a first must show the first-printing year with no…
Howell Press c.1985-c.2007 · Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Late-1980s into the mid-2000s Virginia specialist in aviation, military, transportation, quilt, and Mid-Atlantic/Southeastern regional pictorials: copyright page typically carries a descending number line,…
- Large-format color titles; revised editions are stated explicitly and reset the number line.
- Confirm the house by the Charlottesville, Virginia imprint line to distinguish it from unrelated 'Howell' surnames on other publishers.
Huia Publishers 1991-present · New Zealand (Wellington)
- 1991-present: Māori-owned and Māori-focused publisher founded in 1991 by Robyn (Rangihuia) Bargh and Brian Bargh. First editions are identified from the copyright/imprint page by the statement 'First…
- Bilingual context (te reo Māori / English): some works exist as separate reo Māori and English editions, each with its own 'First published' line — establish which language edition you hold before calling it…
- On some trade titles a standard descending number line may also appear; where present, the lowest digit indicates the printing. Treat the stated 'First published' line plus the absence of any reprint line as…
Humanoids, Inc. (Les Humanoïdes Associés, US arm) 1999-present (US arm); French parent 1974-present · USA (Los Angeles, California; US arm founded 1999 by Fabrice Giger) / parent France (Les Humanoïdes Associés, founded 1974)
- US editions, 1999-present: deluxe graphic-novel first printings are identified by the indicia printing statement, with a first printing stating an original date and reprints stating a later printing. Many…
- Humanoids/DC co-editions (the DC distribution agreement was signed in January 2004 and ran through the mid-2000s): some Moebius and Jodorowsky material was published under this arrangement and carries DC…
- The Incal, The Metabarons, and Moebius oversized deluxe reissues (2010s-2020s) exist in multiple competing editions and printings over the decades, so the specific publisher, format, and indicia date must be…
The Huntington Library (Huntington Library Press) 1920s–present · San Marino, California, USA
- 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.
Hurtig Publishers 1972-1991 · Canada (Edmonton, Alberta)
- 1972 to early 1980s: established 1972 by Mel Hurtig in Edmonton after he sold his bookstores to concentrate on publishing. First editions are identified by a 'First edition' or 'First printing' statement on…
- Early 1980s to 1991: number lines appear on trade titles (descending, lowest digit indicating the printing). The Canadian Encyclopedia (1985 first edition, three volumes; second edition 1988, four volumes) is…
- 1991: the firm was sold to McClelland & Stewart and the trade list dispersed.
Hutchinson & Co. 1887-present · UK (London)
- Late 1880s to about 1920: many firsts of this era carry no printing statement at all, so dating relies on the title-page date and on dated rear advertisement catalogs; later printings note reprints. Number…
- About 1920 to about 1960: 'First published (year)' or 'First published in Great Britain (year)' on the copyright page; a first impression lists no reprints, while later printings add dated 'Reprinted' or 'New…
- About 1960 to about 1975: 'First published 19xx' on the verso, with a first printing showing no additional impression line.
I
- Universal first-edition checks that apply to any publisher
IDW Publishing 1999-present · USA (San Diego, CA)
- Floppy issues and trade paperbacks: a first printing carries no printing statement; later printings are explicitly stated. The indicia gives the publisher block, ISBN, and printing.
- Collected editions/hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing with month and year (e.g. 'First Printing, May 2018'); a first printing shows the earliest single date.
- IDW 'Artist's Edition' oversized books are typically single-print runs with a printed limitation/colophon — the limitation statement and first-printing date identify them.
Ignatius Press 1978-present · San Francisco, California, USA
- 1978-1980s: founded in 1978 by Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J.; on early titles a number line is not yet universal, so identify a first printing by the copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice. The…
- 1980s-present: standard number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line including 1 indicates a first printing.
- Many Ignatius titles are the first English-language or first US edition of European Catholic works (Balthasar, Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, de Lubac), so the Ignatius edition can be the true first in English even…
Image Comics 1992-present · USA (Portland, OR)
- Floppy single issues: a first printing carries NO printing statement; later printings are explicitly marked (e.g. 'Second Printing' in the cover area or indicia).
- Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing month and year (e.g. 'First Printing: March 2014') plus the volume number; later printings update that line.
- Many Image collected editions also carry a descending number line on the indicia page; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
Indiana University Press 1950–present · US
- Copyright page states later printings; first printings carry the copyright line alone or 'First edition' / a printing line. Modern titles use a number line where '1' = first printing.
- Midland Books is the paperback line — typically a later issue, not the original first edition.
- Revised editions are dated and numbered.
Inner Traditions International 1975-present (Bear & Company joined Inner Traditions in 2000) · US (Rochester, Vermont)
- First printings carry a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- Inner Traditions publishes many translations of European esoteric and alchemical works, so a copy may show both the original-language copyright and the English first-printing year; date the English first…
- Some reissued or translated titles state 'First U.S. edition' or a similar named-edition note.
Insight Guides (APA Publications) 1970-present · Singapore (APA Productions / APA Publications, founded 1970); later Langenscheidt and subsequent owners
- Identify by edition statement plus copyright-page printing year; revised editions list multiple update years, so a first printing shows only the original edition's single year.
- 1970-1980s: founded by Hans Hoefer (Hans Johannes Hofer); 'Guide to Bali' (1970) is the landmark first, establishing the photo-led format. Early printings carry the 'APA Productions' / 'APA Publications'…
- 1990s-2000s: Houghton Mifflin (US) and Langenscheidt distribution; the copyright page gives an edition statement and 'Updated' years, and a first printing lacks the update list.
InterVarsity Press (IVP) US IVP founded 1947 (book program); UK Inter-Varsity Press has older roots in the IVF/UCCF movement · US IVP (Westmont, Illinois; long based in Downers Grove, Illinois); separate UK house Inter-Varsity Press (now under SPCK, London)
- US IVP first printings typically carry a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1'; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Many IVP copyright pages pair a descending printing line with a descending year line, so a first printing shows both the lowest printing digit and the earliest year still present; later printings drop the…
- Some earlier or simpler titles give only a copyright year with no printing line, in which case a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint notice.
Interweave Press 1975-present · Loveland, Colorado, USA
- 1975-2005 (independent, Loveland CO; founded by Linda Ligon): Fiber-arts specialist (weaving, spinning, knitting, beadwork). First printing is identified by the earliest copyright year, usually with a…
- 2005-2019 (Aspire Media, then F+W Media ownership): Aspire Media acquired Interweave in 2005, and F+W Media acquired it in August 2012. The number-line convention continues, and copyright pages begin…
- 2019-present (F+W bankruptcy; Penguin Random House acquired F+W's book assets June 2019): F+W filed Chapter 11 on 10 March 2019, and PRH won the book publishing assets at the June 2019 auction. Recent…
Iowa State University Press 1934–2000 (independent); ISU Press brand to c.2007 · Ames, Iowa
- 1934–c.1959 (Iowa State College Press, before the college became a university in 1959): No first-printing statement; later printings/editions noted on the copyright page; a first printing shows matching…
- 1959–c.1975 (Iowa State University Press): Same convention; printing-history lists or 'Second printing' lines added on reprints.
- c.1975–2000: Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing; Library of Congress CIP block standard.
Ives Washburn c.1926-1968 · New York, USA
- c.1926-1968 (independent Ives Washburn): First editions generally carry no printed first-edition statement. Identify a first by the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice and by matching single dates…
- 1968 onward (after acquisition by David McKay): Titles appear under a joint 'David McKay Company, Inc. / Ives Washburn, Inc.' imprint and follow McKay practice, where later printings are noted, so absence of…
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J. B. Lippincott Company 1836-1978 · US
- From ~1925: printed 'First Edition' on the copyright page of books deemed important; novels and children's books often NOT so marked.
- Reliably indicated later printings ('Second Printing', 'Third Printing', etc.), so absence of a later-printing notice is a key signal for the unmarked titles.
- Mid-1970s: added a descending number line; presence of '1' = first printing.
James R. Osgood & Company 1871-1885; antiquarian · Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Follows the inherited Ticknor/Fields practice: no first-edition statement. Match the title-page date to the copyright date with no later printing noted.
- Dated rear advertisement/catalogue sections can aid printing priority within a title's issue.
- For the major Mark Twain titles (The Prince and the Pauper, 1882; Life on the Mississippi, 1883), priority is established by bibliographic points and states (text and illustration points) rather than any…
Janus Press 1955-present · West Burke (Newark), Vermont, USA; founded in San Diego, California, and moved several times before settling in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom in 1966
- Claire Van Vliet's press: edition limitation stated in the colophon; editions are small (commonly 100-200) and frequently involve handmade paper, dyed pulp-painting, and unusual structural bindings that are…
- Identify by Van Vliet's distinctive paper and binding structure plus the colophon; copies are typically signed by Van Vliet and collaborators on the colophon.
- Variant binding structures (non-adhesive, woven, accordion) are documented title by title; match the structure to the Janus Press bibliography/checklist to confirm the issue. There is no number-line rule.
The Jargon Society (Jargon Books) 1951-2008 (active under Williams; Jargon Society continues as a nonprofit) · San Francisco / Black Mountain NC / Highlands NC / Dentdale, England (Jonathan Williams)
- 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…
- 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,…
- 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.…
The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) 1888-present · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) 1949–2018 · UK (London), with Paris ties through co-publishing arrangements
- 1949–1963 (John Calder / John Calder (Publishers) Ltd): a first printing is identified by a single 'First published in <year> by John Calder' statement on the copyright page with no subsequent impression or…
- 1963–1975 (Calder & Boyars): the copyright page reads 'First published in <year> by Calder and Boyars Ltd'; a first printing carries no impression statement, and later impressions add 'Reprinted <year>' or an…
- 1975–2018 (Calder Publications / Calder Educational Trust): a 'First published <year>' statement identifies the first; some later titles adopt a descending number line, where the presence of '1' as the lowest…
John F. Blair, Publisher 1954-present · South (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
- 1954-1986 (John F. Blair lifetime era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching publication with no later-printing statement; later printings…
- 1986-2017 (family/staff era): Mixed but increasing use of number lines; the lowest digit present (a '1') indicates the first printing. Some titles also carry 'First Edition' or 'First printing' wording. Where…
- 2017/2018-present (Blair, under Carolina Wren Press): Carolina Wren acquired the Blair trademarks and backlist in 2017 and began doing business as 'Blair' effective January 1, 2018; titles follow standard…
John Lane Company (American branch) c.1896–1920s (US branch) · New York, USA (US branch of London's John Lane / The Bodley Head)
- Earlier printings: no 'first edition' statement on the copyright page; subsequent printings were noted, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing.
- Later practice: first editions state 'First Published [Year]' (or 'First Edition Published [Month, Year]') on the copyright page, with subsequent printings noted.
- The US issue carries the imprint 'John Lane Company, New York'; a London-only 'John Lane, The Bodley Head' imprint marks the English issue, not the American. By the 1920s many titles carry a combined 'John…
John Murray 1768–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.) · London, UK
- No formal edition statement on most 19th-century Murray firsts: identify by the title-page date with no 'New Edition' / 'Second Edition' / number-of-thousand line, the correct imprint ('John Murray, Albemarle…
- Inserted publisher's advertisement catalogue, frequently dated (for example 'March 1859'); on travel and scientific works a dated ad catalogue is a strong printing indicator and is sometimes the only dating…
- Darwin's On the Origin of Species (Murray, 1859): the true first is 1,250 copies. The diagnostic points are the misprint 'speceies' at page 20, line 11, and the 'whale-bear' passage printed in full at page…
John P. Morton & Co. c.1858–c.1900 (firm itself ran to 1943) · Louisville, Kentucky (South US)
- Mid-1800s–c.1900: Louisville printer-publisher of Southern/regional literature, textbooks, almanacs, and reference; first editions carry the Morton imprint and a dated title page. No first-edition statement…
- Predecessor firm names bracket the earliest period: Henry A. Griswold joined in 1838 and the firm operated as 'Morton & Griswold' before becoming 'John P. Morton & Company' after 1860; the imprint form is the…
- Regional almanacs, cookbooks, and handbooks were frequently reprinted from standing type — use the bound-in advertisement/catalog state to separate first from later printings.
John Wiley & Sons (trade/STM) 1807-present · United States (New York / Hoboken, NJ) & United Kingdom (Chichester)
- 1807-late 1960s: Firm dates to Charles Wiley's 1807 Manhattan shop; the present John Wiley & Sons name dates to 1876. Through the late 1960s, Wiley scientific, technical, and trade titles carried NO…
- Late 1960s-present: A number line was adopted on the copyright page; the first printing contains the digit '1' in the sequence (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), and the lowest digit present indicates the…
- Wiley-Interscience and Wiley-VCH (STM monographs and serials): identified by volume and edition, following the contemporary Wiley number-line convention for the printing.
Johns Hopkins University Press 1878–present (oldest continuously operating US university press; number lines standard later 20th c.) · US
- First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are stated. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.
- Copyright page commonly prints '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or similar; lowest figure = printing.
- Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered (notably the many serial editions of reference/medical titles).
Johnson Books (Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder) 1978–present (under successor ownership) · Mountain West — Boulder, Colorado
- 1978–c.1990s (independent, Johnson Publishing Company of Boulder): first printings identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing/edition…
- Later independent titles: a printing number line is standard on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit present indicating the printing.
- 2005–present (after acquisition by Big Earth Publishing, later Bower House / Globe Pequot): follows the successor's conventions — number line and/or a stated edition, with a first printing shown by the lowest…
Jonathan Cape 1921-present · UK
- First printings state "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" on the copyright page with NO additional impression lines and traditionally NO number line
- Later printings noted by added lines (e.g. 'Second impression [year]', 'Reprinted...') — their presence disqualifies a first
- In the modern era Cape (under Random House) adopted a descending number line ending in 1; lowest digit indicates printing
Junior Literary Guild 1929–c.1970s (club markings most common 1929–1960s) · New York, NY (children's book club; selections distributed via member trade publishers)
- 1929–c.1960s (book-club selections via trade publishers): the Junior Literary Guild, founded 1929 as the children's counterpart to the adult Literary Guild, did not originate texts; it distributed selections…
- True-first caution: for most titles the trade publisher's first printing precedes the Junior Literary Guild distribution, so collectors treat the Guild marking as a point against trade-first status. Where a…
- Dating: revert to the originating trade publisher's own first-printing conventions, since the Guild redistributed those publishers' books. A printed selection notice or date helps bracket the year.
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Kalmbach Publishing Co. 1934-present (book lines to Firecrown 2024) · Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA (railroad/hobby book lines later sold to Firecrown Media)
- 1934-c.1970 (founded 1934 by A. C. Kalmbach): hobby and model-railroad books. A first printing carries the sole original copyright date with no later-printing notation; subsequent printings add a 'Second…
- c.1970-c.2000: the copyright page often states 'First printing, [year]' or carries a number line in which the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Spiral-bound how-to titles were frequently revised,…
- c.2000-2024: number line standard; lowest digit present indicates the printing. Greenberg toy-train price and identification guides (acquired imprint) are dated, annual-style editions in which the stated…
Karl Baedeker (Verlag Karl Baedeker) 1832-present (antiquarian core 1832-1944) · Germany (Koblenz/Leipzig); later Freiburg/Ostfildern
- Identification is by EDITION ('Auflage'), not impression. Baedeker numbered editions sequentially, and the title-page edition statement (for example '3. Auflage' / 'Third Edition') is the primary identifier;…
- 1832-1855: earliest guides (from the Rhine handbook of 1832 onward) issued in tan/yellow illustrated paper-covered boards, before the firm adopted its later house style; no star ratings yet. The title-page…
- 1846-1855: a star rating system was introduced in the mid-1840s; presence or absence of stars helps bracket the edition.
Katherine Tegen Books 2003-present · US
- First printing carries a 'First Edition' statement and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page (HarperCollins house style)
Kelmscott Press 1891–1898 · UK
- Hand-press letterpress limited editions (1891–1898), each with a printed colophon stating the limitation (paper copies plus a small number on VELLUM)
- Morris's proprietary types — Golden, Troy, and Chaucer types — plus woodcut borders/initials and the Kelmscott device; on handmade Batchelor paper or vellum
- Vellum copies are a distinct, far smaller and more valuable sub-state stated in the colophon
Kent State University Press 1965–present · Kent, Ohio
- 1965–c.1980: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line.
- c.1980–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.
- Black Squirrel Books (trade imprint): follows the same number-line convention; the imprint is named on the title page.
Key Porter Books 1979-2011 · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- 1979-2011: Mainstream Canadian trade house. First printings are identified by the standard descending number line on the copyright page (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') with the digit '1' present, and/or a…
- Where a title carries both a printing line and a separate year cluster, the lowest digit of each indicates the impression and its year. Confirm against the dated copyright statement rather than relying on the…
- 2011: Operations ceased in January 2011; backlist dispersed.
Kingfisher (children's) 1970s-present · UK/US
- UK firsts: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention)
- US editions (now under Macmillan Children's): number line ending in 1, often accompanied by a 'First American edition' statement
Knopf Books for Young Readers (Knopf BFYR) 1915–present (children's line mid-20th c. onward) · US
- Knopf house convention applies: stated 'First Edition' on copyright page, historically with the Borzoi colophon
- KEY Knopf quirk inherited by the children's arm: on a true first the number line and the words must AGREE — Knopf's rule is the printing line; a stated 'First Edition' with a number line not ending in 1 is a…
- Modern Knopf BFYR (Random House Children's): full number line ending in 1, plus 'First Edition'
Kodansha Comics (Kodansha USA) — English-language manga 2008-present (US imprint) · USA (New York) / parent Kodansha (Tokyo); imprint est. 2008
- 2009-present: English-language volumes are identified primarily by a descending number line on the copyright/indicia page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing (full line ending in 1 = first…
- Transition-era titles inherited from Del Rey Manga: Kodansha USA took over the Del Rey Manga license catalog around 2010, and that production used Random House number-line conventions, so those volumes remain…
- Hardcover deluxe, box-set, and color-edition lines (e.g. Akira reissues, Attack on Titan Colossal Editions) each carry their own number line and date distinct from the standard single-volume printings.
Kodansha International 1963–2011 · Japan (Tokyo) and USA (New York); English-language books on Japan
- 1963–c.1990 (Kodansha International Ltd, Tokyo and New York): first printings are identified by an edition/printing statement on the copyright page rather than a number line. Many titles carry an explicit…
- c.1990–2011: many later KI titles use a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit, typically '1', = first printing) together with a 'First published <year> by Kodansha International'…
- 2011 (KI closure): Kodansha International ceased operations at the end of April 2011; the English-language list migrated to Kodansha USA and other publishers. A genuine KI first must bear the KI imprint and…
Krause Publications 1952-present (brand dispersed after 2019) · Iola, Wisconsin, USA
- 1952-2002 (independent, Iola WI; founded by Chester L. Krause): hobby and collectibles reference publisher (coins, stamps, firearms, antiques, automobiles). Most Krause titles are annual or serially revised…
- 2002-2019 (F+W Publications / F+W Media ownership): acquired by F&W Publications in June 2002. Book-format titles use descending number lines ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing); annual…
- 2019-present (after F+W bankruptcy): F+W filed Chapter 11 in March 2019. Book assets (including the Krause book catalog) were acquired by Penguin Random House at the June 2019 auction; the Krause/numismatic…
Kwela Books 1994-present · South Africa (Cape Town)
- Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Kwela Books' (Cape Town) as an imprint of NB Publishers (Naspers/Media24's book group).
- Inherits NB Publishers house practice: a 'First published' year statement, often 'First edition, first impression [year]', and may carry a descending number line — the first printing is the earliest…
- No reprint or later-impression notice on the first state; the imprint line names Kwela / NB Publishers.
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Laguna Verde Imprenta c.1972-1990s · Laguna Beach, California, USA
- First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. Ward Ritchie retired in 1972, moved to Laguna Beach, acquired an 1835 Albion hand press, and printed small editions and broadsides under the name Laguna…
- Identify by the Laguna Verde Imprenta imprint and Ritchie's design hand. Keep this personal post-retirement press distinct from the earlier commercial Ward Ritchie Press (and its partnership forms Anderson &…
Laird & Lee 1883–c.1913 · Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US newsstand/mail-order)
- 1883–c.1913: Chicago cheap-fiction, dictionary, and pocket-handbook publisher distributed largely through railroad newsstands and mail-order; first issues carry the 'Laird & Lee, Chicago' imprint and a dated…
- Series fiction (Pastime Series, Pinkerton/detective titles): identify the issue by series number, copyright date, and the bound-in advertisement list. Standing plates were reused across printings, so the…
- Reference works (Webster-style dictionaries, vest-pocket guides): the year/edition stated on the title page is the edition designator; these were revised and reissued frequently.
Lark Books / Lark Crafts 1979-present (independent 1979–1999; under Sterling from 1999; brand activity diminished after ~2017) · Asheville, North Carolina, USA
- 1979-1999 (independent, Asheville NC; founded by Rob Pulleyn with Kate Matthews): Craft and how-to publisher (jewelry, beading, ceramics, fiber, glass). First printing is identified by the earliest copyright…
- 1999-2010 (Sterling Publishing ownership): Sterling acquired Lark in 1999. First printing is then identified by a full descending number line such as '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' per Sterling house style, with the…
- 2010-c.2017 (Sterling under Barnes & Noble ownership, then sold): Sterling/Lark moved with Sterling into Barnes & Noble (2003) and out again when Sterling was sold (2017); the number-line convention…
Last Gasp (Last Gasp Eco-Funnies) 1970-present · USA (San Francisco, California; founded 1970)
- Underground comix era (1970 through roughly 1980): single-issue underground comix (Slow Death, Wimmen's Comix, Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary 1972, and others) are identified by indicia and,…
- Book and collected era (1980s-present): art books and graphic-novel reprints are identified by the indicia printing statement, and some carry a number line ending in 1 for a first printing.
- Reprint identification for vintage undergrounds relies on comparing cover price, the printing line on the inside cover or last page, and physical paper and printing quality against the Fogel guide, because…
Lee & Shepard 1862-1904 · Boston, Massachusetts (Northeast USA)
- 1862-c.1872: no printed edition statement; a Boston juvenile and general-literature house. First printing is identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date and by dated terminal advertising…
- c.1872-1900s: same no-statement practice. For heavily reprinted juvenile series (Oliver Optic / William T. Adams, Sophie May, Elijah Kellogg), the first printing requires the earliest-state rear catalogue: it…
- 1904: Lee & Shepard acquired the bankrupt Lothrop list and the firm continued as Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. An imprint or spine reading 'Lothrop, Lee & Shepard' therefore dates from 1904 or later. No number…
Legacy Lit founded/announced 2020; first titles 2022–present · US (New York)
- 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.
Lerner Publishing Group (children's) 1959-present · US
- First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First American edition'; the lowest digit indicates the printing
Lester & Orpen Dennys 1973-1991 · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- 1973 to 1979 (as Lester & Orpen): founded 1973 by Malcolm Lester and Eve Orpen (Orpen died 1978). Identify by the 'Lester & Orpen' imprint on the title page; a first printing is shown by a dated copyright…
- 1979 to 1991 (as Lester & Orpen Dennys, after Louise Dennys joined and the firm was renamed in 1979): first editions typically carry a number line (lowest number indicating the printing) and/or a 'First…
- 1988 to 1991: ownership passed to Pagurian Corp. (August 1988) then Hees International (December 1988), with Lester and Dennys continuing as publishers until Hees suspended operations in 1991. Louise Dennys…
Let's Go (Harvard Student Agencies) 1960-2000s · United States (Cambridge, MA); St. Martin's Press distribution
- Annual series: identify by the YEAR in the title (e.g. 'Let's Go: Europe 1985') plus the copyright-page number line, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- 1960-1970s: produced by Harvard Student Agencies; 'Let's Go' began as a roughly 25-page mimeographed pamphlet (compiled by Harvard student Oliver Koppell, first effort 1959, first guide 1960) handed out to…
- 1980s-2000s: published in book form with St. Martin's Press; rely on the YEAR on the cover/title page as the annual identifier, confirmed by the copyright-page number line for that year's edition.
Leuven University Press 1971-present · Leuven, Belgium
- 1971-c.1995: established 1971 in association with KU Leuven; titles in Dutch, English, French and German. Continental convention: the verso carries '© [year] Leuven University Press / Universitaire Pers…
- c.1995-present: '© [year] Leuven University Press' plus a full ISBN block and the Belgian D/ legal-deposit number; later printings or editions are stated explicitly ('Tweede druk' / 'Second edition'). The…
- Language tell: Dutch 'druk' = impression/printing ('Eerste druk' first, 'Tweede druk' second); French 'édition'; German 'Auflage' — the lowest/first of these indicates the first printing.
The Library of America 1982-present · New York, USA (non-profit)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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.
The Lilliput Press 1984-present · Ireland (Dublin)
- 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.
Limelight Editions 1984–present · USA (New York, NY; later under various trade-publisher parents)
- 1984–2004 (independent, Mel Zerman / Proscenium Publishers era): performing-arts trade publisher covering film, theatre, music, and dance criticism and reference, reviving out-of-print titles alongside some…
- 2004–2006 (Amadeus Press ownership): Limelight was acquired by Amadeus Press in 2004; copyright pages and colophons begin to reflect the Amadeus parentage. First printing is still a descending number line…
- 2006–2018 (Hal Leonard ownership): Hal Leonard acquired Amadeus Press and Limelight in 2006 and folded Limelight into its Performing Arts Publishing Group; copyright pages read 'Limelight Editions, An Imprint…
Limited Editions Club 1929–present (classic Macy era 1929–1956; Shiff era 1979 onward) · US
- Every LEC title is a true limited edition with a printed colophon/limitation leaf (usually at the rear) stating the limitation number out of the edition (commonly 1,500 for the classic Macy era, later varying)
- The colophon is hand-numbered and bears the SIGNATURE of the illustrator/artist (and sometimes the author, translator, or designer); the autograph(s) on the colophon are the primary authentication
- The 'Monthly Letter' (newsletter describing the book's making) accompanied each volume on issue; presence is corroborating but not part of the book proper
Lion Books 1949-1957 · US
- Sequential catalog number on spine/cover identifies the title; Lion ran a 25-cent Lion line and a 35-cent Lion Library line, the latter often carrying LL-prefixed numbers. The number is a title/series…
- First printing: the copyright page carries no later-printing statement. Lion seldom announced reprints, so a stated reprint is uncommon; rely on the original catalog number and price together with the cover…
- When a Lion Library issue reuses an earlier Lion title it takes a new number and often a new cover; the earlier, lower-numbered Lion appearance is the earlier (and usually the first) printing.
Little Golden Books (Golden Books / Western Publishing / Simon & Schuster) 1942–present (letter-code system 1947–c.2000) · US
- 1947–1970: edition letter hidden in the LOWER-RIGHT CORNER of the LAST page (sometimes under the rear cover/pastedown) — 'A' = 1st edition/printing, 'B' = 2nd, 'C' = 3rd, etc. THE defining Little Golden Book…
- Pre-1947: edition stated on the first or second page of the book
- 1971–1991: a series of letters on the first few pages; the letter FARTHEST LEFT indicates the printing (A = first)
- “First Edition” or “First Printing” statement
- Number line (late 1970s–present)
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR) 1837–present (children's line mid/late-20th c.) · US
- Little, Brown house convention: modern firsts state 'First Edition' / 'First North American Edition' on copyright page, generally with a number line ending in 1
- Historically Little, Brown stated 'First Edition' or 'Published (Month, Year)' and removed it on later printings; combine with number line
- First printing requires number line to reach 1
Liturgical Press 1926–present (publishing house of Saint John's Abbey) · US (Collegeville, Minnesota)
- First printings carry a descending number line ending in '1' on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Many scholarly and liturgical titles state only a copyright year with no printing line, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint or second-printing notice.
- Series volumes (e.g., Sacra Pagina, Cistercian Studies) are dated by each volume's own copyright year.
Liverpool University Press 1899-present · Liverpool, England
- 1899-c.1930: Third-oldest English university press; earliest titles were distributed via trade houses. First printing keyed by title-page date and the absence of any reprint note.
- c.1930-c.1990: Own imprint, standard British practice: 'First published [year]', '© Liverpool University Press', and no reprint line on a first printing; later impressions add 'Reprinted [year]'.
- c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Liverpool University Press' with a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression) and a full ISBN/copyright block. A line ending in 1 with no reprint…
Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide 1901-present (a clearly stated copyright-page printing notice is reliable from roughly the 1990s onward) · US (founded Portland, Oregon, 1901; moved to Los Angeles 1920; since 1961 based in St. Paul, later Woodbury, Minnesota)
- Modern Llewellyn first printings indicate the printing on the copyright page, typically with a printing notice and a descending number line that includes the digit 1; the lowest number present indicates the…
- Many Llewellyn copyright pages also carry a printing-history block that records subsequent printings by year; a copy that shows only the first year alongside a complete number line is the first printing.
- Older (pre-1990s) Llewellyn titles may state only a copyright year or use a simpler notice and should be judged with more caution.
Lonely Planet 1973-present · Australia (Melbourne) / US
- Travel guides are identified mainly by the EDITION number stated on the cover and title/copyright page (e.g. '5th edition'); the earliest edition of a given destination guide is the collectible point.
- The copyright page carries the edition number and the month/year of that edition, which is the reliable dating tool for a series revised on a short cycle.
- Number lines are secondary to the explicit edition statement for this series.
Longman (Longmans, Green & Co.) 1724–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.) · London, UK
- No edition statement on most 19th-century firsts: rely on the title-page date, the absence of later-printing wording, and the exact partnership style in the imprint, which changed frequently and dates a…
- Dated inserted advertisement catalogue, commonly at the rear; a first should not list books published after the title-page year.
- For Macaulay's History of England, early Tennyson and other Longman high spots, collate against the author bibliography for textual and binding points — value is point-driven.
Lord John Press 1977-2000s · Northridge, California, USA
- Herb Yellin's press specializing in signed limited editions: the colophon states numbered and lettered states, and every copy is signed by the author so the signature is intrinsic, not added later.
- Typical structure: a signed numbered edition (often a few hundred copies) plus a smaller signed lettered edition in a finer binding/slipcase.
- Identify by the colophon limitation and author signature; these are first and only printings, so there are no later-printing states to disambiguate.
Lorena Jones Books 2017-present · US (California)
- Follows its parent (Ten Speed Press / Crown Publishing Group / Penguin Random House) convention: a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a full number line ending in 1 on the true first…
Lost Horse Press 1998-present · Sandpoint, Idaho (Inland Pacific Northwest)
- 1998-present: Independent nonprofit literary/poetry press. Identification is best done by the imprint plus a copyright/publication year that matches first appearance; print runs are small and most titles see…
- Number lines are not a reliable tell here: as with many small poetry presses, Lost Horse books are inconsistent about descending printing lines, so do not rely on the presence or absence of a number line…
- Era tell: founded June 1998 near Spokane, Washington, and relocated to Sandpoint, Idaho, shortly after, so a Sandpoint address dates a title to roughly 1999 or later, while the earliest items reflect the…
Lost Roads Publishers 1976-present (Stanford era 1976-1978; C.D. Wright/Forrest Gander era from 1978; Susan Scarlata executive editor from 2009) · USA (Fayetteville, AR; later Providence, RI)
- Frank Stanford era (1976-1978): hand-assembled chapbooks and small letterpress/offset runs; first/only printing identified by colophon or a simple copyright statement. Runs were tiny, so most titles are…
- First printing generally identified by absence of any later-printing notice; some titles state 'first edition.' Number lines are inconsistent on early titles, so do not rely on a number line being present.
- On signed/numbered titles the colophon states the size of the limitation; numbered copies are the limited issue.
Lothrop, Lee & Shepard 1904–c.1980s (roots to 1862) · Boston, MA / New York, NY
- 19th-century predecessors (Lee & Shepard, 1862–1904; Lothrop Publishing): pre-merger firms generally carry no edition statement. Date by imprint name (Lee & Shepard vs. Lothrop) and address; the earliest…
- c.1904–c.1940s (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., formed by the 1904 merger of Lee & Shepard and Lothrop): first printings typically carry no explicit 'First Edition' statement. A first printing is indicated by the…
- Mid-20th century onward: the firm adopted a number row on the copyright page, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a line ending in 1 = first). Where no number line appears, the absence of…
Louisiana State University Press 1935-present · US (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
- Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line where present; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing, and later printings add stacked printing years or 'Second printing' notices.
- Important caveat: not all LSU firsts carry a number line. Older titles, and some landmark ones, state neither 'First Edition' nor a printing line. For these, identify a first by a single matching copyright…
- Do not assume a number line is required; check a reliable bibliography or dealer point-guide for the specific title before concluding.
Lyons Press (Nick Lyons Books / Lyons & Burford) late 1970s-present · USA (New York, NY; later Guilford, Connecticut)
- Use the imprint name on the title/copyright page to date the book to the correct ownership era, then apply that era's number-line rule.
- Late 1970s-1981 (Nick Lyons Books era, including subsidiary period and co-branding with Winchester Press): Firsts typically state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page; some titles use a…
- 1981-1997 (Lyons & Burford): Standard trade practice — a 'First Edition' statement and/or a full descending number line (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); lowest digit present indicates the printing. Imprint reads…
The Lyons Press / Globe Pequot 1980s-present · US (Connecticut / New York)
- 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.
M
M. A. Donohue & Company 1861 (Cox & Donohue roots)-1960s · Chicago, IL (with later New York offices)
- c.1880-1901 (Donohue & Henneberry): predecessor firm issuing inexpensive reprints, fiction sets, and children's books. No edition statements; date a copy by the imprint name and Chicago address, the…
- 1901-1960s (M. A. Donohue & Co.): high-volume inexpensive children's books, linen books, and reprints. First printings carry no 'first edition' statement; identify the earliest state by the Chicago Dearborn…
- Raggedy Ann and similar titles: Donohue issued inexpensive reprints of well-known children's properties after the original publishers' lines ended; these are clearly later than the first publishers' firsts…
M. Evans and Company c.1963-2005 · New York, USA
- First printings are generally identified by a number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing; where no line appears, the absence of any later-printing…
- Distribution note: many M. Evans titles were distributed by J.B. Lippincott and later by other houses; the distributor's name on the jacket or spine does not affect first-printing status, which should be…
- Under successive owners (Rowman & Littlefield from 2005, then Globe Pequot) standard number-line conventions continue, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing.
MACK 2010–present (SteidlMACK imprint lineage from 2004) · UK (London)
- Colophon states 'First edition' and the year for a true first; MACK trade photobooks are typically issued in a single first printing, so the original year with no 'Second edition'/'reprinted' line indicates a…
- No standard descending number line on most titles — rely on the stated first-edition/year line in the colophon rather than a number line.
- Popular sold-out titles are sometimes reprinted as a stated 'Second edition'; that wording on the colophon means the copy is not the first.
Macmillan trade
- “First printing” (US, 1936+)
- “First Published [Year]” (UK, mid-1920s+)
- Number line (1970s–present)
Macmillan (UK) 1843-present · UK
- Pre-mid-1920s: no statement on firsts; only later printings were noted (rely on negative evidence + dating)
- Mid-1920s onward: "First published [Year]" stated on the copyright page of first editions; later printings noted
- Modern Pan Macmillan/Picador titles use a number line ending in 1; lowest digit = printing
Magabala Books 1987–present · Australia (Broome, WA)
- Copyright page states 'First published [year] by Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation'; a first printing carries no 'Reprinted' line and the stated year matches the copyright year.
- Heavily reprinted children's and picture-book titles add an explicit 'Reprinted [year]' line — the first printing has the bare 'First published' statement only.
- Number lines are uncommon; rely on the statement plus a matching copyright year and the absence of any reprint notice.
Manchester University Press 1904-present · Manchester, England
- 1904-c.1930: Earliest 'Publications of the University of Manchester' were distributed through trade houses — Sherratt & Hughes of Manchester from 1904, then Longmans, Green & Co. from 1913. The title page may…
- c.1930-c.1990: Own MUP imprint with British-convention copyright page: 'First published [year]', '© [year] Manchester University Press', and no reprint note on a first printing; later printings note…
- c.1990-present: 'First published [year] by Manchester University Press' plus a number line on the verso indicating impression (lowest digit = impression); a full line ending in 1 with no reprint statement…
Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1963-2003 · United States (New York)
- 1963-c.2003: Founded 1963 by Marcel Dekker (after Interscience merged into Wiley); high-priced STM monographs, encyclopedias, and serials in chemistry, pharmaceutics, and engineering. These are…
- Post-2003: Acquired by Taylor & Francis in late 2003 (deal closed around 2003-2004); Dekker titles continued under CRC Press / Taylor & Francis imprints and house style, and the independent Dekker name was…
Margaret K. McElderry Books 1972-present · US
- Modern titles (now under Simon & Schuster Children's): first printing carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page
- 1970s-1980s titles published under Atheneum: identify a first printing by the absence of any later-printing statement (e.g. no 'Second Printing' line), since these predate a consistent number-line practice
Mariner Books as HMH paperback line 1990s-2021; HarperCollins 2021- · US (Boston/New York)
- Originals carry a stated "FIRST EDITION" with a number line descending to 1 on a first printing
- First-thus reprints are labeled with wording such as "First Mariner Books edition [year]" on the copyright page
Mark V. Ziesing Books 1980s–1990s · US
- Limited and trade states identified by the limitation/colophon leaf stating the numbered (and sometimes lettered) run, frequently signed
- First printing indicated by absence of later-printing notation; most titles are single small print runs
- Confirm slipcase/binding state as called for in the limitation
Marvel Comics (collected editions: TPB / HC / Omnibus / Epic / Masterworks) collected-edition program: 1990s-present (Masterworks since 1987; Omnibus since 2006) · USA (New York, NY)
- Open the indicia (copyright/publishing-info page, usually near the front or on the last page): a first printing states 'First printing [year]' or gives a single printing date; later printings add 'Second…
- Most modern Marvel collected editions carry a descending number line in the indicia ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest number present is the printing, so a line ending in '1' indicates a first printing.…
- Cross-check the printing-history block: first printings list only one printing date; reprints list a printing history of multiple dated lines.
McClelland & Stewart 1906-present · Canada
- PRIMARY (era-dependent): M&S has no single universal first-printing convention; method depends on the period. For earlier/mid-century Canadian firsts, identify by the ABSENCE of any later-printing/number line…
- Modern titles (roughly 1990s-present): a printer's-key number line IS used; lowest digit indicates the printing, so a line ending in 1 (e.g. '1 2 3 4 5' or '5 4 3 2 1', sometimes with year digits) indicates a…
- Corroborate with the printer's imprint / colophon for early-20th-century titles (e.g. L.M. Montgomery M&S firsts of the 1920s show printer names like Warwick Bros. & Rutter, with Hunter-Rose on later…
MCD 2016-2026 · US (New York)
- First printing follows FSG house style: a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, with a "First edition" plus year statement
McFarland & Company 1979-present · USA (Jefferson, NC)
- 1979-c.2005 (offset-print era): Independent academic/reference publisher (film, TV, music, and pop-culture reference). First printings are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page, where…
- c.2005-present (digital short-run + print-on-demand era): McFarland moved heavily to short-run and print-on-demand, so later 'printings' may be produced on demand without a changed number line, making the…
- All eras: McFarland states the year and often a printing line; initial runs are small, so genuine first printings of niche film/music reference are scarce but rarely command edition premiums.
McGill-Queen's University Press 1960/1969-present · Canada (Montreal, QC / Kingston, ON)
- Modern: full descending number line, '1' present = first printing
- First printing copyright page free of later-printing history
- Later printings add 'Reprinted YYYY' or impression statements; revised eds stated
McGraw-Hill Book Company 1909-1980s (consistent statement from 1956) · US
- Pre-1956: McGraw-Hill may not have used a first-edition statement at all. Where one appears, it is on the COPYRIGHT PAGE (not the title page); the safest pre-1956 signal is a single un-amended copyright date…
- From 1956 onward: adopted a consistent 'First Edition' statement on the COPYRIGHT PAGE and noted subsequent printings.
- From around 1972: began using a number line (number row), sometimes alongside a 'First Edition' statement. Absence of later printings supports a first, BUT note McGraw-Hill occasionally failed to remove the…
McLoughlin Brothers 1858-c.1944 (roots to c.1850; Milton Bradley division to WWII era) · New York, NY (later Springfield, MA under Milton Bradley)
- Pre-1858 (Elton & Co. predecessor era): John McLoughlin Jr. took over the Elton & Co. firm around 1850; early imprints carry the predecessor name or 'John McLoughlin' and bear no edition statements. Date by…
- 1858-1869: the firm trades as 'McLoughlin Brothers' from 1858 (Edmund McLoughlin a partner). Books are almost never dated and carry no edition statement. Date strictly by the NYC street address in the imprint…
- 1870-1900: shift to chromolithography; still undated with no 'first edition' wording. Identify the printing window via successive imprint-address states (Beekman, Greene, Duane, Broadway addresses) and…
McSweeney's 1998–present · US
- Highly designed copyright/colophon pages; many books and especially the 'Quarterly Concern' issues are produced as distinct physical objects where the issue number and elaborate colophon are the identifying…
- Trade book titles generally do carry a standard number line ending in 1 and/or a stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page
- San Francisco independent founded 1998 by Dave Eggers; nonprofit since 2014
Melbourne University Press / Melbourne University Publishing 1922-present · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- 1922-c.1960: As Australia's first university press, early titles follow the British convention: 'First published [year]' with 'Printed in Australia' and no reprint note on a first printing; later printings…
- c.1960-c.1990: 'First published [year] by Melbourne University Press' with '© [year]'; a first printing shows matching dates and no reprint line, with an Australian National Library CIP block appearing from…
- c.1990-present: 'First published [year]' plus a descending number line (lowest digit = printing) and full ISBN/CIP data; the corporate name reads 'Melbourne University Publishing' from 2002. A complete line…
Melville House Publishing 2001–present · US
- Stated 'First Edition' / 'First Melville House Printing: [year]' on the copyright page is common
- Descending number line ending in 1 on first printings (modern standard)
- Brooklyn (Hoboken origin) independent founded 2001 by Dennis Johnson and Valerie Merians; conventional identification
Menasha Ridge Press 1982-present · USA (Birmingham, Alabama)
- 1982-2000s (independent, Birmingham AL): Trade firsts typically state 'First Edition'/'First printing' and/or carry a descending number line; the lowest digit present indicates the printing ('1' = first). The…
- 2010s-present (under Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN): Standard descending number line; lowest surviving digit indicates the printing. The imprint continues as 'Menasha Ridge Press'.
- All eras: For the long-running outdoor-recreation series, verify both the EDITION (revision level) and the printing statement — a first printing of a third edition is not the original first.
Mercer University Press 1979-present · South (Macon, Georgia)
- 1979-1990s: Standard university-press convention - no 'First Edition' slug; treat a first printing as a single copyright date with no later-printing or 'second printing' notation. Many early titles are…
- 1990s-present: Standard academic number-line practice - a number line on the copyright page with the lowest digit present indicating the printing (a present '1' indicates a first printing); the copyright page…
- Where no number line is present on an early title, the absence of any printing statement plus a matching copyright year is the practical first-printing tell.
Mercury Mystery / Jonathan Press / Bestseller Mystery (Mercury Publications) 1938-1950s · USA (New York, NY - Mercury Publications / The American Mercury)
- 1938-1950s (digest-sized mysteries): all three lines are abridged digest reprints, each with its own letter+number code on the cover/spine - Bestseller Mystery (B prefix), Mercury Mystery, and Jonathan Press…
- Bestseller Library launched 1938 and was split in 1940 into Mercury Mysteries and Bestseller Mysteries; Jonathan Press Mystery launched in 1942 - use the line and code range to bracket the date.
- These were almost always abridged reprints of existing hardcovers, so the digest is rarely the text's first edition; the 'first' point applies only to that digest printing - earliest digest printing means no…
Mercury Publications / Mercury Mysteries (Lawrence Spivak) 1937-1950s · US
- Digest-sized paperback reprint/abridgment line (1937-1950s) tied to The American Mercury / Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine; identify by series number (Mercury Mystery #/Bestseller Mystery #/Jonathan Press #).
- Generally REPRINTS or abridgments, not firsts; the series number and digest format are the identifiers. Copyright page notes the original publisher.
- First-printing-of-the-digest can be inferred from the series number and absence of a reprint note, but the magazine/original hardcover is usually the true first.
Methodist Book Concern 1789–early 1900s (as Methodist Book Concern) · New York & Cincinnati (US religious publishing)
- 1789–1830s: the official Methodist Episcopal publishing house, founded by John Dickins, with books carrying the imprint of the current Book Agents rather than the words 'Methodist Book Concern' as such.…
- 1840s–1890s: the imprint cycles through successive agents — in New York: Lane & Scott, Carlton & Phillips, Carlton & Porter, Carlton & Lanahan, Nelson & Phillips, Phillips & Hunt, Hunt & Eaton, Eaton & Mains;…
- First printing is otherwise identified by the dated title page and the absence of a later-printing notice; there is no formal 'First Edition' statement. New York and Cincinnati issues of the same title may be…
Methuen & Co. 1889-present · UK
- Since 1905: state "First published in [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" on the copyright page of firsts, with later printings noted
- Pre-1905: no copyright-page statement on firsts; later printings sometimes indicated by a 'thousands' statement on the title page (e.g. 'Forty-third Thousand') — a higher 'thousand' = later printing
- First printing = the 'First published' statement (post-1905) OR absence of any 'thousand'/reprint notation (pre-1905)
Metropolitan Books 1995–2022 · US (New York)
- First printing shows a complete number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notice
- Typically paired with a stated "First Edition" on the copyright page, following Henry Holt/Macmillan practice
Michael Joseph 1935-present · UK
- First editions state "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" on the copyright page with later printings noted
- First printing = statement present AND no subsequent-impression lines
- Modern (Penguin-owned) titles use number lines ending in 1
Michelin (Guide Michelin / Red & Green Guides) 1900-present · France (Clermont-Ferrand/Paris)
- Annual publications identified by YEAR, not by edition/printing points. The cover or title page bears the year; collectible standing is tied to the specific year (especially the 1900 first).
- 1900-1930: the Red Guide was originally issued with a BLUE cover (not red). The 1900 first guide — about 35,000 copies given away free, presented around the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition — is the key…
- 1920: Michelin began selling the guide rather than giving it away free; format and content shift accordingly.
Michigan State University Press 1947–present · East Lansing, Michigan
- 1947–c.1975: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line.
- c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.
- Paperback reissues/reprints state the new printing year; distinguish a later paperback printing from the original cloth first.
Microcosm Publishing 1996-present · Cleveland, Ohio then Portland, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)
- 1996-1999 (Cleveland zine/distro era): Self-published zines and chapbooks, frequently undated and unnumbered; first printings identified by Cleveland, Ohio origin and hand-assembled production. Many early…
- 1999-c.2010 (early Portland era): Books and zines after the move to Portland, Oregon; many first printings carry no number line — identify by the Portland address and a 'first printing / first edition, YEAR'…
- c.2010-present: More conventional trade copyright pages; perfect-bound books use a descending number line, lowest digit indicating the printing. Microcosm often states the printing number, and sometimes the…
Midland Publishing / Midland Counties Publications c.1985-present (within Crécy group) · Hinckley / Leicester, United Kingdom
- 1980s-2000s (UK aviation specialist): the copyright page states 'First published [year] by Midland Publishing' with no reprint line on a first; reprints add a 'Reprinted [year]' line. A sole 'First published'…
- Some titles carry a number line; where present, the lowest digit indicates the printing. The 'Aerofax' detailed-monograph series follows the same convention.
- Distribution passed through Midland Counties Publications and later Ian Allan and Crécy; distributor wording does not affect printing identification.
Midnight Paper Sales 1980-present · Stockholm, Wisconsin, USA
- 1980-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of Gaylord Schanilec, known above all for color wood engraving. The colophon records the limitation, the…
- For the landmark natural-history titles (Mayflies of the Driftless Region, 2005; Sylvae, 2007; Lac des Pleurs, 2015) verify the edition size and any variant state against the press's own descriptions and the…
- Color wood engravings printed from multiple blocks are the signature feature; some titles include a separately issued specimen or suite described in the colophon.
Midwood Books 1957-1968 · US
- Midwood used letter/number catalog codes (early F-prefix, later all-numeric 32-xxx and similar) on cover/spine; the code IDs the title and era.
- First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page; Midwood seldom reprinted, so essentially all copies are first printings.
- Later 'Midwood-Tower' branding and the Tower sister-imprint numbering mark the post-1964 era.
Milkweed Editions 1984–present · US
- Stated 'First Edition' or 'Published [year] by Milkweed Editions' on the copyright page; literary titles frequently carry a stated first
- Descending number line ending in 1 on first printings (modern standard)
- Nonprofit press, Minneapolis, founded 1980 (book program 1984); conventional contemporary identification — no proprietary house key
Minnesota Historical Society Press 1859–present (press; Minnesota Historical Society founded 1849) · St. Paul, Minnesota
- Early titles (pre-c.1975): Historical-society publications, often with no first-printing statement; later printings/impressions noted; a first printing shows matching title/copyright dates with no added…
- c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard; the press participates…
- Borealis Books (national trade imprint) and Borealis Reprints: a Borealis edition states 'Borealis Books edition' with a first-Borealis-printing year and is the trade/reprint state — a Borealis reprint of an…
Minotaur Books 1999–present · US (New York)
- Stated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing
- First printing: full number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notice, following St. Martin's/Macmillan practice
Minton, Balch & Company 1924–1930 (independent; imprint name persisted on some titles into the mid-1930s after the Putnam merger) · New York, USA
- First printings carry NO indication of first printing on the verso of the title page (copyright page); subsequent printings are explicitly marked 'Second Printing,' 'Third Printing,' etc. The reliable tell is…
- Title page is generally dated to match the copyright.
- After the 1930 Putnam merger, the Minton, Balch imprint continued to appear on some titles into the mid-1930s; for those, apply this same no-statement / reprint-noted convention, but be aware Putnam house…
Mirage Press 1961-c.1990s · Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- 1961-c.1990s: first printings carry the Mirage Press (later Mirage Press, Ltd.) imprint. Many early titles are tiny runs in wrappers or boards; the imprint together with a stated low print figure identifies…
- Some scholarly titles state a print quantity or carry a numbered limitation/colophon page; for early fan-produced items the imprint and physical format (stapled wrappers vs. later hardcover) indicate state.
- Hardcover trade and occasional signed/limited states exist for later titles - check for a limitation or colophon page to separate states.
MIT Press 1962–present (number line standard) · US
- Copyright page carries a descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest number present indicates the printing — a '1' = first printing. This is MIT Press's standard modern convention.
- Older/first printings may state 'First MIT Press edition' or 'First printing, 19xx'; later printings are noted on the copyright page.
- Revised editions are dated and numbered.
Mitchell Kennerley c.1906–1924 · New York, USA (founder English-born; also London ties)
- c.1906–c.1924: No formal 'first edition' statement. First printings are identified by the absence of later-printing notices and by the title-page date matching the copyright date; production points and…
- A fine-printing house: typography (notably Goudy's Kennerley Old Style) and careful book production are characteristic but are not by themselves printing points.
Modern Library 1917-present · US (New York)
- From roughly 1925 onward a first-thus is usually identified by the statement "First Modern Library Edition" (or similar) on the copyright page
- Earliest Boni & Liveright-era titles (1917 to about 1925) are NOT marked as firsts and must be dated by the list of other Modern Library titles printed within the volume, by binding, and by dust-jacket points
- Modern reissues use a publisher number line; on a first printing it descends to 1
Monarch Books 1958-1965 · US
- Sequential/letter-coded catalog numbers identify the title: the main line ran from #101 (October 1958) to #563 (December 1965), and the Monarch Americana sub-series (begun January 1960, numbered from #300)…
- First printing: no later-printing statement on the copyright page. Monarch rarely reprinted, so the great majority of surviving copies are first printings; a reprint would carry the original number.
- The cover price and the number block date the copy.
Moon (Moon Travel Handbooks / Moon Publications) 1973-present · United States (founded Chico, CA; later Avalon Travel, Berkeley; now Hachette Book Group)
- Identify by the edition statement plus the copyright-page number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing, and on a first printing the stated edition's year should be the earliest (and only) year listed.
- 1973-1980s: founded by Bill Dalton; the Indonesia Handbook is the origin title (it grew out of Dalton's self-published Southeast Asia travel notes). Early 'Moon Publications, Chico CA' imprints; first…
- 1990s: 'Moon Travel Handbooks' branding; a standard descending number line appears, with the first printing showing the debut year only.
Morning Sun Books, Inc. 1986-present · Scotch Plains / Kutztown, New Jersey & Pennsylvania, USA
- 1986-present (founded by Robert J. Yanosey; debut title 'Penn Central Power'): a first printing carries a single original copyright date and no later-printing notation. Reprints add a 'Second printing' or…
- Most titles are short-run and seldom reprinted, so the combination of the original copyright date and the absence of any 'reprint' or 'second printing' statement is the reliable first-printing tell.
- Series volumes are numbered (for example a railroad's 'In Color' Volume 1, 2, 3 and so on). The volume number is a series sequence, not an edition state: each volume is its own first edition.
Motorbooks International (MBI Publishing Company) 1973-present (began publishing its own books in 1973; Quarto ownership from 2007) · Osceola, Wisconsin, USA (later St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota under the Quarto Group)
- The firm began as Classic Motorbooks, an importer of foreign car, motorcycle, and racing books, and started publishing its own titles in 1973. Early first printings carry no later-printing notation or state…
- On later MBI/Motorbooks titles a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line containing '1' is a first printing. Many titles also carry a stated…
- Under Quarto Group ownership (from 2007) the imprint follows Quarto house style: a number line with the lowest digit indicating the printing, plus a 'First published' date. The Crestline imprint is a…
Mountaineers Books / The Mountaineers 1960s–present · US
- Number line on copyright page; first printing carries the full descending line ending in 1
- Many titles state the printing explicitly ('First edition, [year]' or 'First printing')
- Nonprofit outdoor/conservation press of The Mountaineers club (Seattle), publishing since the 1960s; conventional identification
Mulholland Books 2011–present · US (New York/Boston)
- "First Edition" statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1, following Little, Brown / Hachette practice
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA Publications) 1929–present · US (New York)
- 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…
- 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.
Museum of New Mexico Press southwest
- ISBN prefix 978-0-89013
- Negative-evidence (no reprint language)
- Number line when present
Mycroft & Moran 1945-1982 · Sauk City, Wisconsin, USA
- 1945-1982: an imprint of Arkham House for weird-detective and Solar Pons fiction; identify by the Mycroft & Moran imprint together with the deerstalker-hat colophon designed by Ronald Clyne.
- 1945-late 1970s: like parent Arkham House, used the rear-colophon / no-printing-statement convention - a first printing is indicated by the colophon and the absence of any later-printing notice rather than by…
- Early 1980s: under James Turner, copyright pages began stating 'First Edition' and noting later printings (paralleling Arkham House); the deerstalker colophon persisted as the imprint mark.
The Mysterious Press 1975-present · US
- 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.
Mystic Seaport (Mystic Seaport Museum / Marine Historical Association) c.1929-present (incorporated as the Marine Historical Association in December 1929) · Mystic, Connecticut, USA
- Early decades (publishing as the Marine Historical Association): scholarly maritime monographs whose first printings generally carry no printing statement; subsequent printings note 'Second printing' or a…
- Later decades (as Mystic Seaport Museum): the copyright page states the printing or, on more recent trade titles, carries a number line whose lowest number indicates the printing. Many titles state 'First…
- All eras: museum-issued exhibition catalogs and reprints of nineteenth-century works are common. A reprint of an earlier work will say 'Reprint' or give the original date plus the museum's later imprint date,…
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Naval Institute Press 1898-present (Naval Institute Press imprint name from 1968) · Annapolis, Maryland, USA
- Pre-c.1980 (publishing as the U.S. Naval Institute; the formal 'Naval Institute Press' imprint name dates from 1968): first printings carry NO additional-printing notation on the copyright page. Later…
- c.1980-present: a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line containing '1' (e.g. '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') signals a first…
- All eras: when neither a number line nor an explicit statement is present and no 'Second/Third printing' line appears, treat as a first printing. NIP's house convention is to add a printing notation only on…
Nazraeli Press 1989–present (founded Munich 1989, US-based since 1996; One Picture Book from 2000) · US (Paso Robles, CA; formerly Tucson, AZ / Portland, OR; founded in Munich, Germany)
- The colophon states the edition and, for the limited series, the numbered limitation; this is the primary identifier.
- One Picture Book series (#1–100, through 2016): each title limited to 500 numbered copies, with a tipped-in original photograph signed by the artist (signed on the verso) — so every copy is technically a…
- One Picture Book Two (from 2016): same model — 500 numbered copies with a removable signed original print (~5x7 inches), sold in slipcased subscriber sets.
NBM Publishing (Nantier Beall Minoustchine) 1976-present (independent 1976-2022, then under Ablaze) · USA (New York, NY); acquired by Ablaze Publishing in 2022
- Book-trade graphic-novel publisher: the copyright page of a first printing typically gives the year and an explicit 'First edition'/'First printing' statement with no later-printing line; subsequent printings…
- When a descending number line is present on the copyright page, the lowest number indicates the printing ('1' present = first printing). Use the explicit statement as the primary point and the number line,…
- For translated European (BD) works the page often reads 'First U.S. edition' or notes the U.S. printing; this U.S. first printing is distinct from the original-language first edition and should not be…
Necronomicon Press 1976-c.2002 · West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA
- 1976-c.1999: predominantly chapbooks and pamphlets in stapled wrappers; first printings are identified by the Necronomicon Press imprint and, often, a stated limitation or print figure.
- The inaugural 1976 publications (Lovecraft's early Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner / United Amateur writings) were limited to 500 numbered copies - the numbered colophon identifies them.
- Later printings of popular chapbooks were common and frequently noted ('second printing', revised text, new cover stock); compare the printing statement, cover art, and price to separate a first impression…
NESFA Press (New England Science Fiction Association) 1972-present · Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
- 1972–present: first printings state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page; modern titles add a number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing.
- 1972–c.1990 'Boskone Books' (small format, ~5.25 x 7.25 in): convention-linked books in small runs (Scribblings was 500 numbered copies). The standard cloth binding is the ordinary issue; a tiny 'finebound'…
- 1991–present 'NESFA's Choice' (standard ~5.5 x 8.5 in): begins with The Best of James H. Schmitz (1991); first printings state 'First Edition' and most are single-printing.
New Directions 1936–present (convention shifts ~1970) · US
- Late 1940s through 1969: a true first has NO additional printings/dates listed on the copyright page — there is no consistent 'First Edition' statement in this era, so absence of later-printing notice plus…
- Modern era (roughly 1970s onward): copyright page reads 'First published clothbound (ISBN ...) and as New Directions Paperbook NNN (ISBN ...) in [year]' — the explicit 'First published ... in [year]' line…
- Modern paperbacks carry a descending number line; lowest digit (1) present indicates first printing.
New Harbinger Publications 1973-present · USA (Oakland CA)
- 1973-c.1995 (founders Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning, Oakland): self-help and clinical psychology workbooks; the copyright page states the printing and copyright year, and early editions often lack number…
- c.1995-present: standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); the copyright page typically states a printing or edition with year.…
- general: Context Press (ACT and behavior analysis, Steven C. Hayes lineage) and Impact Publishers titles follow New Harbinger conventions under their own imprint names.
New Island Books 1992-present (Raven Arts 1977-1992) · Ireland (Dublin)
- Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by New Island Books' (Dublin); a first printing has no later-impression notice.
- No formal number line; the standard British-Irish 'First published' convention applies, confirmed by the absence of any reprint line.
- Predecessor Raven Arts Press titles (pre-1992) carry the Raven Arts imprint and date — a distinct collectible house, not New Island — so attribute the true first publisher by imprint and date.
New World Library 1977-present (founded as Whatever Publishing; renamed New World Library in the mid-1980s) · US (Novato, California)
- First printings carry a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- New World Library copyright pages frequently also state the printing explicitly (for example 'First printing, [Month Year]'), which gives a clear date-stamped confirmation when present.
- Where a paired year line accompanies the number line, the first printing shows both the lowest year and the digit 1.
The Newberry Library 1887–present · Chicago, Illinois, USA (independent research library)
- 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.
NeWest Press 1977-present · Canada (Edmonton, Alberta)
- Western/prairie literary press: modern titles generally state 'first edition' and may carry a number line (lowest digit '1' present indicates a first printing).
- Series titles (Nunatak First Fiction, Prairie Play) follow the parent copyright-page convention; the series designation itself helps date and place the book.
- Older titles: rely on the original copyright year and the absence of later-printing statements.
NewSouth Books 2000-present · South (Montgomery, Alabama)
- 2000-2022 (Williams/La Rosa independent era): Standard small-press practice. A first printing is typically shown by a number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing…
- Junebug Books imprint (children's/regional): follows the same house number-line convention at the time of issue.
- 2022-present (University of Georgia Press ownership): NewSouth continues as a UGA Press imprint and follows university-press number-line practice (lowest digit present = printing); the copyright/imprint line…
Nick Hern Books 1988–present (imprint under Walker Books 1988; under Random House 1990; fully independent from 1 January 1993) · UK (London)
- 1988–present: Independent UK publisher of plays, screenplays and theatre-craft books, founded June 1988 by Nicholas Hern (formerly of Methuen). First printing is identified by the verso 'First published in…
- All eras: Reprints and revised texts add a 'Reprinted YYYY' or 'Revised YYYY' note and a shortened number line; a first printing has no such note and a line reaching 1. Treat the imprint name itself as a…
Night Shade Books 1997–present (independent era 1997–2013) · US
- Trade first: copyright-page number line with '1' present and no later printings listed (standard modern-trade convention; no documented Night Shade-specific number-line quirk, so treat as the generic default)
- Signed/limited states: where issued, confirm via the signed limitation sheet/colophon stating the run size and number. Night Shade did produce some signed first states and deluxe issues of its…
- Match against ISFDB/dealer bibliographic records for the specific title, since Night Shade limited-state practice was inconsistent across titles rather than a uniform house standard
Nightboat Books 2004–present · USA (founded Beacon, New York; now Brooklyn, New York)
- Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest number indicates the printing.
- Often states 'First Edition' with the year.
- Single-printing titles are common; the absence of a later-printing statement supports a first.
No Exit Press 1987–present (acquired by Bedford Square Publishers, announced December 2022) · UK (Harpenden, Herts; later London)
- UK-style identification: first printings carry a descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') on the copyright/imprint page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- The imprint page names 'No Exit Press' as an imprint of Oldcastle Books — confirm the Oldcastle/No Exit colophon together with the first-printing date and an intact number line.
- The crime line was issued mainly in B-format paperback plus some hardcovers; the absence of any 'reprinted' or later-printing notation alongside a full number line marks the first.
Nolo (Nolo Press) 1971-present · United States (Berkeley, CA)
- 1971-c.2000: Founded 1971 by Ralph Warner and family-law attorney Ed Sherman as the pioneering self-help legal publisher, with the first book How to Do Your Own Divorce in California. Nolo's distinguishing…
- c.2000-present: The edition-plus-printing-date convention continues; many titles state an edition number on the cover and a dated printing history on the copyright page. Currency matters far more than…
- Ownership: independent for decades, then acquired by Internet Brands in 2011, which continues the Nolo imprint.
Nonesuch Press 1922–1968 (active core 1920s–30s) · UK
- Limited editions, but Nonesuch was distinctive for using COMMERCIAL trade printers and fine machine composition to high design standards rather than a single hand press
- Printed colophon/limitation statement giving the number; some titles in larger limitations than the hand-presses
- Meynell's elegant typography and the Nonesuch device authenticate; first issue identified by the limitation leaf and absence of later-issue/reprint statements
North Atlantic Books 1974-present · US (founded in Vermont 1974; based in Berkeley, California since 1977; later operations in Berkeley/Richmond)
- First printings show a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- The copyright page typically credits North Atlantic Books with the first-printing year, and some titles add a printing-history note.
- In later years North Atlantic has been distributed by Penguin Random House; distributor information on the page does not affect the number-line first-printing rule.
North Point Press 1980-present (independent books 1980-1991, founded 1979; revived as a Farrar, Straus and Giroux imprint after the FSG backlist acquisition ~1992-1993) · US (Berkeley, California)
- Independent era (first books fall 1980 through ~1991): look for a stated 'First edition' or 'First printing' on the copyright page; many titles also carry a descending number line where the lowest digit…
- Confirm the era from the imprint name and address: independent North Point firsts show a Berkeley, California imprint and address, while the FSG-revived imprint shows FSG/Macmillan New York imprint data.
- Post-revival era (under FSG): FSG's own first-printing practice applies. Modern FSG/Macmillan titles use a descending number line ending in '1'; older FSG titles instead carry a stated 'First edition' or…
Northern Illinois University Press 1965–2019 (independent); imprint of Cornell University Press thereafter · DeKalb, Illinois
- 1965–c.1985: No explicit first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression…
- c.1985–2019: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block. Switchgrass Books, its regional Illinois…
- From 2019: the press became an imprint of Cornell University Press ('NIU Press'); titles issued under that arrangement follow Cornell's number-line conventions. Pre-2019 titles are the independent press's own…
Northland Press / Northland Publishing southwest
- ISBN prefix 0-87358 (all eras)
- Flagstaff, Arizona imprint line
- Fine-press colophon with limitation on early limited editions
Northwestern University Press 1893/1957-present (modern press) · US (Evanston, IL)
- Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
- First printing has a clean copyright page with no reprint lines.
- TriQuarterly Books literary titles follow the same number-line convention.
Nosy Crow 2011-present · UK
- British convention: the first printing carries a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing
- Generally NO 'First edition' statement. Identify by the full number line together with the 'First published in [year] by Nosy Crow Ltd' line
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Obelisk Press 1929–1939 · France (Paris), English-language list
- 1929–1939 (under Jack Kahane): a first edition is identified by an explicit first-printing statement on the copyright/verso page giving month and year — for example 'First published September 1934' on Tropic…
- Titles were issued in printed paper wrappers/soft covers; later impressions add a reprint line or revised date. For Tropic of Cancer the original printed wrappers carrying the crab-and-woman cover design are…
- After Kahane's death in 1939 the operation passed briefly to his son Maurice Girodias; later printings carry revised dates and can be distinguished by paper stock and added impression statements.
Octopus Books 2005–present · USA (Portland, Oregon, and Denver, Colorado)
- Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Some titles state 'First Edition'; many small-run firsts carry no number line.
- The absence of a later-printing statement on the copyright leaf supports a first printing.
Officina Bodoni 1922–1977 (Hans Mardersteig; continued by son Martino) · Italy
- Hand-press letterpress limited editions, most with a printed colophon giving the limitation, the date, and Mardersteig's imprint; many hand-numbered
- Use of Mardersteig's own recut types (notably the 'Dante' type, and his revival of original Bodoni types) and fine handmade papers — typographic identity authenticates
- Colophon names the press (Officina Bodoni, Verona/Montagnola) and printing details; deluxe copies on special paper or with extra plates at lower numbers
Ohio State University Press 1957-present · US (Columbus, OH)
- Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
- First printing has a copyright page without reprint history.
- Mad Creek Books and Trillium follow the same number-line convention.
Ohio University Press Incorporated 1947, formally organized 1964; active to present · Athens, Ohio
- Early scholarly titles (1960s-c.1980): No explicit first-printing statement, in keeping with academic-press practice; later printings or impressions are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is…
- c.1980-present: A number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a full line ending in '...4 3 2 1' with '1' present = first printing). A Library of Congress CIP…
- Trade titles under the Swallow Press imprint follow the Swallow Press number-line convention from the 1980s on.
Old Stile Press 1979-present · Llandogo, Monmouthshire, Wales (at Catchmays Court since 1986)
- 1979-present: a first/only edition is identified by the COLOPHON limitation statement; the press of Nicolas and Frances McDowall. The colophon records the limitation (editions are typically a few hundred…
- Many titles were issued in a standard numbered edition plus a smaller special state (an extra suite of prints, signed by the artist, or a deluxe binding); the colophon and any 'special copies' note…
- Identify by the Old Stile Press imprint; the artist collaboration (wood engraving, wood block, linocut) is named in the colophon, and all printing is letterpress with leaf and block printing.
Olympia Press 1953–1974 · France (Paris); a later, separate revival in New York
- 1953–1965 (Paris, under Maurice Girodias): titles were issued in printed paper wrappers, not cloth. The Traveller's Companion Series appeared in plain green text-only wrappers, each bearing a series number. A…
- First-issue pricing is a primary point. For Lolita (Traveller's Companion No. 66, two volumes, September 1955) the true first issue has 'Francs: 900' printed on the rear cover of each volume with no sticker…
- The Ophelia Press imprint (more explicit erotica) used pink wrappers in the same design as the green Traveller's Companion wrappers; wrapper colour distinguishes imprint line, not printing state.
Omnibus Press 1972-present · UK (London)
- UK number-line convention on the copyright/imprint page; lowest number indicates the printing, '1' present = first printing.
- Some titles carry only a printing/order code rather than a full key — when no key is present, rely on stated copyright year, ISBN, and absence of later-printing notices.
- No standardized 'First Edition' statement.
Omnidawn Publishing 2001–present · USA (Richmond, California)
- Number line on the copyright page where present; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Often states 'First Edition' on the copyright page.
- Most titles are single-printing; the absence of any later-printing statement supports a first.
One World relaunched 2017 · US (New York)
- First printing carries a complete number line descending to 1 with no later-printing notice
- Copyright page typically states "First Edition" alongside the full number line, following standard Random House / Penguin Random House practice
Oni Press 1997-present · USA (Portland, OR)
- Floppy issues and trade paperbacks: a first printing carries no printing statement in the indicia; later printings are explicitly stated ('Second printing' and higher).
- Collected editions: the copyright/indicia page states the printing, usually with month and year ('First edition, [month year]'); a first printing shows the single earliest date and no later-printing line.
- On floppies, the 5-digit supplemental code in the UPC barcode is meant to encode the printing in its fifth digit (1 = first printing), but publishers populate it inconsistently, so treat it only as a weak…
Ooligan Press 2001-present · Portland, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)
- 2001-present: Student-run teaching press of Portland State University's graduate book-publishing program. First printings carry a copyright-page 'First edition' or 'First published [year]' statement; when a…
- Era tell: any genuine Ooligan title postdates the program's 2001 founding; the PSU/Portland imprint and student-press colophon confirm provenance.
Open Court Publishing Company 1887-present · USA (La Salle / Chicago IL)
- 1887-c.1930 (Hegeler/Paul Carus era, La Salle IL): early philosophy and comparative-religion titles are identified by copyright year and the 'The Open Court Publishing Company' imprint; there is no number…
- c.1930-c.1980: the copyright page states edition or printing; Library of Living Philosophers volumes carry their own series edition statements, so match the volume's stated edition.
- c.1980-present (modern Open Court / Carus): standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); copyright pages state 'First Edition' or 'First…
Open Letter Books 2008-present · Rochester, New York, USA
- 2008-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback…
Orbis Books 1970–present · US (Maryknoll, New York)
- First printings show a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1' (e.g., '5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Many scholarly or early titles state 'First published' or give only a copyright year.
- Translations of Latin American liberation-theology works often carry both an original-language copyright and the English copyright; the Orbis English first printing is dated by its own number line or…
Orbit (US) US imprint 2007–present · US (New York)
- First printing: complete number line counting down to 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); a lowest number above 1 indicates a later printing — the standard Hachette Book Group / Little, Brown house practice
- A 'First Edition' (or 'First Printing') statement on the copyright page is common but is not present on every title; the full number line is the reliable signal
Ordnance Survey 1801-present · United Kingdom (Southampton)
- Maps are dated by printed MARGINAL CODES: an edition letter or number, a revision/survey date, and a magnetic-variation diagram date; the marginalia is the identifier, not a copyright page.
- 19th century-1945: Old Series / New Series one-inch sheets are identified by sheet number, survey date and a printing code in the margin; reprints carry railway and road revision dates that bracket the…
- 1945-1970s: Seventh Series one-inch maps use an edition letter (A, B, C and so on) plus a 'fully revised' year in the lower margin to identify the printing.
Oregon State University Press 1961-present · Corvallis, Oregon (Pacific Northwest)
- 1961-c.1990: Founded 1961; the first-year list ran to eight books, including 'Atlas of the Pacific Northwest,' 'Winter Twigs,' and the best-selling 'Weather of Oregon.' Early scholarly and natural-science…
- c.1990-present: Descending number line on the copyright page, with the lowest digit indicating the printing; 'First published [year]' statements are common on regional trade titles, and single-printing…
- Distribution-era tell: OSU Press has long been distributed through the Chicago Distribution Center, so a CDC distribution notice on the copyright page points to a later printing/era rather than the original…
Osprey Publishing 1968/69-present (first title 1969; Men-at-Arms from 1971) · Oxford / London, United Kingdom (US distribution via various; now Bloomsbury)
- Early titles (from 1969): the copyright page states 'First published ... by Osprey Publishing Ltd' with year and carries no later-printing notation; reprints add 'Reprinted 19xx' lines. A first printing has…
- Later titles: the copyright page lists 'First published [year]' and, on reprints, a stack of 'Reprinted' year lines; some titles also carry a number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') where '1' indicates a first…
- All eras: Osprey numbers its series (e.g. 'Men-at-Arms 123'); the series number is NOT an edition indicator. Watch for later 'revised' or 'second edition' reissues of popular numbers, which are stated…
Otago University Press 1958-present · New Zealand (Dunedin)
- 1958-1990s: Academic press of the University of Otago, begun within the University Library (first title issued 1959 under the imprint 'University of Otago Press'). First editions are identified by a 'First…
- 1990s-present: Standard 'First published 20xx by Otago University Press' statement; where a number line appears on trade titles the lowest number indicates the printing, and reprints add 'Reprinted' lines.…
Other Press 1998–present · New York, NY (US)
- When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'First Other Press Edition') on the copyright page.
- A number line, when present, is read by the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Do not rely on the row literally running descending or ending in 1.
- Later printings drop the lowest number and may revise the printing statement.
Oxford University Press first editions: no statement until late 1980s; number line late 1980s–present · UK
- Until the late 1980s OUP made NO affirmative first-edition statement; first printings carried only the copyright/publication line, while LATER printings were noted ('Reprinted 19xx,' 'Second impression') on…
- From the late 1980s OUP adopted a number row/line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing ('1' = first).
- Clarendon Press scholarly works follow the same conventions and often add impression/reprint dates.
Oxford University Press trade
- No statement before the late 1980s (negative-evidence)
- Number line (late 1980s–present)
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P. F. Volland Company 1908-c.1937 · Chicago, IL (later Joliet, IL; New York, NY)
- Early period (c.1908-1910s): early Volland gift books and verse carry no explicit edition statement. Date by the Chicago imprint address and by the absence of later-printing notations.
- Classic illustrated-children era (1918-1930s): boxed editions with a color paste-down image on the front cover, issued in a two-part box or slipcase, typically without dust jackets and with a cloth spine.…
- Raggedy Ann and Andy titles: first printings of 'Raggedy Ann Stories' (1918) and 'Raggedy Andy Stories' (1920) are identified by the Chicago 'P. F. Volland Company' imprint, the original two-part box,…
Pan Macmillan / Picador (UK) 1947 (Pan) / 1972 (Picador)-present · UK
- First printings carry a number line, typically descending ending in 1 (1 present = first); lowest digit indicates printing
- Copyright page shows the original year with no later-edition or reprint statement
- Picador originated as a quality paperback imprint (1972) and later issued hardcover firsts — distinguish a Picador first paperback edition from an earlier hardcover true first elsewhere
Pantheon Books 1942–present · US
- Modern Pantheon (Knopf Doubleday / PRH): states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1.
- A true first has both the 'First Edition' statement and the 1 present; reprints drop 'First Edition' and/or the 1.
- Earlier Pantheon (pre-RH, founded 1942): identification by absence of additional printings and by stated 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' where present.
Parallax Press 1986-present · US (Berkeley, California; San Francisco Bay Area)
- On a first printing, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.
- Some titles add an explicit 'First edition' line on the copyright page.
- Early or short-run titles may state little beyond a copyright year, in which case the year and the absence of any added-printing notice are the available signals.
Pascal Covici (Chicago imprint) 1922–1928 · Chicago, USA
- 1922–1924 (as Covici-McGee): First editions state 'First Printing' on the copyright page. Some references also note a number convention — '1' on the copyright page of a first printing, '2' on a second, and so…
- c.1924–1928 (as Pascal Covici): Small-press practice — first printings occasionally carry a 'First Edition'/'First Printing' notice but are more often identified simply by the absence of any later-printing…
- Verify limited-versus-trade issue via the limitation page where present.
Paulist Press Columbus Press founded 1881; renamed Paulist Press 1913; present–day · US (Mahwah, New Jersey)
- First printings show a descending number line ending in '1' on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Many titles simply give a copyright year, in which case a first printing is inferred from the absence of any reprint notice.
- Classics of Western Spirituality volumes are dated by each volume's own copyright/first-printing year.
Payson & Clarke, Ltd. c.1924–1928 · New York, USA
- c.1924–1928: First editions carry no printing statement; subsequent printings were noted on the copyright page. Absence of a later-printing notice indicates the first printing. This is the generic period…
- Where no statement is present, corroborate priority through binding and dust-jacket state.
Peachtree Publishers (Peachtree Publishing Company) 1977-present · South (Atlanta, Georgia)
- 1977-1990s (Helen Elliott / Southern-trade era): A first printing is typically shown by a number line on the copyright page where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a '1' present = first…
- 1990s-present (children's-book era under Margaret Quinlin): the standard tell is a full number line (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') with the lowest digit present indicating the printing; many titles ALSO…
- Sub-imprints (Peachtree Junior, Peachtree Teen, Peachtree Petite, FreeStone): follow the same number-line convention as the parent at the time of issue.
Peachtree Publishing Company (children's) 1977-present · US
- First printing: a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, often with 'First edition' wording; the lowest digit indicates the printing
Peepal Tree Press 1985-present · Caribbean / UK (Leeds, England)
- Copyright page: 'First published in [year] by Peepal Tree Press Ltd' (Leeds); a true first carries the first-published year with no reprint or impression notice.
- No number line; standard British 'First published' convention. Later printings add a 'Reprinted [year]' line.
- Caribbean Modern Classics reissues carry their own series line plus a 'this edition [year]' / new-introduction note. Treat these as reissues, not the title's original first appearance.
Peirene Press 2008–present (first books published 2010) · UK (London), European and international novellas in translation
- First books published from 2010 onward: for the English-language first, look on the copyright page for a number line whose lowest figure is '1' (such as '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' or '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'),…
- The copyright page also states 'First published in <year> by Peirene Press Ltd'. Titles are issued in themed, sequentially numbered series and, in the case of Peirene Now!, carry their own series numbers (for…
- The uniform flapped-paperback design and any subscription or series packaging are house branding and do not affect first-printing identification.
Pelican Publishing Company 1926-present · South (Gretna / New Orleans, Louisiana)
- 1926-1960s (early Pelican era): No consistent first-edition slug. Treat a first printing as a single copyright-page date matching publication with no later-printing statement. The Pelican name and business…
- 1970-2000s (Calhoun-family ownership, the classic Pelican era): Like many regional houses, Pelican commonly identified printings on the copyright page; where a number line is present the lowest number…
- 2019-present (Arcadia Publishing ownership): Follows Arcadia's house convention - lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing; imprint reads 'Pelican Publishing, a division of Arcadia…
Penguin Books 1935-present · UK
- For reprint titles, firsts are flagged "First published [elsewhere/date]" with the Penguin printing noted as "Published in Penguin Books [Year]" — the FIRST PENGUIN PRINTING is identified by 'Published in…
- Penguin paperback originals: first printing identified by the dated 'Published... [year]' line and absence of a 'Reprinted' line
- Modern Penguin uses descending number lines ending in 1; lowest digit = printing
Pennyroyal Press c.1970s–present · US
- Limited letterpress editions with a printed, hand-numbered colophon; signed by Barry Moser and frequently by the author/editor
- Original Moser wood engravings throughout; the engraved Pennyroyal device/colophon authenticates
- Deluxe vs. standard states distinguished by binding and extra signed print suites stated in the colophon
Penumbra Press c.1971-1990s (Iowa fine press) · Lisbon, Iowa (Bonnie O'Connell) — American fine press, distinct from the unrelated Canadian Penumbra Press of Ontario
- 1970s-1980s: hand-printed letterpress poetry broadsides, chapbooks, and books, produced on a Washington handpress and later a Vandercook. Identification rests on the COLOPHON limitation statement (typically a…
- A copy matching the colophon collation is the first; these single fine-press editions are essentially never reprinted.
- NAME-COLLISION CAUTION: the Canadian 'Penumbra Press' (founded 1979 in Ontario) is a SEPARATE publisher with conventional trade practice (copyright-page 'First Edition' / number line). Confirm which Penumbra…
Perishable Press Limited 1964-2000s · Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, USA (founded in Detroit, Michigan, 1964)
- Walter Hamady's press: limitation stated in the colophon; very small editions (often well under 200) printed on Hamady's own Shadwell handmade paper, whose handmade sheet and watermark are a key identifying…
- Identify by Hamady's idiosyncratic typography and the colophon; many copies are signed by Hamady and/or the author/artist, with lettered/special states carrying extra material.
- Match to the Perishable Press and Gabberjabb checklists for exact limitation and state; these are single printings, not numbered-line reprints.
Perma Books (Permabooks) 1948-1960s · USA (Garden City, NY — Doubleday's Garden City Publishing, with editorial office in Manhattan; later New York, NY — Pocket Books)
- 1948-1951 (Doubleday era, P-series): Permabooks launched in 1948 as small, durable board-bound 'permanent' books (a stiff-board format, not the limp paperback look), promoted as 'Books of Permanent Value.'…
- 1951-1954 (Doubleday era, standard paperback): From 1951 Doubleday switched Permabooks to the conventional limp paperback format (still P-prefix). First printing is identified by the copyright printing…
- 1954-1960s (Pocket Books era, M-series): In 1954 Doubleday sold Permabooks to Pocket Books, which retained the name as an imprint and renumbered with an M-prefix, issuing both originals and reprints. First…
Persea Books 1975–present · USA (New York, New York)
- Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- Firsts frequently state 'First edition' with a year; later printings are noted explicitly on the copyright leaf.
- Most poetry titles are single-printing, so absence of any later-printing statement generally indicates a first printing.
Phaidon Press 1923-present · UK/US (London & New York; founded Vienna 1923)
- Copyright page: 'First published [by Phaidon Press] [year]' is the primary first-edition signal; a true first shows only that first-published line with no later 'Reprinted' or 'revised edition' entries…
- Phaidon historically does NOT rely on a descending number line for most art titles; subsequent printings are marked by adding 'Reprinted 20xx' lines, so a first is identified by the absence of those reprint…
- Where a number line appears on newer titles, apply standard rules (lowest number present indicates the printing).
Phantasia Press 1978-1989 (original run; relaunched 2023) · USA (West Bloomfield, Michigan)
- Limitation page identifies the signed/numbered limited state; titles were issued in both a signed-numbered slipcased limited state (carrying a signed limitation leaf) and an unsigned trade hardcover
- Trade first identified by copyright page lacking any later-printing notice; many titles are the first HARDCOVER edition of works first published as mass-market paperbacks, so 'first edition' here often means…
Phantom Books c.1951-1953 (US digest line); 1950s into the 1960s (Australian imprint) · USA (digest line) and Australia (separate Phantom imprint, Horwitz/Transport Publishing)
- US Phantom Books: a short-run digest-sized crime line numbered roughly #500 through #513, active in the early 1950s (not the late 1940s). Several titles are paperback originals by hardboiled authors such as…
- Australian Phantom Books (Horwitz/Transport Publishing) is a separate imprint running a longer number range (about #501 to #695) and consisting largely of reprints of US/UK hardboiled authors. A title that…
- Because survival rates for these fragile digests and pulp-stock paperbacks are low, confirm the first by the earliest dated issue carrying no reissue note, and distinguish a Phantom original from a Phantom…
Pharos Editions c.2012-c.2017 · Seattle, Washington (Pacific Northwest)
- c.2012/2013-c.2017: A reissue imprint reviving out-of-print Northwest and American titles, each hand-picked and introduced by a contemporary writer-curator. A Pharos reissue is identified by the curator's…
- CRITICAL: these are reissues — the Pharos edition is NOT the true first edition of the underlying work. Collectors seeking a first want the original publisher's earlier first edition (a different publisher…
Picador (US) 1994–present · US
- States 'First Edition' or 'First Picador Edition (Year)' / 'First Picador USA Edition (Year)' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.
- Macmillan-family (FSG/Holt/St. Martin's) convention: 'First Edition' statement + number line to 1.
- Many Picador US titles are trade-paperback reprints of FSG/Holt/SMP hardcovers — a 'First Picador Edition' is the first of that Picador printing, NOT necessarily the first edition of the work; confirm against…
Picture-book & Children's Book-Club / Special Editions (cross-publisher identification) 1920s–present (peak club era 1940s–1980s) · US
- NO PRICE on the dust jacket flap (clipped or never printed) is the leading book-club tell for trade-publisher picture books
- Blind stamp (small debossed dot, circle, square, star, or maple leaf) on the LOWER-RIGHT corner of the REAR board
- Smaller trim size and cheaper/thinner paper stock than the trade edition; plain endpapers matching text stock (no decorative color)
Plantin Press (Los Angeles) 1931-c.1985 · Los Angeles, California, USA
- 1931-1980s: First/only edition established by the COLOPHON limitation statement; small hand-set editions with no number line. The colophon names Saul and Lillian Marks, the type used, and the limitation (copy…
- 1931-1945 (early, Saul Marks): identify by the colophon and the Plantin Press imprint; confirm this is the LOS ANGELES Plantin Press of Saul Marks, not the historic Officina Plantiniana of Antwerp.
- 1945-1974 (mature): colophon-controlled; copy number commonly hand-inscribed; many works printed for the Zamorano Club, Dawson's Book Shop, and private patrons, with Plantin named as printer in the colophon.
Platt & Munk Company 1920–1957 (imprint continued under Grosset & Dunlap after) · New York, NY
- Late 1920s–early 1930s (boxed era): the Never Grow Old Series was issued in a publisher's box with a paste-down color image on the front cover, a black cloth spine, and no dust jacket. The earliest issue is…
- Early 1930s–c.1943: the format changed to a dust-jacketed cloth-board book and the black cloth spine was dropped. A dust jacket rather than a box indicates the later format generation. The paste-down cover…
- c.1943 onward: the paste-down cover image was discontinued and replaced by a lightly embossed one-color inked cover image. An embossed (not paste-down) cover dates the book to roughly 1943 or later.
Playscripts, Inc. 1998-present · USA (New York, NY)
- 1998-c.2021 (independent era): Play-licensing publisher of acting editions, founded 1998 by Doug and Jonathan Rand with its catalog launching in 2000; focused on contemporary and educational/youth theatre.…
- c.2021-2025 (Broadway Licensing Global ownership): Playscripts operated under Broadway Licensing Global; copyright and back-cover branding shift to Broadway Licensing contact and royalty terms, which serves…
- 2025-present (Concord Theatricals ownership): Concord Theatricals acquired Broadway Licensing Global and its imprints, including Playscripts, in 2025; newer copies may carry Concord branding. Identification…
Plenum Press Consultants Bureau from 1949; 'Plenum Press' name from 1965; independent through c.1998-2004 · United States (New York)
- Origins as Consultants Bureau (Earl M. Coleman), which began publishing English translations of Soviet scientific journals around 1949; the 'Plenum' name was adopted in 1965. Early scientific/technical…
- Mid-1980s onward: a number line where present (lowest digit indicating the printing) and an explicit edition statement on revised works.
- 1998 onward: Plenum Publishing was acquired by Wolters Kluwer and operated as Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; the academic line then passed to Springer (Springer Science+Business Media) around 2004, with…
Plume 1970–present · US (New York)
- Trade-paperback convention: the first Plume printing states "First Plume Printing" (often with a year) and/or carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1.
- The number line is the tell for the printing; treat the lowest digit as decisive.
- Caution: 'First Plume Printing' marks the first Plume (paperback) printing, which is frequently a reprint of a work first published earlier in hardcover by another house or imprint — it is not necessarily a…
Pluto Press 1969–present · UK (London), radical politics and social science
- 1969–c.1985: firsts identified by a 'First published <year> by Pluto Press' edition statement; number lines are frequently absent in this period, so the first printing is shown by the lack of any 'Reprinted'…
- c.1985–present: a descending number line on the copyright page becomes standard (lowest figure, 1, indicates the first printing) alongside the 'First published <year> by Pluto Press' statement.
- Pluto Classics and similar reissues of older radical texts: the relevant first is the original edition; series volumes are marked as reprints, often with new introductions.
Pocket Books 1939-present (now an imprint of Simon & Schuster) · New York, USA
- First printing was typically stated on the copyright page in the early and mid era; later printings add a printing line (2nd printing, and so on), so the absence of any later-printing statement indicates a…
- Modern Pocket Books uses a number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.
- The sequential catalog number on the spine identifies the title, not the printing; reissues take new numbers.
Poisoned Pen Press 1997-present · US
- Modern copyright-page number line; first printing shows the full descending line ending in '1' and often a 'First Edition' statement.
- Many titles issued simultaneously in hardcover, trade paperback, and a numbered library 'large print' — each format's first printing is set by its own number line.
- Post-2018 Sourcebooks-era titles follow Sourcebooks/Landmark copyright conventions (number line, 'First Edition').
Polity Press 1984–present · UK (Cambridge) / USA, social theory and academic
- 1984–present: firsts identified by 'First published in <year> by Polity Press' (in the early years often 'in association with Basil Blackwell') together with a descending number line in which the lowest…
- 1984–c.1990s: early titles were co-imprinted with Basil Blackwell, and the copyright page names both houses — this is still a Polity first. US distribution arrangements do not change the printing…
- Simultaneous hardback and paperback academic issue: identify the first by binding and the earliest 'First published' year; reprints add impression lines.
Polygon 1969-present (Birlinn-owned 2002-present) · Scotland (Edinburgh)
- Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Polygon' with a descending number line on modern titles; a first printing has the digit 1 present.
- Post-2002 titles state 'Polygon, an imprint of Birlinn Ltd' (West Newington House, Edinburgh); that wording dates the edition to the Birlinn era.
- Pre-2002 Polygon titles (student press, then under Edinburgh University Press) carry the earlier imprint and address; use these to separate the eras.
Popular Library 1942-1980s · US
- Sequential catalog number on the spine/cover identifies the title; the number is not a printing count.
- First printing: the copyright page lacks a later-printing statement. Later Popular Library printings add a printing line, and a price bump on the same catalog number signals a reprint.
- From the modern mass-market era onward Popular Library used a descending number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.
Portfolio 2001–present · US (New York)
- First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing
- As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, do not rely on a printed "First edition" statement — use the number line
powerHouse Books 1995–present · US (Brooklyn, New York)
- Copyright page: 'First edition, [year]' is commonly stated on powerHouse titles; a true first shows that line with no later printing note.
- Many titles also carry a descending number line — where present, the lowest digit indicates the printing.
- Reprints and new editions are stated; the absence of a reprint line together with the original ISBN supports a first.
Prentice Hall (technical/STM & reference) 1913-present · United States (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
- 1913-c.1960: Founded 13 October 1913 by Charles Gerstenberg and Richard Ettinger (the name combines their mothers' maiden names, Prentice and Hall). College, technical, and professional reference. Firsts on…
- c.1960-present: A number line on the copyright page is the standard printing indicator (lowest digit = printing). Prentice Hall PTR computing/engineering titles are identified by edition number together with…
- For continuously revised technical references the edition number is the identification unit, not a 'First Edition' statement.
Presidio Press 1974-c.2010 · San Rafael / Novato, California, USA (later Random House/Ballantine)
- Independent era (1974-2001, San Rafael/Novato, CA): the first printing is identified by a COMPLETE number line on the copyright page, '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'; the presence of '1' signals a first printing. Some…
- Random House era (from 2002, published as Presidio Press/Ballantine): Random House house convention applies, the first trade printing states 'First Edition' AND carries a number line ending in 1; on a stated…
- All eras: for military memoirs and unit histories (e.g. 'With the Old Breed', first published by Presidio in 1981) verify the San Rafael/Novato imprint and the complete 1-10 line for the true Presidio first,…
Pressed Wafer 2000-2018 · Boston, MA, then Brooklyn, NY, then Somerville, MA (founded by Joseph Torra, Daniel Bouchard, and William Corbett)
- 2000-2002: 'Pressed Wafer' appeared as a magazine; the first issue (Boston, 2000) is identified by issue number and contents, as issues were not reprinted.
- 2003-2018 (books): perfect-bound and stapled offset poetry, essay, and art books, plus broadsides, chapbooks, and postcards. Identification rests on the COPYRIGHT-PAGE statement: first printings carry no…
- Broadsides and chapbooks are identified by collation and any stated limitation; signed or limited states are noted when present.
Prestel Publishing (Prestel Verlag) 1924–present · Germany (Munich) / US (New York) / UK (London)
- The colophon/copyright page states the year; a first printing shows the first-published year with no reprint or revised-edition line — this is the primary tell.
- Some modern Prestel titles carry a number line; where present, the lowest number indicates the printing. Where absent, rely on the first-published year and the absence of a reprint statement.
- German- and English-language editions of a title are separate issues; the language and place-of-publication line on the colophon identifies which is which, and the true first depends on which market was…
Prime Press 1947–c.1953 · US
- First state identified by single print run and absence of later-printing notation; some titles issued in a signed/numbered limited state with a limitation statement
- Match original dust jacket and confirm title-page/copyright date agreement
Princeton Architectural Press 1981–present · US (founded Princeton, NJ; later New York; Chronicle/McEvoy-owned)
- Copyright page: descending number line (lowest digit indicates the printing) alongside a first-published year; a first shows the full line ending in 1 with no reprint statement.
- First printings are often also stated ('First published in [year]') in addition to the number line.
- Later printings are reflected by deletion from the number line; revised editions are stated explicitly.
Princeton University Press 1905–present (number-line/printing statements standard from the later 20th c.) · US
- Copyright page states 'First printing' or carries a number line; lowest number present indicates the printing. A '1' in the line = first printing.
- Subsequent printings are noted on the copyright page ('Second printing,' 'Third printing, with corrections,' etc.); absence of any later-printing statement on an unrevised text indicates a first.
- Revised/expanded editions state the new edition and original publication date — these are not first printings of the original first edition.
Profile Books 1996-present · UK (London), non-fiction, history, and popular science
- 1996-present (Profile Books): a first printing is shown by 'First published in Great Britain in <year> by Profile Books Ltd' together with a descending number line ending in 1. Because many titles are…
- Serpent's Tail (acquired 2007) keeps its own 'First published by Serpent's Tail' imprint statement and number line, so a Serpent's Tail first is distinct from any Profile reissue.
- Economist Books and Economist co-editions carry The Economist branding but the printing is identified by Profile's number line.
Profile Publications 1965-c.1984 · Windsor, Berkshire / Leatherhead, Surrey, United Kingdom
- Mid-1960s into the 1970s UK specialist: thin stapled single-subject monographs, each carrying a series number (e.g. 'Aircraft Profile No. 1'). A first printing shows the original series/copyright date and no…
- Because each Profile is a numbered single-subject booklet, collectors track the original softcover singles by their series number; presence of a later reprint line marks it as not the original issue.
- Bound multi-Profile hardcover anthologies (the 'Aircraft in Profile' volumes, etc.) are later compilations of previously issued numbered singles and are not first editions of the original booklets.
Prometheus Books 1969-present · USA (Amherst NY; now a Globe Pequot imprint under Rowman & Littlefield)
- 1969-c.1990 (founder Paul Kurtz, Amherst NY): secular-humanist, skeptic, freethought and philosophy titles; the copyright page states 'First Edition' or the printing year, and early titles often lack a number…
- c.1990-2019 (Amherst NY, independent): standard number line, with the lowest number present indicating the printing (a '1' present means a first printing); 'First Edition' is typically stated. The Humanity…
- 2019-present (acquired by Rowman & Littlefield, now published under its Globe Pequot division): Prometheus continues as an imprint using a number line (lowest number present = printing) plus an edition…
Pruett Publishing Company 1954–c.2012 (trade list dispersed c.2010–2012) · Mountain West — Boulder, Colorado
- Earlier titles (as 'Pruett Press'/Pruett Publishing): first printings generally identified by copyright-page data — a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement; some…
- Later titles: a printing number line appears on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit present indicating the printing. Frequently reissued guidebooks may carry a…
- Many regional guidebook titles went through multiple revised editions, so confirm both the edition statement and the printing line.
PS Publishing 1999–present · UK
- States identified by a signed limitation sheet: typically a signed/numbered hardcover (e.g. /100, /200, /500) and a more exclusive signed/lettered (often 26, A–Z) traycased state, plus sometimes an unsigned…
- First printing indicated by the limitation statement and absence of later printings; the slipcase/traycase and jacket variant distinguish states
- Confirm the run figure printed on the limitation/signature leaf
PublicAffairs 1997–present · US (New York)
- First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group house practice
- A 'First Edition' statement may appear on the copyright page but is not guaranteed; rely on the full number line
Purdue University Press 1960–present (as 'Purdue University Studies' 1960–1974; 'Purdue University Press' from 1974) · West Lafayette, Indiana
- 1960–1974: Imprinted 'Purdue University Studies' rather than 'Purdue University Press'; scholarly monographs and studies carry no first-printing statement. First printing is inferred from a matching…
- 1974–c.1980s: As 'Purdue University Press'; scholarly first editions generally carry no explicit first-printing statement. First printing is indicated by matching title/copyright dates with no…
- Later titles commonly show a printing number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; presence of '1' indicates a first printing), alongside the standard CIP/ISBN block. The…
Pushkin Press 1997–present · UK (London), specialising in literature in translation
- 1997–present: for the modern English-language first, look on the copyright page for a full number line whose lowest figure is '1' (for example '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or the alternating '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2');…
- The copyright page also carries a 'First published by Pushkin Press in <year>' statement for the English-language first. For a work in translation, the original-language first-publication date is noted…
- The Pushkin Collection (small flapped-paperback series with patterned endpapers) follows the same number-line convention; the distinctive series design is branding, not a printing or edition indicator.
Putnam / Philomel / Grosset & Dunlap (Penguin children's, formerly G.P. Putnam's Sons) 1838–present (Putnam); Philomel 1980–present; Penguin number-line era 1980s–present · US
- Modern Penguin house style: full descending number line ending in 1; often 'First Impression' / 'First Edition' stated
- Philomel (founded 1980 by Ann Beneduce) follows the same number-line-to-1 rule
- Grosset & Dunlap mass-market series (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys) have their OWN complex format-based points (list-of-titles-on-rear-flap, no number line in early eras) — distinct from trade picture-book ID
Pyr 2005–present · USA (Amherst, New York under Prometheus Books; later under Start Publishing)
- Trade first printings state 'First edition' (sometimes 'First Pyr edition') with a number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.
- Pyr was itself an imprint of Prometheus Books — early titles carry the Prometheus Books indicia and Amherst, New York address; titles from late 2018 onward fall under Start Publishing, so the parent…
Q
Quadrangle Books 1959-1977 · Chicago, then New York, USA
- 1959-1969 (independent, Chicago): a first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page; some titles also carry a number line, in which case the lowest digit (1)…
- 1969 onward (under The New York Times Company): titles appear as 'Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co.'; the copyright page typically uses a number line, and the lowest digit (1) present indicates a first…
- From 1977 the line was renamed Times Books; titles issued under the Times Books name should be judged by Times Books conventions, not Quadrangle.
Quinto Sol Publications southwest
- Imprint “Quinto Sol Publications, Inc.” with a Berkeley, California address
- No number lines and no explicit first-edition statements — identification is by physical points of issue
- ISBN prefix 0-88412
R
Rand McNally (children's / Elf Books) Elf Books c.1947–1986 (firm founded 1856) · Chicago, IL / Skokie, IL
- Elf Books (c.1947–1986): these low-priced books (a Little Golden Books competitor) do not carry a reliable explicit first-printing statement. Date a copy by examining the title and copyright page together…
- Caution: the back-page printing-letter code (A = first, etc.) is a Little Golden Books convention and should not be assumed for Rand McNally Elf Books, which are dated chiefly by title number, price, and…
- General Rand McNally trade children's titles, mid-20th century: first printings are indicated by the copyright-page state and the absence of later-printing notes; some later titles add a printing line where…
Random House trade
- Stated "First Edition" plus a number line containing 1
- Descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
Random House (trade imprint) 1927–present · US
- Classic convention (mid-20th c. onward): the words 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page; on a TRUE first that statement appears WITH the number line — and when a later printing occurs, Random House…
- Number line: descending, first printing retains '1'. Random House's well-known rule is that 'First Edition' + a complete number line ending in 2 can occur on later states, so the safest test is 'First…
- Pre-number-line era: 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' statement, or absence of later-printing notation.
Ravan Press 1972-1990s · South Africa (Johannesburg)
- Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by Ravan Press (Pty) Ltd' (Johannesburg); the first printing carries the first-published year with no reprint notice.
- No number line — South African / British 'First published' convention; later printings add 'Reprinted [year]'.
- A Staffrider Series number on a title (e.g. 'Staffrider Series, No. 19') dates it to the late-1970s/1980s oppositional-writing period.
Red Crane Books southwest
- ISBN prefix 1-878610
- Red Crane Books imprint
- “First edition” stated on some titles
Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC (parent group) 2000-present · USA (Boston / York Beach ME; now Newburyport MA)
- House standard is a number line on the copyright page: the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a full descending line ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) signals a first printing, often…
- Acquired houses adopt Red Wheel/Weiser conventions only after their acquisition year; pre-acquisition titles follow the original house's practice, so identify the originating imprint first, then apply that…
Redhook 2013–present · US (New York)
- First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group / Orbit house practice
- A 'First Edition' statement may appear on the copyright page but is not guaranteed; rely on the full number line
Reilly & Lee (Reilly & Britton) — Oz / children's 1904–c.1960s · Chicago, IL
- 1904–1919 (Reilly & Britton): publisher of L. Frank Baum's Oz sequels. First printings carry no 'first edition' statement; identification is by points — title-page and copyright-page states, the color-plate…
- 1919–c.1960s (Reilly & Lee, renamed 1919): continued the Oz series and other children's titles, still with point-based first-printing identification (no number line). The spine imprint reads 'Reilly & Lee'…
- General rule: Reilly & Britton / Reilly & Lee first printings are surmised from the spine imprint, advertised-title list, plate state, and binding — never from an explicit edition statement. Standard Oz…
Requited 2025–present · US (New York)
- Follows Hachette / Little, Brown house style: a descending number line on the copyright page with the lowest digit indicating the printing, typically alongside a 'First Edition' statement (Hachette imprints…
- Modern Little, Brown practice (number line plus 'First Edition'/'First Printing') is the safest reference for a first printing.
Reynal & Hitchcock 1933-1948 · US
- Until 1947: NO first-edition statement on US-originated firsts; subsequent printings WERE noted on the copyright page, so the ABSENCE of any later-printing notice is the identifying point for a first. This is…
- For books published after 1947, defer to Harcourt, Brace & Co. identification points, since R&H was absorbed by Harcourt in 1948 and later issues of R&H titles carry Harcourt imprints/points.
- No general device or 'edition' statement marks an R&H first. Identification is title-by-title via established issue points (binding, colophon, dust-jacket price/address) rather than a house-wide rule.
Richard Bentley (Richard Bentley & Son) 1829-1898 · London, UK
- No edition statement on Victorian firsts: rely on the title-page date with no 'New Edition' / 'Second Edition' line, plus correct half-titles in each of the three volumes.
- Inserted advertisement leaves or catalogue at the front or rear, dated; a first should not list books published after the title-page date, and the dated catalogue often pins the printing.
- Bentley's Standard Novels (single-volume reprint series, 1831 onward) is explicitly a reprint line — those volumes are NOT the first edition of a work, though some carry revised or new prefaces of…
Rinehart & Company 1929-1960 · US
- The primary tell of a first printing is a colophon in a circle on the copyright page: 'FR' in a circle for Farrar & Rinehart (1929-1946) and 'R' in a circle for Rinehart & Co. (1946-1960). The colophon was…
- Subsequent printings are identified by the ABSENCE of the colophon, not by any added printing statement. Per ILAB and Quill & Brush, subsequent printings were NOT otherwise noted on the copyright page.
- A secondary (less consistently documented) practice on some Rinehart titles is the year of publication beneath the publisher's name at the foot of the title page, or a 'This book, first published 19.., is…
Rio Grande Books / LPD Press southwest
- ISBN prefixes 0-9641542 and 1-936744
- Los Ranchos de Albuquerque / Albuquerque address
- “First edition” statement typical; otherwise negative-evidence
Rio Nuevo Publishers 1999-present · Southwest — Tucson, Arizona
- 1999-present: First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line ending in 1 is a first…
- Separate edition from printing: frequently reissued regional travel, cooking, and nature titles may carry a new copyright year or a revised-edition statement; the collectible point is the first printing of…
Riverhead Books 1994–present · US
- States 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1.
- A true first carries both the 'First Edition' statement and the 1; later printings strip the statement and/or shift the lowest number.
- Penguin-family typography/colophon (Penguin device) on spine/title page in later years.
Rizzoli International Publications 1974-present (US publishing arm) · US (New York) / parent Italy (Milan)
- Copyright page: a true first carries a 'First published in [year]' statement together with a descending number line whose lowest number is 1 (for example 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1).
- Number-line behavior follows US trade convention: the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line beginning at 2 is a second printing.
- Where no number line is present (older titles or some Italian co-editions), rely on the 'First published' / 'Prima edizione' year and the absence of any reprint or 'new edition' statement.
Roaring Brook Press 2002-present · US
- First printing: a number line whose lowest digit is 1 on the copyright page, frequently accompanied by 'First edition [year]' wording
Robert Bentley, Inc. / Bentley Publishers 1950-present · Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Robert Bentley founded the firm in 1950 as an importer/publisher of fiction and philosophy; early-1950s trade titles follow standard mid-century convention, with first printings carrying no printing notation…
- From the 1960s the firm focused on automotive repair manuals and marque references, beginning with reprinted hard-to-find British car manuals. First printings/editions are stated on the copyright page, often…
- As Bentley Publishers (from around 2000) titles carry a number line and/or an explicit edition statement; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Because Bentley reissues official manuals frequently,…
Robert Clarke & Co. 1858–1909 · Cincinnati, Ohio (Midwest US)
- 1858–1909: Cincinnati scholarly, legal, and regional/Western-Americana publisher and bookseller (successor to H. W. Derby & Co.). First editions carry the 'Robert Clarke & Co., Cincinnati' imprint with a…
- Ohio Valley Historical Series and Americana reprints: the series volume number and dated title page identify the issue; reprints of older works are explicitly noted as such.
- After incorporation in 1894 the imprint becomes 'The Robert Clarke Company,' which brackets later issues to 1894 and after.
Robert M. McBride & Company c.1915–1948 (predecessor McBride, Nast from c.1911) · New York, USA
- c.1915–1920s: first editions state 'Published [Month, Year]' (or 'First Published [Month, Year]') on the copyright page; subsequent printings were noted.
- Later period (c.1930s–1940s): shifted toward stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page of first printings; subsequent printings noted.
- Working rule: a 'Published'/'First Published' month-and-year line with no added later-printing notice indicates the first printing.
Roberts Brothers 1857-1898; antiquarian · Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- No printed first-edition statement: identify by date agreement (title-page year matching the copyright year) and the absence of any reprint notice.
- Many titles were issued in numbered 'thousands' — a 'Twentieth Thousand' or similar count on the title page indicates a later printing; first printings carry no such count.
- For key works, title-specific points (not a house rule) govern priority; consult the relevant author bibliography for binding and textual states.
Rodale Books 1942-present · US (Emmaus, Pennsylvania / New York)
- Independent Rodale era: number-line based, with the first printing line ending in 1; a copyright year and sometimes an edition statement are usually present.
- Post-2018 (trade assets acquired by Crown Publishing Group / Penguin Random House): follows the Crown convention of a stated 'First Edition' plus a full number line ending in 1 on the true first printing.
Roli Books 1978-present · India (New Delhi)
- Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Roli Books' / 'Roli Books Pvt Ltd' (Greater Kailash II, New Delhi); the first impression carries that line with no reprint or later-impression notice.
- First edition is usually stated; on illustrated and coffee-table titles the colophon often names the printer and impression — the first impression with no reprint line is the first.
- The Lustre Press / Lotus Collection / India Ink imprint line names the series and era; a 'Roli & Janssen' co-edition line indicates an international co-publication rather than a pure Indian Roli first, so…
Rough Guides 1982-present · United Kingdom (London); later Penguin / APA Publications
- Identify by edition statement plus copyright-page printing line: the lowest digit present in the number line indicates the printing, and a first printing of a given edition shows that edition's debut year…
- 1982-1990s: founded by Mark Ellingham; 'The Rough Guide to Greece' (1982) is the landmark first title, published under Routledge & Kegan Paul. Identify early editions by the edition statement and single debut…
- 1990s-2000s: acquired into the Penguin Group; standardized copyright page carries an edition number and reprint dates, with the first printing showing only the original edition date.
Routledge / Focal Press (Film, TV & Performance) 1938–present · UK (London / Abingdon) & USA (New York)
- c.1938–c.1980 (Focal Press independent / film-technical era): Focal Press, founded in London in 1938 by Andor Kraszna-Krausz, published film, photography, and broadcast technical books. A first edition is…
- c.1980–present (number-line era): Routledge and Focal Press use a descending number line on the copyright page, the lowest digit being the printing; a line that includes 1 is a first printing, accompanied by…
- Ownership for dating copies: Focal Press was owned by Elsevier from 1983, and was acquired from Elsevier by Taylor & Francis in 2012. Routledge had separately become part of Taylor & Francis in 1998. From…
Rue Morgue Press 1997–2016 · US (Boulder, then Lyons, CO)
- A reprint house: copyright pages of the trade paperbacks carry a Rue Morgue edition/printing statement (often noting the reissue and its date); identification hinges on that Rue Morgue edition statement…
- Each title includes a signed editorial introduction by Tom and Enid Schantz — a reliable house tell that the copy is a Rue Morgue issue.
- Volumes are uniform trade paperbacks with series numbering; the first Rue Morgue printing is dated on the copyright page where stated.
Running Press 1972–present · US (Philadelphia, PA)
- No publisher-specific first-printing convention is documented in the standard first-edition reference guides (Zempel, Quill & Brush, McBride). When a number line is present on the copyright page, the lowest…
- Because the catalog is largely illustrated, gift, novelty, and miniature books, treat identification as title-by-title rather than relying on a house rule.
Rupa Publications India 1936-present (as Rupa Publications India 2011-present) · India (New Delhi; origins in Kolkata/Calcutta)
- Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd' (7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi) or, on older books, the earlier 'Rupa & Co.' imprint.
- A first impression is often explicitly stated ('First impression [year]'); later impressions list a sequence of impression dates, and the earliest stated impression is the first printing.
- Some titles carry a descending number line for impressions; the 1, or the earliest stated impression, marks the first printing.
Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd 1946-c.1963 (independent); name continued within Granada and as Hart-Davis, MacGibbon from 1972 · UK (London)
- 1946-c.1965: First impressions state 'First published 19xx' or 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd' on the copyright page, with no listing of later printings; reprints add dated…
- c.1965-1972: Same dated 'First published' convention; a first impression carries no additional impression statement.
- 1972 onward (as Hart-Davis, MacGibbon, after the merger with MacGibbon & Kee): 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Hart-Davis, MacGibbon Ltd'; some later titles carry a descending number line, with the…
Rutgers University Press 1936-present · US (New Brunswick / Piscataway, NJ)
- Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing
- First printing: clean copyright page with no reprint lines
- Later printings add impression statements
The Ryerson Press 1829-1970 · Canada (Toronto, Ontario)
- 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…
- 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…
- 1960s to 1970: late period; printing lists may appear, but no consistent number-line system existed before the acquisition.
S
S.C. Griggs & Co. / Jansen, McClurg lineage 1848–1872 (as S.C. Griggs & Co.) · Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US)
- c.1848–1872: Chicago bookseller-publisher; first editions carry the 'S.C. Griggs & Co., Chicago' imprint with a dated title page. No first-edition statement and no number line — identify by imprint form and…
- Note the lineage: after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 Griggs sold out and the firm became Jansen, McClurg & Co. in 1872, which in turn became A.C. McClurg & Co. in 1886. The imprint name on the title page is…
- Scholarly/philosophical titles (Griggs's Philosophical Classics series): identify by series and dated title page.
The Saalfield Publishing Company 1900-1977 · Akron, OH (and New York, NY)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Saga Press 2015–present · US (New York)
- A "First Edition" statement (sometimes "First Saga Press edition") on the copyright page together with a descending number line ending in 1
Sage Books c.1950-c.1979 · Denver, Colorado (later Chicago, Illinois)
- 1950s-1966 (under Alan Swallow, Denver): No first-printing statement; later printings are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notation and a…
- 1966-c.1979 (continued under Swallow Press Inc., Chicago): Same convention; some titles begin to carry a 'Second printing' line or, later, a number line. Sage Books was Swallow's…
- Distribution and the list were later absorbed into Swallow Press/Ohio University Press; reissues carry the Ohio University Press number line, not the original Sage Books state.
Salmon Poetry (Salmon Publishing) 1981-present · Ireland (Co. Clare)
- Copyright page reads 'First published in [year] by Salmon Poetry' (Cliffs of Moher / Knockeven, Co. Clare); earlier titles read 'Salmon Publishing Ltd' with a Galway address.
- A first printing carries the first-published year and no reprint statement.
- No number line; almost all production is trade-paperback poetry, so the 'First published' line plus the absence of any 'reprinted' notice is the identifier.
Sampson Low (Sampson Low, Marston & Co.) 1819–c.1940s (Victorian peak 1850s–1890s) · London, UK
- No printed edition statement on 19th-century firsts: use title-page date plus absence of any later-printing notice, and read the exact partnership style in the imprint (the firm's name changed repeatedly,…
- Dated inserted advertisements or catalogue, usually at the rear; a first should not advertise later books.
- For co-published and American-authored titles (the firm was the British outlet for many U.S. books), establish whether the British issue precedes or follows the U.S. edition — priority is the key question,…
Samuel French, Inc. 1846–present · USA (New York, NY) & UK (London, Samuel French Ltd.)
- 1846–c.1900 (founder era; French's Standard / Minor Drama): founded in 1846, publishing paperbound acting editions. Identify by the series number (French's Standard Drama No. ___ or French's Minor Drama No.…
- c.1900–c.1970: acting editions continue with series and catalog numbers; printings within a number are not distinguished. Date by the publisher address, the list of plays or advertisements at the rear, and…
- c.1970–2018 (modern acting-edition era): standardized paperbound acting editions with royalty notices; copyright-year accretion (added revision dates) and back-cover royalty and contact text are the practical…
Samuel Gabriel Sons & Company c.1900-c.1940 · New York, NY
- c.1900s-1930s: a publisher of inexpensive children's linen and cloth ('Linenette') books, paper dolls, and games. First printings carry no edition statement; identify a copy by the series or stock number, the…
Samuel Weiser, Inc. / Weiser Books (Red Wheel/Weiser) 1956-present · USA (New York NY; later York Beach ME; now Newburyport MA)
- Mid-to-late 1950s (Occult Research Press imprint): a small number of esoteric titles issued under the Occult Research Press name before Weiser published under his own name. Identify by the Occult Research…
- c.1956-c.1980 (Samuel Weiser, Inc., NYC): predominantly reprints and exclusive editions of occult classics (Crowley, Levi, Waite, Regardie). A first Weiser printing is identified by a 'First Edition' or…
- c.1980-2000 (York Beach, Maine): a descending number line came into increasing use, the lowest digit indicating the printing; the copyright page may also state 'First published in [year] by Samuel Weiser'.…
Sandlapper Publishing Co. 1971-present · South (Orangeburg, South Carolina)
- 1971-1980s (Sandlapper Press / early era): No consistent 'First Edition' slug; first printing is identified by a title-page date matching the copyright date together with the absence of any later-printing…
- 1980s-present (Sandlapper Publishing, Orangeburg): Standard regional small-press practice. A number line, where used, indicates the printing by its lowest number present (a '1' present means first printing);…
Sarabande Books 1994–present · US
- Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' typically with a descending number line; lowest digit (1) = first printing.
- First has no later-printing notice.
Sarob Press 1997-present (with a 2007-2010 hiatus; relaunched late 2010) · Mountain Ash, Wales, UK (later operated from northern France after a 2007-2010 hiatus and relaunch)
- Late 1990s-present: every title is a hand-numbered limited-edition jacketed hardcover; the numbered limitation statement in the colophon IS the first-edition identifier, since there is no trade reprint to…
- Typical limitations run a few hundred numbered copies (commonly around 200-300); some titles add a small deluxe/special state alongside the standard numbered run. Read the colophon for the exact number and…
- Physical tells of a genuine Sarob hardcover: Wibalin (fine-linen-style) cloth, foil-blocked spine, lithographically printed text, coloured endpapers, section-sewn binding with head/tailbands, and a dust jacket.
Sasquatch Books 1986–present · US
- Number line on copyright page; first printing shows complete descending line ending in 1
- 'First Edition' / 'First printing [year]' statement appears on many titles
- Seattle regional nonfiction/lifestyle/cookbook publisher founded 1986 (out of Seattle Weekly); conventional modern identification
Saturday Review Press c.1970-c.1976 · New York, USA
- c.1970-1973 (independent): First printings are most reliably identified by the absence of any later-printing or reprint statement on the copyright page. Do not rely on a number line as the primary signal for…
- c.1973-c.1976 (under E.P. Dutton): Titles appear as 'Saturday Review Press / E.P. Dutton' or 'Saturday Review Press, distributed by E.P. Dutton' and follow Dutton's documented post-1929 practice, where a…
- Where a copy carries no statement at all, use the exact imprint wording plus jacket and price to date it within the c.1970-c.1976 window.
Sceptre 1986–present · UK (London)
- Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Hodder & Stoughton'; Sceptre is the literary imprint label carried on the title page and spine.
- Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1'.
- Follows Hodder & Stoughton conventions, which have consistently used 'First published in [year]' on firsts (with later printings noted) since 1976.
Schiffer Publishing 1974-present; Cornell Maritime Press from 1938, acquired by Schiffer 2009 · Atglen, Pennsylvania, USA (earlier West Chester, PA)
- Schiffer is a heavily-illustrated reference and antiques house founded in 1974. Like most US trade publishers of its era, a Schiffer first printing carries a single copyright year and no later-printing…
- On more recent titles Schiffer prints a number line on the copyright page. As with the general industry convention, the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line still containing '1' is a first…
- Cornell Maritime Press and Tidewater Publishers are acquired imprints (Schiffer bought them in 2009). Pre-acquisition Cornell/Tidewater titles follow the older no-notation-on-first convention; later Schiffer…
Schocken Books 1945–present (US) · US (New York)
- Random House / Penguin Random House house style: true first printing carries a "First Edition" statement and/or a full number line whose lowest digit is 1.
- First printing has no later-printing notice; the lowest number in the number line is the decisive tell.
Scholastic (Scholastic Press / Arthur A. Levine Books) 1920–present (Scholastic Press trade imprint 1990s onward) · US
- Full number line on copyright page; first printing includes/begins effectively with '1' — Scholastic uses interleaved year/printing strings (e.g. '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' followed by year codes). If the…
- Frequently states the edition: e.g. 'First American edition, October 1998' (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
- Watch for the small 'Printed in the U.S.A. 23' style line; combine the stated edition line with the number line
Scribe Publications 1976–present · Australia (Melbourne, VIC) with Scribe UK (London)
- On a first printing the copyright page reads 'First published by Scribe [year]' (or 'Published by Scribe Publications [year]'), carries no later-printing notice, and the stated year matches the copyright…
- Many modern Scribe titles also carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', where the lowest digit present ('1') indicates a first printing; treat this as supporting evidence only, since the line is…
- Scribe UK editions (from May 2013) carry a London Scribe address and often a separate 'First published in the UK by Scribe [year]' statement, distinct from the Australian first appearance; compare the two to…
Seagull Books 1982-present · India (Kolkata)
- Copyright page reads 'First published by Seagull Books, [year]' with a Kolkata address; the first printing carries that first-published year and no reprint notice.
- No standardised number line — identification rests on the 'First published' statement and edition wording.
- Distinctive Sunandini Banerjee cover and design with high production values; the Seagull copyright page and ISBN confirm the Seagull edition versus a co-publisher's, and the Seagull printing is the true first…
Seal Press 1976–present · US (founded Seattle; now New York/Berkeley under Hachette)
- First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book Group house practice
- A 'First Edition' statement may appear on the copyright page but is not guaranteed; rely on the full number line
Sears Publishing Company c.1924–1934 · New York, USA
- First editions carry no mark of identification; they are recognized by the fact that second, third and later printings are always marked with a notice to that effect on the copyright page. The absence of any…
- The exact imprint wording helps bracket the date — 'J. H. Sears & Company' for the earlier issues and 'Sears Publishing Company' for the later ones.
- Because the convention is purely the absence of a reprint notice, confirm priority per title and, where possible, corroborate with binding and jacket state.
Secker & Warburg (Martin Secker & Warburg) 1910 (Martin Secker) / 1936-present (Secker & Warburg) · UK
- Pre-1940s: firsts either carried NO statement or occasionally "First published [Year]" with no additional printings listed
- 1940s onward: consistently state "First published [Year]" on the copyright page of firsts with NO additional impressions listed (later printings add lines)
- First printing = statement present AND clean copyright page with no reprint notations
Sentinel 2003–present · US (New York)
- First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing
- As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, do not rely on a printed "First edition" statement — use the number line
Serpent's Tail 1986–present (Viper crime imprint from 2019) · UK (London)
- First printings carry a descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the imprint page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.
- Confirm the 'First published by Serpent's Tail' statement and year; Viper titles (from 2019) carry the Viper colophon but follow the same number-line convention as the parent house.
- Mask Noir was an early branded crime/translated-noir series within Serpent's Tail — copyright pages still read Serpent's Tail.
Seven Seas Entertainment — English-language manga & light novels 2004-present · USA (Los Angeles, California; founded 2004)
- 2004-present: volumes are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page (line ending in 1 = first printing; lowest digit present = printing number), typically with a printing month/year stated…
- Light novels (Airship) and danmei prose (Seven Seas Danmei, e.g. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Heaven Official's Blessing) use the same number-line tell; danmei box sets and special editions carry their…
- Early Seven Seas (2004-c.2010) original-English-language (OEL) and licensed manga use the same indicia and number-line approach.
Shambhala Publications 1969-present (stated-printing practice changes at 1987/1988) · US (founded Berkeley, California, 1969; now Boulder, Colorado, with a longtime Boston, Massachusetts office)
- On books from 1988 onward, a first printing is identified by the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page, typically paired with a descending number line whose lowest digit is 1.
- On books through 1987, the copyright page of a first printing reads either 'First Printing' or 'First Edition', or simply carries no later-printing notice at all; absence of any added printing statement on a…
- On the number line, the lowest digit present equals the printing, so a line ending in 1 confirms a first printing.
Shasta Publishers 1947–c.1957 · US
- Shasta first editions are identified by an explicit 'First Edition' statement printed on the copyright page (a positive notation), NOT by the absence of later-printing language. Standard reference: the…
- Confirm physical issue points where documented per title (e.g., boards with cloth shelf back on the Heinlein titles) and a correct-state first-issue dust jacket with the original printed price; jacket art…
- It is true that Shasta rarely reprinted, so most titles exist in a single print run — but treat this as corroboration, not the primary identification method. Verify the explicit copyright-page statement first…
Sheed & Ward 1926-present (classic era 1926-1973) · London (1926) / New York (US, 1933), USA & UK
- 1926-c.1950: first editions generally carry no printing statement; identify a first by the absence of any later-printing notice and by matching the earliest UK or US (1933+) imprint state. Distinguish the UK…
- c.1950-1973: later printings are noted on the copyright page, so the absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing; some titles add 'First published in [year]'.
- 1973 onward (US, under Universal Press Syndicate as Sheed Andrews and McMeel / Sheed & Ward): follows Andrews McMeel number-line conventions, with the lowest digit (1) present indicating a first printing.
The Sheep Meadow Press 1977–present · USA (Bronx [Riverdale] / Clinton Corners, New York)
- 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.
Sheldon and Company 1854–1897 · New York, NY (USA)
- 1854–1859 (Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman; then Sheldon, Blakeman & Co.): no first-edition statement or code; date the book by the multi-partner imprint name and the 115 Nassau Street address. First printing…
- 1859–1897 (Sheldon & Company): no systematic first-edition designation. First printing identified by the title-page date matching the copyright date, no later printings listed, and (for heavily reprinted…
- General rule for the house: points-based only; no printing code was ever adopted.
Sheridan House 1940-present (independent through the Lothar and Jeannine Simon era; an imprint thereafter) · Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA (now an imprint of Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield)
- Independent era (mid-twentieth century): first printings typically state 'First edition' or carry no later-printing notation; subsequent printings add 'Second printing'. Sailing and voyage narratives dominate.
- Later independent era (Lothar and Jeannine Simon as publishers): a number line appears on the copyright page; the lowest digit indicates the printing, so the presence of '1' signals a first printing. Many…
- As a Globe Pequot / Rowman & Littlefield imprint: Globe Pequot house style governs, a number line whose lowest digit indicates the printing. 'Sheridan House Maritime Classics' are explicitly reprints of…
Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd 1908-2015 (imprint dissolved) · UK (London)
- 1908-c.1930: First impressions carry a dated 'First published (year)' statement (or the date on the title page) with no notice of a later printing; reprints add dated 'Reprinted' lines. Absence of any reprint…
- c.1930-c.1970: 'First published 19xx' on the copyright page; a first impression carries no additional impression statement, while reprints are listed by date.
- c.1970-present (within Macmillan): A descending number line may appear on the copyright page, with the lowest digit present indicating the printing (1 = first), alongside a dated 'First published' line.…
Sierra Club Books 1960s-2000s · US (San Francisco)
- Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.
- Many titles also carry explicit 'First Edition / First Printing' wording on the copyright page.
- A number line can mark the first printing of a specific format (e.g. a trade-paperback first printing distinct from an earlier hardcover); read it in the context of the stated binding/edition.
Signet / New American Library (NAL) 1948-1990s · US
- First printing: the copyright page states 'First Printing' (often as 'First Signet printing, Month Year') with no later-printing lines; later printings stack the printing history. This explicit statement is…
- Signet/NAL adopted a descending number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing. From roughly the 1970s on the 'First Signet printing, Month Year' line plus the number line appear together.
- The catalog-number prefix encodes the price/format era (early Signet 25-cent numbers, then letter-price prefixes such as D-, T-, Q-); useful for dating, not a printing count.
Simon & Schuster trade
- Stated "First Edition" (1952–present)
- Number line added from the 1970s
- Later printings always noted
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (S&S Children's) 1924–present (children's division mid-20th c. onward) · US
- S&S house convention: full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (S&S has long relied on the number line rather than always wording 'First Edition')
- Many S&S children's firsts state 'First Edition' AND carry a number line to 1; the line is authoritative
- Beach Lane / Paula Wiseman / McElderry sub-imprints all use the parent S&S number-line convention
Skira Editore 1928–present · Switzerland (Lausanne/Geneva, historic) / Italy (Milan, modern)
- The colophon states the year and edition; a first shows 'First edition' / 'Prima edizione' or the first-published year with no reprint line.
- Historic Albert Skira art books (mid-20th-century, famous for tipped-in color plates) are identified by the 'Editions d'Art Albert Skira, Genève' imprint, the year, and the printing colophon; many were…
- Where a number line appears on a modern Skira title, apply standard rules (lowest number = printing); number lines are not a consistent Skira convention, so rely chiefly on the colophon year and edition…
Small Beer Press 2000–present · USA (Easthampton, Massachusetts)
- Trade first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with a number line whose lowest digit is 1; a missing 1 indicates a later printing
- Big Mouth House and Peapod Classics use the same parent conventions with the imprint name on the title or copyright page
- Chapbooks and the LCRW zine line are saddle-stitched and identified by issue number rather than an edition statement
Smith & Haas 1932–1936 · New York, USA
- 1932–1936: Identical practice to Harrison Smith & Robert Haas — 'Smith & Haas' is the same firm in its short title-page/spine form. The first-edition statement is inconsistent; a first printing is shown by…
- Treat the spine/title-page wording 'Smith & Haas' as a 1932–1936 dating bracket; after the 1936 Random House merger the imprint disappears.
Smith, Elder & Co. 1816-1917 (peak Victorian fiction 1840s-1890s) · London, UK
- No explicit edition statement in the Victorian era: first printings are identified by the date on the title page and by the ABSENCE of any 'second edition' / 'new edition' wording on the title page or…
- Publisher's catalogue or advertisements bound in (usually at the rear, sometimes the front): on a true first the inserted ads are dated at or before the title-page year; later catalogue dates indicate a later…
- Original publisher's cloth binding (blind- and gilt-stamped), correct half-titles present, and an uncut or unopened text block support a first-issue state.
Smithsonian Institution Press / Smithsonian Books 1840s-present (trade program strongest 1970s-present) · Washington, D.C., USA
- Mid/late 20th c.-present (trade titles): standard academic-press practice — the copyright page carries a descending number line (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit indicates the printing, a line…
- Scholarly numbered series (Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge/Anthropology/Zoology/Astrophysics, etc.): institutional monograph series identified by series title and issue/volume number plus issue date…
- 2000s co-publishing (Smithsonian Books with HarperCollins, later Smithsonian/Collins; now distributed by Penguin Random House): follow the trade partner's number-line convention and look for the partner's…
Snow Lion Publications 1980-present · USA (Ithaca NY; now an imprint of Shambhala, Boulder CO)
- 1980-2012 (independent, Ithaca NY, co-founder Sidney Piburn with Jeffrey Cox as president): the copyright page states 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' with the copyright year; later titles carry a…
- 2012-present (imprint of Shambhala): follows Shambhala house convention, where a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page is the authoritative tell; a Boulder/Boston address and joint Shambhala/Snow…
Soft Skull Press 1992–present · New York, NY (US)
- When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'First Soft Skull edition') on the copyright page.
- A number line, when present, identifies the printing by the lowest number shown rather than by the line's direction; a '1' anywhere in the row indicates a first printing. The row need not run strictly…
- Later printings drop the lowest number (and may revise the printing statement).
Soho Crime / Soho Press 1986-present · US
- Modern descending number line on the copyright page; a first printing shows the full line ending in '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'). Lowest digit present = the printing.
- Often accompanied by a 'First published in the United States ...' or 'First edition' statement; rely on the number line as the controlling signal.
- Soho Crime hardcovers typically carry a matching price on the jacket flap; price-clipped or remainder marks indicate handling, not state.
Soho Press 1986–present (Soho Crime launched 1999) · US (New York, NY)
- First printings carry 'First U.S. edition' or 'First edition' on the copyright page together with a full descending number line ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a…
- If the '1' has been stripped from the number line the book is a later printing, even where the 'First edition' wording was left standing in error.
- Soho Crime's signature compact small-trim hardcovers follow the same copyright-page convention as the parent Soho Press line.
Solaris Books 2007–present · UK (part of Rebellion Publishing, Oxford; founded under BL Publishing / Games Workshop)
- Trade paperback and hardcover originals state the 'First published' year and carry a number line on the copyright page; the first printing is the state retaining the lowest number ('1'). UK printings often…
- Originally under BL Publishing (a Games Workshop division), then Rebellion from 2009 — the parent name on the copyright page dates the edition.
- Abaddon Books (shared-world/franchise fiction) is the sister imprint and carries its own title-page branding.
Sounds True 1985-present (audio first; print-book program began in 2005) · US (Boulder, then Louisville, Colorado)
- The collectible-first logic applies only to the print-book line; for audio and spoken-word products the concept of a 'first edition' is largely inapplicable.
- On a first printing of a print book, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.
- The copyright page typically reads 'Published ... by Sounds True' with the first-printing year, which on a first printing matches the title-page year.
South Dakota State Historical Society Press c.1997–present · Pierre, South Dakota
- c.1997–present: Small historical-society press (established 1997). First printings generally carry no explicit 'First Edition' statement; rely on the number line on the copyright page where present, with the…
- High-profile titles ran through MULTIPLE rapid printings: 'Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography' of Laura Ingalls Wilder (2014) sold out an initial run quickly and went into a second printing within…
Southern Illinois University Press 1956–present · Carbondale, Illinois
- 1956–c.1975: No explicit first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression…
- c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block.
- Shawnee Classics (regional Illinois reprint series): a Shawnee Classics edition is a REPRINT with its own series page, not the original first edition. Crab Orchard Series in Poetry (began 1998): prize and…
Southern Methodist University Press 1937-c.2010 (new trade publishing; press later closed 2015) · US (Dallas, TX)
- Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing
- First printing copyright page without later-printing notices
- Later printings add printing statements
Specialty Press (Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers) c.1985-present · North Branch, Minnesota, USA
- 1980s-2000s (founded in the 1980s as a US aviation publisher and wholesaler): first printings carry a number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2…
- 2000s-present: the number-line convention continues; revised or expanded editions are stated ('Revised edition') and reset the line — a reset line beneath a revised-edition statement is the first printing of…
- All eras: distinguish the Minnesota aviation house from generic 'specialty press' imprint wording on unrelated publishers' copyright pages; because this house also distributed other publishers, a distribution…
Spiegel & Grau 2005-2019 (within Random House / PRH), 2021- (independent) · US (New York)
- For the PRH-era titles, first printing carries a full number line descending to 1, typically with a "First Edition" statement, following Random House practice
Springer (Springer-Verlag / Springer Science+Business Media) 1842-present · Germany / United States (Berlin, Heidelberg, New York)
- 1842-c.1960 (German tradition): German-language scientific works denote edition by 'Auflage' (for example '1. Auflage' is the first edition, '2. Auflage' the second). A first edition is the one stating '1.…
- c.1960-c.1990 (US/English titles): Springer-Verlag New York and the yellow-spine 'Graduate Texts in Mathematics' and 'Lecture Notes' series. A first printing is often denoted by a printing line or coded…
- c.1990-present: number line on the copyright page for English-language trade and textbook titles, with the lowest digit indicating the printing; German titles continue the 'Auflage' system. Modern Springer…
Springer Publishing Company 1950-present · United States (New York)
- 1950-c.1985: Independent US house, founded 1950 by Bernhard Springer (great-grandson of Julius Springer of the German firm), specializing in nursing, gerontology, psychology, social work, counseling, and…
- c.1985-present: Number line on the copyright page, lowest digit present = the printing. For its heavily revised nursing and medical references, the edition number on the title page or spine is the practical…
Squadron/Signal Publications 1968-2021 (original run); relaunched 2022-present under new ownership · Warren, Michigan, then Carrollton, Texas; later Ellijay, Georgia, USA
- Squadron/Signal published saddle-stitched and softcover military aircraft, armor, and ship monographs; the first 'In Action' title appeared in 1971. A first printing carries a single original copyright year…
- Many numbers were reprinted over the years, sometimes with updated cover art but the same series catalog number. The series number (e.g. 'Aircraft No. 1 in Action') is a catalog designation, not an edition…
- The line was relaunched in 2022 under new ownership. A relaunched edition is not the original first printing even when it bears the same series number, so verify the original 1970s-1980s copyright date for an…
St. Martin's Press 1952–present · US
- States 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1 ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').
- Reliable test: explicit 'First Edition' statement together with the number-line 1.
- Pre-modern St. Martin's: first printings identified by absence of later-printing statements plus any 'First Edition' wording.
Stackpole Books 1930-present · Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA (founded in Harrisburg)
- Trade publisher founded by Edward J. Stackpole in Harrisburg in 1930; the Stackpole Books name dates from a 1959 merger. Modern titles: a descending number line on the copyright page with 1 present indicates…
- Many titles also state 'First edition' explicitly; revised editions are labeled (Second edition, Revised and expanded).
- Earlier mid-century titles without a number line: a single copyright/title-page date with no added printing statement indicates a first printing.
Stamperia Valdonega 1948-present · Verona, Italy
- First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. From 1948 Giovanni Mardersteig ran a mechanized (machine) press he named the Stamperia Valdonega, alongside the hand-press Officina Bodoni, to produce…
- Identify by the Valdonega imprint or colophon and the Mardersteig-associated types (including Dante). The firm often printed for outside publishers, so the Valdonega name commonly appears as printer in the…
Stanford University Press 1925–present · US
- Copyright page notes later printings/editions; a first printing shows only the copyright line (no later-printing statement). Modern titles carry a number line where '1' = first printing.
- Stanford copyright pages often print 'Last figure below indicates year of this printing' followed by a year line and/or a separate printing-number line — read both.
- Revised editions are explicitly numbered and dated.
Stark House Press 1999–present (Black Gat line from May 2015) · US (Eureka, CA)
- Because the house overwhelmingly reprints earlier works, the operative point is the first-thus statement: copyright pages read 'First Stark House Press Edition,' 'First Edition,' 'First Thus,' or 'First Ed.…
- The spine tail typically carries the Stark House (or Black Gat) imprint name — a standard reprint-house tell that the volume is a Stark House issue rather than an original-publisher copy.
- Two-novels-in-one trade paperbacks with a new introduction and bibliography are the characteristic Stark House format; the dated 'First Stark House edition' line identifies that specific reissue.
State Historical Society of North Dakota / North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies c.1950–2015 (NDIRS Press imprint); succeeded by North Dakota State University Press in January 2016 · Fargo / Bismarck, North Dakota
- c.1950–c.1985: Small institutional/regional publisher (North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies at NDSU, founded 1950, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck). No explicit…
- c.1985–2015: Number line on the copyright page where used (lowest number present indicates the printing); standard CIP/ISBN block on most titles. Many titles are single-printing regional monographs, so the…
- From January 2016: the NDIRS publishing program was renamed North Dakota State University Press. Titles bearing the 'North Dakota State University Press' imprint are 2016-or-later editions and follow that…
State Historical Society of Wisconsin / Wisconsin Historical Society Press 1855–present (society chartered 1846; first book published 1855) · Madison, Wisconsin
- Pre-2001 (State Historical Society of Wisconsin imprint): no explicit first-printing statement; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no…
- 2001–present (Wisconsin Historical Society Press): the institution rebranded its public-facing name from 'State Historical Society of Wisconsin' to 'Wisconsin Historical Society' in 2001, and books carry the…
- Imprint name is a dating aid: 'State Historical Society of Wisconsin' on the title/copyright page generally indicates a pre-2001 issue; 'Wisconsin Historical Society Press' generally indicates 2001 or later.
Steidl 1968–present (international photobook program from 1994/1996) · Germany (Göttingen)
- The colophon (usually at the rear of the book, Steidl's signature placement) is the key page: a true first carries 'First edition' or 'First printing' (often in English and German) with the year and no…
- Reprints are explicitly stated: 'Second printing 20xx', 'Reprinted 20xx', or a revised colophon. Steidl reprints successful titles freely, so checking for these lines is essential.
- There is no conventional descending number line on most Steidl trade photobooks; rely on the printed edition statement and year, not a printer's key.
Stein and Day 1962-1989 · New York / Briarcliff Manor, New York, USA
- 1962-c.1987: Most first printings carry a number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit (1) present indicates the first printing (dealer-confirmed examples show lines such as '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1').
- Where no number line appears, identify the first by the absence of any later-printing statement, treating that as supporting rather than conclusive evidence.
- Beware UK/US co-editions: Stein and Day frequently issued American editions of British books, so the true world first may be the British printing rather than the Stein and Day issue — confirm before calling a…
Sterling Publishing 1949-present · US (New York)
- Standard descending number line on the copyright page (e.g. '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a terminal '1' marks a first printing.
- A consistent number-line user; read the lowest digit in the line rather than looking for prose wording.
- Usually no separate prose 'First Edition' statement, so the number line is the operative key.
The Stinehour Press 1953-2008 · Lunenburg, Vermont, USA
- 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…
- 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…
- Identify Stinehour craftsmanship by the colophon naming Stinehour, and for plate work frequently naming Meriden Gravure (the two firms collaborated for years before merging).
Stone & Kimball 1893-1896 (Stone & Kimball); Herbert S. Stone & Co. successor 1896-1905 · Cambridge, Massachusetts, then Chicago, Illinois (with a New York phase, 1895-1896)
- 1893-1894 (Cambridge, Mass.): earliest imprints read 'Stone & Kimball, Cambridge'; first editions carry no 'First Edition' statement. Identify by the Cambridge imprint, the dated title page, and the firm's…
- 1894-c.1896 (Chicago, after relocation): imprint reads 'Stone & Kimball, Chicago'; many titles are limited editions with a colophon or limitation statement giving the number of copies printed, which serves as…
- 1895-1896 (New York / partnership split): when Kimball left, he took the book business and the Stone & Kimball name to New York, where the imprint appears briefly before the business failed and was…
Stone Wall Press (Kim Merker) 1957-1970 · Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON limitation statement. Kim (K.K.) Merker founded the Stone Wall Press in Iowa City in 1957 as his own private press, after working with Harry Duncan at the…
- Distinguish from the WINDHOVER PRESS, Merker's later University of Iowa sponsored imprint begun in 1967, and from the unrelated Washington, D.C. 'Stone Wall Press' (a trade natural-history publisher). The…
Storey Publishing 1983-present (as Storey) · US (North Adams, Massachusetts)
- Number-line based: the first printing carries a line ending in 1, with the low digits dropping out on later printings.
- As a Workman imprint, modern titles commonly also carry a printing statement; confirm the number line ends in 1.
- Earlier (pre-Workman, Storey Communications) titles are less consistent in their copyright-page formatting, so rely primarily on the number line.
Story Line Press 1984-c.2008 · USA (Santa Cruz/Brownsville, OR; Ashland, OR)
- First printing identified by 'First edition' or 'First printing' on the copyright page, and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Absence of any later-printing notice indicates a first printing.
- Many poetry titles are single-printing; when a title is reprinted, the copyright page states the later printing.
- Number lines appear more consistently on 1990s-2000s titles than on the earliest releases; a line ending in 1 indicates the first printing.
Subterranean Press 1995–present · US
- Trade first edition: copyright-page number line with '1' present and no additional printings listed
- Limited states identified by a signed limitation/signature sheet near the front giving the print run; issued in NUMBERED (signed, e.g. /250, /500, /1000) and more-exclusive LETTERED states (typically 26…
- Lettered copies are the top state; the limitation statement text and the hand-applied letter/number are the definitive tell
Sun & Moon Press 1980s–late 1990s (Green Integer 1999–) · US
- Late-20th-century convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' and frequently carries 'Sun & Moon Classics' series number; a descending number line may be present on later titles.
- First has no later-printing notice; series number fixes the title in the Classics line.
- Successor Green Integer titles bear that imprint and a separate numbered-series scheme.
Sunbelt Publications 1984-present · Southwest / Southern California — San Diego area (El Cajon, later Chula Vista), California
- 1984/1988-present: First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles add a 'First edition'…
- Separate edition from printing: frequently revised regional guidebooks carry edition statements (new copyright year, 'Second edition,' etc.); the first printing of the first edition is the collectible point.
Sunstone Press southwest
- Sun-stone petroglyph logo
- Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence
- Number line on later titles
Swallow Press 1940s-present (Alan Swallow 1940s-1966; Swallow Press Inc. 1966-1979; licensing with Ohio University Press from 1979; OUP trade imprint from 2008) · Chicago, Illinois / Athens, Ohio (originally Denver, Colorado)
- 1940s-1966 (Alan Swallow, Denver): No 'first edition' statement on first printings; later printings noted on the copyright page when reprinted. Identify a first printing by the absence of any later-printing…
- Sage Books imprint (Swallow's Western/regional line, 1950s-1960s): same practice — no first-printing statement; later printings noted.
- 1967-1979 (Swallow Press Inc., Chicago, after Alan Swallow's 1966 death): generally no explicit 'First Edition' line; later printings or 'Second printing' stated on the copyright page. Number lines begin…
Sydney University Press 1962-1987 (original Press); imprint of Oxford University Press to mid-1990s; revived 2003-present · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- 1962-1987 (original Press): Copyright page reads 'First published [year] by Sydney University Press' with '© [year]' and 'Printed in Australia'; a first printing is identified by the matching year and the…
- 2003-present (revived Press): Re-established under the University of Sydney Library as a digital and print-on-demand publisher. The copyright page carries 'First published [year]', a full ISBN block (often…
Sylvester & Orphanos c.1978-1990s (firm originated earlier, c.1972) · Los Angeles, California, USA
- Ralph Sylvester and Stathis Orphanos's press: fine signed limited editions; the colophon states the limitation with numbered and lettered states, signed by the author.
- Identify by elegant letterpress design, often with a photographic frontispiece (Orphanos was a photographer), and a colophon naming paper, type, and limitation.
- A single fixed printing per title; confirm via the numbered/lettered colophon and the author signature.
Syracuse University Press 1943-present · US (Syracuse, NY)
- Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing
- First printing copyright page free of reprint history
- Later printings add impression statements
T
T. Fisher Unwin 1882–1920s (this slice = 1880s–1900) · London, UK
- Late-Victorian house that stated editions more explicitly than the earlier three-decker firms: many firsts carry a printed title-page date, and a first shows the original date with no later-impression notice…
- Series volumes (Pseudonym Library, Autonym Library, Mermaid Series) carry series numbering; the series setting is the first appearance for many original titles but a reprint for classics — verify which for…
- Dated rear advertisements / catalogue support the printing order; a first should not advertise titles issued after its own year.
T.B. Peterson & Brothers c.1845–c.1898 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Mid-Atlantic US)
- 1840s–1850s (T.B. Peterson): no first-edition statement; a cheap-literature and reprint house, so first printing is identified by the dated title page and the single-name imprint. Many titles are American…
- 1850s–1890s (T.B. Peterson & Brothers): identify the period by the '& Brothers' imprint, and judge first issue by title-page date, copyright date, and bound-in advertisement/catalog dates. The inserted…
- Paper-cover/cheap editions: priority between cloth and wrappers issues is determined by advertisements and the price on the wrappers, not by any printed statement.
TAB Books (Tab Books Inc.) 1964-present (independent to 1990, then McGraw-Hill) · Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, USA (later McGraw-Hill)
- Founded in 1964 (as Technical Author's Bureau) by Verne M. Ray and Malcolm Parks Jr., and reorganized as TAB Books Inc. in 1980, TAB published technical and hobby how-to titles in electronics, aviation,…
- After McGraw-Hill acquired TAB, titles follow McGraw-Hill's number-line convention: the copyright page shows a number line, often flanked by a two-letter printer/binder code (for example a 'DOC/DOC' Donnelley…
- In all eras, distinguish a first printing from a first/second/third EDITION on revised technical manuals: a stated new edition resets the number line, so the first printing of a later edition carries '1' but…
Tachyon Publications 1995–present · USA (San Francisco, California)
- Trade hardcover and paperback house: a first printing typically states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1; a missing 1 indicates a later printing
- Many titles are reprints, anthologies, or first-collected/first-U.S. editions, so the Tachyon volume may be a first printing of that edition without being the first appearance of the contents — read the…
Talonbooks 1967-present (book publishing; magazine origins 1963) · Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia)
- Small literary-press convention: first printings typically show only the publication-year copyright with no later-printing statement; many modern titles state 'first edition' and/or carry a number line with…
- Early Talonbooks (late 1960s-1970s, poetry-magazine origins) frequently lack number lines; rely on the absence of any reprint note and the original copyright year.
- Talonbooks is Canada's leading drama publisher and reprints successful playscripts; always verify the printing statement because reprints of popular plays are common.
TarcherPerigee Tarcher founded 1973; Tarcher and Perigee merged into TarcherPerigee in 2015 · US (New York; originally Los Angeles)
- First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page ending in 1; the lowest digit present marks the printing
- As a Penguin Publishing Group imprint, do not rely on a printed "First edition" statement — many titles carry only the number line
Tartarus Press 1990–present · UK (Coverdale, North Yorkshire)
- Hardcovers are typically issued as a stated limited edition (commonly a few hundred copies) with a printed limitation statement in the colophon; the limitation number and the absence of any reprint notice…
- Distinctive house style of cream cloth with a matching dust jacket; a first printing carries the stated limitation and year with no later-printing or reprint statement
- Several titles have been reprinted in matching format or later issued as paperback or ebook, so the earliest limited hardcover (lowest stated limitation and earliest year) is the true first
Taschen 1980-present · Germany (Cologne)
- Trade editions: the copyright page carries the year of publication. Because Taschen reissues, revises and reprints heavily, a true first edition of a trade title is identified by the original year of first…
- Limited editions are the clearest cases: the colophon/justification page gives an explicit numbered limitation and signature. Numbering ranges are title-specific (for example a Collector's Edition numbered…
- SUMO and oversized limiteds (since Helmut Newton's SUMO, 1999) are signed and numbered, usually with a bookstand or clamshell; the numbered, signed justification page is definitive.
The Taunton Press 1975-present · Newtown, Connecticut, USA
- 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…
- 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…
Templar Publishing / Templar Books 1978-present · UK/US
- UK firsts: a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page (standard British convention), frequently with no explicit 'First edition' statement
- US co-editions (published by Candlewick Press in North America): number line plus a 'First U.S. edition' statement
Ten Speed Press 1971–present (PRH/Crown-owned 2009–) · US
- Independent era (1971–2009): number line on copyright page, first printing shows the full descending line ending in 1; many titles also state 'First Edition' or 'First printing'
- Post-2009: acquired by Crown / Random House (now Penguin Random House); identification follows PRH/Crown conventions — number line ending in 1 plus stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page
- Berkeley, CA, founded 1971 by Phil Wood; cookbooks, reference, humor, the famous 'What Color Is Your Parachute?' annual
Texas A&M University Press 1974–present · US
- University-press convention: copyright page typically states the printing via a number line (often the printing-and-year double line, e.g., a row of printing numbers over a row of years), first printing =…
- Frequently 'First edition' is stated; scholarly/regional titles emphasize the EDITION (content) over the printing
- College Station, TX, founded 1974; Texas/Western Americana, natural history, military history
Texas Christian University Press 1947/1966-present · US (Fort Worth, TX)
- 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
Texas Tech University Press 1971-present · Lubbock, Texas, USA
- 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…
- 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…
Text Publishing 1990–present · Australia (Melbourne, VIC)
- 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…
- 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…
Thames & Hudson 1949-present · UK (London) / US (New York)
- 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'…
- 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.
Theatre Communications Group (TCG) 1984–present (org since 1961) · USA (New York, NY)
- 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…
- 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,…
Theosophical Publishing House / Quest Books 1875-present (Quest line 1966-present) · USA (Wheaton IL); parent Theosophical Society Adyar (Chennai, India); London TPH
- 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…
- 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…
- c.2000-2023 (Quest Books / TPH): a standard number line, lowest number equals the printing, alongside the 'First Quest Edition' statement.
Thistledown Press 1975-present · Canada (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
- 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.
Thomas Cook (Thomas Cook Publishing) 1873-2013 (timetables) · United Kingdom (Peterborough)
- 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…
- 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,…
Thomas Nelson 1798-present · Nashville, Tennessee, USA (origins Edinburgh, Scotland)
- 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…
- 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…
Thomas Seltzer, Inc. 1919–1926 (absorbed by Albert & Charles Boni) · New York, USA
- 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…
- 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).
Thomas Y. Crowell Company 1870s-1970s · US
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Threshold Editions 2006–present · US (New York)
- Number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, generally with a "First Threshold Editions ... edition" or "First Edition" statement, per Simon & Schuster practice
Thunderstorm Books 2008-present · Edmond, Oklahoma, USA
- 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…
- High output: match the specific title's stated limitation rather than assuming a uniform number across the catalog.
Ticknor and Fields 1832-1868 (firm name); antiquarian · Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 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.
Timber Press 1978-present · US (Portland, Oregon)
- 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.
Tin House Books 2005–present · US
- 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.
Tinder Press 2013–present · UK (London)
- 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.
Tinsley Brothers c.1854–c.1888 · London, UK
- 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.
Titan Books 1981–present · UK (London; division of Titan Publishing Group)
- 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…
- 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).
Tokyopop — English-language manga (and OEL) 1997-2011 (original); 2019-present (revival) · USA (Los Angeles, California; founded 1997 as Mixx Entertainment)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Top Shelf Productions 1997-present · USA (originally Marietta, GA; an imprint of IDW Publishing since 2015)
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Tor Books 1980–present · US
- 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.
Tordotcom 2015-present · US (New York)
- For trade print firsts, a number line whose lowest digit is 1, often with a "First Edition" statement, following Tor house style
Touchstone 1981–c.2019 · US
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Triumph Books 1989-present · US (Chicago)
- 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.
Truman State University Press 1986–2021 (ceased operations c.2017; formally closed 2021) · Kirksville, Missouri
- 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…
- 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;…
Tundra Books 1967-present · Canada
- 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
Tupelo Press 1999-present (first titles 2001) · USA (North Adams, Massachusetts)
- 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.
Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) 1948–present · Japan (Tokyo) / USA (Rutland and North Clarendon, Vermont), Asia-focused English-language publishing
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Tuumba Press 1976-1984 · Willits / Berkeley, California (Lyn Hejinian)
- 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…
- 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…
Twelve 2005–present · US (New York)
- 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.
Twelvetrees Press (historic) 1980–c.1991 · US (Pasadena/Altadena, Los Angeles area, CA)
- 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.
Twin Palms Publishers / Twelvetrees Press 1981–present (Twelvetrees Press 1981 onward; Twin Palms thereafter) · US (Santa Fe, NM; formerly Pasadena, CA)
- 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…
- Trade (open) edition first printings: colophon with first-printing year and no reprint statement; many titles had only a single printing.
Two Dollar Radio 2005–present · Columbus, OH (US)
- 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…
- Later printings revise the printing statement or drop the lowest number.
Tyndale House Publishers 1962-present · Carol Stream (formerly Wheaton), Illinois, USA
- 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…
- 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…
U
UBC Press (University of British Columbia Press) 1971-present (grew out of the University's Publications Centre, est. 1961; UBC Press imprint name used since 1990) · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 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…
- 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…
Ugly Duckling Presse 1993-present (books from late 1990s) · USA (Brooklyn, New York)
- Colophon-driven: most UDP books carry a rear colophon that states the edition size (often 'printed in an edition of N copies') and frequently a printing statement; the colophon is the primary identifier.
- Letterpress covers and handmade elements are characteristic, and many editions are limited, with the colophon giving the print run.
- Trade offset titles may carry a number line, where the lowest digit is the printing; chapbooks and full-length books are typically single-state.
Underwood-Miller c.1976–1994 (joint imprint) · US
- Editions identified by the limitation/colophon statement: many titles issued in trade plus signed/numbered and sometimes lettered states — the limitation leaf gives the run
- First printings indicated by absence of later-printing notation; the publisher's name 'Underwood-Miller' (joint era) vs. later solo imprints helps date the state
- Match correct binding/slipcase as specified for the limited issue
United States Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office) 1861-present · Washington, D.C., USA
- 1861-present: government documents do NOT follow trade first-edition conventions. There is generally no printer's-key number line and no trade 'First edition' statement. Identify and date a document by its…
- Editions/printings of a recurring title (reports, regulations) are distinguished by the printing year and any 'edition' or 'revised' note on the title page or cover, plus the GPO printing identifier sometimes…
- Congressional documents are identified by Congress number, session, and document/report number rather than by a printing key.
University of Alaska Press 1987-present · Fairbanks, Alaska
- 1987-present: The University of Alaska's scholarly and regional press (Fairbanks). First printings of scholarly titles typically carry no number line; identify a first by a copyright year matching the…
- Trade and general-audience titles, including the Snowy Owl Books imprint, may carry a descending number line on the copyright page (lowest digit indicates the printing) and an explicit 'First printing'…
- Distribution tell: since 2021 the press's list has been distributed through the University Press of Colorado consortium, so a distribution notice naming University Press of Colorado on the copyright page…
University of Alberta Press 1969-present · Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- 1969-c.1995: Copyright page reads '© The University of Alberta Press [year]' with 'Printed in Canada'; a first printing is keyed by the matching year, the Canadian CIP block, and the absence of any reprint…
- c.1995-present: The copyright page carries a descending number line (lowest digit = printing) plus '© [year]' and full ISBN/CIP data; a complete line ending in 1 with no reprint note indicates a first…
University of Arizona Press southwest
- ISBN prefix 978-0-8165
- Negative-evidence on 1959–early-1970s titles
- Number line consistently from c.1985
University of California Press 1893–present (number lines standard later 20th c.) · US
- First printings state 'First Edition' or carry the copyright line alone with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are noted on the copyright page.
- Modern UC Press titles use a number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.
- Revised editions give the original and revised publication dates.
University of Chicago Press 1891–present (impression-line style mid-20th c.; number lines later) · US
- Copyright page typically prints a sequence of edition/printing/year codes. Older Chicago books show two date rows: a row of EDITION years and a row of IMPRESSION/printing years; the earliest impression year…
- Statement of printing: e.g., 'Published 19xx' / 'First Edition' on first printings; 'Second Impression,' 'Third Impression' for later runs.
- Modern Chicago titles use a number line on the copyright page; a line including '1' = first printing.
University of Georgia Press 1938-present · US (Athens, Georgia)
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint history; later printings add printing-year lines or an explicit paperback-edition statement.
- Pre-number-line titles (the Press was founded in 1938) carry no first-edition statement, so use the matching-year plus no-reprint-notice test.
University of Hawaii Press 1947-present · US (Honolulu, Hawaii)
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing list.
- Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint notices; the absence of such a notice is the first-printing signal.
University of Illinois Press 1918-present · US (Urbana/Champaign, Illinois)
- Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint history; later printings add a printing-year line or an explicit later-edition statement.
- Pre-number-line titles (the Press was founded in 1918) carry no first-edition statement, so use the matching-year plus no-reprint-notice test.
University of Iowa Press 1969-present · US (Iowa City, Iowa)
- Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint list.
- Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint statements.
University of Massachusetts Press 1963-present · US (Amherst, Massachusetts)
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.
- First printings state a single year with no reprint list.
- Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint notices.
University of Michigan Press 1930-present · US (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating '1' indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing or impression list.
- Ann Arbor Paperbacks reissues note the original cloth date alongside the reprint year and are not first editions of the original work.
University of Minnesota Press 1925–present · US
- Copyright page carries a number line on modern titles ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); lowest number present = printing, '1' = first printing.
- First printings otherwise show only the copyright line; later printings/editions are noted.
- Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered.
University of Missouri Press 1958–present · Columbia, Missouri
- 1958–c.1975: No first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted; first printing = matching title/copyright dates with no later-impression line.
- c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; lowest number present indicates the printing, so a '1' present = first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.
- Paperback reissues/reprints state the new printing year; distinguish a later printing from the original cloth first.
University of Nebraska Press 1941–present (Bison imprint 1961–present) · US
- Copyright page states 'First Nebraska printing' / 'First printing: 19xx' and lists later Bison/Nebraska printings; absence of a later-printing line = first printing of that edition.
- Modern titles carry a number line; '1' present = first printing.
- Reprints of older works state the original publication date and the 'First Bison Books printing' date.
University of Nevada Press 1961-present · US (Reno, NV)
- Full descending number line with '1' present indicates the first printing.
- First printing has a clean copyright page with no reprint or later-printing history.
- Later printings are denoted by added impression statements or a revised number line, where the lowest surviving number gives the printing.
University of New Mexico Press southwest
- ISBN prefix 978-0-8263
- Negative-evidence (no later-printing language) on pre-1970 titles
- Number line from c.1980
University of North Carolina Press 1922–present · US
- First printings carry the copyright line with no later-printing notice; subsequent printings/editions are stated on the copyright page. Modern titles add a number line where '1' = first printing.
- Copyright page commonly prints a manufacturing/printing line; the lowest figure indicates the printing.
- Revised editions are explicitly dated and numbered.
University of Notre Dame Press 1949-present · US (Notre Dame, IN)
- Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
- First printing copyright page lists the copyright year with no later-printing notices.
- Later printings add impression statements to the copyright page.
University of Oklahoma Press southwest
- ISBN prefix 0-8061
- Interlocked OU monogram
- Number line (1970s+)
University of Pennsylvania Press 1890-present · US (Philadelphia, PA)
- Modern trade and scholarly titles: full descending number line; lowest digit '1' present indicates a first printing
- First printing copyright page carries no later-impression or reprint statements
- Later printings add printing/impression statements; revised editions are stated as such
University of Pittsburgh Press 1936-present · US (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Modern: full descending number line; '1' present indicates a first printing
- First printing copyright page shows no later-printing history
- Pitt Poetry Series and Drue Heinz Prize titles follow the same number-line convention; first printings matter most for prize and poetry collectibility, so confirm the line carries '1'
University of Pittsburgh Press — Pitt Poetry Series 1968–present · USA (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- University-press convention: number line on the copyright page; the lowest number present indicates the printing.
- Hardcover and simultaneous trade-paperback issues are common — distinguish the clothbound first from the simultaneous paperback (same printing, different binding).
- The 'Pitt Poetry Series' designation on the copyright leaf places the title within the series.
University of Queensland Press (UQP) 1948–present (trade publishing since the late 1960s) · Australia (Brisbane, QLD)
- The copyright page states 'First published [year] by University of Queensland Press' for a first printing; no 'Reprinted' lines beneath indicate a first impression.
- Later printings add 'Reprinted [year]' lines; the publication-year statement matching the copyright year with no reprint line is the first-printing tell.
- Original wrappers/jackets and SBN/ISBN format help date a copy: pre-1970 imprints predate ISBNs, and Paperback Poets volumes are identified by series number plus the absence of a reprint notice.
University of Tennessee Press 1940-present · US (Knoxville, TN)
- Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing
- A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing lines
- Later printings add an impression or printing statement
University of Texas Press 1950–present · US
- First printings state 'First Edition' (or 'First edition, 19xx') on the copyright page on many titles, or carry the copyright line alone; later printings/editions are noted.
- Modern UT Press titles use a number line on the copyright page; '1' present = first printing.
- Revised/expanded editions are dated and numbered.
University of Texas Press 1950–present · US
- Scholarly-press identification: 'First edition' stated on copyright page; number line (often printing-over-year double line) where present, first printing shows 1 and earliest year
- Austin, TX, founded 1950; Latin American studies, Texana, Western/borderlands, film
- Distinguish edition (content) from printing; revised editions stated explicitly
University of Tokyo Press 1951-present · Tokyo, Japan
- Japanese-language titles (1951-present): identify the printing from the colophon (奥付, okuzuke) on the final leaf rather than a western copyright page. The colophon gives the edition and impression as 第1版第1刷…
- English-language / Western titles (earliest years onward): the Press was a pioneer of English-language academic publishing in Asia and uses a western copyright page for these — 'First published [year] by…
- Cross-check: for Japanese titles always read the okuzuke — the 版 (edition) and 刷 (impression) figures with the 発行 (issue) date are the authoritative first-printing tells. ISBNs appear on the colophon from the…
University of Toronto Press 1901-present · Canada (Toronto, ON)
- Modern: full descending number line, '1' present = first printing
- First printing copyright page states copyright/first-publication year with NO later-printing or revised-edition lines
- Later printings/revised editions add explicit statements; reprints note 'Reprinted YYYY'
University of Utah Press 1949-present · US (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing
- A first printing shows a copyright page without reprint history
- Later printings add an impression or printing statement
University of Virginia Press 1963-present · US (Charlottesville, VA)
- Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing
- A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing notices
- Later printings add an impression statement
University of Wales Press 1922-present · Cardiff, Wales (UK)
- 1922-c.1990: Standard British copyright-page convention; many titles are bilingual or Welsh-language. First printing: 'First published [year]' or the Welsh 'Argraffiad cyntaf [year]' (first…
- c.1990-present: 'First published [year]' plus a number line indicating impression (lowest digit = impression) and an ISBN/copyright block; bilingual imprint statement common. The Welsh 'Argraffiad cyntaf' is…
University of Washington Press 1915-present · US (Seattle, WA)
- Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing
- A first printing shows a copyright page without later-printing lines
- Later printings add an explicit printing statement
University of Wisconsin Press 1936-present · US (Madison, WI)
- Modern: full descending number line, '1' present = first printing
- First printing copyright page free of later-printing history
- Later printings add impression statements
University Press of Kansas 1946-present (consolidated 1976) · US (Lawrence, Kansas)
- Modern firsts use a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no reprint history.
- Later printings add printing-year/impression lines.
University Press of Kentucky 1943-present (consolidated 1969) · US (Lexington, Kentucky)
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating 1 indicates a first printing.
- First printings state a single year with no later-printing list.
- Later printings add printing-year lines or explicit reprint statements.
University Press of Mississippi (trade) 1970-present · South (Jackson, Mississippi)
- 1970-1980s: Scholarly/trade convention - treat a first printing as a single copyright date with no later-printing or 'second printing' notation; the press generally did not print 'First Edition.' For the…
- 1980s-present: Standard academic-press practice - a number line on the copyright page in which the lowest number present indicates the printing (a '1' present indicates a first printing). Titles typically…
- Banner Books (literary reprint imprint) and Muscadine Books (regional trade imprint): these are reprint/regional lines, so a Banner Books issue is usually NOT the first edition of the work - identify the…
Unnamed Press 2014–present · Los Angeles, CA (US)
- When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' on the copyright page.
- If a number line is present, read the printing from the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Some titles may carry no number line, in which case rely on the stated printing.
- Later printings drop the lowest number or revise the statement.
UWA Publishing (University of Western Australia Press) 1935–present · Australia (Perth, WA)
- On a first printing the copyright page states 'First published [year] by UWA Publishing' (or 'University of Western Australia Press' before 2009), shows no reprint line, and the stated year matches the…
- Later printings add a 'Reprinted [year]' line; number lines are uncommon for this scholarly house, so the printed statement is the primary signal.
- Imprint-name era tell: 'Text Books Board' indicates 1935–1948, 'University of Western Australia Press' indicates 1948–2009, and 'UWA Publishing' indicates 2009 onward.
V
Valancourt Books 2005–present · USA (Richmond, Virginia / Oakhurst, California)
- Primarily a reviver and reprint publisher: most volumes are new editions of older works and state so, often adding a new introduction — they are not first appearances of the text
- Valancourt's own first printings, such as newly commissioned English translations or first-collected works, are identified by the Valancourt edition statement and year on the copyright page, with a number…
- Trade-paperback and print-on-demand heavy, so identification rests on the Valancourt edition statement rather than any hand-press limitation
Vanguard Press 1926-1988 · US
- No printing statement on first editions; Vanguard had no 'First Edition' designation and sometimes even failed to note subsequent printings, so absence of a printing statement is the chief (weak) indicator…
- From the 1970s onward: Vanguard instituted a number row (number line) on the copyright page; a sequence containing '1' indicates a first printing.
- The number row may have been abandoned for some titles in the mid-1980s, so for that period rely again on the absence of a later-printing statement.
Verse Press 2000-2005 · USA (Northampton, Massachusetts)
- Number line where present; lowest digit = the printing.
- Some titles state 'First Edition' with the year; many single-printing firsts carry no line.
- The imprint name 'Verse Press' on the title or copyright leaf distinguishes the original edition from any later Wave Books reissue.
Verso Books 1970–present · UK (London) / USA (Brooklyn, from the 1990s), radical theory and politics
- 1970–late 1970s (New Left Books / NLB): the house published as NLB; firsts carry a 'First published <year> by NLB' (or New Left Books) edition statement. Number lines are commonly absent in this early era —…
- Late 1970s onward (Verso): 'Verso' was launched as a paperback imprint at the end of the 1970s and became the house's sole imprint thereafter. Firsts show 'First published by Verso <year>' on the copyright…
- Radical Thinkers / Radical Thinkers Classics (series launched 2005): these are reissues of older theory titles. The collectible first is the original NLB or Verso edition, not the later series volume, which…
Vertical, Inc. / Vertical Comics — English-language manga & Japanese literature 2001-2021 (independent); backlist continues under Kodansha · USA (New York; founded 2001; majority-acquired by Kodansha and Dai Nippon Printing 2011; merged into Kodansha USA 2021)
- 2001-2021 independent era: manga and prose volumes are identified by a number line on the copyright page, with a descending line ending in 1 indicating a first printing, and/or by a stated first-edition date.…
- Osamu Tezuka prestige editions (Buddha, Apollo's Song, Ode to Kirihito, MW, Black Jack, 2003 onward) are the marquee Vertical manga collectibles; first printings are identified by the number line or stated…
- 2021-present under Kodansha USA: backlist reissues carry Kodansha number-line indicia; original Vertical-era printings predate the 2021 merger and are distinguished by the older imprint indicia.
Victor Gollancz 1927-present · UK
- Pre-1984: NO first-edition statement was made — first printings carry no 'First published' line; ONLY later printings were noted (so absence of any printing statement = likely first, presence of a reprint…
- From 1984 onward: began stating "First published in [Year] by Victor Gollancz Ltd" on the copyright page of firsts
- Modern Gollancz uses number lines; lowest digit = printing
Victor Gollancz Ltd (incl. Gollancz SF) 1927–present (yellow-jacket era c.1927–mid-1980s) · UK
- Classic British-house method: 'First published <year>' on the copyright/verso with NO later-printing or 'reprinted' statements; an unbroken impression line or absence of added impression dates confirms a first
- The distinctive plain YELLOW dust jacket with black + magenta typography (no pictorial art) is a strong era marker for firsts roughly 1920s–mid-1980s
- Match jacket: original unclipped yellow jacket with the correct price; later pictorial jackets (mid-1980s on) accompany the firsts of that later era
Victoria University Press / Te Herenga Waka University Press early 1970s–present · New Zealand (Wellington)
- On a first printing the copyright page states 'First published [year]' and 'Published by Victoria University Press' (pre-2022) or 'Te Herenga Waka University Press' (2022 onward), with no 'Reprinted' line and…
- Later printings add an explicit 'Reprinted [year]' line, the standard NZ small-press convention; number lines are uncommon, so the printed statement is the primary first-printing signal.
- Imprint-name era tell: a copyright page reading 'Victoria University Press' dates the book to 2021 or earlier, while 'Te Herenga Waka University Press' dates it to 2022 or later — the same title reissued…
Viking Children's Books (Viking Junior Books) / Penguin Young Readers Group 1933–present (Viking children's); Penguin number-line era 1980s–present · US
- Viking historical: stated 'First published in (Year) by The Viking Press' / 'Published by The Viking Press in (Year)'; in the 1980s a number row was added to LATER printings only — so a first lacks the number…
- Modern Penguin house style across the children's imprints: full descending number line ending in 1, often with a stated 'First Edition' / 'First American Edition'
- Philomel and Dutton (Penguin children's imprints) likewise use the Penguin number-line-to-1 convention
Viking Press / Penguin trade
- “First Published by Viking in [Year]” statement (1937–present)
- On 1980s titles, a number line appears on later printings only
Viking Press / Viking 1925–present · US (New York)
- Earliest era (1925 to roughly 1937): Viking used no first-edition statement and instead noted later printings; treat the absence of any later-printing notice, with the title-page/copyright dates matching, as…
- From about 1937 onward: first printings state "First published by The Viking Press in [year]" or "Published by The Viking Press in [year]" with no later-printing notice; later printings were noted, and from…
- Modern Viking under Penguin / Penguin Random House: a full number line whose lowest digit is 1, sometimes with "First American Edition."
Vintage Books 1954–present · US
- States 'First Vintage … Edition (Month Year)' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.
- Predominantly a trade-paperback REPRINT line — 'first Vintage edition' is usually NOT the first edition of the work.
- Trace true firsts to the original Knopf / Random House / Pantheon hardcover.
Viz Media (Viz Comics / Viz LLC) — English-language manga 1986-present · USA (San Francisco, California; founded 1986) / parent Shueisha-Shogakukan
- Modern graphic-novel era (roughly 2002-present, right-to-left unflipped volumes): identified by a Western-style descending number line on the copyright/indicia page. A complete line ending in 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7…
- Many Viz volumes also print an explicit 'First printing, Month Year' line near the ISBN, corroborating the number line.
- Early Viz era (1987-2001, flipped/Westernized comic-format trades, Pulp/Animerica period): earlier trades used flipped art; first printings are identified by stated printing date and/or number line where…
Véhicule Press 1973-present · Canada (Montreal, Quebec)
- Montreal English-language literary press: modern titles state 'first edition' on the copyright page and may carry a descending number line, with '1' present indicating the first printing.
- The imprint matters for identification — Signal Editions (poetry) and Esplanade Books (fiction) are named on the title/copyright page; confirm the specific imprint when describing a first.
- Earlier titles from the Véhicule Art gallery / cooperative origins (1970s): rely on the original copyright year and the absence of any later-printing statement.
W
W. B. Saunders Company 1888-present (imprint continues under Elsevier) · United States (Philadelphia, PA)
- 1888-c.1950: Founded 1888 by Walter Burns Saunders in Philadelphia as a premier medical and surgical textbook house. Clinical texts are identified primarily by the numbered EDITION stated on the title page…
- c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; printing history is sometimes shown as dated reprint lines. First printing of an edition = only the edition's original dated line present, with no later…
- c.1985-present (as Saunders/Elsevier): A number line on the copyright page is common, with the lowest digit indicating the printing; Elsevier house style also uses a coded printing/year line. The EDITION…
W. H. Freeman and Company 1946-present · United States (San Francisco / New York)
- 1946-c.1965: founded in 1946 by William H. Freeman (a former Macmillan editor) in San Francisco, with Linus Pauling as first author and advisor. Early scientific monographs and textbooks carried no…
- c.1965-c.1980: transitional period. Some titles begin showing a printing-history line or a coded letter/number group; the first printing is the one with no later printing stated, or the printing code…
- c.1980-present: number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many texts also carry a coded year cluster. For revised STM textbooks the title-page edition number (1st,…
W. W. Norton trade
- Stated "First Edition" plus a number line containing 1
Wakefield Press 1942-1950s (original); 1989-present (current management) · Australia (Adelaide, South Australia)
- 1942-1950s (original 'The Wakefield Press'): Founded in 1942 by Adelaide bookseller Harry Muir to publish small South Australian historical monographs. First editions are identified by a dated…
- 1989-present (current Wakefield Press): Independent Adelaide publisher under Michael Bollen (with Stephanie Johnston) from 1989, the name having been revived by the South Australian government for its 1986…
Walker Books (UK) 1978–present · UK
- British convention: a first printing carries a complete number line on the copyright page ending in 1 (commonly '2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1' or '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present is the printing
- Typically NO 'First edition' statement on UK firsts — rely on the complete number line
- Usually a 'First published 20xx by Walker Books Ltd' line; on later printings the number line rises but the 'First published' date stays the same
Ward Ritchie Press 1932-1974 (press); Laguna Verde Imprenta from the 1970s · Los Angeles, California, USA
- 1932-1960s: fine and limited titles are identified by the COLOPHON (limitation, date, designer = Ward Ritchie, illustrator, and types). Trade titles under the Ward Ritchie Press imprint follow conventional…
- Early period (from 1932): colophon-driven for limited work, with the imprint 'The Ward Ritchie Press' on the title page or colophon.
- The printing firm operated as Anderson & Ritchie and later Anderson, Ritchie & Simon; that firm name appears in the colophon as printer, while the publishing imprint may still read 'Ward Ritchie Press.'
Ward, Lock & Co. 1854–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.) · London, UK
- Largely a popular, reprint and reference house: confirm whether Ward, Lock issued a title first or is reprinting it; many 'editions' are later impressions of cheap series.
- No formal edition statement on early firsts: use the title-page date, the absence of a later-printing notice, and the partnership style (Ward & Lock 1854– ; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co. from…
- Dated advertisements / catalogue at the rear (the firm's catalogues are extensive) help pin the printing order.
Washington State University Press 1928-present · Pullman, Washington (Pacific Northwest)
- 1928-1980s (early/scholarly era): Scholarly monographs and journals; first printings typically carry no number line — identify by the copyright year and the absence of any later-printing or revised-edition…
- 1980s-present (modern trade/regional era): Trade and regional titles use a descending number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing (for example '5 4 3 2 1' is a first printing). 'First printing' is…
Watson-Guptill 1937-present · US (New York; now administered via Berkeley/New York within Penguin Random House)
- Modern era (Random House ownership from 2008, a Ten Speed Press / Crown imprint from 2013 within Penguin Random House): first printings follow the Crown convention of a 'First Edition' statement on the…
- Independent/older era (founded 1937; under Billboard Publications/VNU before 2008): identification is number-line based when a line is present, with the first printing line ending in 1; some art-instruction…
Wave Books 2005–present (Verse Press 2000–2005) · US
- Modern convention: copyright page states 'First Edition' with a descending number line; '1' present indicates the first printing.
- Distinctive minimalist design (heavy use of blind/letterpress-style covers); design is a house signature, not a printing point.
- First lacks later-printing notice.
Way & Williams 1895-1898 · Chicago, Illinois (Midwest US)
- 1895-1898: short-lived fine-press trade publisher; first editions bear the 'Way & Williams, Chicago' imprint with no 'First Edition' statement. Identify by the imprint, the dated title page, and frequently a…
- Limited issues: rely on the limitation or colophon page stating the copy count as the first-issue point.
- 1898 dissolution: remaining titles and contracts transferred to Herbert S. Stone & Co.; copies bearing a later Stone imprint or a cancel title page are not the Way & Williams first issue.
Wayne State University Press 1941–present (Great Lakes Books series inaugurated 1986) · Detroit, Michigan
- 1941–c.1975 (scholarly titles): No first-printing statement; later printings and revised editions noted on the copyright page. Identify a first printing by the absence of later-printing language and a single…
- c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing. Library of Congress CIP block standard.
- Great Lakes Books series (regional series, inaugurated 1986) and the Painted Turtle imprint both follow the press's number-line convention; the series or imprint is named on the series/title page.
Wednesday Books 2016–present · US (New York)
- Stated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printing
- First printing: full number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notice, following St. Martin's/Macmillan practice
Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1949-present · UK
- First editions state "First published in Great Britain [Year] by Weidenfeld & Nicolson" on the copyright page; later printings noted
- Modern W&N (Orion group) uses a number line ending in 1; lowest digit = printing
- First printing = statement present and/or number line ending in 1, with no later-edition notation
Wesley B. Small / Squadron Shop-adjacent — Detail & Scale, Inc. c.1980-present (with reissues) · USA (Detail & Scale, Inc.; originally distributed through Squadron/Signal Publications)
- 1980s into the 2000s, Bert Kinzey's detailed-aircraft modeler monographs originally distributed via Squadron/Signal: softcover volumes that frequently carry an explicit statement of edition and printing on…
- Volumes are numbered ('Detail & Scale Vol. NN'); that volume number is a catalog sequence identifying the title, not an edition state.
- Modern reissues and reprinted/updated re-editions exist — confirm the original 1980s-90s copyright year and any stated printing for a true first printing.
Wesleyan University Press 1957–present (parenthetical-numeral tell pre-1980s; number row from the 1980s) · US
- States 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page of first editions, and notes subsequent printings.
- DISTINCTIVE older tell: pre-1980s Wesleyan books often carry a numeral in parentheses or brackets at the FOOT OF THE LAST PAGE — '(1)' = first printing, '(2)' = second printing, etc. — sometimes in place of a…
- Since the 1980s, Wesleyan uses a number row/line (and a year row) on the copyright page to indicate printing and year; lowest figures present = first printing.
West End Press southwest
- ISBN prefixes 0-931122 and 0-9826968
- Copyright year matching publication date
- Absence of later-printing notation; some titles state “First edition”
West Publishing Company (law) 1872-present · United States (St. Paul, MN)
- 1872-c.1980: John B. West began publishing in St. Paul in 1872, and the firm was incorporated as West Publishing Company in 1882; it became the dominant US legal publisher (National Reporter System, American…
- c.1980-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but for hornbooks, nutshells, casebooks, and treatises the EDITION number governs identification and value.…
- Corporate eras: West Publishing, then West Group (1996), then Thomson West after Thomson's 1996 acquisition, then Thomson Reuters (2008), with West Academic Publishing carrying the student-aid lines (partly…
Western National Parks Association (formerly Southwest Parks and Monuments Association / Southwestern Monuments Association) 1938-present · Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Nonprofit interpretive publisher partnered with the National Park Service since 1938. The imprint name dates the book and is the primary tell: Southwestern Monuments Association = earliest (from 1938);…
- Interpretive guides and booklets are heavily reprinted; editions are usually stated (Second edition, Revised) and many give a printing line. A first printing shows the original date with no revision or…
- Modern titles may carry a number line; a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.
Westminster John Knox Press 1838-present · Louisville, Kentucky (formerly Philadelphia, PA / Atlanta & Richmond, VA)
- The Westminster Press (Presbyterian lineage, Philadelphia): in the 19th and early 20th centuries no number line; identify firsts by copyright year and the absence of a reprint notice. By the mid-20th century…
- John Knox Press (Richmond/Atlanta, Presbyterian Church US): similar conventions, with copyright year plus printing statements and additive printing lines on reprints.
- Both predecessors, 1960s-1980s: number and printing-history lines emerge; the earliest single year indicates a first.
WestWinds Press 1998–c.2019 (imprint retired when parent rebranded to West Margin Press) · West / Pacific Northwest — Portland, Oregon (regional trade imprint of Graphic Arts Center Publishing / Graphic Arts Books, later West Margin Press)
- 1998–c.2019: As a Graphic Arts Center Publishing / Graphic Arts Books imprint, first printings carry a printing number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest digit…
Whispers Press c.1977-1990s · Fayetteville / Chapel Hill, North Carolina, then Binghamton, New York, USA
- Late 1970s-1990s: titles were commonly issued in two states - a trade hardcover and a signed/numbered (often slipcased) limited. The signed/numbered limitation (colophon) page identifies the limited first;…
- Robert Bloch's Strange Eons (Whispers Press, 1978): the signed/numbered slipcased state (300 numbered copies signed at the colophon by Bloch, Stewart, Powers, and Schiff, within a larger run) is the priority…
- The Best of Whispers (1994): 500 numbered copies signed by the editor and contributors - identify via the signed limitation sheet.
White Pine Press 1973-present · USA (Buffalo, NY)
- Early titles (1970s-1980s): small letterpress/offset runs; first/only printing identified by colophon or copyright statement; absence of a later-printing notice indicates a first printing.
- Later titles: first printing identified by 'First edition'/'First printing' wording and/or a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Many titles carry a SERIES number (catalog, not printing) — do not confuse…
- On translations (the press's core), the first English-language printing is governed by the White Pine copyright-page statement; prior original-language publication abroad does not affect White Pine…
Whitman Publishing Company (Western Printing & Lithographing) 1916–1980s (Big Little Books 1932–1949) · Racine, WI
- Big Little Books, 1932–1938: the format launched in 1932 with The Adventures of Dick Tracy Detective. There is no printed first-printing statement. Identify earlier issues by the assigned series number (low…
- Better Little Books, 1938–1949: the series was renamed Better Little Books in 1938 and last issued about 1949. The same logic applies — series number, ad lists, price, and cover/format state. No printed…
- Whitman storybooks and Tell-A-Tale, 1940s–1960s: these carry a copyright date and often a small code. First printings usually lack an explicit first-edition line; later books adopt Western's letter/number…
The Whittington Press 1971-present · Andoversford, Gloucestershire (moved to Risbury, Herefordshire c.1992), England
- 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…
- 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,…
- 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…
Wilderness Adventures Press 1990s-present · USA (Belgrade/Bozeman, Montana)
- 1990s-present: Trade firsts state 'First Edition'/'First Printing' on the copyright page and/or carry a descending number line (lowest number present indicates printing; '1' = first).
- 1990s-present: Flagship sporting titles and classic reprints are sometimes issued as signed/numbered limited editions; when present, the numbered limitation page identifies that senior state over the trade…
- 2000s-present: Series guidebooks (the 'Flyfisher's Guide to...' and 'Wingshooter's Guide to...' state guides) are revised across printings/editions — match map/listing currency and the printing statement to…
Wilderness Press 1967-present · USA (Berkeley, California; later under Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN, Birmingham, Alabama)
- 1967-1990s (independent, Berkeley, CA, founder Thomas Winnett): Trade firsts state 'First Edition'/'First printing'; many carry a printing line. Guidebooks are heavily revised, so each edition is explicitly…
- 1990s-2000s: Standard descending number line on the copyright page; lowest digit present indicates the printing ('1' = first). Edition number is stated separately for content revisions.
- 2008-present (after the 2008 sale to Keen Communications / AdventureKEEN): Continues number-line practice; lowest surviving digit indicates the printing. Confirm edition currency for the long-running trail…
William Blackwood & Sons 1804–1980 (Victorian peak 1850s–1900) · Edinburgh & London, UK
- No explicit edition statement on Victorian firsts: identify by title-page date, absence of 'New Edition' wording, correct imprint ('William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London'), and complete volumes…
- Many Blackwood novels first appeared serially in Blackwood's Magazine before book form — confirm the first BOOK edition versus the serial and versus cheaper later reissues.
- Dated rear advertisements or catalogue: a first should not list later titles.
William Collins, Sons & Co. (Collins) 1819-1990 (independent); HarperCollins thereafter · UK
- First editions either carry NO additional printing statement on the copyright page or state "First published [Year]" — practice was not fully consistent, so confirm with jacket/ad dating
- Later printings noted with impression lines; their absence supports a first
- Collins Crime Club titles: rely on dust-jacket advertisement dating and absence of reprint notation; Crime Club firsts have well-catalogued jacket points
William Heinemann 1890-present · UK
- 1890-1921: year of publication printed on the TITLE PAGE of first editions; on later printings the title-page date was removed and a notice added to the copyright page (a title-page year is the first-printing…
- From the 1920s onward: "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" stated on the copyright page, with later impressions noted beneath
- Modern Heinemann adopted number lines; lowest digit = printing
William Morrow 1926–present · US
- Pre-1973: usually printed 'First Printing (Month, Year)' on the copyright page and ALWAYS indicated later printings — so a first shows only the first-printing notation.
- Post-1973 / modern: states 'First Edition' AND uses a number line; the number row indicates year/printing, with the lowest number 1 present on a first.
- Modern HarperCollins-era Morrow: 'First Edition' + descending line ending in 1 is the reliable test.
Williams & Wilkins / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) 1890-present (as LWW imprint under Wolters Kluwer) · United States (Baltimore, MD / Philadelphia, PA)
- 1890-c.1970: Founded 1890 in Baltimore as a major medical and scientific text and journal publisher (scientific journal publishing began 1909). Texts are identified by the numbered EDITION on the title page;…
- c.1970-1998: A number line is increasingly used (lowest digit = printing) alongside the edition statement on revised clinical texts.
- 1998-present: Wolters Kluwer acquired Waverly (parent of Williams & Wilkins) and merged it into Lippincott-Raven to form Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), now under Wolters Kluwer Health. Modern medical…
Willow Creek Press mid-1970s-present · USA (Minocqua, Wisconsin)
- Mid-1970s-1990s: Sporting and nature titles typically state 'First Edition' or 'First printing' on the copyright page and/or carry a descending number line in which '1' indicates the first printing. Where a…
- 1990s-present: Standard number-line practice applies; the lowest surviving digit indicates the printing. Nature and photographic gift books are frequently reprinted, with later printings shown only by the…
Winchester Press 1969-early 1980s (Winchester Press); New Win Publishing successor from 1982 · USA (New York / Garden City, NY; successor New Win Publishing later in Piscataway, NJ)
- 1969-late 1970s (Olin/Winchester corporate ownership, New York / Garden City NY): Firsts typically state 'First Edition'/'First Printing'; some titles also carry a descending number line where the lowest…
- Co-branded 'Winchester Press / Nick Lyons Books' titles (Garden City, NY) appear as Nick Lyons developed his imprint alongside Winchester in the later 1970s; the co-imprint name on the title/copyright page is…
- 1982 onward (after New Century acquisition; New Win Publishing successor, later Piscataway, NJ): Continued trade practice with a printing statement and/or number line; the change of imprint to New Win signals…
Windhover Press 1967-2003 · Iowa City, Iowa, USA (University of Iowa)
- 1967-2003: First/only edition by the COLOPHON; Windhover was the University of Iowa fine press directed by Kim (K.K.) Merker. The colophon states the limitation (editions commonly run a few hundred copies),…
- 1967-1980s: colophon-driven; many titles set in metal type and printed on fine or dampened handmade paper named in the colophon.
- Distinguish from Merker's personal STONE WALL PRESS and from his collaborative work with Harry Duncan's Cummington Press; Windhover is specifically the University of Iowa imprint. Merker even segregated…
Wisdom Publications 1975-present · US (Somerville, Massachusetts, Boston area)
- Wisdom is not covered in the standard by-publisher first-edition references, so no house-specific convention is documented; apply the general modern-trade signal.
- On a first printing, look for a descending number line on the copyright page whose lowest digit is 1; the lowest digit present equals the printing.
- Some titles add an explicit 'First edition' or 'First Wisdom edition' line, but this is not consistent across the list, so the number line is the more reliable check.
Wits University Press (Witwatersrand University Press) 1922-present · Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1922-c.1990 (as Witwatersrand University Press): South African scholarly press following British/Commonwealth convention. A first printing typically shows 'First published [year]', a copyright line for that…
- c.1990-present (as Wits University Press): the modernized imprint shows 'First published [year]' with a number line for the impression (lowest digit indicates the printing) and a full ISBN/CIP block. A full…
- Co-publishing tell: some titles are co-published or co-distributed with overseas presses (for example via Cambridge or NYU Press partnerships), so confirm the market of issue, since the overseas partner's…
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 1911-present (number-line convention reliable from roughly the 1970s-1980s onward) · US (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- Modern Eerdmans first printings are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page; a complete line ending in '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or paired letter/number forms like 'P 5 4 3 2 1')…
- Later printings drop the low digits, so the lowest surviving number equals the printing number.
- Some volumes additionally print a year-paired line (e.g., '00 99 98 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1') where the lowest year and lowest digit together date the first printing.
Wolsak and Wynn 1982-present · Canada (Hamilton, Ontario)
- Small literary press (poetry, and via its imprints fiction and nonfiction): first printings show the original copyright year with no later-printing statement; modern titles often state 'first edition.'
- Imprint titles (Buckrider Books, James Street North Books, Poplar Press) follow the parent copyright-page convention.
- Small runs mean most titles are single printings; verify absence of reprint notes.
Wonder Books 1946–c.1977 · New York, NY
- 1946–1949 (Random House era): Wonder Books launched in 1946 as a low-priced picture-book line owned by Random House, competing with Little Golden Books. First printings carry a series/stock number; identify…
- 1949–1953 (Grosset & Dunlap control; Curtis distribution): Grosset & Dunlap gained control via stock acquisition in 1949 and styled the line 'Wonder Treasure Books'; Curtis Publishing handled distribution…
- 1953–c.1977 (Curtis/Grosset & Dunlap joint venture): in 1953 Wonder Books became part of a Curtis plus Grosset & Dunlap joint venture. The educational How and Why Wonder Books series was introduced in 1960.…
Workman Publishing Company 1968–present (HBG-owned 2021–) · US
- Number line on copyright page; a first printing shows the complete line including '1' (descending style typical, '10 9 8 7 ... 1')
- Many Workman trade nonfiction/calendar/gift titles omit an explicit 'First Edition' statement and rely on the number line alone — absence of a stated-first is normal, so the number line is the primary signal
- Workman self-distributed (including its imprints) until the 2021 Hachette Book Group acquisition; post-2021 titles follow HBG production norms
The World Publishing Company 1905-1980s · US
- 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…
- 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…
Y
Yale University Press 1908–present (reprint-statement convention throughout; number lines added in later decades) · US
- Older/standard convention: the copyright page of a REPRINT states the date of first publication and lists subsequent printings/editions; a copy whose copyright page carries only the copyright line (no reprint…
- Revised editions always state the date of the original edition plus the revision — so any 'Second edition'/'Revised edition'/'Reprinted' language rules out a first printing of the first edition.
- Modern Yale titles include a number line on the copyright page; a line containing '1' marks the first printing.
Yankee Books (Yankee Publishing, Inc.) 1935-present (book imprint principally 1980s-1990s) · New England (Dublin, New Hampshire)
- 1935-1970s (Yankee Publishing periodical era): Book output was sporadic and tied to Yankee Magazine. Identify a first printing by a single copyright date and the absence of any later-printing or reprint…
- 1980s-early 1990s (Yankee Books trade-book era): Many titles state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and a first printing is also commonly confirmed by a descending number line with…
- Because the trade-book line later changed hands, identify the actual copyright holder printed in the book before applying any single rule, since post-handoff titles may follow the new owner's number-line…
Year Book Medical Publishers 1901-c.1990 · United States (Chicago, IL)
- 1901-c.1985: Chicago medical house (founded 1901 by Dr. Gustavus P. Head; incorporated 1931) famous for the annual 'Year Book of [specialty]' abstract serials (Surgery, Medicine, Pediatrics, and others).…
- 1989-1990s: Times Mirror merged the house with C. V. Mosby to form 'Mosby-Year Book'; the copyright-page imprint reflects the merger. The name was subsequently absorbed into the Mosby/Elsevier line.
Yen Press — English-language manga & light novels 2006-present · USA (New York; founded 2006) / co-owned by Hachette Book Group and Kadokawa (Kadokawa majority since 2016)
- 2006-present: manga and light-novel volumes are identified by a descending number line on the copyright page (line ending in 1 = first printing; lowest digit present = printing number). As a Hachette Book…
- Light novels (Yen On, from 2014) and color/special editions use the same number-line tell.
- Ize Press print editions from 2022 (Solo Leveling, Omniscient Reader and similar manhwa) follow the same Hachette-distribution number-line convention.
Yolla Bolly Press 1975–c.2008 · US
- Letterpress limited editions (Covelo, California); printed colophon with stated limitation, frequently SIGNED by the author and/or illustrator
- Original commissioned art, fine papers; deluxe vs. standard states distinguished by binding and extra signed prints stated in the colophon
- No number line — signed/numbered colophon identifies
Z
Zed Books 1977–2019 (independent) · UK (London), global South, development and politics
- 1977–c.1990 (Zed Press): firsts identified by 'First published <year> by Zed Press'; number lines are often absent, so the first printing is shown by the absence of a reprint statement. Many titles were…
- c.1990–2019 (Zed Books): 'First published <year> by Zed Books Ltd' with a descending number line (lowest figure, 1, marks the first printing).
- 2020 onward: Zed's assets were absorbed into Bloomsbury (Bloomsbury Academic); titles issued after the acquisition follow Bloomsbury's number-line convention. A true independent-Zed first predates this and…
Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint 2004-c.2018 (Zenith Press imprint name) · St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (MBI Publishing; later Quayside/Quarto Group)
- Launched 2004 as MBI Publishing's military-history imprint (sister to Motorbooks and Voyageur Press): descending number line on the copyright page, lowest digit present indicating the printing, so a line…
- After the 2007 acquisition by Quayside (part of the Quarto Group), the MBI sister imprints continued the same number-line house convention.
- Revised or expanded editions are stated explicitly and reset the number line; check the 'First published' line, since co-editions and licensed reprints occur.
Zondervan 1931-present · US (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- Modern first printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page ending in '1' (e.g., '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present equals the printing number.
- Many Zondervan titles use a year-paired line such as '24 23 22 21 20 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' or a printer-code block; the first printing shows both the lowest year and the digit 1 present.
- Some editions additionally state 'First printing' wording on the copyright page alongside or instead of the number line.
About this guide
How a publisher marks a first edition — and how that practice changed over the decades — is the heart of first-edition identification. This guide compiles that knowledge for 854 publishers and imprints into one searchable, continuously updated reference, with the wording, number-line rules, date codes, and book-club tells for each house and the years each convention applied.
How it’s built — and why you can trust it
Every entry is researched from publishers’ own stated practices, the field’s standard bibliographic references (Zempel & Verkler’s First Editions: A Guide to Identification, Bill McBride’s pocket guide, and Allen & Patricia Ahearn’s Book Collecting), and dealer and auction descriptions of confirmed first editions — then adversarially fact-checked by independent reviewers. We reproduce no printed guide’s text: a publisher’s convention is a fact, not anyone’s property, and our compilation and wording are original and openly licensed so collectors, dealers, libraries, and AI can cite and reuse them freely.
How to use it
- The number line usually wins. A printed “First Edition” line alone rarely proves a first — later printings often keep it. When a number line is present, the lowest digit is the printing.
- Date the rule to the book. Many houses changed their convention over time (see the years beside each entry); apply the rule for your copy’s era.
- Rule out the book-club edition. A blind-stamp on the rear board, no price on the jacket, or “Book Club Edition” means it is not the true first, whatever else it says.
- Then confirm the title’s own points. Use the title-by-title finder for the specific issue points, the number-line decoder, or the all-in-one First Edition Checker.
A living reference, openly yours
Unlike a printed pocket guide, this one grows and corrects itself. It is released under CC BY 4.0 as open data — download the full registry (JSON · CSV), cite the Points of Issue Registry, or see real, photographed copies on The Shelf. Found an error or a missing house? It is meant to become the most complete first-edition reference there is.