{
  "$schema": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/index.json",
  "name": "First-Edition Points Identifier — Publisher Decision Rules",
  "description": "Machine-readable publisher-by-publisher first-edition identification rules powering the First-Edition Points Identifier tool. Each publisher entry carries identification methods, a guided decision flow (questions, answers, and the first-edition verdict each answer leads to), and notable points of issue. Covers the major American and British trade houses plus the New Mexico and Southwest regional presses documented on this site. Rules are distilled only from existing published guide content — no values, no dollar figures, no invented conventions.",
  "source": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition-identification-guide",
  "tool": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition-identifier",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0 with attribution to New Mexico Literacy Project (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org)",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-06-14",
  "methodology": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/book-authentication-methodology-albuquerque",
  "publisher": {
    "@id": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/#org",
    "name": "New Mexico Literacy Project",
    "url": "https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org"
  },
  "verdictLegend": {
    "first": "Consistent with a true first edition, first printing. Confirm with the title-specific point of issue before you celebrate.",
    "later": "This is a later printing or a later edition, not the first printing.",
    "notfirst": "This is not the publisher's trade first edition (book club, reprint house, or wrong imprint).",
    "inconclusive": "The copyright page alone cannot settle it. You need to check a physical point of issue or compare against a documented first.",
    "arc": "This is a pre-publication copy (proof or advance review copy), not the first edition."
  },
  "globalRules": [
    "The number line (printer's key) is the strongest single tool for books printed after the mid-1970s: the lowest number present is the printing. If '1' is present, it is a first printing. Order (ascending, descending, alternating) does not matter.",
    "When a stated 'First Edition' line and the number line disagree, believe the number line — removing the '1' requires a physical change to the plate, while a stale statement does not.",
    "Always confirm the imprint is the original publisher. A book first published by one house but carrying a reprint house's copyright page is not a first edition.",
    "Always rule out a book club edition: remove the dust jacket and check the rear board for a blind stamp, and check the front flap for a missing retail price."
  ],
  "data": [
    {
      "name": "Random House",
      "slug": "random-house",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Villard", "Pantheon Books", "Random House Trade"],
      "idMethods": ["Stated \"First Edition\" plus a number line containing 1", "Descending number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Is the book a Random House trade hardcover printed in 1976 or later?",
          "help": "Random House standardized its first-edition convention in 1976. Imprints Villard, Pantheon Books, and Random House Trade follow the same rules.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — 1976 or later", "next": "modern"},
            {"label": "No — earlier than 1976", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Pre-1976 Random House identification is title-specific. Compare against a documented first and check the imprint."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "modern",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page show a number line, and is the numeral 1 present in it?",
          "help": "Since 1976 a Random House first edition carries both the words “First Edition” and a descending number line beginning at 1. On later printings the words are removed and the lowest number is deleted.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — “First Edition” is stated and 1 is in the line", "verdict": "first", "note": "Random House is one of the cleanest publishers to authenticate at a glance. This is a first printing."},
            {"label": "Number line is present but the lowest number is 2 or higher", "verdict": "later", "note": "The 1 has been deleted — this is a later printing regardless of any stale statement."},
            {"label": "No number line at all", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Unusual for modern Random House. Verify the imprint and compare against a documented first."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Convention has been consistent since 1976, making Random House among the easiest American houses to authenticate."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Alfred A. Knopf",
      "slug": "knopf",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Borzoi Books"],
      "idMethods": ["Stated \"First Edition\" (1947–present)", "Borzoi running-wolfhound device", "“A Note on the Type” colophon at the rear"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Roughly when was the book printed?",
          "help": "Knopf's convention changed three times. The Borzoi device (a running Russian wolfhound, trademarked 1922) and a rear “A Note on the Type” page authenticate genuine Knopf production but are not by themselves first-edition markers.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "1947 or later", "next": "modern"},
            {"label": "1933–1947", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Knopf added “First Edition” or “First American Edition” to first printings in this window. “First American Edition” was used only when the book had already appeared abroad."},
            {"label": "1915–1933", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "modern",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition” stated on the copyright page?",
          "help": "From 1947 onward Knopf states “First Edition” consistently on first printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first", "note": "Consistent with a Knopf first. Confirm the Borzoi device and that the imprint is genuine Knopf, not a book club reprint."},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "later", "note": "Absence of the statement on a 1947+ Knopf book points to a later printing."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page name a later printing (“Second Printing,” “Third Printing,” etc.)?",
          "help": "From 1915 to 1933 Knopf placed no statement on first printings and labeled only subsequent printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing language at all", "verdict": "first", "note": "Negative-evidence method: absence of later-printing language indicates a first. Confirm the imprint and device."},
            {"label": "Yes — a later printing is named", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Borzoi colophon and “A Note on the Type” page authenticate genuine Knopf production rather than a book club reprint."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Viking Press / Penguin",
      "slug": "viking-penguin",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["“First Published by Viking in [Year]” statement (1937–present)", "On 1980s titles, a number line appears on later printings only"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Was the book printed before 1937?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — before 1937", "next": "early"},
            {"label": "No — 1937 or later", "next": "modern"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing?",
          "help": "Before 1937 Viking used no first-edition statement and noted only later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing notice", "verdict": "first", "note": "Absence of a printing notice generally indicates a first."},
            {"label": "Yes — a later printing is noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "modern",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page state “First Published by Viking in [Year]” — and is there a number line?",
          "help": "Key Viking quirk: in the 1980s the number line was added to LATER printings only. A genuine first printing of that era shows the “First Published” statement WITHOUT a number line.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "“First Published” statement present, NO number line", "verdict": "first", "note": "Correct configuration for a Viking first of the number-line era."},
            {"label": "A number line is present (with or without the statement)", "verdict": "later", "note": "On Viking, a number line typically marks a later printing, not a first."},
            {"label": "Penguin imprint, modern", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Penguin (which acquired Viking in 1975) follows different conventions by imprint. Check the specific imprint's rules."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Counter-intuitive: a number line on a 1980s Viking usually signals a later printing, not a first."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Simon & Schuster",
      "slug": "simon-schuster",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["Stated \"First Edition\" (1952–present)", "Number line added from the 1970s", "Later printings always noted"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Roughly when was the book printed?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "1970s or later", "next": "modern"},
            {"label": "1952–1970", "next": "mid"},
            {"label": "Before 1952", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "modern",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition” stated AND is 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "S&S has always noted later printings, so a first is identifiable by a positive statement plus a number line that includes 1.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes to both", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line present but lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "Neither present", "verdict": "later", "note": "S&S notes later printings; absence of first-edition markers points to a later state."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "mid",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition” stated on the copyright page?",
          "help": "S&S began stating “First Edition” in 1952; the number line came later.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing?",
          "help": "From 1924–1936 S&S placed no statement on firsts; 1937–1951 relied on the absence of a printing notice.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing notice", "verdict": "first", "note": "Absence of a printing notice indicates a first in this era."},
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Later printings are always noted, which makes the positive statement + number line combination reliable."]
    },
    {
      "name": "HarperCollins",
      "slug": "harpercollins",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Harper & Brothers", "Harper & Row"],
      "idMethods": ["Stated \"First Edition\" (1922–present)", "Modern titles add a number line", "Letter date-codes (Harper & Brothers, 1912+)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page state “First Edition”?",
          "help": "Harper has stated “First Edition” since 1922, but the firm is documented to sometimes leave the statement on later printings — so the statement alone is not definitive.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — “First Edition” is stated", "next": "checkline"},
            {"label": "No statement present", "verdict": "later", "note": "On a publisher that states “First Edition,” its absence usually means a later printing."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "checkline",
          "prompt": "Is there a number line, and does it include the numeral 1?",
          "help": "Because HarperCollins has a documented tendency not to remove the statement, verify with the number line. If the two disagree, the number line wins.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — 1 is in the line (or no number line on an older title)", "verdict": "first", "note": "Statement and line agree (or the title predates number lines). Consistent with a first."},
            {"label": "Number line present but lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later", "note": "Classic Harper trap: “First Edition” still printed but the line starts at 2. Believe the line — this is a later printing."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Documented to occasionally leave “First Edition” on later printings; always cross-check the number line."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Houghton Mifflin",
      "slug": "houghton-mifflin",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Houghton Mifflin Harcourt"],
      "idMethods": ["“First Printing” statement (pre-1970s)", "Number line (1970s–present)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page have a number line?",
          "help": "From the 1970s onward Houghton Mifflin replaced its statement with a number line. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2007 merger) continues this.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — there is a number line", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "No number line (older title)", "next": "old"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the line?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — 1 is present", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "No — lowest number is 2 or higher", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "old",
          "prompt": "Is “First Printing” stated on the copyright page?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["One of the more straightforward American houses to authenticate."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Charles Scribner's Sons",
      "slug": "scribners",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["The Scribner “A” on the copyright page (c.1930–1973)", "Number line (1974–present)", "Scribner seal / device"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Roughly when was the book printed?",
          "help": "The Scribner “A” is the most iconic first-edition marker in American publishing. It denotes the first edition c.1930–1973; later printings were marked B, C, and so on.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "About 1930–1973", "next": "letterA"},
            {"label": "1974 or later", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "Before 1930", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Pre-1930 Scribner identification relies on the publisher device, the dated seal, and title-specific textual points of issue (e.g., The Great Gatsby, 1925). Use a bibliography."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "letterA",
          "prompt": "Is a solitary letter “A” printed on the copyright page?",
          "help": "Look for a single capital A (not part of a number line). B/C/etc. indicate later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — an “A” is present", "verdict": "first", "note": "The Scribner “A” confirms a first edition. This marker identifies firsts of landmarks such as Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (1952)."},
            {"label": "A different letter (B, C, …) is present", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "No letter present", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Confirm the imprint and check for a book club blind stamp; a missing “A” on a 1930–1973 Scribner often signals a club edition."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the number line?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "No — lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["A BOMC edition of The Old Man and the Sea was distributed at the same time — distinguish it by the absence of the Scribner seal and the presence of a rear-board blind stamp."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Doubleday",
      "slug": "doubleday",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["Stated \"First Edition\" on the copyright page (no statement on later printings)", "Gutter codes (mid-1958 to mid-1987) as a dating cross-reference"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page state “First Edition”?",
          "help": "From the early 1920s onward Doubleday states “First Edition” on firsts and prints no statement on later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first", "note": "Consistent with a Doubleday first. If printed 1958–1987, you can cross-check the gutter code stamped near the last printed pages as a manufacturing-date confirmation."},
            {"label": "No statement present", "verdict": "later", "note": "Identification here is by presence (first) or absence (later) of the statement."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["The Literary Guild, Mystery Guild, and Doubleday Book Club run through this house; their club editions carry a five-digit code block on the jacket and a rear-board blind stamp — not the same as the trade first."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Little, Brown and Company",
      "slug": "little-brown",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["“First Edition” or “First Printing” statement", "Number line (late 1970s–present)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Roughly when was the book printed?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Late 1970s or later", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "1940s–1970s", "next": "mid"},
            {"label": "1930s", "next": "thirties"},
            {"label": "Before the 1930s", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition”/“First Printing” stated and/or is 1 present in the number line?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — statement present and/or 1 in the line", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line present but lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "mid",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition” or “First Printing” stated?",
          "help": "By the 1940s Little, Brown used “First Printing” or “First Edition.” The Catcher in the Rye (1951) states “First Edition.”",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "thirties",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page read “Published [Month] [Year]” with no later-printing notice?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A later printing is noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing?",
          "help": "Before the early 1930s Little, Brown used no first-edition statement and noted only subsequent printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing notice", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["The Catcher in the Rye (1951) first states “First Edition” cleanly; its points of issue concern the jacket (Lotte Jacobi rear-panel photo, price position)."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Farrar, Straus and Giroux",
      "slug": "fsg",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["“First printed [Year]” / “First published [Year]” statement", "No number line — the statement is the sole identifier"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page carry a “First” statement (“First printed [Year],” “First published [Year]”) with the publication year?",
          "help": "FSG wording varies, but the presence of any “First” designation plus the year is the key indicator. FSG does not typically use a number line.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — a “First” statement with the year is present", "verdict": "first", "note": "With no number line in play, this statement is the identifier. Confirm the imprint and rule out a club edition."},
            {"label": "No such statement", "verdict": "later", "note": "Absence of the “First” designation points to a later printing or a non-FSG copy."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Because there is no number line, the copyright-page wording is the sole textual identifier — read it carefully."]
    },
    {
      "name": "W. W. Norton",
      "slug": "norton",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["Stated \"First Edition\" plus a number line containing 1"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition” stated and is the numeral 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "Norton has an acknowledged inconsistency: it has occasionally failed to remove “First Edition” from later printings. Verify with the number line.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — statement present and 1 is in the line", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "“First Edition” stated but the line starts at 2+", "verdict": "later", "note": "Norton's known trap. Believe the number line — this is a later printing."},
            {"label": "No number line and no statement", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Compare against a documented first and confirm the imprint."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Like HarperCollins, Norton sometimes leaves the first-edition statement on later printings — the number line is the tiebreaker."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Grove Press / Grove Atlantic",
      "slug": "grove-atlantic",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Atlantic Monthly Press"],
      "idMethods": ["Stated on the copyright page", "Dust-jacket rear-panel letter code on later printings (pre-1993)", "Number line (1993–present)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Was the book printed before or after the 1993 Grove/Atlantic merger?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "1993 or later (Grove Atlantic)", "next": "modern"},
            {"label": "Before 1993 (Grove Press)", "next": "grove"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "modern",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the number line (and/or a first-edition statement present)?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "grove",
          "prompt": "Check the rear panel of the dust jacket: is there a small letter code (e.g., “ii”)?",
          "help": "Pre-1993 Grove noted firsts and later printings on the copyright page; later-printing jackets carry a small letter code on the rear panel, and first-printing jackets lack it.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No code on the jacket, and the copyright page does not note a later printing", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A code is present on the rear jacket panel", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["The dust-jacket rear-panel letter code is the Grove-specific tell for later printings before 1993."]
    },
    {
      "name": "G. P. Putnam's Sons",
      "slug": "putnam",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Philomel Books"],
      "idMethods": ["“First Impression” plus a number line", "Statement removed on later printings"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Was the book printed in the 1970s or later?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — 1970s or later", "next": "modern"},
            {"label": "No — earlier", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "modern",
          "prompt": "Is “First Impression” stated and/or is 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "Modern Putnam (and Philomel) use a number line with the words “First Impression” on firsts. On later printings “First Impression” is deleted and the lowest number rises.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — “First Impression” and/or 1 present", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing?",
          "help": "Before the 1970s Putnam generally placed no statement on firsts and noted only later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing notice", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Note the unusual wording — Putnam uses “First Impression” rather than “First Edition.”"]
    },
    {
      "name": "Macmillan",
      "slug": "macmillan",
      "region": "trade",
      "imprints": ["Pan Macmillan"],
      "idMethods": ["“First printing” (US, 1936+)", "“First Published [Year]” (UK, mid-1920s+)", "Number line (1970s–present)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Is this a US Macmillan or UK Macmillan imprint?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "US Macmillan", "next": "us"},
            {"label": "UK Macmillan", "next": "uk"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "us",
          "prompt": "Is “First printing” stated and/or (on 1970s+ titles) is 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "US Macmillan began stating “First printing” in 1936 and added a number line in the 1970s.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line present but lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "Neither, on a pre-1936 title", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Compare against a documented first."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "uk",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page read “First Published [Year]” with no later-printing notice?",
          "help": "UK Macmillan has stated “First Published [Year]” since the mid-1920s and noted later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — “First Published [Year]” and no later-printing line", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A later printing is noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["US and UK Macmillan conventions differ — establish which imprint you hold first."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Oxford University Press",
      "slug": "oxford-up",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["No statement before the late 1980s (negative-evidence)", "Number line (late 1980s–present)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Was the book printed before or after the late 1980s?",
          "help": "OUP placed no first-edition statement before the late 1980s and added a number line afterward. The press is documented to have bound first-edition sheets at later dates, creating binding variants.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Late 1980s or later", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "Before the late 1980s", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the number line?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first", "note": "Be aware OUP binding variants can complicate identification beyond the copyright page."},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing notice", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Absence of a notice suggests a first, but OUP's documented late-bound sheets mean you should compare against a documented first before concluding."},
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Known to bind first-edition sheets at later dates — binding variants matter, so the copyright page alone is not always sufficient."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Cambridge University Press",
      "slug": "cambridge-up",
      "region": "trade",
      "idMethods": ["Edition statement on title/copyright page", "Number line (modern era)", "Absence of later-printing notice (older titles)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Is there a number line on the copyright page?",
          "help": "As a scholarly press, CUP adopted the number line in the late twentieth century; different printings within an edition are less commercially significant for academic works.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — number line present", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "No — older title", "next": "old"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the line?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "old",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing notice", "verdict": "first", "note": "Absence of a later-printing notice is the standard indicator of a first for older CUP books."},
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Academic-press conventions; printing distinctions matter less to scholarly buyers than to literary collectors."]
    },
    {
      "name": "University of New Mexico Press",
      "slug": "unm-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "978-0-8263 (older 0-8263)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 978-0-8263", "Negative-evidence (no later-printing language) on pre-1970 titles", "Number line from c.1980"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the book's ISBN begin with 978-0-8263 (or 0-8263), or does the title page read “University of New Mexico Press”?",
          "help": "The 978-0-8263 prefix confirms UNM Press and distinguishes it from Museum of New Mexico Press (978-0-89013), which is frequently confused. Pre-1970 titles predate ISBNs.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — UNM Press confirmed", "next": "era"},
            {"label": "No — different prefix/imprint", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "If the imprint is not UNM Press, this is not a UNM Press first edition."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "era",
          "prompt": "Roughly when was the book printed?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "About 1980 or later", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "1970s (transition decade)", "next": "transition"},
            {"label": "Before 1970", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "From about 1980 UNM Press used the number line consistently. Some lines also encode the printing year.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "transition",
          "prompt": "Is there a number line? If so, is 1 present? If not, does the page note a later printing?",
          "help": "Through the 1970s UNM Press used both the old convention and the new number line on different titles — there is no clean cutoff.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Number line with 1 present", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line, lowest number 2+", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "No number line and no later-printing language", "verdict": "first", "note": "Negative-evidence method applies to transition-era titles without a line."},
            {"label": "A later printing/revised edition is noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note “Second printing,” “Revised edition,” or similar?",
          "help": "Like most academic presses of the period, pre-1970 UNM Press did not state “First edition”; it noted only later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No — only the copyright notice, imprint, and LC card number", "verdict": "first", "note": "Negative-evidence method: absence of later-printing language indicates a first."},
            {"label": "Yes — later printing/revised edition noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["When a hardcover and a simultaneous paperback exist (standard from the mid-1970s), the hardcover in dust jacket is the collector's first.", "A “Revised and expanded edition” (e.g., deBuys's Enchantment and Exploitation) is a separate collecting object, not a reprint."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Sunstone Press",
      "slug": "sunstone-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-913270 / 0-86534 / 978-1-63293 (by era)",
      "idMethods": ["Sun-stone petroglyph logo", "Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence", "Number line on later titles", "Offset vs. print-on-demand paper stock"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the book carry the sun-stone petroglyph logo (a circular radiating-line design) and a Santa Fe address?",
          "help": "The petroglyph logo on the spine/title page is the fastest visual confirmation of a Sunstone book.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Sunstone confirmed", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "If the imprint is not Sunstone Press, this is not a Sunstone first."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Is “First edition” stated, or is there a number line?",
          "help": "Many Sunstone titles from the 1970s–1990s state “First edition” plainly. Later titles may use a descending number line. Some early titles have neither.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "“First edition” stated, no contradicting language", "verdict": "first", "note": "Confirm the paper stock is offset (cream, ink-absorbing), not the brighter, thicker print-on-demand stock of later reissues."},
            {"label": "Number line present with 1 in it", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line, lowest number 2+", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "Neither statement nor number line", "next": "neg"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "neg",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note a later printing or revised edition, and does the copyright date match the publication date?",
          "help": "On earlier Sunstone titles with no line, absence of later-printing language plus a matching date is the indicator.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No later-printing language; dates match", "verdict": "first", "note": "Check the paper: offset stock points to an original printing; bright POD stock points to a digital reissue."},
            {"label": "A later printing/revised edition is noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Original offset printings (c.1970s–2005) feel different from later print-on-demand reissues, which use brighter, thicker, toner-printed stock even when the cover and copyright page look identical."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Museum of New Mexico Press",
      "slug": "museum-new-mexico-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "978-0-89013 (older 0-89013)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 978-0-89013", "Negative-evidence (no reprint language)", "Number line when present", "Exhibition catalogs are usually single-printing"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 978-0-89013 (or 0-89013)?",
          "help": "This prefix confirms Museum of New Mexico Press and distinguishes it from University of New Mexico Press (978-0-8263) — the two are frequently confused.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Museum of New Mexico Press confirmed", "next": "kind"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "A 978-0-8263 prefix is UNM Press, a different publisher."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "kind",
          "prompt": "Is the book an exhibition catalog?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — exhibition catalog", "next": "catalog"},
            {"label": "No — standard trade title", "next": "trade"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "catalog",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page carry any reprint language, and do the exhibition dates match the copyright year?",
          "help": "Most Museum of New Mexico Press exhibition catalogs are single-printing titles — reprints happen only when a catalog becomes a standard reference.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No reprint language; exhibition dates match the copyright year", "verdict": "first", "note": "Strong probability this is a first (and only) printing."},
            {"label": "Reprint language is present", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "trade",
          "prompt": "Is there reprint language (“Second Printing,” “Revised Edition”) or, if a number line is present, has the 1 been removed?",
          "help": "The press does not consistently state “First Edition.” Absence of reprint language (and, when a line exists, a present 1) indicates a first.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No reprint language; single copyright date; 1 present if a line exists", "verdict": "first", "note": "A named printer/production colophon usually appears only in the first printing — a helpful corroborator."},
            {"label": "Reprint language present, or number line with 1 removed", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Frequently confused with UNM Press — the ISBN prefix settles it.", "Acquired the Red Crane Books catalog in 2007."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Cinco Puntos Press",
      "slug": "cinco-puntos-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "978-0-938317 / 978-1-933693 / 978-1-935955 / 978-1-941026 / 978-1-947627",
      "idMethods": ["Stated “First Edition” (primary method)", "Number line when present", "ISBN prefix", "Distinguish from post-2021 Lee & Low reprints"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with a Cinco Puntos prefix (e.g., 0-938317, 1-933693, 1-935955, 1-941026, 1-947627) rather than a Lee & Low prefix?",
          "help": "Post-2021 reprints under the Cinco Puntos imprint at Lee & Low may carry Lee & Low ISBN prefixes — those are not Cinco Puntos firsts.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — a Cinco Puntos prefix", "next": "era"},
            {"label": "No — a Lee & Low prefix", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "A Lee & Low-prefixed copy is a later reprint, not the Cinco Puntos first edition."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "era",
          "prompt": "Is the title from the mid-to-late 1980s, or later?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Later (most of the catalog)", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "Mid-to-late 1980s (earliest titles)", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Is “First Edition” stated (and, if a number line is present, is 1 in it)?",
          "help": "Across most of its history Cinco Puntos stated “First Edition” explicitly — that is the primary identification point.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — “First Edition” stated, no contradicting language", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line present, lowest number 2+", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "“Second Printing”/“Reprinted”/“Revised” noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page carry any reprint notation, and does the publication date match?",
          "help": "The earliest titles were less standardized; some carry no explicit first-edition statement. Absence of reprint language plus the original prefix and a matching date indicates a first.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No reprint notation; original prefix; dates match", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A reprint notation is present", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Joe Hayes, Luis Alberto Urrea, and Dagoberto Gilb are flagship Cinco Puntos authors. Watch for Lee & Low reprints sold as firsts."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Quinto Sol Publications",
      "slug": "quinto-sol-publications",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-88412",
      "idMethods": ["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"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the title page/copyright page read “Quinto Sol Publications” with a Berkeley, California address (ISBN prefix 0-88412 where present)?",
          "help": "Quinto Sol used informal production standards — no number lines, no explicit first-edition statements. The imprint and Berkeley address are the anchor. Arte Público (Houston) and other later publishers reissued these titles under their own imprints.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Quinto Sol, Berkeley", "next": "title"},
            {"label": "No — Arte Público / Warner / TQS / other imprint", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "Any copy bearing a later imprint (Arte Público Houston, Warner mass-market, Grand Central) is not a Quinto Sol first — regardless of the 1972/1971 copyright date printed inside."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "title",
          "prompt": "Which title is it?",
          "help": "Quinto Sol firsts are identified by matching a constellation of physical characteristics. Pick the title for its specific point of issue.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Bless Me, Ultima (Anaya, 1972)", "next": "ultima"},
            {"label": "…y no se lo tragó la tierra (Rivera, 1971)", "next": "tierra"},
            {"label": "Another Quinto Sol title", "next": "generic"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "ultima",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page read “Copyright 1972 by Rudolfo A. Anaya / Quinto Sol Publications, Inc.” (Berkeley), with the Dennis Martinez full-page illustrations present and no number line?",
          "help": "Published June 1972 in wrappers (black softcover, Ultima cover art) and a smaller hardcover run (black boards, silver spine lettering). The Martinez illustrations confirm a Quinto Sol edition; their absence signals a later reprint. A second printing appeared September 1973 — do not rely on the printing statement alone.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Quinto Sol imprint, Martinez illustrations, no number line, 1972 date", "verdict": "first", "note": "Consistent with the Quinto Sol first. The hardcover with the mispriced first-issue jacket (paperback price on the hardcover jacket) is the advanced point of issue."},
            {"label": "Illustrations absent, or a later imprint (Warner mass-market, etc.)", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "The Warner mass-market paperback is the most-misidentified copy because it shows the 1972 copyright date — but it is not a first."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "tierra",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page read “Quinto Sol Publications, Inc.” (Berkeley), copyright 1971, bilingual facing-page text (xxi, 177 pp.), with no number line and no printing statement beyond the copyright notice?",
          "help": "Issued simultaneously in trade paperback, a heavier-stock “deluxe” paperback, and hardcover — all sharing an earth-brown scheme. The hardcover spine is gilt-stamped.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — matches", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Arte Público or other later imprint", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "generic",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page read “Quinto Sol Publications” (Berkeley) with a copyright date matching the known publication year, and no later-imprint or revised-title language?",
          "help": "For other Quinto Sol titles, the absence of explicit edition/printing statements is the norm for firsts. Watch for revised retitlings (e.g., Hinojosa's Estampas del Valle later revised as The Valley) which are separate later editions.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — original Quinto Sol imprint and title, matching date", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Retitled/revised, or a later imprint", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["The press that created the Chicano literary canon. All four Premio Quinto Sol winners are now deceased — their signature pools are closed.", "Identification is physical, not statement-based: match imprint, format, pagination, cover, and paper stock."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Northland Press / Northland Publishing",
      "slug": "northland-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-87358 (978-0-87358)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 0-87358 (all eras)", "Flagstaff, Arizona imprint line", "Fine-press colophon with limitation on early limited editions", "Number line / negative-evidence on trade editions"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 0-87358, or does the imprint read “Northland Press / Northland Publishing, Flagstaff, Arizona”?",
          "help": "A single prefix (0-87358) covers all Northland eras — early fine-press, trade, and the Rising Moon/Luna Rising children's imprints. 1960s titles predate ISBNs.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Northland confirmed", "next": "kind"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "kind",
          "prompt": "Is this a fine-press limited edition (large format, slipcase, detailed colophon) or a standard trade edition?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Fine-press limited edition", "next": "limited"},
            {"label": "Standard trade edition", "next": "trade"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "limited",
          "prompt": "Is there a colophon stating the paper stock, typeface, and the limitation — and is the copy within the stated limitation (and signed where called for)?",
          "help": "A Northland limited in its original slipcase with the colophon signatures intact is the premium state.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — colophon and limitation intact, copy within the stated edition", "verdict": "first", "note": "A genuine fine-press limited first. The slipcase and intact signatures matter to grade."},
            {"label": "No colophon / limitation, or a trade reissue", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "trade",
          "prompt": "Is there a number line with 1 present, or (on titles without a line) no later-printing language?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Number line with 1, or no later-printing language", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line with 1 removed, or later-printing language present", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Two production traditions: early Weaver-era fine-press limiteds and later trade editions under Northland Publishing."]
    },
    {
      "name": "University of Arizona Press",
      "slug": "university-arizona-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "978-0-8165 (older 0-8165)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 978-0-8165", "Negative-evidence on 1959–early-1970s titles", "Number line consistently from c.1985"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 978-0-8165 (or 0-8165), or read “University of Arizona Press”?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — UA Press confirmed", "next": "era"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "era",
          "prompt": "Roughly when was the book printed?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "About 1985 or later", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "Late 1970s–early 1980s (transition)", "next": "transition"},
            {"label": "1959–early 1970s", "next": "early"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "From about 1985 UA Press used the number line consistently; some lines also encode the printing year.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "transition",
          "prompt": "Is there a number line with 1, or no later-printing language?",
          "help": "Through the late 1970s–early 1980s both the old convention and the number line appear on different titles — no clean cutoff.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Number line with 1, or no later-printing language", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line with 1 removed, or later-printing language present", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "early",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page note “Second printing,” “Revised edition,” or similar?",
          "help": "Like most academic presses of the period, early UA Press stated only later printings.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No — only copyright notice, imprint, and LC card number", "verdict": "first", "note": "Negative-evidence method indicates a first."},
            {"label": "Yes — later printing/revised edition noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Successor volumes (e.g., Asteroids → Asteroids II) are new works, not revised editions of the original."]
    },
    {
      "name": "University of Oklahoma Press",
      "slug": "university-oklahoma-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-8061 (978-0-8061)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 0-8061", "Interlocked OU monogram", "Number line (1970s+)", "Edition statements / printing history (older titles)"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 0-8061, or does the spine/title page carry the interlocked OU monogram?",
          "help": "OU Press reprints popular backlist titles frequently, so distinguishing firsts from later printings is a practical necessity.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — OU Press confirmed", "next": "era"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "era",
          "prompt": "Was the book printed in the 1970s or later?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — 1970s or later", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "No — 1930s–1960s", "next": "old"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "Is the numeral 1 present in the number line?",
          "help": "From about the 1970s OU Press uses the number line; some titles add the printing year alongside it, and some combine a line with an explicit edition statement.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "old",
          "prompt": "Is “First edition”/“First printing” stated, or is there only the copyright year with no later-printing/printing-history notation?",
          "help": "1930s–1960s OU titles use explicit statements or a printing-history list; the first date in such a list is the first printing. Some early titles were reprinted without changing the copyright page — physical comparison is then definitive.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "“First edition/printing” stated, or no later-printing language", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A later printing/new edition/revised edition is noted (or a later date heads the printing history)", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Home of the Civilization of the American Indian series (250+ volumes from 1932) and the Western Frontier Library — popular titles reprint often."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Ancient City Press",
      "slug": "ancient-city-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-941270 (978-0-941270)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 0-941270", "Santa Fe, New Mexico imprint/address", "Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence", "Printing-history list on some titles"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 0-941270, or read “Ancient City Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico”?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Ancient City Press confirmed", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Is “First edition”/“First printing” stated, or is there no later-printing notation?",
          "help": "Many Ancient City Press titles simply state the copyright year and publisher with no edition line — in those cases, absence of “Second printing”/“Reprint”/“Revised edition” is the key indicator. Some titles list a printing history; the first date is the first printing.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "“First edition” stated, or no later-printing notation", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A later printing is noted (or a later date heads the printing history)", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Small Santa Fe regional press; works by Marta Weigle, Marc Simmons, and Dennis Slifer."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Clear Light Publishers",
      "slug": "clear-light-publishers",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "978-0-940666 / 978-1-57416",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefixes 978-0-940666 and 978-1-57416", "Negative-evidence (no reprint language)", "Number line when present"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 978-0-940666 or 978-1-57416, or read “Clear Light Publishers”?",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Clear Light confirmed", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Is there reprint language (“Second Printing,” “Reprinted,” “Revised Edition”), or, if a number line exists, has the 1 been removed?",
          "help": "Clear Light does not consistently state “First Edition.” Identification relies on the absence of reprint language and, when present, the number line.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "No reprint language; 1 present if a line exists", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Reprint language present, or number line with 1 removed", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Native American cultural documentation, Pueblo history, and Southwest photography."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Red Crane Books",
      "slug": "red-crane-books",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "1-878610 (978-1-878610)",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefix 1-878610", "Red Crane Books imprint", "“First edition” stated on some titles", "Number line when present; otherwise negative-evidence"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 1-878610, or read “Red Crane Books” on the title/copyright page?",
          "help": "A single prefix (1-878610) covers all Red Crane titles. The catalog transferred to the Museum of New Mexico Press in 2007.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Red Crane confirmed", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Is there a number line with 1 present, a “First edition” statement, or simply no later-printing notation?",
          "help": "The “First edition” statement is used on some but not all titles; where a number line appears, 1 in the line means a first printing.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "1 in the number line, or “First edition” stated, or no later-printing notation", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "Number line with 1 removed, or a later printing noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Cookbook series, Larry Frank's santos photography, and the New Mexico Poetry Renaissance anthology; no longer an independent press."]
    },
    {
      "name": "Rio Grande Books / LPD Press",
      "slug": "rio-grande-books",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-9641542 / 978-1-936744",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefixes 0-9641542 and 1-936744", "Los Ranchos de Albuquerque / Albuquerque address", "“First edition” statement typical; otherwise negative-evidence", "Most titles are single-printing"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 0-9641542 or 1-936744, or read “Rio Grande Books” / “LPD Press” (Los Ranchos de Albuquerque)?",
          "help": "Most Rio Grande Books / LPD Press titles had modest print runs and never reprinted — so most copies in circulation are firsts.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — Rio Grande Books / LPD Press confirmed", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Is “First edition”/“First printing” stated, or is there no later-printing notation?",
          "help": "First editions typically include a “First edition” statement. Where none appears, absence of “Second printing”/“Revised edition”/“Reprint” is the indicator; some titles list a printing history.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "“First edition” stated, or no later-printing notation", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A later printing is noted (or a later date heads the printing history)", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Dual-imprint structure (Rio Grande Books and LPD Press) sometimes both appear on the copyright page. Santero traditions, regional history, and the New Mexico Book Awards."]
    },
    {
      "name": "West End Press",
      "slug": "west-end-press",
      "region": "southwest",
      "isbnPrefix": "0-931122 / 0-9826968",
      "idMethods": ["ISBN prefixes 0-931122 and 0-9826968", "Copyright year matching publication date", "Absence of later-printing notation; some titles state “First edition”"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "Does the ISBN begin with 0-931122 or 0-9826968, or read “West End Press”?",
          "help": "A progressive multicultural poetry/fiction press distributed through UNM Press. Authors include Jimmy Santiago Baca, Joy Harjo, Simon Ortiz, and Meridel Le Sueur.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — West End Press confirmed", "next": "stmt"},
            {"label": "No", "verdict": "notfirst"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright year match the publication date, with no later-printing notation (some titles also state “First edition”)?",
          "help": "Some titles carry a “First edition” statement; others simply state the copyright year and publisher. The absence of “Second printing”/“Revised edition” is the primary indicator.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Dates match; no later-printing notation (or “First edition” stated)", "verdict": "first"},
            {"label": "A later printing/revised edition is noted", "verdict": "later"}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Founder Frank Crawford died in 2019. Distributed through the University of New Mexico Press."]
    },
    {
      "name": "I'm not sure / publisher not listed",
      "slug": "unknown-publisher",
      "region": "general",
      "idMethods": ["Universal first-edition checks that apply to any publisher"],
      "flow": [
        {
          "id": "start",
          "prompt": "First: remove the dust jacket and look at the bare rear board. Is there a blind stamp — a small debossed circle, square, triangle, or dot with no ink, near the spine base or a corner?",
          "help": "A blind stamp is the single most reliable book-club tell, and it survives even when the jacket is gone.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — there is a blind stamp", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "A rear-board blind stamp indicates a book club edition (BOMC, Literary Guild, etc.), not a trade first."},
            {"label": "No blind stamp", "next": "price"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "price",
          "prompt": "Does the dust jacket front flap carry a printed retail price (not clipped off)?",
          "help": "Book club editions typically have no price on the flap. A clean, straight cut where a price was removed is a clipped trade jacket, which is different.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — a printed price is present (or the jacket is clearly clipped)", "next": "line"},
            {"label": "No price was ever printed there", "verdict": "notfirst", "note": "No-price-as-issued is another book-club signature. Combined with no blind stamp it's still suspicious — check the copyright page for club language."}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "line",
          "prompt": "On the copyright page, is there a number line — and if so, is the numeral 1 present?",
          "help": "The lowest number present is the printing. This rule works regardless of publisher for books printed since roughly the mid-1970s.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — a number line with 1 in it", "verdict": "first", "note": "Consistent with a first printing. Confirm the imprint is the original publisher and check any title-specific point of issue."},
            {"label": "Number line present but the lowest number is 2+", "verdict": "later", "note": "Believe the number line even if the page also says “First Edition.”"},
            {"label": "No number line", "next": "stmt"}
          ]
        },
        {
          "id": "stmt",
          "prompt": "Does the copyright page state “First Edition,” “First Printing,” or “First Impression” with no later-printing language?",
          "help": "On pre-number-line books, the publisher's statement (or the absence of any later-printing notice) is the identifier.",
          "options": [
            {"label": "Yes — a first statement, no later-printing notice", "verdict": "first", "note": "Consistent with a first. Identify the publisher and confirm against its specific convention if you can."},
            {"label": "A later printing/edition is noted", "verdict": "later"},
            {"label": "Nothing is stated at all", "verdict": "inconclusive", "note": "Identify the publisher first — many pre-1940s and academic presses used negative-evidence (no statement on firsts). Then re-run this tool by publisher."}
          ]
        }
      ],
      "notablePoints": ["Also rule out an advance review copy or uncorrected proof — those say “ADVANCE REVIEW COPY,” “UNCORRECTED PROOF,” or “NOT FOR SALE,” usually in paper wrappers, and are pre-publication documents, not the first edition."]
    }
  ]
}