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The Open Reference

First-Edition Identification by Publisher

The pocket guide, reborn online — how 503 publishers mark a first edition: the stated-edition wording, number-line rules, and date codes, with the years each convention applied. Searchable, printable, and free.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

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

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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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
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
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.
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…
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.
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

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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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'.
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
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 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 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…
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.
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…
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.
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.
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

Cambridge University Press trade
  • 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
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
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
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
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)…
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…
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.
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 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.
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…
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…
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.
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
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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…
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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

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
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
Farrar, Straus and Giroux trade
  • “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.
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.
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.
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.'
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…
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.
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
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
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.

G

G. P. Putnam's Sons trade
  • “First Impression” plus a number line
  • Statement removed on later printings
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.
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 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
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.
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…
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.
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
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
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.
Grove Press / Grove Atlantic trade
  • Stated on the copyright page
  • Dust-jacket rear-panel letter code on later printings (pre-1993)
  • Number line (1993–present)

H

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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
Houghton Mifflin trade
  • “First Printing” statement (pre-1970s)
  • Number line (1970s–present)
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…

I

I'm not sure / publisher not listed general
  • 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.
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.
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.

J

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.
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…
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).
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

K

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
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'
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.

L

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
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.
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)
Little, Brown and Company trade
  • “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.
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…
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.
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

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.
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
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…
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.

N

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…
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 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.
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.
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.
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…
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

O

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.
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…
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
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)

P

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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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…
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)
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…
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').
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.
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.
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
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

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

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
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
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
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
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…
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.
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

S

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
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,…
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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…
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.
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, 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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Sunstone Press southwest
  • Sun-stone petroglyph logo
  • Stated “First edition” or negative-evidence
  • Number line on later titles
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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).
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.
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.
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.

U

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
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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
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. W. Norton trade
  • Stated "First Edition" plus a number line containing 1
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, 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.
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.
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
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”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

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 503 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

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.