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Alfred A. Knopf1915–present1915–c.1933 (no stated-edition era): first printings carry NO first-edition notation at alAmistad1986–presentTrue first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: the words "First EditioAnchor Books1953–presentStates 'First Anchor Books edition (Month Year)' on the copyright page with a descending nArbor Housefounded 1969 (Donald Fine); acquired by Hearst Corporation 1978 but continued as a distinct hardcover house; became a William Morrow imprint January 1988 (active c.1969–1980s)Look on the copyright page for the explicit statement 'First Edition'. Arbor House followeAtheneumindependent trade house 1959–1978 (founded by Alfred A. Knopf Jr., Simon Michael Bessie, Hiram Haydn); merged into Charles Scribner's Sons 1978, Macmillan 1984, Simon & Schuster 1994Copyright page 'First Edition' statement: for the independent era and into the mid-1980s, Atlantic Monthly Press1917–present (Grove/Atlantic imprint since 1993)Pre-1925: did not use a first-edition statement, did not consistently put the publication Atria Books2002–presentStates 'First Edition' or 'First Atria Books hardcover edition' on the copyright page AND Avery1976–presentFirst printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page enAvid Reader Press2019–present"First Avid Reader Press ... edition" or "First Edition" statement on the copyright page pAvon Books1941–presentMass-market paperback originals: copyright page shows 'First Avon … Printing (Month Year)'Back Bay Books1993–presentTrade-paperback first printing carries a 'First Back Bay ... edition: [month year]' statemBallantine Books1952–presentNumber line on copyright page; first printing has the '1' present. Modern PRH-era BallantiBantam Books1945–presentCopyright page printing statement: classic Bantam used a printed-line phrase such as 'BantBasic Books1950–present (Hachette since 2016)First printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book GroupBellevue Literary Press2007–presentFirst printings state 'First Edition' on the copyright page.Berkley / Jove1955–presentMass-market originals: copyright page shows a printing statement; a true first reads 'BerkCatapult2015–presentFirst printings state 'First Edition' (or 'First hardcover edition') on the copyright pageCeladon Books2017-presentFirst printing shows a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the number Charles Scribner's Sons1846–present (independent trade house until the 1978 Atheneum merger and 1984 absorption into Macmillan; the trade list became a Simon & Schuster imprint, "Scribner," from 1994)PRE-1930 (seal + date convention): First printings carry the Scribner seal (the round presCrown Publishers1933–presentPre-1970s: NO first-edition statement; first printings identified by the ABSENCE of any laCustom House2016–c.2023First printing shows a complete number line counting down to 1 (e.g., 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Delacorte Press1921–present"First printing" or "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, frequently paired with aDell Publishing1942–presentMass-market originals: copyright page shows a printing statement; a true first lists only Dey Street Books2014–present (as It Books 2009–2014)True first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: "First Edition" stated Dial Press1924–presentPre-mid-1960s (classic Dial, incl. early Baldwin/Mailer firsts): first edition identified Doubleday1897–present1897–c.1920s (Doubleday & McClure / Doubleday, Page): first editions have the SAME date onDoubledayStated "First Edition" on the copyright page (no statement on later printings)Dutton1852–presentHistoric E.P. Dutton (founded 1852): first printings often identified by the absence of laEcco1971–presentIndependent Ecco Press era (1971–1999): typically stated 'First Edition' / 'First printingFarrar, Straus and Giroux1945/46–present (as Farrar, Straus and Giroux since 1964)ERA 1 - Farrar, Straus and Company (founding, c.1945/46-1950): No number line and no consiFlatiron Books2014–presentStated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printingForever2009–presentMass-market and trade printings: a 'First Edition: [month year]' statement on the copyrighForge Books1993-presentFirst printing carries a number line whose lowest digit is 1; many titles also state "FirsFree Press1947–c.2012 (independent house, then Simon & Schuster imprint)Identify chiefly by the general first-printing convention of the era: a "First Edition" orG. P. Putnam's Sons1838–present (independent trade house 1838–1996; Penguin / Penguin Random House imprint 1996–present)PRE-1928 (early independent house): Putnam printed NO first-edition statement. Identify a Gallery Books2009 (as Gallery)–present; Pocket 1939–presentStates 'First Gallery Books hardcover edition (Year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright Grand Central Publishing1970s (as Warner)–presentModern: states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line; fiGrove Press1947–present (as Grove/Atlantic since 1993)First editions and later printings are noted on the copyright page; the modern practice usGrove Press / Grove AtlanticStated on the copyright pageHachette Books1991 (as Hyperion)–presentStates 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line ending in 1.Harper (flagship imprint)1817-present (Harper lineage)Modern HarperCollins: a stated "FIRST EDITION" on the copyright page together with a numbeHarper Perennial1980s–presentStates 'First [Harper] Perennial edition (Year)' on the copyright page, with a descending Harper VoyagerUS imprint 2011–presentHardcover first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: "First Edition" stHarperCollins1817–present (J. & J. Harper 1817; Harper & Brothers 1833; Harper & Row 1962; HarperCollins 1990)Pre-1912 (Harper & Brothers): no stated-first convention exists. Apply the classic date-agHarperVia2019–presentTrue first printings follow the standard HarperCollins convention: "First Edition" stated Henry Holt and Company1866–presentPre-1945: first editions identified chiefly by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statementHill and Wang1956-presentFirst printing follows FSG house style: a copyright-page statement such as "First edition"Hogarth (US)2012–present (revival)Crown / Penguin Random House house style: true first printing states "First Edition" on thHoughton Mifflin1880–2007 (as Houghton, Mifflin & Co. / Houghton Mifflin Company; lineage from Ticknor & Fields 1854 and Hurd & Houghton / Riverside Press 1852; became Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2007)Ticknor & Fields / pre-house era (1854–1868, plus the Wm. D. Ticknor and Ticknor, Reed & FLegacy Litfounded/announced 2020; first titles 2022–presentFirst printing carries a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page plus a descendingLittle, Brown and Company1837–presentPre-1930s (founded Boston 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown): there is NO firsMacmillan1843 (London founding) / 1869 (NY office) / 1896 firm split–presentFIRM SPLIT FIRST — this is the master rule. 'Macmillan' is not one publisher. The London pMariner Booksas HMH paperback line 1990s-2021; HarperCollins 2021-Originals carry a stated "FIRST EDITION" with a number line descending to 1 on a first priMCD2016-2026First printing follows FSG house style: a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, wMetropolitan Books1995–2022First printing shows a complete number line counting down to 1 with no later-printing notiMinotaur Books1999–presentStated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printingModern Library1917-presentFrom roughly 1925 onward a first-thus is usually identified by the statement "First ModernMulholland Books2011–present"First Edition" statement on the copyright page plus a descending number line ending in 1,One Worldrelaunched 2017First printing carries a complete number line descending to 1 with no later-printing noticOrbit (US)US imprint 2007–presentFirst printing: complete number line counting down to 1 (e.g. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); a lowOther Press1998–presentWhen a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'FirPantheon Books1942–presentModern Pantheon (Knopf Doubleday / PRH): states 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND Picador (US)1994–presentStates 'First Edition' or 'First Picador Edition (Year)' / 'First Picador USA Edition (YeaPlume1970–presentTrade-paperback convention: the first Plume printing states "First Plume Printing" (often Portfolio2001–presentFirst printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page enPoseidon Press1982–1994 (Simon & Schuster literary imprint; founded/run by Ann Patty)Poseidon was a Simon & Schuster imprint and follows S&S copyright-page practice: from 1981PublicAffairs1997–presentFirst printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book GroupRandom House1927–presentFounding/limited-editions era (c.1927–mid-1930s): Random House began as a fine-press and lRandom House (trade imprint)1927–presentClassic convention (mid-20th c. onward): the words 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyrightRedhook2013–presentFirst printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book GroupRequited2025–presentFollows Hachette / Little, Brown house style: a descending number line on the copyright paRiverhead Books1994–presentStates 'First Edition' on the copyright page AND uses a descending number line ending in 1Running Press1972–presentNo publisher-specific first-printing convention is documented in the standard first-editioSaga Press2015–presentA "First Edition" statement (sometimes "First Saga Press edition") on the copyright page tSchocken Books1945–present (US)Random House / Penguin Random House house style: true first printing carries a "First EditSeal Press1976–presentFirst printing: complete number line counting down to 1, following the Hachette Book GroupSentinel2003–presentFirst printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page enSimon & Schuster1924–presentERA 1 — Founding era (1924–1936): Identify by absence, not by a positive statement. A trueSoft Skull Press1992–presentWhen a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'FirSpiegel & Grau2005-2019 (within Random House / PRH), 2021- (independent)For the PRH-era titles, first printing carries a full number line descending to 1, typicalSt. Martin's Press1952–presentStates 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1 ('1TarcherPerigeeTarcher founded 1973; Tarcher and Perigee merged into TarcherPerigee in 2015First printing is identified by a complete descending number line on the copyright page enThreshold Editions2006–presentNumber line ending in 1 on the copyright page, generally with a "First Threshold Editions Tor Books1980–presentStates 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1 (e.Tordotcom2015-presentFor trade print firsts, a number line whose lowest digit is 1, often with a "First EditionTouchstone1981–c.2019States 'First Touchstone edition (Year)' / 'First Edition' on the copyright page; for a fiTwelve2005–presentFirst printing carries a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page plus a descendingTwo Dollar Radio2005–presentWhen a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' / 'FIRST EDITIOUnnamed Press2014–presentWhen a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' on the copyrighViking Press / Penguin“First Published by Viking in [Year]” statement (1937–present)Viking Press / Viking1925–presentEarliest era (1925 to roughly 1937): Viking used no first-edition statement and instead noVintage Books1954–presentStates 'First Vintage … Edition (Month Year)' on the copyright page with a descending numbW. W. Norton & Company1923–presentHouse chronology: W. W. Norton was founded in 1923 by William Warder Norton and Mary Dows Warner Booksfounded 1970; Warner Books imprint retired 2007 (Hachette bought Time Warner Book Group in 2006, renamed the imprint Grand Central Publishing in 2007)Check the copyright page for the stated printing line. Warner's most common and most reliaWednesday Books2016–presentStated "First Edition" plus number line ending in 1 for first printingWilliam Morrow1926–presentPre-1973: usually printed 'First Printing (Month, Year)' on the copyright page and ALWAYS
Part of the First-Edition Identification hub · data: first-editions.json (CC BY 4.0).