How to identify a first printing
- c.1856–c.1870 (H.H. Bancroft & Co.): West Coast bookseller-publisher founded by Hubert Howe Bancroft; first editions carry the H.H. Bancroft imprint with a dated title page and no first-edition statement.
- c.1870–1886 (A.L. Bancroft & Co.): after Hubert Howe Bancroft withdrew from management (he resigned active management 1868; his brother Albert Little Bancroft took over and renamed the firm c.1869–1871), this imprint form brackets the period. Bancroft's multivolume Works/Histories of the Pacific States were issued by subscription — identify volumes by stated volume number and dated title page; binding grade is a subscription price variant, not a separate edition.
- 1886–c.1900 (The History Company): later issues of the Histories carry this successor imprint; copies so imprinted are not the A.L. Bancroft first issue.
- No first-edition statement; subscription multivolume sets are identified by volume/series state and imprint era.
Notable points & cautions
- Hubert Howe Bancroft's San Francisco firm produced the monumental 39-volume subscription-published Works/Histories of the Pacific States of North America, sold through canvassing book agents.
- The imprint succession (H.H. Bancroft & Co. → A.L. Bancroft & Co. → The History Company) is the dating key; subscription bindings are price variants, not editions.
- A core house for Western/Pacific Americana.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: H.H. Bancroft & Co., A.L. Bancroft & Co., The History Company (successor). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my A.L. Bancroft & Co. / H.H. Bancroft & Co. book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. c.1856–c.1870 (H.H. Bancroft & Co.): West Coast bookseller-publisher founded by Hubert Howe Bancroft; first editions carry the H.H. Bancroft imprint with a dated title page and no first-edition statement. c.1870–1886 (A.L. Bancroft & Co.): after Hubert Howe Bancroft withdrew from management (he resigned active management 1868; his brother Albert Little Bancroft took over and renamed the firm c.1869–1871), this imprint form brackets the period. Bancroft's multivolume Works/Histories of the Pacific States were issued by subscription — identify volumes by stated volume number and dated title page; binding grade is a subscription price variant, not a separate edition.
Does A.L. Bancroft & Co. / H.H. Bancroft & Co. use a number line?
c.1870–1886 (A.L. Bancroft & Co.): after Hubert Howe Bancroft withdrew from management (he resigned active management 1868; his brother Albert Little Bancroft took over and renamed the firm c.1869–1871), this imprint form brackets the period. Bancroft's multivolume Works/Histories of the Pacific States were issued by subscription — identify volumes by stated volume number and dated title page; binding grade is a subscription price variant, not a separate edition.
Is a book-club edition a A.L. Bancroft & Co. / H.H. Bancroft & Co. first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Hubert Howe Bancroft's San Francisco firm produced the monumental 39-volume subscription-published Works/Histories of the Pacific States of North America, sold through canvassing book agents.
What era does this cover?
This covers A.L. Bancroft & Co. / H.H. Bancroft & Co. (1856–c.1900). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.