How to identify a first printing
- 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 first printing.
- 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 either alone.
Notable points & cautions
- Artisan is Workman's high-design, heavily illustrated imprint, founded in 1994; it is home to many landmark modern cookbooks, including Thomas Keller's 'The French Laundry Cookbook' (1999), and titles by Dorie Greenspan, Nancy Silverton and Jacques Pepin.
- Lavishly produced cookbooks that draw real collector interest, so first-printing verification matters; confirm both the printing statement and the number line.
- Now part of Hachette Book Group, which acquired Workman Publishing in 2021; identification conventions were unchanged by the ownership change.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Artisan book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 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 first printing. 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 either alone.
Does Artisan use a number line?
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 either alone.
Is a book-club edition a Artisan first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Artisan is Workman's high-design, heavily illustrated imprint, founded in 1994; it is home to many landmark modern cookbooks, including Thomas Keller's 'The French Laundry Cookbook' (1999), and titles by Dorie Greenspan, Nancy Silverton and Jacques Pepin.
What era does this cover?
This covers Artisan (1994-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.