How to identify a first printing
- Maps and atlases are dated by the imprint name, copyright year, and any printed revision date in the sheet margin; for the famous Half-Inch series, the marginal printing/revision year identifies the specific printing.
- 19th century to 1919: 'John Bartholomew & Co.' Edinburgh imprint (the firm also traded as the Edinburgh Geographical Institute); identify by title-page edition and date.
- 1919 to 1980s: 'John Bartholomew & Son Ltd'; the Half-Inch to the Mile layered-relief series is identified by the marginal revision year, and the layered-contour ('Bartholomew colouring') style is a house signature.
- Times Atlas of the World: Bartholomew supplied the cartography from 1922 onward; identify by the named edition (Comprehensive/Concise) and copyright year on the title page, a first printing carrying no later revision-year list.
- 1989 to present: merged into HarperCollins as Collins Bartholomew; modern copyright-page dating applies.
Notable points & cautions
- Pioneer of layered hypsometric (color-relief) tinting; the 'Bartholomew colouring' is a recognizable house signature developed by John George Bartholomew.
- Cartographic engine behind the Times Atlas of the World from 1922.
- Imprint evolution (John Bartholomew & Co. to & Son Ltd to Collins Bartholomew in 1989) brackets the era.
- Half-Inch series sheets are collected and dated by their marginal revision year; the National Library of Scotland holds the Bartholomew Archive.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Bartholomew Half-Inch maps, The Times Atlas of the World (Bartholomew cartography), Bartholomew Survey Atlas, Bartholomew road atlases. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Bartholomew (John Bartholomew & Son) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Maps and atlases are dated by the imprint name, copyright year, and any printed revision date in the sheet margin; for the famous Half-Inch series, the marginal printing/revision year identifies the specific printing. 19th century to 1919: 'John Bartholomew & Co.' Edinburgh imprint (the firm also traded as the Edinburgh Geographical Institute); identify by title-page edition and date.
Does Bartholomew (John Bartholomew & Son) use a number line?
19th century to 1919: 'John Bartholomew & Co.' Edinburgh imprint (the firm also traded as the Edinburgh Geographical Institute); identify by title-page edition and date.
Is a book-club edition a Bartholomew (John Bartholomew & Son) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Pioneer of layered hypsometric (color-relief) tinting; the 'Bartholomew colouring' is a recognizable house signature developed by John George Bartholomew.
What era does this cover?
This covers Bartholomew (John Bartholomew & Son) (1826-present (as Collins Bartholomew)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.