How to Identify a Bobbs-Merrill Company First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• 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, ILAB/Biblio) place this device in the PRE-1920s period, not the 1920s as commonly misstated.
• After ~1920: firsts generally state 'First Edition' on the copyright page, the printed statement having largely superseded the device — still inconsistent.
• From 1936: firsts state 'First Edition' OR 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and the publisher became markedly more consistent (a statement is generally expected on a true first from this point on).

Notable points & cautions

• Notoriously inconsistent before 1936 — they frequently omitted ANY statement of printing, so absence of a statement is not conclusive either way for pre-1936 titles.
• The bow-and-arrow device, when present, is a positive first-edition indicator, but its absence does not rule out a first; it belongs primarily to the pre-1920s era rather than the 1920s.
• Publisher of children's/Americana (Raggedy Ann, the orange/black biographies series) where points vary title-by-title; always cross-check the specific title against a points guide such as FEDPO.

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Bobbs-Merrill, Pegasus (later). Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Bobbs-Merrill Company book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. 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, ILAB/Biblio) place this device in the PRE-1920s period, not the 1920s as commonly misstated.

Does Bobbs-Merrill Company use a number line?

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, ILAB/Biblio) place this device in the PRE-1920s period, not the 1920s as commonly misstated.

Is a book-club edition a Bobbs-Merrill Company first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Notoriously inconsistent before 1936 — they frequently omitted ANY statement of printing, so absence of a statement is not conclusive either way for pre-1936 titles.

What era does this cover?

This covers Bobbs-Merrill Company (1900s-1950s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.