How to identify a first printing
- Pre-early-1920s: year printed on the TITLE PAGE of the first edition with the copyright page left blank; later printings carry a later copyright-page date or reprint note
- Early 1920s onward: "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" stated on the copyright page of firsts; subsequent printings noted
- First printing = era-appropriate (title-page date pre-1920s / copyright statement after) with no reprint notation
- Modern Cassell uses number lines
Notable points & cautions
- Published Winston Churchill ('The Second World War', 'A History of the English-Speaking Peoples'), H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson ('Treasure Island' in book form, 1883)
- The pre-1920s blank-copyright-page / title-page-date practice mirrors early Heinemann and is a common confusion
- Now part of the Orion/Hachette group
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Cassell, Cassell Military, Ward Lock (sibling), Weidenfeld & Nicolson (later corporate group, Orion). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Cassell & Co. book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Pre-early-1920s: year printed on the TITLE PAGE of the first edition with the copyright page left blank; later printings carry a later copyright-page date or reprint note Early 1920s onward: "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" stated on the copyright page of firsts; subsequent printings noted
Does Cassell & Co. use a number line?
Early 1920s onward: "First published [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" stated on the copyright page of firsts; subsequent printings noted
Is a book-club edition a Cassell & Co. first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Published Winston Churchill ('The Second World War', 'A History of the English-Speaking Peoples'), H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson ('Treasure Island' in book form, 1883)
What era does this cover?
This covers Cassell & Co. (1848-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.