How to identify a first printing
- No first-edition statement is the norm. Per the authoritative QBbooks/Bookman's and ILAB publisher guides: 'In general, no statement on first editions, although sometimes states "Published by Chatto & Windus" (without a date); subsequent printings noted.' Identify a first printing by the ABSENCE of any later-printing/reprint statement, not by any positive device.
- The sometimes-present statement is 'Published by Chatto & Windus' WITHOUT a date, plus the printer's imprint (often R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh, in the early-mid 20th c.). Treat the claimed 'First published in Great Britain [Year]' formula as a general modern-British convention, not a verified Chatto-specific point.
- Chatto may have added a descending number line in the early 1990s; under Random House (purchased 1987) / Vintage (Penguin Random House), a number line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.
- First printing = no later-printing statement present (the key test for this publisher), corroborated where applicable by a number line ending in 1 on post-1990 titles.
Notable points & cautions
- CORRECTION: The 'encircled-R on first editions, removed on reprints' device is NOT a Chatto & Windus practice. It is the documented convention of RINEHART & CO. (an American publisher), per the ILAB and QBbooks publisher guides. Attributing it to Chatto & Windus is a fabrication; do not use it as a Chatto identification point.
- Published Aldous Huxley ('Brave New World', Chatto & Windus, 1932 — verified), Iris Murdoch (her UK publisher; e.g. 'An Unofficial Rose', 1962), Wilfred Owen ('Poems', Chatto & Windus, 1920), and Richard Hughes.
- In 1946 Chatto & Windus took over the running of the Hogarth Press (founded 1917 by Leonard and Virginia Woolf) — a takeover, not a merger of equals; some titles carry the Hogarth imprint.
- Ownership: purchased by Random House in 1987; as of recent years an imprint of Vintage Publishing UK under Penguin Random House.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: The Hogarth Press (acquired/merged), Chatto & Windus, Vintage (later sibling under Random House). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Chatto & Windus book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. No first-edition statement is the norm. Per the authoritative QBbooks/Bookman's and ILAB publisher guides: 'In general, no statement on first editions, although sometimes states "Published by Chatto & Windus" (without a date); subsequent printings noted.' Identify a first printing by the ABSENCE of any later-printing/reprint statement, not by any positive device. The sometimes-present statement is 'Published by Chatto & Windus' WITHOUT a date, plus the printer's imprint (often R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh, in the early-mid 20th c.). Treat the claimed 'First published in Great Britain [Year]' formula as a general modern-British convention, not a verified Chatto-specific point.
Does Chatto & Windus use a number line?
The sometimes-present statement is 'Published by Chatto & Windus' WITHOUT a date, plus the printer's imprint (often R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh, in the early-mid 20th c.). Treat the claimed 'First published in Great Britain [Year]' formula as a general modern-British convention, not a verified Chatto-specific point.
Is a book-club edition a Chatto & Windus first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. CORRECTION: The 'encircled-R on first editions, removed on reprints' device is NOT a Chatto & Windus practice. It is the documented convention of RINEHART & CO. (an American publisher), per the ILAB and QBbooks publisher guides. Attributing it to Chatto & Windus is a fabrication; do not use it as a Chatto identification point.
What era does this cover?
This covers Chatto & Windus (1855-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.