How to identify a first printing
- 1963-2002 (independent, founded by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York, later based in Freedom, California): poetry, cookery, herbal/healing, and feminist titles. First printings: earliest copyright year; number lines are variable, so identify by the absence of any later-printing notation together with the stated cover price and the 'Trumansburg, NY' (earlier) or 'Freedom, CA' (later) imprint on the title page.
- 2002-present (Ten Speed Press / Crown / Penguin Random House): acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as an imprint; from that point it follows the Ten Speed number-line convention ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing) and, after the 2009 Random House/Crown acquisition, the Penguin Random House/Crown conventions.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1963 by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York; later relocated to Freedom, California. List spanned poetry, cookery, herbal and healing, and feminist/LGBT titles.
- Acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as one of its imprints, following Ten Speed into Random House/Crown in 2009.
- The number-line tell applies after the 2002 Ten Speed acquisition; earlier independent titles need earliest-copyright and cover-price verification, with the imprint city (Trumansburg vs. Freedom) helping date the printing.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: The Crossing Press, Crossing Press Cookbooks, Crossing Press Pocket Series. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my The Crossing Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1963-2002 (independent, founded by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York, later based in Freedom, California): poetry, cookery, herbal/healing, and feminist titles. First printings: earliest copyright year; number lines are variable, so identify by the absence of any later-printing notation together with the stated cover price and the 'Trumansburg, NY' (earlier) or 'Freedom, CA' (later) imprint on the title page. 2002-present (Ten Speed Press / Crown / Penguin Random House): acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as an imprint; from that point it follows the Ten Speed number-line convention ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing) and, after the 2009 Random House/Crown acquisition, the Penguin Random House/Crown conventions.
Does The Crossing Press use a number line?
2002-present (Ten Speed Press / Crown / Penguin Random House): acquired by Ten Speed Press in 2002 and run as an imprint; from that point it follows the Ten Speed number-line convention ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1', lowest digit present = printing) and, after the 2009 Random House/Crown acquisition, the Penguin Random House/Crown conventions.
Is a book-club edition a The Crossing Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1963 by John and Elaine Gill in Trumansburg, New York; later relocated to Freedom, California. List spanned poetry, cookery, herbal and healing, and feminist/LGBT titles.
What era does this cover?
This covers The Crossing Press (1963-2002 (independent); thereafter a Ten Speed Press imprint). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.