How to identify a first printing
- 1906-c.1950: Incorporated 1906 by Charles Vernon Mosby in St. Louis as a medical, dental, nursing, allied-health and veterinary publisher. Texts are identified by the numbered EDITION on the title page and spine. The first printing of an edition is indicated by the absence of a later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page.
- c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; later impressions appear as dated reprint lines. First printing = the edition's original dated line with no later 'Reprinted' lines.
- 1989 (Mosby-Year Book): Times Mirror merged C. V. Mosby with Year Book Medical Publishers (and Wolfe Publishing and PSG Publishing) to form the 'Mosby-Year Book' imprint; copyright pages from this period reflect that name. A number line becomes increasingly common (lowest digit = printing).
- c.1990-present (Mosby/Elsevier): Number line on the copyright page, lowest digit = printing, under Elsevier house style; the EDITION number remains the primary identification and value unit for continuously revised clinical and nursing references.
- Ownership: independent, acquired by Times Mirror in 1967, then Harcourt General in 1998, then Reed Elsevier in 2001; now an Elsevier imprint.
Notable points & cautions
- Leading nursing and allied-health publisher (e.g., 'Mosby's' nursing references and 'Mosby's Medical Dictionary') collected and used by edition.
- The 'Mosby-Year Book' imprint dates specifically from the 1989 Times Mirror merger with Year Book Medical Publishers.
- Now Mosby/Elsevier; modern titles carry Elsevier coded printing lines.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: C. V. Mosby, Mosby, Mosby-Year Book, Mosby Elsevier, Times Mirror / Mosby (parent era), Elsevier (current). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my C. V. Mosby Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1906-c.1950: Incorporated 1906 by Charles Vernon Mosby in St. Louis as a medical, dental, nursing, allied-health and veterinary publisher. Texts are identified by the numbered EDITION on the title page and spine. The first printing of an edition is indicated by the absence of a later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page. c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; later impressions appear as dated reprint lines. First printing = the edition's original dated line with no later 'Reprinted' lines.
Does C. V. Mosby Company use a number line?
c.1950-c.1985: Edition-driven identification continues; later impressions appear as dated reprint lines. First printing = the edition's original dated line with no later 'Reprinted' lines.
Is a book-club edition a C. V. Mosby Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Leading nursing and allied-health publisher (e.g., 'Mosby's' nursing references and 'Mosby's Medical Dictionary') collected and used by edition.
What era does this cover?
This covers C. V. Mosby Company (1906-present (imprint continues under Elsevier)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.