How to identify a first printing
- 1868-c.1887 (D. Lothrop & Co.): no printed edition statement; a juvenile, religious, and gift-book house. First printing by title-page date matching copyright date and the earliest-dated bound-in catalogue; many juveniles are undated on the title page, so rear-advertisement dating usually governs.
- c.1887-1892 (D. Lothrop Company): same no-statement practice. Daniel Lothrop died in March 1892.
- 1895-1904 (Lothrop Publishing Company): the assets of D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company were reorganized under a new Lothrop Publishing Company organized under Maine law in April 1895; conventions continued unchanged. The firm went bankrupt and its list was bought by Lee & Shepard in 1904.
- No number lines were used. For the Pansy (Isabella Macdonald Alden) and Margaret Sidney juveniles, the earliest-state terminal advertising list is the key first-printing tell.
Notable points & cautions
- Publisher of the 'Five Little Peppers' books (Margaret Sidney / Harriet Lothrop) and the 'Pansy' books (Isabella Macdonald Alden); home of the Wide Awake and Pansy juvenile magazines.
- Heavily reprinted juveniles with undated title pages make the bound-in advertising catalogue the primary dating tool.
- Lineage merged into Lothrop, Lee & Shepard in 1904.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: D. Lothrop & Co., D. Lothrop Company (incorporated style), Lothrop Publishing Company (1895 reorganization), Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. (post-1904 successor). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1868-c.1887 (D. Lothrop & Co.): no printed edition statement; a juvenile, religious, and gift-book house. First printing by title-page date matching copyright date and the earliest-dated bound-in catalogue; many juveniles are undated on the title page, so rear-advertisement dating usually governs. c.1887-1892 (D. Lothrop Company): same no-statement practice. Daniel Lothrop died in March 1892.
Does D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company use a number line?
c.1887-1892 (D. Lothrop Company): same no-statement practice. Daniel Lothrop died in March 1892.
Is a book-club edition a D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Publisher of the 'Five Little Peppers' books (Margaret Sidney / Harriet Lothrop) and the 'Pansy' books (Isabella Macdonald Alden); home of the Wide Awake and Pansy juvenile magazines.
What era does this cover?
This covers D. Lothrop & Co. / D. Lothrop Company (1868-1904). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.