How to identify a first printing
- Earliest era (founded 1964 as a music-reprint division of Plenum Publishing): primarily a reprint and facsimile house, so many 'first' Da Capo printings are reissues of older works — 'first edition' here means first Da Capo printing, not first-ever publication.
- Trade era (general trade from the mid-1970s, under Perseus from 1999 and Hachette from the 2010s): standard descending number line on the copyright page (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest digit indicates the printing, and the presence of 1 indicates a first printing.
- No consistent separate 'First Edition' statement across the catalog — rely on the number line.
Notable points & cautions
- Heavy reprint catalog (especially music, jazz, dance, and science): verify whether a title is an original Da Capo publication or a licensed reprint before describing it as a 'first edition.'
- Ownership chain: Plenum (1964) -> Perseus Books Group (1999) -> Hachette (folded into Hachette Books/Perseus) -> Grand Central revived the 'Da Capo' name as a music imprint in the 2020s. The number-line convention is stable across these eras.
- Collected mainly for jazz, rock, and classical biographies and music reference.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Da Capo Lifelong Books, Da Capo (revived Grand Central / Hachette music imprint, 2020s). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Da Capo Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Earliest era (founded 1964 as a music-reprint division of Plenum Publishing): primarily a reprint and facsimile house, so many 'first' Da Capo printings are reissues of older works — 'first edition' here means first Da Capo printing, not first-ever publication. Trade era (general trade from the mid-1970s, under Perseus from 1999 and Hachette from the 2010s): standard descending number line on the copyright page (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest digit indicates the printing, and the presence of 1 indicates a first printing.
Does Da Capo Press use a number line?
Trade era (general trade from the mid-1970s, under Perseus from 1999 and Hachette from the 2010s): standard descending number line on the copyright page (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the lowest digit indicates the printing, and the presence of 1 indicates a first printing.
Is a book-club edition a Da Capo Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Heavy reprint catalog (especially music, jazz, dance, and science): verify whether a title is an original Da Capo publication or a licensed reprint before describing it as a 'first edition.'
What era does this cover?
This covers Da Capo Press (1964-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.