How to identify a first printing
- The first edition is a signed, numbered limited: a printed limitation page (often in a distinctive ink such as red) states the total edition and gives the copy number, signed by the author on the limitation page.
- Hardcover, usually issued in dustjacket; the limitation statement and author signature on the limitation/colophon leaf are the controlling first-edition points.
- Some titles had a scarcer lettered or specially-bound deluxe sub-state above the numbered run — check whether the copy is numbered or lettered, lettered being the scarcer state.
- Place/date on the copyright page tracks the publisher's relocations (Miami Beach in the late 1980s), useful for confirming a genuine first-issue.
Notable points & cautions
- Small fine-press operation run by bookseller Dennis McMillan; celebrated for Charles Willeford titles — notably Kiss Your Ass Good-bye (1987, 400 copies signed and numbered by Willeford on a red-printed limitation page), plus Fredric Brown pulp-recovery material.
- These are genuine first editions of often previously-unpublished or uncollected work — high collector interest driven by tiny runs and author signatures.
- Because runs are so small, condition of the limitation page and presence of the signature are decisive; later trade reprints by other houses are NOT the McMillan first.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Dennis McMillan Publications. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Dennis McMillan Publications book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. The first edition is a signed, numbered limited: a printed limitation page (often in a distinctive ink such as red) states the total edition and gives the copy number, signed by the author on the limitation page. Hardcover, usually issued in dustjacket; the limitation statement and author signature on the limitation/colophon leaf are the controlling first-edition points.
Does Dennis McMillan Publications use a number line?
Hardcover, usually issued in dustjacket; the limitation statement and author signature on the limitation/colophon leaf are the controlling first-edition points.
Is a book-club edition a Dennis McMillan Publications first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Small fine-press operation run by bookseller Dennis McMillan; celebrated for Charles Willeford titles — notably Kiss Your Ass Good-bye (1987, 400 copies signed and numbered by Willeford on a red-printed limitation page), plus Fredric Brown pulp-recovery material.
What era does this cover?
This covers Dennis McMillan Publications (1980s–2000s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.