How to identify a first printing
- 1939–1961: First printings are marked either with the words 'First Edition' OR with a Roman numeral 'I' on the copyright page. Later printings are denoted similarly — e.g., 'Second Printing' or 'II.' The presence of 'First Edition' or 'I' (with no later-printing designation) indicates a first printing. (Confirmed by qbbooks and IOBA lists derived from Zempel & Verkler.)
- From 1951: Little, Brown handled manufacturing, warehousing, promotion, and selling; the two firms stayed independent but books carried both imprints. The joint 'Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown' imprint dates a title to 1951 or later.
- From March 1961: the firm became an affiliate of Meredith Publishing Company; later imprints are a Meredith property — apply successor rules.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1939 by Charles Halliwell Duell, Samuel Sloan, and Charles A. Pearce (former Harcourt editors).
- Published Archibald MacLeish, John O'Hara, Erskine Caldwell, Anaïs Nin, Conrad Aiken, Wallace Stegner, E. E. Cummings, Howard Fast, and Benjamin Spock; entered a Little, Brown distribution agreement in 1951 (the joint imprint is a dating tell).
- The explicit 'First Edition'/Roman-numeral-'I' convention makes identification more reliable than its no-statement contemporaries — but verify, as some titles use only the numeral.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown (joint distribution imprint, from 1951). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Duell, Sloan & Pearce book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1939–1961: First printings are marked either with the words 'First Edition' OR with a Roman numeral 'I' on the copyright page. Later printings are denoted similarly — e.g., 'Second Printing' or 'II.' The presence of 'First Edition' or 'I' (with no later-printing designation) indicates a first printing. (Confirmed by qbbooks and IOBA lists derived from Zempel & Verkler.) From 1951: Little, Brown handled manufacturing, warehousing, promotion, and selling; the two firms stayed independent but books carried both imprints. The joint 'Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown' imprint dates a title to 1951 or later.
Does Duell, Sloan & Pearce use a number line?
From 1951: Little, Brown handled manufacturing, warehousing, promotion, and selling; the two firms stayed independent but books carried both imprints. The joint 'Duell, Sloan and Pearce – Little, Brown' imprint dates a title to 1951 or later.
Is a book-club edition a Duell, Sloan & Pearce first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1939 by Charles Halliwell Duell, Samuel Sloan, and Charles A. Pearce (former Harcourt editors).
What era does this cover?
This covers Duell, Sloan & Pearce (1939–1961 (independent imprint; became a Meredith affiliate March 1961)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.