How to identify a first printing
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright/first-published year with no list of later printings.
- Later printings add an explicit reprint or impression statement; the absence of such a statement is the first-printing signal.
Notable points & cautions
- Empire State Editions is Fordham's regional imprint for New York City and Hudson Valley trade titles, established in 2010 to brand and market popular regional books; it is a sub-imprint, not a separate house.
- Smaller scholarly list with a Catholic and Jesuit focus; sparsely documented in collector references, so generic academic number-line conventions apply.
- Few high-value collectible firsts, so point-of-issue data is thin; rely on the standard single-year plus no-reprint-notice test.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Fordham University Press, Empire State Editions (regional New York imprint, launched 2010). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Fordham University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a sequence terminating in 1 indicates the first printing. First printings show a single copyright/first-published year with no list of later printings.
Does Fordham University Press use a number line?
First printings show a single copyright/first-published year with no list of later printings.
Is a book-club edition a Fordham University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Empire State Editions is Fordham's regional imprint for New York City and Hudson Valley trade titles, established in 2010 to brand and market popular regional books; it is a sub-imprint, not a separate house.
What era does this cover?
This covers Fordham University Press (1907-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.