How to identify a first printing
- 1881-1890 (White & Stokes; White, Stokes & Allen; Frederick A. Stokes & Brother): no first-edition statement. Date the book by the imprint name itself, which changed on a known schedule: 'White & Stokes' indicates 1881-1883, 'White, Stokes & Allen' 1883-1887, and 'Frederick A. Stokes & Brother' 1887-1890. A first printing is inferred when the title-page or copyright date agrees and no later-printing notice is present.
- 1890-c.1910 (Frederick A. Stokes Company): no formal first-edition statement. A first printing is identified when the title-page date matches the copyright date with no later printings listed. A London branch was established in 1895, so 'London' on the title page indicates 1895 or later. Many titles of this era carry no date on the title page, throwing weight onto the copyright-page date.
- c.1900s-1920s: practice was not uniform across the list. On dated books a first printing's title-page year should equal the copyright year, while reprints add printing or impression lines; printing notations appear on some titles but not all.
- 1930s-1941: the firm generally designated only later printings, leaving first printings unmarked; by about 1940 it began stating 'First published (year)' on the copyright page and continued to note subsequent printings. The firm was absorbed by J. B. Lippincott in 1941.
Notable points & cautions
- Founder Frederick A. Stokes and Joel Parker White (with Frank Allen) came out of Dodd, Mead; the firm passed through four imprint names from 1881 to 1890, which themselves serve as a dating tool.
- The 1895 London branch is a useful dating boundary: 'London' on the title page means 1895 or later.
- Strong in fiction, juveniles, and lavishly illustrated gift books; the 'Lucile' editions are a documented example with collation states tied to roman-versus-arabic numerals and undated title pages.
- Acquired by J. B. Lippincott in 1941, after which many Stokes titles continued under the Lippincott imprint.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: White & Stokes (1881), White, Stokes & Allen (1883), Frederick A. Stokes & Brother (1887), Frederick A. Stokes Company (1890-1941). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Frederick A. Stokes Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1881-1890 (White & Stokes; White, Stokes & Allen; Frederick A. Stokes & Brother): no first-edition statement. Date the book by the imprint name itself, which changed on a known schedule: 'White & Stokes' indicates 1881-1883, 'White, Stokes & Allen' 1883-1887, and 'Frederick A. Stokes & Brother' 1887-1890. A first printing is inferred when the title-page or copyright date agrees and no later-printing notice is present. 1890-c.1910 (Frederick A. Stokes Company): no formal first-edition statement. A first printing is identified when the title-page date matches the copyright date with no later printings listed. A London branch was established in 1895, so 'London' on the title page indicates 1895 or later. Many titles of this era carry no date on the title page, throwing weight onto the copyright-page date.
Does Frederick A. Stokes Company use a number line?
1890-c.1910 (Frederick A. Stokes Company): no formal first-edition statement. A first printing is identified when the title-page date matches the copyright date with no later printings listed. A London branch was established in 1895, so 'London' on the title page indicates 1895 or later. Many titles of this era carry no date on the title page, throwing weight onto the copyright-page date.
Is a book-club edition a Frederick A. Stokes Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founder Frederick A. Stokes and Joel Parker White (with Frank Allen) came out of Dodd, Mead; the firm passed through four imprint names from 1881 to 1890, which themselves serve as a dating tool.
What era does this cover?
This covers Frederick A. Stokes Company (1881-1941 (Frederick A. Stokes Company from 1890)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.