How to identify a first printing
- States 'First Gallery Books hardcover edition (Year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1.
- Pocket Books legacy mass-markets: printing-history line; true first lists only the first printing.
- S&S-family convention: explicit 'First [Imprint] edition' statement plus line-to-1.
- Saga Press (SF/fantasy) uses the same stated-edition + number line approach.
Notable points & cautions
- Gallery Books launched 2009 as the renamed/expanded Pocket Books trade hardcover program within Simon & Schuster.
- Pocket Books (founded 1939) was the first major US mass-market paperback house — many genre/franchise firsts are Pocket paperbacks.
- Threshold Editions is the conservative-politics S&S imprint; Saga Press is the SF/fantasy line — both follow S&S convention.
- Franchise tie-ins (Star Trek etc.) are collected differently; rely on the printing line.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Pocket Books (sister/legacy), Scout Press, Saga Press (SF/fantasy), Gallery 13, Threshold Editions (sister), Pocket Star, Star Trek/franchise lines. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Gallery Books book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. States 'First Gallery Books hardcover edition (Year)' or 'First Edition' on the copyright page WITH a descending number line ending in 1. Pocket Books legacy mass-markets: printing-history line; true first lists only the first printing.
Does Gallery Books use a number line?
Pocket Books legacy mass-markets: printing-history line; true first lists only the first printing.
Is a book-club edition a Gallery Books first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Gallery Books launched 2009 as the renamed/expanded Pocket Books trade hardcover program within Simon & Schuster.
What era does this cover?
This covers Gallery Books (2009 (as Gallery)–present; Pocket 1939–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.