How to Identify a Grove Press First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• First editions and later printings are noted on the copyright page; the modern practice uses a number row/printer's key, with the presence of '1' (or the lowest digit) indicating a first printing.
• Grove added a number row around 1969 (initially on the last page before the rear free endpaper, later on the copyright page) but often failed to remove a 'First Edition' statement from reprints — so a 'First Edition' line alone is not conclusive for that era; corroborate with the number row.
• Later-printing dust jackets can carry a small letter code on the rear panel (e.g., 'ii' for a second printing) — a useful corroborating tell.
• For landmark titles (e.g., Tropic of Cancer 1961, Naked Lunch US 1962, Lady Chatterley's Lover unexpurgated 1959), edition/issue points are title-specific — verify against title bibliographies, not the house rule alone.

Notable points & cautions

• Black Cat and Evergreen were Grove's mass-market and quality-paperback lines (key for Beckett, Burroughs, Miller, Genet first-in-US paperbacks).
• Corporate history: Grove Press → Grove Weidenfeld (1989) → merged with Atlantic Monthly Press to form Grove/Atlantic Inc. (1993); the imprint name on the copyright page can help date a printing.
• Dust-jacket spine logo and pricing changes help separate a first issue from later Grove printings of the same edition.

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Grove Atlantic (parent), Black Cat, Evergreen, Atlantic Monthly Press (sister), Grove Weidenfeld (1989–1993). Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Grove Press book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. First editions and later printings are noted on the copyright page; the modern practice uses a number row/printer's key, with the presence of '1' (or the lowest digit) indicating a first printing. Grove added a number row around 1969 (initially on the last page before the rear free endpaper, later on the copyright page) but often failed to remove a 'First Edition' statement from reprints — so a 'First Edition' line alone is not conclusive for that era; corroborate with the number row.

Does Grove Press use a number line?

Grove added a number row around 1969 (initially on the last page before the rear free endpaper, later on the copyright page) but often failed to remove a 'First Edition' statement from reprints — so a 'First Edition' line alone is not conclusive for that era; corroborate with the number row.

Is a book-club edition a Grove Press first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Black Cat and Evergreen were Grove's mass-market and quality-paperback lines (key for Beckett, Burroughs, Miller, Genet first-in-US paperbacks).

What era does this cover?

This covers Grove Press (1947–present (as Grove/Atlantic since 1993)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.