How to identify a first printing
- 1941-1951 (entire run): Quinn's Handi-Book line was numbered sequentially (from #1 into the #150s); the Handi-Book number on the cover and spine identifies the title. A first printing is shown by the absence of a second-printing statement on the copyright page together with the original 25-cent price.
- The line mixed reprints with some paperback originals. For an original — for example Harry Whittington's The Brass Monkey, Handi-Book #133 (1951), a paperback original confirmed by multiple antiquarian dealers — the Handi-Book IS the first edition of the text. For a reprint, 'first' means the first Handi-Book printing.
- Wartime issues (1942-1945) often carry paper-conservation notices that help date them, and the number range brackets the year. Map number to title and date against a Handi-Books checklist such as the BookScans database.
Notable points & cautions
- Published by Quinn Publishing Co. of Kingston, NY (also a digest-pulp magazine publisher).
- An early home for a Harry Whittington paperback original, The Brass Monkey (#133, 1951).
- Active roughly 1941-1951; later titles overlap with the early Gold Medal / Lion paperback-original boom.
- Reprints versus originals must be distinguished to know whether a given Handi-Book is the text's true first edition.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Handi-Book, Handi-Book Editions, Handi-Books Mysteries. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Handi-Books (Quinn Publishing) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1941-1951 (entire run): Quinn's Handi-Book line was numbered sequentially (from #1 into the #150s); the Handi-Book number on the cover and spine identifies the title. A first printing is shown by the absence of a second-printing statement on the copyright page together with the original 25-cent price. The line mixed reprints with some paperback originals. For an original — for example Harry Whittington's The Brass Monkey, Handi-Book #133 (1951), a paperback original confirmed by multiple antiquarian dealers — the Handi-Book IS the first edition of the text. For a reprint, 'first' means the first Handi-Book printing.
Does Handi-Books (Quinn Publishing) use a number line?
The line mixed reprints with some paperback originals. For an original — for example Harry Whittington's The Brass Monkey, Handi-Book #133 (1951), a paperback original confirmed by multiple antiquarian dealers — the Handi-Book IS the first edition of the text. For a reprint, 'first' means the first Handi-Book printing.
Is a book-club edition a Handi-Books (Quinn Publishing) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Published by Quinn Publishing Co. of Kingston, NY (also a digest-pulp magazine publisher).
What era does this cover?
This covers Handi-Books (Quinn Publishing) (1941-1951). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.