How to Identify a Harcourt, Brace & Co. First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• 1919-1921 (Harcourt, Brace & Howe): number '1' on copyright page = first printing, '2' = second, etc.
• 1921-1931: no statement on first printings; the first-edition notice (when later adopted) was simply absent, so rely on no later-printing notice.
• c.1931 onward: stated 'First Edition' or 'First American Edition' on copyright page; the statement was removed on subsequent printings.
• Occasionally through the 1940s used a '1' to denote first printing.
• 1960-1970 (Harcourt, Brace & World): continued 'First Edition' / 'First American Edition'.
• 1973-1983 (HBJ): used a letter code 'BCDE...' (no leading A) plus 'First Edition'.
• From ~1983: letter row 'ABCDE' — presence of leading 'A' = first printing; 'BCDE' = second, etc.

Notable points & cautions

• The leading 'A' in the letter row only signals a first AFTER ~1983; the 1973-1983 books that read 'First Edition / BCDE' are also firsts despite lacking the A — a common point of confusion.
• Reynal & Hitchcock and Coward-McCann were absorbed into Harcourt (1948) — older torch-colophon books may carry over.
• Because the first-edition statement was simply removed on reprints, a copy with no statement at all and no later-printing notice can still be a true first in the 1921-1931 window.

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Harcourt, Brace & Howe (1919-1921), Harcourt, Brace & World (1960-1970), Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (1970+), Harvest Books, Voyager Books. Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Harcourt, Brace & Co. book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. 1919-1921 (Harcourt, Brace & Howe): number '1' on copyright page = first printing, '2' = second, etc. 1921-1931: no statement on first printings; the first-edition notice (when later adopted) was simply absent, so rely on no later-printing notice.

Does Harcourt, Brace & Co. use a number line?

1921-1931: no statement on first printings; the first-edition notice (when later adopted) was simply absent, so rely on no later-printing notice.

Is a book-club edition a Harcourt, Brace & Co. first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. The leading 'A' in the letter row only signals a first AFTER ~1983; the 1973-1983 books that read 'First Edition / BCDE' are also firsts despite lacking the A — a common point of confusion.

What era does this cover?

This covers Harcourt, Brace & Co. (1919-1990s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.