How to identify a first printing
- Pre-1945: identified by the LACK of a later-printing statement on the copyright page.
- 1945 onward: usually placed a first-edition statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).
- After 1985: first-edition statement PLUS a number row (presence of '1' = first).
Notable points & cautions
- The 'no statement on non-US-produced books' caveat means an imported/co-produced title may be a first despite lacking the statement.
- Merged into Holt, Rinehart & Winston in 1960; reverted to Henry Holt branding after 1985 — convention shifts at those boundaries.
- Robert Frost's longtime US publisher; individual Frost titles have their own points.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Henry Holt, Holt, Rinehart & Winston (1960-1985), Owl Books. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Henry Holt & Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Pre-1945: identified by the LACK of a later-printing statement on the copyright page. 1945 onward: usually placed a first-edition statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).
Does Henry Holt & Company use a number line?
1945 onward: usually placed a first-edition statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).
Is a book-club edition a Henry Holt & Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. The 'no statement on non-US-produced books' caveat means an imported/co-produced title may be a first despite lacking the statement.
What era does this cover?
This covers Henry Holt & Company (1866-1990s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.
Henry Holt & Company titles with documented first-edition points
Each link opens that title’s specific points of issue — the exact marks that separate a true first printing from a later one.
- "B" Is for Burglar (Sue Grafton, 1985)
- "C" Is for Corpse (Sue Grafton, 1986)
- "D" Is for Deadbeat (Sue Grafton, 1987)
- "E" Is for Evidence (Sue Grafton, 1988)
- "F" Is for Fugitive (Sue Grafton, 1989)
- "G" Is for Gumshoe (Sue Grafton, 1990)
- "H" Is for Homicide (Sue Grafton, 1991)
- "I" Is for Innocent (Sue Grafton, 1992)
- "J" Is for Judgment (Sue Grafton, 1993)
- "K" Is for Killer (Sue Grafton, 1994)
- "L" Is for Lawless (Sue Grafton, 1995)
- "M" Is for Malice (Sue Grafton, 1996)
- "N" Is for Noose (Sue Grafton, 1998)
- "O" Is for Outlaw (Sue Grafton, 1999)
- A Further Range (Robert Frost, 1936)
- A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain (Robert Olen Butler, 1992)
- A Is for Alibi (Sue Grafton, 1982)
- A Masque of Mercy (Robert Frost, 1947)
- A Masque of Reason (Robert Frost, 1945)
- A Witness Tree (Robert Frost, 1942)
- A World Out of Time (Larry Niven, 1976)
- Amazons (as Cleo Birdwell, pseudonymous) (Don DeLillo, 1980)
- Behind the Flying Saucers (Frank Scully, 1950)
- Beyond the Wall: Essays from the Outside (Edward Abbey, 1984)
Documenting 70 Henry Holt & Company titles in all — browse the full title-by-title library →