How to identify a first printing
- Pre-1945: first editions identified chiefly by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statement on the copyright page.
- 1945–c.1985: usually placed a 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page of US-produced books (no statement on books produced outside the US).
- c.1976/1985 onward: 'First Edition' statement PLUS a descending number line ending in 1 — the modern reliable test.
- Imports/co-productions may read 'First American Edition' and lack the line.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1866 (Henry Holt); long, complex history — was part of Holt, Rinehart and Winston for decades, then re-emerged as Henry Holt under Holtzbrinck/Macmillan.
- Now part of Macmillan. Era matters: a mid-century Holt first relies on absence-of-reprint logic, NOT a number line.
- Metropolitan Books and Times Books are prestige imprints under Holt — same convention.
- No statement on UK-produced sheets is a common confusion — check where the book was manufactured.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Metropolitan Books, Times Books, Owl Books (former trade paper), Holt Paperbacks, Christy Ottaviano Books (former), Godwin Books. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Henry Holt and Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Pre-1945: first editions identified chiefly by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statement on the copyright page. 1945–c.1985: 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 and Company use a number line?
1945–c.1985: 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 and Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1866 (Henry Holt); long, complex history — was part of Holt, Rinehart and Winston for decades, then re-emerged as Henry Holt under Holtzbrinck/Macmillan.
What era does this cover?
This covers Henry Holt and Company (1866–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.
Henry Holt and 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.
- Cold Dogs in the Courtyard (Charles Bukowski, 1965)
- No Enemy But Time (Michael Bishop, 1982)
- Sandkings signed first (George R.R. Martin, 1981)