How to identify a first printing
- 1999-present: first printings generally state 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' on the copyright page; predominantly trade paperback and cloth, often single-printing scholarly editions.
- Later and revised/corrected editions are noted on the copyright page - check for 'second printing', 'revised edition', or changed text, as the texts (frequently edited by S.T. Joshi) are revised over time.
- I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft (2010) is the uncut restoration of Joshi's earlier H.P. Lovecraft: A Life (Necronomicon Press, 1996), restoring roughly 150,000 cut words; treat it as the first complete edition ('first edition thus'), distinct from the 1996 Necronomicon first.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1999 by Derrick Hussey (with S.T. Joshi as a longtime editorial force) to continue weird-fiction scholarship after Necronomicon Press's decline.
- Produces definitive critical/corrected texts of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and weird poetry; recognized with a specialty-press award.
- Successor publisher for many Necronomicon Press projects.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Sarnath Press (assoc.). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Hippocampus Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1999-present: first printings generally state 'First Edition' / 'First Printing' on the copyright page; predominantly trade paperback and cloth, often single-printing scholarly editions. Later and revised/corrected editions are noted on the copyright page - check for 'second printing', 'revised edition', or changed text, as the texts (frequently edited by S.T. Joshi) are revised over time.
Does Hippocampus Press use a number line?
Later and revised/corrected editions are noted on the copyright page - check for 'second printing', 'revised edition', or changed text, as the texts (frequently edited by S.T. Joshi) are revised over time.
Is a book-club edition a Hippocampus Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1999 by Derrick Hussey (with S.T. Joshi as a longtime editorial force) to continue weird-fiction scholarship after Necronomicon Press's decline.
What era does this cover?
This covers Hippocampus Press (1999-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.