How to identify a first printing
- First printings carry a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing.
- Inner Traditions publishes many translations of European esoteric and alchemical works, so a copy may show both the original-language copyright and the English first-printing year; date the English first edition by its own line, not the original foreign edition.
- Some reissued or translated titles state 'First U.S. edition' or a similar named-edition note.
Notable points & cautions
- Major publisher of esoteric, Hermetic and alchemical, indigenous-wisdom, holistic-health, and sacred-sexuality titles; founded in 1975 in New York City and based in Rochester, Vermont.
- Absorbed Bear & Company in 2000 - Bear had been founded in the early 1980s in Santa Fe, New Mexico (locally relevant) and used its own pre-merger copyright conventions, so older Bear & Company titles may not follow the Inner Traditions number line.
- Multiple subject imprints (Destiny Books for popular occult, Park Street Press for psychology and ecology, Healing Arts Press for alternative medicine) share the same descending number-line convention.
- Because many first English editions are translations of older European works, the buyer should distinguish the original foreign edition from the Inner Traditions first English printing.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Bear & Company, Destiny Books, Park Street Press, Healing Arts Press, Bindu Books, Bear Cub Books, Inner Traditions en Espanol. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Inner Traditions International book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. First printings carry a descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Inner Traditions publishes many translations of European esoteric and alchemical works, so a copy may show both the original-language copyright and the English first-printing year; date the English first edition by its own line, not the original foreign edition.
Does Inner Traditions International use a number line?
Inner Traditions publishes many translations of European esoteric and alchemical works, so a copy may show both the original-language copyright and the English first-printing year; date the English first edition by its own line, not the original foreign edition.
Is a book-club edition a Inner Traditions International first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Major publisher of esoteric, Hermetic and alchemical, indigenous-wisdom, holistic-health, and sacred-sexuality titles; founded in 1975 in New York City and based in Rochester, Vermont.
What era does this cover?
This covers Inner Traditions International (1975-present (Bear & Company joined Inner Traditions in 2000)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.