How to identify a first printing
- 1949–1963 (John Calder / John Calder (Publishers) Ltd): a first printing is identified by a single 'First published in <year> by John Calder' statement on the copyright page with no subsequent impression or reprint line. No number line is used in this era. Later impressions add a 'Reprinted <year>' or 'Second impression' line.
- 1963–1975 (Calder & Boyars): the copyright page reads 'First published in <year> by Calder and Boyars Ltd'; a first printing carries no impression statement, and later impressions add 'Reprinted <year>' or an impression number. Number lines are essentially absent in this period; absence of any reprint line is the key first-printing tell.
- 1975–2018 (Calder Publications / Calder Educational Trust): a 'First published <year>' statement identifies the first; some later titles adopt a descending number line, where the presence of '1' as the lowest figure indicates a first printing. On a jacketed copy an unclipped price can support, but does not by itself prove, first-issue status.
Notable points & cautions
- John Calder was Samuel Beckett's principal British publisher, issuing Beckett's prose, poetry and criticism in the UK; the firm published well over four thousand titles across fiction, poetry, drama and philosophy.
- Calder was a defendant in major British obscenity proceedings, notably over Hubert Selby Jr's Last Exit to Brooklyn, and co-published controversial titles such as Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer in Britain.
- The house relied on edition and impression statements rather than number lines for most of its history, so the absence of a reprint line is the decisive first-printing indicator. After the 1975 split, Marion Boyars established her own firm separately.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: John Calder (Publishers) Ltd, Calder & Boyars, Calder Publications, Calder Educational Trust, John Calder in association with Olympia Press. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1949–1963 (John Calder / John Calder (Publishers) Ltd): a first printing is identified by a single 'First published in <year> by John Calder' statement on the copyright page with no subsequent impression or reprint line. No number line is used in this era. Later impressions add a 'Reprinted <year>' or 'Second impression' line. 1963–1975 (Calder & Boyars): the copyright page reads 'First published in <year> by Calder and Boyars Ltd'; a first printing carries no impression statement, and later impressions add 'Reprinted <year>' or an impression number. Number lines are essentially absent in this period; absence of any reprint line is the key first-printing tell.
Does John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) use a number line?
1963–1975 (Calder & Boyars): the copyright page reads 'First published in <year> by Calder and Boyars Ltd'; a first printing carries no impression statement, and later impressions add 'Reprinted <year>' or an impression number. Number lines are essentially absent in this period; absence of any reprint line is the key first-printing tell.
Is a book-club edition a John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. John Calder was Samuel Beckett's principal British publisher, issuing Beckett's prose, poetry and criticism in the UK; the firm published well over four thousand titles across fiction, poetry, drama and philosophy.
What era does this cover?
This covers John Calder (Calder & Boyars / Calder Publications) (1949–2018). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.