How to identify a first printing
- First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. Ward Ritchie retired in 1972, moved to Laguna Beach, acquired an 1835 Albion hand press, and printed small editions and broadsides under the name Laguna Verde Imprenta (Spanish for 'green lagoon'). Editions were small, typically fewer than fifty copies, often on dampened handmade paper; the colophon states limitation, types, and date, with copy numbers commonly hand-inscribed.
- Identify by the Laguna Verde Imprenta imprint and Ritchie's design hand. Keep this personal post-retirement press distinct from the earlier commercial Ward Ritchie Press (and its partnership forms Anderson & Ritchie and Anderson, Ritchie & Simon).
Notable points & cautions
- Ward Ritchie's personal post-retirement private imprint, separate from the Ward Ritchie Press trade firm.
- Output skews to keepsakes, broadsides, and small editions, many written by Ritchie himself, frequently about friends such as Robinson Jeffers and Lawrence Clark Powell.
- Colophon-controlled limited firsts, often fewer than fifty copies.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Laguna Verde Imprenta book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. First and only edition is established by the COLOPHON. Ward Ritchie retired in 1972, moved to Laguna Beach, acquired an 1835 Albion hand press, and printed small editions and broadsides under the name Laguna Verde Imprenta (Spanish for 'green lagoon'). Editions were small, typically fewer than fifty copies, often on dampened handmade paper; the colophon states limitation, types, and date, with copy numbers commonly hand-inscribed. Identify by the Laguna Verde Imprenta imprint and Ritchie's design hand. Keep this personal post-retirement press distinct from the earlier commercial Ward Ritchie Press (and its partnership forms Anderson & Ritchie and Anderson, Ritchie & Simon).
Does Laguna Verde Imprenta use a number line?
Identify by the Laguna Verde Imprenta imprint and Ritchie's design hand. Keep this personal post-retirement press distinct from the earlier commercial Ward Ritchie Press (and its partnership forms Anderson & Ritchie and Anderson, Ritchie & Simon).
Is a book-club edition a Laguna Verde Imprenta first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Ward Ritchie's personal post-retirement private imprint, separate from the Ward Ritchie Press trade firm.
What era does this cover?
This covers Laguna Verde Imprenta (c.1972-1990s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.