How to identify a first printing
- Modern Llewellyn first printings indicate the printing on the copyright page, typically with a printing notice and a descending number line that includes the digit 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing.
- Many Llewellyn copyright pages also carry a printing-history block that records subsequent printings by year; a copy that shows only the first year alongside a complete number line is the first printing.
- Older (pre-1990s) Llewellyn titles may state only a copyright year or use a simpler notice and should be judged with more caution.
Notable points & cautions
- Long-established US publisher of New Age, astrology, Wicca and Pagan, Tarot, and occult and metaphysical books; founded in 1901 by astrologer Llewellyn George (1876-1954) as the Llewellyn Publishing Company, alongside the Portland School of Astrology. Carl Weschcke bought the firm in 1961 and moved it to Minnesota.
- Long-running annuals such as the Moon Sign Book (published yearly since 1905) and astrological calendars are dated by year and reissued annually, so they are not collected as 'firsts' in the usual trade sense.
- Many perennial sellers (for example Scott Cunningham and Silver RavenWolf titles) run to many printings, so the number line and printing-history block are the reliable arbiter.
- Midnight Ink (mystery) and Flux (YA) were genre fiction imprints; both are now historical at Llewellyn (Flux sold off in 2016, Midnight Ink closed in 2019).
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Llewellyn, Llewellyn Espanol, Midnight Ink (mystery; launched 2005, closed 2019 - backlist only), Flux (YA; launched by Llewellyn, sold to North Star Editions in 2016 and now published by them). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Modern Llewellyn first printings indicate the printing on the copyright page, typically with a printing notice and a descending number line that includes the digit 1; the lowest number present indicates the printing, so a complete line ending in 1 indicates a first printing. Many Llewellyn copyright pages also carry a printing-history block that records subsequent printings by year; a copy that shows only the first year alongside a complete number line is the first printing.
Does Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide use a number line?
Many Llewellyn copyright pages also carry a printing-history block that records subsequent printings by year; a copy that shows only the first year alongside a complete number line is the first printing.
Is a book-club edition a Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Long-established US publisher of New Age, astrology, Wicca and Pagan, Tarot, and occult and metaphysical books; founded in 1901 by astrologer Llewellyn George (1876-1954) as the Llewellyn Publishing Company, alongside the Portland School of Astrology. Carl Weschcke bought the firm in 1961 and moved it to Minnesota.
What era does this cover?
This covers Llewellyn Publications / Llewellyn Worldwide (1901-present (a clearly stated copyright-page printing notice is reliable from roughly the 1990s onward)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.