How to Identify a McGraw-Hill Book Company First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• Pre-1956: McGraw-Hill may not have used a first-edition statement at all. Where one appears, it is on the COPYRIGHT PAGE (not the title page); the safest pre-1956 signal is a single un-amended copyright date with no later-printing/reprint notice.
• From 1956 onward: adopted a consistent 'First Edition' statement on the COPYRIGHT PAGE and noted subsequent printings.
• From around 1972: began using a number line (number row), sometimes alongside a 'First Edition' statement. Absence of later printings supports a first, BUT note McGraw-Hill occasionally failed to remove the 'First Edition' statement from later printings, so once a number line is present the lowest number in the row is the more reliable indicator.

Notable points & cautions

• Primarily a technical/educational/reference publisher — for textbooks, 'edition' typically means a revised edition, NOT a first printing; treat textbook 'editions' with caution.
• Whittlesey House was McGraw-Hill's trade/general imprint (McGraw-Hill entered trade publishing under it in 1930) and is where most collectible vintage McGraw-Hill firsts appear.
• Pre-1956 practice was inconsistent; a single un-amended copyright date plus no reprint notice is the safest pre-1956 signal.

Imprints

First editions also appear under: McGraw-Hill, Whittlesey House (trade imprint, 1930s-1950s), Blakiston. Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my McGraw-Hill Book Company book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. Pre-1956: McGraw-Hill may not have used a first-edition statement at all. Where one appears, it is on the COPYRIGHT PAGE (not the title page); the safest pre-1956 signal is a single un-amended copyright date with no later-printing/reprint notice. From 1956 onward: adopted a consistent 'First Edition' statement on the COPYRIGHT PAGE and noted subsequent printings.

Does McGraw-Hill Book Company use a number line?

From 1956 onward: adopted a consistent 'First Edition' statement on the COPYRIGHT PAGE and noted subsequent printings.

Is a book-club edition a McGraw-Hill Book Company first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Primarily a technical/educational/reference publisher — for textbooks, 'edition' typically means a revised edition, NOT a first printing; treat textbook 'editions' with caution.

What era does this cover?

This covers McGraw-Hill Book Company (1909-1980s (consistent statement from 1956)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.