How to identify a first printing
- Since 1905: state "First published in [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" on the copyright page of firsts, with later printings noted
- Pre-1905: no copyright-page statement on firsts; later printings sometimes indicated by a 'thousands' statement on the title page (e.g. 'Forty-third Thousand') — a higher 'thousand' = later printing
- First printing = the 'First published' statement (post-1905) OR absence of any 'thousand'/reprint notation (pre-1905)
- Modern Methuen (and as Bloomsbury imprint) uses number lines
Notable points & cautions
- The 'Nth Thousand' title-page convention is a classic Edwardian-era tell — the FIRST thousand printing is the true first; later 'thousands' are reprints, not firsts
- Published Kenneth Grahame ('The Wind in the Willows', 1908), A.A. Milne ('Winnie-the-Pooh' Methuen, 1926), Oscar Wilde, Robert Graves
- Milne/Pooh firsts have specific binding and first-issue points highly sought after
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Methuen, Methuen Drama (Eyre Methuen), Magnet (children's paperback). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Methuen & Co. book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Since 1905: state "First published in [Year]" or "First published in Great Britain [Year]" on the copyright page of firsts, with later printings noted Pre-1905: no copyright-page statement on firsts; later printings sometimes indicated by a 'thousands' statement on the title page (e.g. 'Forty-third Thousand') — a higher 'thousand' = later printing
Does Methuen & Co. use a number line?
Pre-1905: no copyright-page statement on firsts; later printings sometimes indicated by a 'thousands' statement on the title page (e.g. 'Forty-third Thousand') — a higher 'thousand' = later printing
Is a book-club edition a Methuen & Co. first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. The 'Nth Thousand' title-page convention is a classic Edwardian-era tell — the FIRST thousand printing is the true first; later 'thousands' are reprints, not firsts
What era does this cover?
This covers Methuen & Co. (1889-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.