How to identify a first printing
- c.1906–c.1924: No formal 'first edition' statement. First printings are identified by the absence of later-printing notices and by the title-page date matching the copyright date; production points and binding/jacket states are frequently the decisive evidence (consult Daniel Boice, 'The Mitchell Kennerley Imprint: A Descriptive Bibliography,' which dealers cite as 'Boice [number]').
- A fine-printing house: typography (notably Goudy's Kennerley Old Style) and careful book production are characteristic but are not by themselves printing points.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded c.1906 by Mitchell Kennerley, who trained under John Lane in London and New York; admired for his production standards.
- Commissioned Frederic W. Goudy's Kennerley Old Style typeface (1911).
- Published 'The Lyric Year' (1912), which contained Edna St. Vincent Millay's 'Renascence,' and issued early D. H. Lawrence, Walter Lippmann, Upton Sinclair, and Van Wyck Brooks.
- The imprint wound down in the early-to-mid 1920s as Kennerley shifted to the art-auction/gallery world (Anderson Galleries).
- Because the firm left few explicit printing statements, descriptive bibliography (Boice) is the authoritative tool for first-printing calls.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: The Forum (periodical), The Little Book-Shop Around the Corner (bookselling arm). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Mitchell Kennerley book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. c.1906–c.1924: No formal 'first edition' statement. First printings are identified by the absence of later-printing notices and by the title-page date matching the copyright date; production points and binding/jacket states are frequently the decisive evidence (consult Daniel Boice, 'The Mitchell Kennerley Imprint: A Descriptive Bibliography,' which dealers cite as 'Boice [number]'). A fine-printing house: typography (notably Goudy's Kennerley Old Style) and careful book production are characteristic but are not by themselves printing points.
Does Mitchell Kennerley use a number line?
A fine-printing house: typography (notably Goudy's Kennerley Old Style) and careful book production are characteristic but are not by themselves printing points.
Is a book-club edition a Mitchell Kennerley first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded c.1906 by Mitchell Kennerley, who trained under John Lane in London and New York; admired for his production standards.
What era does this cover?
This covers Mitchell Kennerley (c.1906–1924). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.