How to identify a first printing
- 1999-present: First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line ending in 1 is a first printing. Some titles add an explicit 'First Impression' or 'First Edition' line. Heavily illustrated gift and photographic titles may note an overseas printing location, which does not affect first-printing status.
- Separate edition from printing: frequently reissued regional travel, cooking, and nature titles may carry a new copyright year or a revised-edition statement; the collectible point is the first printing of the first edition.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded in 1999 in Tucson, Arizona by Ross Humphreys and Susan Lowell as a family-owned regional press; specializes in Southwestern travel, cooking, gardening, nature, and gift and photographic books covering Arizona, New Mexico, and the desert Southwest.
- Treasure Chest Books is the affiliated wholesale and distribution business (operating under several imprints since the 1970s, predating Rio Nuevo), alongside Canyonlands Publications; the companies share a Tucson warehouse and office. Because of this, some titles are distributed rather than Rio Nuevo–published — check the imprint, not just the spine.
- Predominantly a modern press, so number-line identification is generally reliable.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Rio Nuevo Publishers, Treasure Chest Books (parent wholesale/distribution operation), Canyonlands Publications (sister wholesale operation). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Rio Nuevo Publishers book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1999-present: First printings carry a descending number line on the copyright page (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a line ending in 1 is a first printing. Some titles add an explicit 'First Impression' or 'First Edition' line. Heavily illustrated gift and photographic titles may note an overseas printing location, which does not affect first-printing status. Separate edition from printing: frequently reissued regional travel, cooking, and nature titles may carry a new copyright year or a revised-edition statement; the collectible point is the first printing of the first edition.
Does Rio Nuevo Publishers use a number line?
Separate edition from printing: frequently reissued regional travel, cooking, and nature titles may carry a new copyright year or a revised-edition statement; the collectible point is the first printing of the first edition.
Is a book-club edition a Rio Nuevo Publishers first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded in 1999 in Tucson, Arizona by Ross Humphreys and Susan Lowell as a family-owned regional press; specializes in Southwestern travel, cooking, gardening, nature, and gift and photographic books covering Arizona, New Mexico, and the desert Southwest.
What era does this cover?
This covers Rio Nuevo Publishers (1999-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.