How to identify a first printing
- 1946-c.1965: First impressions state 'First published 19xx' or 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd' on the copyright page, with no listing of later printings; reprints add dated 'Reprinted' lines. Absence of a reprint listing indicates a first impression. This is standard British copyright-page practice of the period, not a publisher-specific code.
- c.1965-1972: Same dated 'First published' convention; a first impression carries no additional impression statement.
- 1972 onward (as Hart-Davis, MacGibbon, after the merger with MacGibbon & Kee): 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Hart-Davis, MacGibbon Ltd'; some later titles carry a descending number line, with the lowest digit indicating the printing.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded in 1946 by Rupert Hart-Davis (with partners including David Garnett and Edward Young); admired for fine production and scholarship.
- Published The Letters of Oscar Wilde (1962) and launched the Soho Bibliographies (definitive single-author bibliographies, beginning with Allan Wade's W. B. Yeats in 1951); the firm's device was a woodcut fox among oak leaves.
- Hart-Davis was himself a noted editor and bibliographer (the Lyttelton/Hart-Davis Letters).
- Granada (Heinemann group) acquired the firm around 1963, then merged it with MacGibbon & Kee in 1972 to form Hart-Davis, MacGibbon.
- Distinct from The Bodley Head - Rupert Hart-Davis was its own firm.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Rupert Hart-Davis, The Reynard Library, The Mariners Library, Soho Bibliographies series, Hart-Davis, MacGibbon (from 1972). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1946-c.1965: First impressions state 'First published 19xx' or 'First published in Great Britain 19xx by Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd' on the copyright page, with no listing of later printings; reprints add dated 'Reprinted' lines. Absence of a reprint listing indicates a first impression. This is standard British copyright-page practice of the period, not a publisher-specific code. c.1965-1972: Same dated 'First published' convention; a first impression carries no additional impression statement.
Does Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd use a number line?
c.1965-1972: Same dated 'First published' convention; a first impression carries no additional impression statement.
Is a book-club edition a Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded in 1946 by Rupert Hart-Davis (with partners including David Garnett and Edward Young); admired for fine production and scholarship.
What era does this cover?
This covers Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd (1946-c.1963 (independent); name continued within Granada and as Hart-Davis, MacGibbon from 1972). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.