How to identify a first printing
- 1829 to 1919 (Methodist Book & Publishing House, with general trade books issued under the book-steward's name, most notably William Briggs to 1918): religious-press origin; first editions are identified by a dated title/copyright page with no later-impression notice, and a 'First Edition' statement is rare. Verify the imprint name, since 'William Briggs' precedes the 'Ryerson Press' branding adopted in 1919.
- 1919 to 1960s (The Ryerson Press): trade and literary publishing; first printings typically lack any added printing line, though 'First published' statements appear on some titles. The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Book series (1925-1962, edited by Lorne Pierce) numbered each chapbook; the chapbooks are usually single-printing firsts, so the series number is a bibliographic aid rather than a printing indicator.
- 1960s to 1970: late period; printing lists may appear, but no consistent number-line system existed before the acquisition.
- 1970: the United Church sold the trade arm to McGraw-Hill, becoming McGraw-Hill Ryerson, a different corporate entity using McGraw-Hill conventions.
Notable points & cautions
- Oldest English-Canadian publishing lineage (Methodist Book Room, 1829); the 1970 sale to American-owned McGraw-Hill became a nationalist cause celebre that helped spur Canadian-ownership cultural policy.
- The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Books (roughly 200 titles, including Pratt, Livesay, Dudek, Purdy, and an early Leonard Cohen) are key collectibles, fragile and small-run, identified by series number and original wrappers.
- Lorne Pierce was the influential long-time editor, assuming editorial control in 1920.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Ryerson Poetry Chapbooks, Methodist Book and Publishing House (predecessor), William Briggs (predecessor imprint). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my The Ryerson Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1829 to 1919 (Methodist Book & Publishing House, with general trade books issued under the book-steward's name, most notably William Briggs to 1918): religious-press origin; first editions are identified by a dated title/copyright page with no later-impression notice, and a 'First Edition' statement is rare. Verify the imprint name, since 'William Briggs' precedes the 'Ryerson Press' branding adopted in 1919. 1919 to 1960s (The Ryerson Press): trade and literary publishing; first printings typically lack any added printing line, though 'First published' statements appear on some titles. The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Book series (1925-1962, edited by Lorne Pierce) numbered each chapbook; the chapbooks are usually single-printing firsts, so the series number is a bibliographic aid rather than a printing indicator.
Does The Ryerson Press use a number line?
1919 to 1960s (The Ryerson Press): trade and literary publishing; first printings typically lack any added printing line, though 'First published' statements appear on some titles. The Ryerson Poetry Chap-Book series (1925-1962, edited by Lorne Pierce) numbered each chapbook; the chapbooks are usually single-printing firsts, so the series number is a bibliographic aid rather than a printing indicator.
Is a book-club edition a The Ryerson Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Oldest English-Canadian publishing lineage (Methodist Book Room, 1829); the 1970 sale to American-owned McGraw-Hill became a nationalist cause celebre that helped spur Canadian-ownership cultural policy.
What era does this cover?
This covers The Ryerson Press (1829-1970). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.