How to identify a first printing
- 1950s-1966 (under Alan Swallow, Denver): No first-printing statement; later printings are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notation and a title-page date matching the copyright date.
- 1966-c.1979 (continued under Swallow Press Inc., Chicago): Same convention; some titles begin to carry a 'Second printing' line or, later, a number line. Sage Books was Swallow's Western-Americana/regional-history imprint, distinct from his literary line.
- Distribution and the list were later absorbed into Swallow Press/Ohio University Press; reissues carry the Ohio University Press number line, not the original Sage Books state.
Notable points & cautions
- Sage Books was Alan Swallow's imprint for Western history, the fur trade, and Rocky Mountain regional Americana, distinct from his literary Swallow imprint; Swallow (1915-1966) ran his small-press operation from Denver and also founded the University of Denver creative-writing program.
- Frequently confused with the unrelated modern social-science publisher SAGE Publications (no relation); verify the Denver/Swallow imprint and address.
- Many titles are scholarly reprints of fur-trade journals and 19th-century sources, so distinguish a Sage Books reprint from the 19th-century original.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Alan Swallow, Swallow Press, The Swallow Press Inc.. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Sage Books book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1950s-1966 (under Alan Swallow, Denver): No first-printing statement; later printings are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is indicated by the absence of any later-printing notation and a title-page date matching the copyright date. 1966-c.1979 (continued under Swallow Press Inc., Chicago): Same convention; some titles begin to carry a 'Second printing' line or, later, a number line. Sage Books was Swallow's Western-Americana/regional-history imprint, distinct from his literary line.
Does Sage Books use a number line?
1966-c.1979 (continued under Swallow Press Inc., Chicago): Same convention; some titles begin to carry a 'Second printing' line or, later, a number line. Sage Books was Swallow's Western-Americana/regional-history imprint, distinct from his literary line.
Is a book-club edition a Sage Books first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Sage Books was Alan Swallow's imprint for Western history, the fur trade, and Rocky Mountain regional Americana, distinct from his literary Swallow imprint; Swallow (1915-1966) ran his small-press operation from Denver and also founded the University of Denver creative-writing program.
What era does this cover?
This covers Sage Books (c.1950-c.1979). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.