How to identify a first printing
- Mid-to-late 1950s (Occult Research Press imprint): a small number of esoteric titles issued under the Occult Research Press name before Weiser published under his own name. Identify by the Occult Research Press imprint plus copyright year; no number line.
- c.1956-c.1980 (Samuel Weiser, Inc., NYC): predominantly reprints and exclusive editions of occult classics (Crowley, Levi, Waite, Regardie). A first Weiser printing is identified by a 'First Edition' or 'First Weiser Edition' statement together with the copyright year; many are first-thus (first US, first illustrated, etc.). No consistent number line in this era, so rely on the stated printing on the copyright verso.
- c.1980-2000 (York Beach, Maine): a descending number line came into increasing use, the lowest digit indicating the printing; the copyright page may also state 'First published in [year] by Samuel Weiser'. First printing equals a number line ending in 1 with a matching first-publication year.
- 2000-2009 (after Samuel Weiser, Inc. was acquired and the company renamed Red Wheel/Weiser): the publishing imprint became 'Weiser Books'; a standard number line is used, with '1' present indicating a first printing, often alongside a 'First Edition' statement.
- 2009-present (Red Wheel/Weiser, Newburyport MA): conventional number line (lowest number equals the printing) plus an explicit edition statement.
Notable points & cautions
- The Weiser Antiquarian bookstore was founded in 1926 on Book Row, Fourth Avenue, NYC; Samuel Weiser, Inc. was established as a publishing house in 1956, with the Occult Research Press imprint as its immediate mid-1950s precursor.
- Long a leading American publisher of occult and esoteric material, issuing definitive Crowley, Regardie, and Golden Dawn editions. Because many Weiser books are first-thus reprints of older works, always distinguish a first Weiser printing from the work's original first publication.
- Era tell from the company name: pre-2000 books read 'Samuel Weiser, Inc.'; the company was purchased and renamed Red Wheel/Weiser in November 2000, after which the imprint reads 'Weiser Books'.
- Israel Regardie's one-volume Weiser editions of The Golden Dawn are heavily reprinted, so rely on the number line plus the edition statement rather than the copyright year alone.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Occult Research Press (mid-late 1950s precursor), Weiser Books, Conari Press (sister), Hampton Roads (sister), Career Press (sister). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Samuel Weiser, Inc. / Weiser Books (Red Wheel/Weiser) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Mid-to-late 1950s (Occult Research Press imprint): a small number of esoteric titles issued under the Occult Research Press name before Weiser published under his own name. Identify by the Occult Research Press imprint plus copyright year; no number line. c.1956-c.1980 (Samuel Weiser, Inc., NYC): predominantly reprints and exclusive editions of occult classics (Crowley, Levi, Waite, Regardie). A first Weiser printing is identified by a 'First Edition' or 'First Weiser Edition' statement together with the copyright year; many are first-thus (first US, first illustrated, etc.). No consistent number line in this era, so rely on the stated printing on the copyright verso.
Does Samuel Weiser, Inc. / Weiser Books (Red Wheel/Weiser) use a number line?
c.1956-c.1980 (Samuel Weiser, Inc., NYC): predominantly reprints and exclusive editions of occult classics (Crowley, Levi, Waite, Regardie). A first Weiser printing is identified by a 'First Edition' or 'First Weiser Edition' statement together with the copyright year; many are first-thus (first US, first illustrated, etc.). No consistent number line in this era, so rely on the stated printing on the copyright verso.
Is a book-club edition a Samuel Weiser, Inc. / Weiser Books (Red Wheel/Weiser) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. The Weiser Antiquarian bookstore was founded in 1926 on Book Row, Fourth Avenue, NYC; Samuel Weiser, Inc. was established as a publishing house in 1956, with the Occult Research Press imprint as its immediate mid-1950s precursor.
What era does this cover?
This covers Samuel Weiser, Inc. / Weiser Books (Red Wheel/Weiser) (1956-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.