The fastest check: Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Hodder & Stoughton'; Sceptre is the literary imprint label carried on the title page and spine.
How to identify a first printing
- Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Hodder & Stoughton'; Sceptre is the literary imprint label carried on the title page and spine.
- Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1'.
- Follows Hodder & Stoughton conventions, which have consistently used 'First published in [year]' on firsts (with later printings noted) since 1976.
Decode the printer's key: paste the number line into the number-line decoder, search any title in the First Edition Checker, or run a book through the identifier.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1986 as Hodder & Stoughton's literary imprint, sitting alongside the mass-market Coronet and NEL lines; identification conventions track Hodder's.
- David Mitchell, Jodi Picoult (UK), Melvyn Bragg ('The Maid of Buttermere'), and Charles Frazier ('Cold Mountain', 1997) have appeared under Sceptre.
- Sceptre originally published in paperback only (early list included Thomas Keneally's 'Schindler's Ark'); hardcover lines came later, so for an early title confirm whether a hardcover first actually exists before assuming one.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Sceptre. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Sceptre book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Copyright page states 'First published in [year] by Hodder & Stoughton'; Sceptre is the literary imprint label carried on the title page and spine. Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1'.
Does Sceptre use a number line?
Descending number line; a first printing ends in '1'.
Is a book-club edition a Sceptre first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1986 as Hodder & Stoughton's literary imprint, sitting alongside the mass-market Coronet and NEL lines; identification conventions track Hodder's.
What era does this cover?
This covers Sceptre (1986–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.