How to identify a first printing
- British-Commonwealth convention: the copyright page carries a 'First published by The Text Publishing Company [year]' statement; a true first printing shows that line with no additional 'Reprinted' or 'Second printing' lines beneath it.
- Later printings are signalled by added lines such as 'Reprinted [year]'; the absence of any reprint notice, with the stated publication year matching, indicates a first printing.
- Where a number line appears on more recent titles it runs descending to '1', with '1' present indicating the first printing — but Text has historically relied on the printed statement rather than a number line, so the statement is the primary signal.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1990 in Melbourne by Diana Gribble and Eric Beecher (out of Text Media); over the years majority-owned by Michael Heyward and Penny Hueston in partnership with Maureen and Tony Wheeler (founders of Lonely Planet).
- Acquired by Penguin Random House Australia in early 2025 under a 'charter of independence' retaining editorial control; post-2025 printings may shift toward PRH copyright-page styling, while pre-2025 books follow Text's own statement convention.
- Text Classics (launched 2012) are reprints of out-of-print Australian works (Patrick White, Christina Stead, Thea Astley, Elizabeth Harrower, Madeleine St John and others) — they are NOT first editions of the original text and should be treated as a distinct modern series, not the collectible first appearance.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Text, Text Classics (reprint series). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Text Publishing book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. British-Commonwealth convention: the copyright page carries a 'First published by The Text Publishing Company [year]' statement; a true first printing shows that line with no additional 'Reprinted' or 'Second printing' lines beneath it. Later printings are signalled by added lines such as 'Reprinted [year]'; the absence of any reprint notice, with the stated publication year matching, indicates a first printing.
Does Text Publishing use a number line?
Later printings are signalled by added lines such as 'Reprinted [year]'; the absence of any reprint notice, with the stated publication year matching, indicates a first printing.
Is a book-club edition a Text Publishing first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1990 in Melbourne by Diana Gribble and Eric Beecher (out of Text Media); over the years majority-owned by Michael Heyward and Penny Hueston in partnership with Maureen and Tony Wheeler (founders of Lonely Planet).
What era does this cover?
This covers Text Publishing (1990–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.