How to identify a first printing
- 1948–c.1970 (Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo with Vermont ties): firsts identified by an explicit 'First edition, <year>' or 'First printing, <month year>' statement on the copyright page. Many titles also carry a printing-history block (for example 'First edition, 1958; Second printing, 1959; Third printing, 1959') — the first printing is the topmost or sole entry. No number line in this era; read the block from the top down.
- c.1970–c.1993: continued use of printing-history blocks and 'First Tuttle edition' statements; some later titles begin introducing a descending number line (lowest figure marks the printing). The Tut Books paperback line carries catalog codes.
- 1993 onward (Tuttle Publishing, under the Periplus group, Eric Oey as publisher from 1996): conventional number line (for example '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'), with the lowest figure indicating the printing, plus 'Printed in <country>' and a year on the copyright page.
- Reprint-of-classics caution: Tuttle reissued many older Western and Japanese works, so the Tuttle first is the first Tuttle edition, distinct from the date of the original work.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded by Charles E. Tuttle in Occupation-era Tokyo in 1948 (reportedly the 31st company licensed by the Allied administration), drawing on a Vermont family long in printing and antiquarian bookselling; the leading house for Asia-focused English-language books.
- Early titles use an explicit 'First edition'/'First printing' statement and a dated printing-history block rather than a number line — the verifiable example of the Michener-edited 'Hokusai Sketch-Books' (First Edition 1958, with later printings in 1959) illustrates the pattern.
- Nephew Eric Oey, founder of Periplus Editions, took over as publisher in 1996; the house now sits within the Periplus Publishing Group, and later titles use conventional number lines.
- Many Tuttle books are reprints or translations of classics, so the original-work date versus the Tuttle first-edition date is the key point of confusion.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Charles E. Tuttle Company, Tuttle Publishing, Periplus Editions, Journey Editions, Tut Books. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1948–c.1970 (Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo with Vermont ties): firsts identified by an explicit 'First edition, <year>' or 'First printing, <month year>' statement on the copyright page. Many titles also carry a printing-history block (for example 'First edition, 1958; Second printing, 1959; Third printing, 1959') — the first printing is the topmost or sole entry. No number line in this era; read the block from the top down. c.1970–c.1993: continued use of printing-history blocks and 'First Tuttle edition' statements; some later titles begin introducing a descending number line (lowest figure marks the printing). The Tut Books paperback line carries catalog codes.
Does Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) use a number line?
c.1970–c.1993: continued use of printing-history blocks and 'First Tuttle edition' statements; some later titles begin introducing a descending number line (lowest figure marks the printing). The Tut Books paperback line carries catalog codes.
Is a book-club edition a Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded by Charles E. Tuttle in Occupation-era Tokyo in 1948 (reportedly the 31st company licensed by the Allied administration), drawing on a Vermont family long in printing and antiquarian bookselling; the leading house for Asia-focused English-language books.
What era does this cover?
This covers Tuttle Publishing (Charles E. Tuttle) (1948–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.