How to identify a first printing
- Colophon-driven: most UDP books carry a rear colophon that states the edition size (often 'printed in an edition of N copies') and frequently a printing statement; the colophon is the primary identifier.
- Letterpress covers and handmade elements are characteristic, and many editions are limited, with the colophon giving the print run.
- Trade offset titles may carry a number line, where the lowest digit is the printing; chapbooks and full-length books are typically single-state.
Notable points & cautions
- Volunteer-run nonprofit editorial collective in Brooklyn that grew out of a 1990s zine; has published well over 500 titles (catalog now in the mid-500s).
- A craft and letterpress house, so identification lives in the colophon rather than a number line.
- Limited or numbered states exist for many titles; a numbered colophon copy is a distinct collectible from any unnumbered trade state, and the colophon disambiguates titles that exist in multiple physical states.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Lost Literature Series, Eastern European Poets Series, Dossier Series, Señal (with BOMB / Libros Antena). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Ugly Duckling Presse book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Colophon-driven: most UDP books carry a rear colophon that states the edition size (often 'printed in an edition of N copies') and frequently a printing statement; the colophon is the primary identifier. Letterpress covers and handmade elements are characteristic, and many editions are limited, with the colophon giving the print run.
Does Ugly Duckling Presse use a number line?
Letterpress covers and handmade elements are characteristic, and many editions are limited, with the colophon giving the print run.
Is a book-club edition a Ugly Duckling Presse first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Volunteer-run nonprofit editorial collective in Brooklyn that grew out of a 1990s zine; has published well over 500 titles (catalog now in the mid-500s).
What era does this cover?
This covers Ugly Duckling Presse (1993-present (books from late 1990s)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.