The fastest check: Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing
How to identify a first printing
- Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing
- A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing lines
- Later printings add an impression or printing statement
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
- Established 1940 by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees; lists in Appalachian studies, Southern history, African American studies, and material culture
- Older titles may lack explicit first-printing wording, so apply the usual academic-press caveat and corroborate with bibliographic detail
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my University of Tennessee Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Modern titles carry a descending number line on the copyright page; the digit 1 present indicates a first printing A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing lines
Does University of Tennessee Press use a number line?
A first printing shows a copyright page free of later-printing lines
Is a book-club edition a University of Tennessee Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Established 1940 by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees; lists in Appalachian studies, Southern history, African American studies, and material culture
What era does this cover?
This covers University of Tennessee Press (1940-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.