How to Identify a Vanguard Press First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• No printing statement on first editions; Vanguard had no 'First Edition' designation and sometimes even failed to note subsequent printings, so absence of a printing statement is the chief (weak) indicator for pre-1970s titles.
• From the 1970s onward: Vanguard instituted a number row (number line) on the copyright page; a sequence containing '1' indicates a first printing.
• The number row may have been abandoned for some titles in the mid-1980s, so for that period rely again on the absence of a later-printing statement.
• Identification is copyright-page based ONLY; Vanguard does NOT use a number at the foot of the last page. High-spot titles (Dr. Seuss, early Joyce Carol Oates) should be confirmed against a title-specific bibliography rather than a generic publisher rule.

Notable points & cautions

• Vanguard does NOT share the foot-of-last-page parenthetical numbering convention — that is D. Appleton & Co.'s method ('(1)' = first printing at the foot of the last page), not Vanguard's. Vanguard's points are on the copyright page.
• Published the first books of Dr. Seuss (And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 1937; The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, 1938) and Joyce Carol Oates's early work (her first book plus ~20 more, including the 1970 National Book Award novel them) — high-spot titles warrant title-level verification.
• Sold to Random House in October 1988 after 62 years as an independent house (founded 1926, originally with Garland Fund backing).

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Vanguard Press. Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Vanguard Press book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. No printing statement on first editions; Vanguard had no 'First Edition' designation and sometimes even failed to note subsequent printings, so absence of a printing statement is the chief (weak) indicator for pre-1970s titles. From the 1970s onward: Vanguard instituted a number row (number line) on the copyright page; a sequence containing '1' indicates a first printing.

Does Vanguard Press use a number line?

From the 1970s onward: Vanguard instituted a number row (number line) on the copyright page; a sequence containing '1' indicates a first printing.

Is a book-club edition a Vanguard Press first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Vanguard does NOT share the foot-of-last-page parenthetical numbering convention — that is D. Appleton & Co.'s method ('(1)' = first printing at the foot of the last page), not Vanguard's. Vanguard's points are on the copyright page.

What era does this cover?

This covers Vanguard Press (1926-1988). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.