How to Identify a Ward, Lock & Co. First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• Largely a popular, reprint and reference house: confirm whether Ward, Lock issued a title first or is reprinting it; many 'editions' are later impressions of cheap series.
• No formal edition statement on early firsts: use the title-page date, the absence of a later-printing notice, and the partnership style (Ward & Lock 1854– ; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co. from 1873; Ward, Lock & Bowden from 1893) to date a printing.
• Dated advertisements / catalogue at the rear (the firm's catalogues are extensive) help pin the printing order.
• Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet first appeared in Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887 (issued November 1887); the first separate book edition is July 1888. The annual is the true first appearance and a famous, near-unobtainable point-book — beware later facsimiles.

Notable points & cautions

• Published Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887, containing the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes (A Study in Scarlet) — one of the rarest objects in modern collecting.
• Acquired the Beeton list in 1866, gaining Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, and many illustrated, reference and guidebook series.
• The imprint changed repeatedly (Ward & Lock; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co.; Ward, Lock & Bowden from 1893) — useful for dating.
• Predominantly popular reprints, so default to 'later edition' unless priority or first-appearance is established.

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Ward & Lock (from 1854), Ward, Lock & Tyler (1865–1873), Ward, Lock & Co. (1873 onward), Ward, Lock & Bowden (from 1893), Beeton imprints (acquired 1866). Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Ward, Lock & Co. book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. Largely a popular, reprint and reference house: confirm whether Ward, Lock issued a title first or is reprinting it; many 'editions' are later impressions of cheap series. No formal edition statement on early firsts: use the title-page date, the absence of a later-printing notice, and the partnership style (Ward & Lock 1854– ; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co. from 1873; Ward, Lock & Bowden from 1893) to date a printing.

Does Ward, Lock & Co. use a number line?

No formal edition statement on early firsts: use the title-page date, the absence of a later-printing notice, and the partnership style (Ward & Lock 1854– ; Ward, Lock & Tyler 1865–1873; Ward, Lock & Co. from 1873; Ward, Lock & Bowden from 1893) to date a printing.

Is a book-club edition a Ward, Lock & Co. first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Published Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887, containing the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes (A Study in Scarlet) — one of the rarest objects in modern collecting.

What era does this cover?

This covers Ward, Lock & Co. (1854–20th c. (this slice = 19th c.)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.