How to identify a first printing
- 1872-c.1980: John B. West began publishing in St. Paul in 1872, and the firm was incorporated as West Publishing Company in 1882; it became the dominant US legal publisher (National Reporter System, American Digest with the Key Number System, Black's Law Dictionary from 1891). Law books are identified by EDITION, not by first-printing points: each new edition supersedes the prior, so the title-page or spine edition statement ('First Edition,' '5th ed.') is the unit. Reporters and digests are identified by SERIES and VOLUME number. A first printing = the edition statement plus the absence of a later-printing notice.
- c.1980-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but for hornbooks, nutshells, casebooks, and treatises the EDITION number governs identification and value. Pocket-part supplements update editions between revisions, so a complete copy includes the current pocket parts.
- Corporate eras: West Publishing, then West Group (1996), then Thomson West after Thomson's 1996 acquisition, then Thomson Reuters (2008), with West Academic Publishing carrying the student-aid lines (partly divested in 2014). The imprint name on the copyright page dates the printing era.
Notable points & cautions
- Hornbook, Nutshell, and American Casebook series are the flagship student lines.
- Black's Law Dictionary (1st ed. 1891, by Henry Campbell Black, St. Paul) — the edition number is the key collecting point, and very early editions are scarce.
- Law-book collecting centers on edition currency and completeness (pocket parts), not first-printing points.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: West Publishing, West Group, Thomson West, Thomson Reuters / West, West Academic Publishing, Foundation Press (acquired), Hornbook Series, Nutshell Series, American Casebook Series, Black's Law Dictionary. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my West Publishing Company (law) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1872-c.1980: John B. West began publishing in St. Paul in 1872, and the firm was incorporated as West Publishing Company in 1882; it became the dominant US legal publisher (National Reporter System, American Digest with the Key Number System, Black's Law Dictionary from 1891). Law books are identified by EDITION, not by first-printing points: each new edition supersedes the prior, so the title-page or spine edition statement ('First Edition,' '5th ed.') is the unit. Reporters and digests are identified by SERIES and VOLUME number. A first printing = the edition statement plus the absence of a later-printing notice. c.1980-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but for hornbooks, nutshells, casebooks, and treatises the EDITION number governs identification and value. Pocket-part supplements update editions between revisions, so a complete copy includes the current pocket parts.
Does West Publishing Company (law) use a number line?
c.1980-present: A number line may appear on the copyright page (lowest digit = printing), but for hornbooks, nutshells, casebooks, and treatises the EDITION number governs identification and value. Pocket-part supplements update editions between revisions, so a complete copy includes the current pocket parts.
Is a book-club edition a West Publishing Company (law) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Hornbook, Nutshell, and American Casebook series are the flagship student lines.
What era does this cover?
This covers West Publishing Company (law) (1872-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.