How to identify a first printing
- PRIMARY METHOD (the convention omits this): World Publishing typically printed a code on the TITLE PAGE indicating impression and print date. A first printing shows a bare code such as 'WP 9-50' (= printed Sept 1950; actual publication often 1-2 months later). Variants include 'WP363', 'FD566', 'BPWP865'.
- Later printings are signaled by a NUMBER PREFIXED to that title-page code, e.g. '3HC1058' = 3rd printing, printed Oct 1958. Absence of a leading number on the code supports a first printing.
- Some titles also state 'First Edition' or 'First Printing' on the copyright page (per Quill & Brush), so a copyright-page statement CAN corroborate a first — but it is secondary to and should be cross-checked against the title-page code; do not rely on copyright-page statements alone.
- Confirm the title is a World ORIGINAL, not a reprint: most Tower Books and Forum Books titles are reprints. (Known Tower Books first-edition exceptions: Raymond Chandler's 'Red Wind' and 'Spanish Blood', marked 'First Printing (Month, Year)'.)
- Treat the claim that 'later titles adopted a number line with 1 present' as UNVERIFIED/likely incorrect for World — no evidence found that World used a Scribner/Random-House-style number line; the leading-digit title-page code was its later-printing signal.
Notable points & cautions
- Cleveland-based (later added a New York office); best known for affordable reprint lines — Tower Books (1940, 49-cent hardcovers) and Forum Books (1942, low-priced reprints) — and for Webster's New World Dictionary (first ed. 1951/1953). Distinguish reprint imprints from true trade firsts.
- Because much of World's output was reprints, Bibles, and reference, confirm a title was a World ORIGINAL before applying first-edition logic.
- Acquired by The Times Mirror Company in 1962; sold to Collins (UK) in 1974; in 1980 Collins broke up World — dictionary line to Simon & Schuster, children's line to Putnam, Bible division to Riverside — dispersing the trade list.
- House practice is less rigorously documented than marquee firms and the title-page printing code is the most reliable World-specific signal — verify points title-by-title, cross-referencing the code, copyright page, and a reference such as McBride or Quill & Brush.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: World, Tower Books, Forum Books, Meridian Books, Rainbow Classics. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my The World Publishing Company book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. PRIMARY METHOD (the convention omits this): World Publishing typically printed a code on the TITLE PAGE indicating impression and print date. A first printing shows a bare code such as 'WP 9-50' (= printed Sept 1950; actual publication often 1-2 months later). Variants include 'WP363', 'FD566', 'BPWP865'. Later printings are signaled by a NUMBER PREFIXED to that title-page code, e.g. '3HC1058' = 3rd printing, printed Oct 1958. Absence of a leading number on the code supports a first printing.
Does The World Publishing Company use a number line?
Later printings are signaled by a NUMBER PREFIXED to that title-page code, e.g. '3HC1058' = 3rd printing, printed Oct 1958. Absence of a leading number on the code supports a first printing.
Is a book-club edition a The World Publishing Company first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Cleveland-based (later added a New York office); best known for affordable reprint lines — Tower Books (1940, 49-cent hardcovers) and Forum Books (1942, low-priced reprints) — and for Webster's New World Dictionary (first ed. 1951/1953). Distinguish reprint imprints from true trade firsts.
What era does this cover?
This covers The World Publishing Company (1905-1980s). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.