How to identify a first printing
- Launched 2004 as MBI Publishing's military-history imprint (sister to Motorbooks and Voyageur Press): descending number line on the copyright page, lowest digit present indicating the printing, so a line containing '1' indicates a first printing. Many titles also carry a 'First published in [year]' statement.
- After the 2007 acquisition by Quayside (part of the Quarto Group), the MBI sister imprints continued the same number-line house convention.
- Revised or expanded editions are stated explicitly and reset the number line; check the 'First published' line, since co-editions and licensed reprints occur.
Notable points & cautions
- Military-history counterpart to Motorbooks within the same MBI family (Motorbooks, Voyageur Press, Zenith Press), sharing production conventions; founded under Richard Kane, formerly of Presidio Press.
- Not related to the older 'Zenith' radio/electronics name — this is the MBI/Quarto military imprint.
- Co-editions and licensed reprints occur, so verify the 'First published' line for a true first printing.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Zenith Press (military history / military and civil aviation), MBI Publishing sister imprints: Motorbooks and Voyageur Press. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Launched 2004 as MBI Publishing's military-history imprint (sister to Motorbooks and Voyageur Press): descending number line on the copyright page, lowest digit present indicating the printing, so a line containing '1' indicates a first printing. Many titles also carry a 'First published in [year]' statement. After the 2007 acquisition by Quayside (part of the Quarto Group), the MBI sister imprints continued the same number-line house convention.
Does Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint use a number line?
After the 2007 acquisition by Quayside (part of the Quarto Group), the MBI sister imprints continued the same number-line house convention.
Is a book-club edition a Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Military-history counterpart to Motorbooks within the same MBI family (Motorbooks, Voyageur Press, Zenith Press), sharing production conventions; founded under Richard Kane, formerly of Presidio Press.
What era does this cover?
This covers Zenith Press / Zenith Imprint (2004-c.2018 (Zenith Press imprint name)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.