What Does 'First Thus' Mean in Book Collecting?

“First thus” is a bookselling term meaning “the first edition in this particular form” — the first appearance of a previously published text in a new format, with a new publisher, with new illustrations, in a new binding, or with some other distinguishing feature that makes it a “first” of something, even though it is not the first edition of the text itself. The term is a useful shorthand that acknowledges both the novelty of the specific edition and the fact that the text has been published before.

Common Uses

First Paperback Edition

When a book originally published in hardcover is issued in paperback for the first time, the paperback is described as “first thus” — the first paperback edition, but not the first edition of the text.

Example: The Catcher in the Rye was first published in hardcover by Little, Brown (1951). The first Signet paperback edition (1953) is “first thus” — the first mass-market paperback, with a new cover design.

First Edition by a New Publisher

When a book changes publishers and is reissued, the new publisher’s edition is “first thus.”

Example: A novel originally published by Scribner is reissued by Penguin. The Penguin edition is “first thus.”

First Illustrated Edition

When a previously published text is issued for the first time with illustrations, the illustrated edition is “first thus.”

Example: A novel originally published without illustrations is reissued with woodcuts by a noted artist. The illustrated edition is “first thus” — the first edition with these illustrations.

First Edition in a Different Language

A translation is sometimes described as “first thus” — the first edition in that language. More precisely, it should be called the “first [language] edition” (e.g., “first English edition”).

First Collected Edition

When a story, poem, or essay previously published in periodicals or anthologies is collected for the first time in book form, the collection is “first thus” — the first book appearance.

How “First Thus” Affects Value

A “first thus” is generally less valuable than the true first edition but may have its own collecting significance:

Much less valuable than the first edition when the “first thus” is merely a reprint by a new publisher with no distinguishing features.

Potentially significant when the edition has notable features:

• New illustrations by an important artist
• A significant new introduction by a notable writer
• The first appearance in a particular format (e.g., the first paperback of a famous novel)
• A limited or special edition

Sometimes more desirable than the first edition in specific cases:

• The first English-language edition of a work originally published in another language may be more desirable to English-speaking collectors than the true first in the original language
• An illustrated edition with celebrated illustrations may be the primary collecting target

Examples in Practice

The Folio Society editions. Folio Society editions of classic texts are “first thus” — they are not the first editions of the texts but are the first editions in the distinctive Folio Society format, often with new illustrations.

Penguin Classics. The first Penguin Classics edition of a work is “first thus” — the first appearance in the Penguin Classics series.

Franklin Library and Easton Press. These leather-bound collector’s editions of classic works are “first thus” — new editions in distinctive bindings. Some include signed pages by living authors.

The Honesty of “First Thus”

“First thus” is an honest term — it explicitly signals that this is not the first edition of the text. Booksellers who describe a book as “first thus” are being transparent about what the book is and is not. It is a term of accuracy, not evasion.

Collectors should be wary of listings that describe a “first thus” as simply “first edition” — this is technically true (it is the first edition in this form) but is misleading if the buyer expects the first edition of the text.

First Thus as a Collecting Strategy

Some collectors deliberately focus on “first thus” editions rather than true first editions. This can be a shrewd strategy:

Cost advantage. A first Penguin Classics edition of a Dickens novel costs a tiny fraction of the true first serialization in parts. For collectors who want to hold significant editions of canonical works without spending tens of thousands of dollars, “first thus” editions offer access at manageable prices.

Aesthetic appeal. Some “first thus” editions are more beautiful than the true firsts. A Folio Society edition with commissioned illustrations may be more visually striking than a plain cloth-bound first edition. Heritage Press editions with Maillol or Dwiggins typography may be more pleasing objects than the original trade editions.

Completeness. Building a complete set of Everyman’s Library editions, Limited Editions Club publications, or Penguin Modern Classics is a legitimate and satisfying collecting goal that does not require true first editions.

”First Thus” vs. “First Edition” — A Value Comparison

To illustrate the value difference between true firsts and “first thus” editions:

The ratios vary enormously, but the pattern is consistent: true first editions command dramatic premiums over “first thus” editions. The term “first thus” honestly communicates this distinction and protects buyers from misunderstanding what they are purchasing.