First Edition Identification by Publisher — Complete Reference Guide

Why Publisher Practices Matter

There is no universal system for identifying first editions. Every publisher has its own method — some state “First Edition” clearly, others use number lines, others use colophons, and some use no identification at all, requiring collectors to rely on the absence of reprint notices. Understanding these publisher-specific systems is the single most important skill in book collecting, because a misidentified first edition is worthless as a collectible and a correctly identified one may be worth thousands.

This guide covers the major American, British, and international publishers, organized by their identification methods. Practices change over time — a publisher’s 1920s method may differ from their 2020s method — so historical ranges are noted where relevant.

American Publishers

Alfred A. Knopf

The Borzoi colophon: Knopf’s running Borzoi dog appears on the title page and/or copyright page of virtually all Knopf books.

Identification method:

• Pre-1934: “FIRST EDITION” stated on copyright page (removed from subsequent printings)
• 1934–1960s: “FIRST EDITION” stated; also absence of “Second Printing” or later
• 1960s–present: Number line present. First edition = number “1” is the lowest number in the line (e.g., “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0”). Later printings remove the lowest numbers.

Important: The Borzoi colophon appears on ALL Knopf printings, not just firsts. It is not an identification point.

Charles Scribner’s Sons

The Scribner’s “A”: The most famous first-edition identifier in American publishing.

Identification method:

• 1930s–1980s: A capital “A” appears on the copyright page of first printings. The “A” is removed from subsequent printings (which get “B,” “C,” etc., though these are less consistently applied).
• Earlier (pre-1930s): Absence of reprint notices; “Published [month], [year]” without subsequent dates. Example: The Great Gatsby (1925) and The Sun Also Rises (1926) use this method.

The Hemingway-Fitzgerald era: For 1920s Scribner’s books, look for: (a) “Published [date]” on copyright page, (b) absence of “Second Printing” notice, (c) Scribner’s seal (colophon) present, (d) textual points specific to the title.

Random House / Modern Library

Identification method:

• 1960s–present: Number line. First printing = “2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1” or similar (the key is that “1” is present)
• Earlier (1930s–1960s): “FIRST PRINTING” or “First Edition” stated; removed in subsequent printings
• Random House imprints (Ballantine, Del Rey, Bantam, etc.) generally follow the number line system

Viking Press / Viking Penguin

Identification method:

• 1920s–1960s: “First published in [year] by The Viking Press” or “Published [date]” — absence of subsequent printing notices indicates first
• 1960s–present: “First Edition” stated, or number line system adopted
• Penguin (paperback originals): Number line; “First printing, [date]”

Important Steinbeck note: Viking published most Steinbeck novels. The Grapes of Wrath (1939) uses “First Published in April 1939” with “FIRST EDITION” stated.

Houghton Mifflin

Identification method:

• “First Printing” stated on copyright page, with the year
• Removed from subsequent printings
• Consistent practice throughout the 20th century

Key title: The Lord of the Rings US edition (1954–55) — states “First American Edition”

Doubleday & Company

Identification method (notoriously inconsistent):

• Pre-1970s: Often no clear identification. Look for: “FIRST EDITION” on copyright page (not always present); the word “First” in the gutter of page
• Book club editions: Doubleday operated the Literary Guild and Book-of-the-Month Club connections — their BCEs often look identical to trade editions. Check for: no price on jacket flap, blind stamp on rear board, smaller size, cheaper paper

The Doubleday problem: More than any other publisher, Doubleday editions require careful comparison between trade and book club printings. When in doubt, compare with a known first.

Harper & Brothers / Harper & Row / HarperCollins

Identification method:

• Harper & Brothers (pre-1962): First editions typically state “FIRST EDITION” on copyright page; code letters on copyright page indicate printing month and year
• Harper & Row (1962–1990): “FIRST EDITION” stated; number line introduced
• HarperCollins (1990–present): Number line with “1” present

The Harper code: A two-letter code on the copyright page indicates month and year. For example: “B-M” = February, 1962. First letter = month (A=January through M=December, skipping I and J); second letter indicates the year within the publisher’s cycle.

Simon & Schuster

Identification method:

• Number line: “1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2” (if “1” is present = first printing)
• Earlier: “First printing” stated on copyright page
• Colophon: The “sower” figure (man sowing seeds) appears on S&S books

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Identification method:

• Number line: Smallest number present = printing
• Earlier: “First edition, [year]” or “First printing, [year]”
• FSG is consistent and generally collector-friendly in identification

Little, Brown and Company

Identification method:

• “FIRST EDITION” stated on copyright page
• Removed from subsequent printings
• Important: J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (1951) — check for BOMC indicators (no jacket price, smaller format)

G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Identification method:

• Number line (modern era)
• Earlier: Various statements; check for absence of reprint notices

British Publishers

Jonathan Cape

Identification method:

• “First published [year]” on copyright page
• Subsequent printings add “Reprinted [year]” notices
• First edition = only “First published [year]” with no reprint notices

Key authors: Ian Fleming (all Bond novels), Graham Greene, T.E. Lawrence

Faber and Faber

Identification method:

• “First published in [year] by Faber and Faber Limited”
• Subsequent printings add “Second impression [year]” etc.
• First edition = only the “First published” statement

Key authors: T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Sylvia Plath, Seamus Heaney, Kazuo Ishiguro

William Heinemann

Identification method:

• “First published [year]” on copyright page
• Subsequent impressions noted
• Key titles: A Clockwork Orange, many Graham Greene titles, Somerset Maugham

Chatto & Windus

Identification method:

• “First published [year]” or “Published [year]”
• Subsequent printings add notices
• Key title: Brave New World (Aldous Huxley, 1932)

George Allen & Unwin

Identification method:

• “First published in [year]”
• Subsequent impressions: “Second impression [year]” etc.
• Key titles: Tolkien — The Hobbit (1937), The Lord of the Rings (1954–55)

Collins / William Collins / HarperCollins (UK)

Identification method:

• “First published [year]”
• Collins Crime Club (Agatha Christie, etc.) uses the same system
• Watch for book club editions (Collins produced their own)

Secker & Warburg

Identification method:

• “First published in England [year]” or “First published [year]”
• Key title: Nineteen Eighty-Four (George Orwell, 1949)

The Bodley Head / John Lane

Identification method:

• Various; check copyright page for absence of reprint notices
• Key title: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Agatha Christie, 1920)

Victor Gollancz

Identification method:

• Bright yellow jacket (nearly all Gollancz fiction from 1930s onward)
• “First published [year]” with no subsequent notices
• Key authors: Orwell (Down and Out, Burmese Days, Keep the Aspidistra Flying)

The Number Line System

How to Read Number Lines

The number line (also called the “printer’s key” or “printing number line”) is now the standard system for most publishers:

Standard format: 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

• If “1” appears anywhere in the line = first printing
• Second printing: “1” is removed → 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
• Third printing: “2” also removed → 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4

Variations:

• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (sequential)
• 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (reverse)
• Some publishers start removing from the left, others from the right

The rule: The lowest number present equals the printing.

Special Cases

Book Club Editions (BCE)

Detection methods:

The BOMC problem: Book-of-the-Month Club editions of major 20th-century novels are common and often confused with first editions. For titles like The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Catch-22, BCE detection is a critical skill.

University Presses

Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Yale, Harvard, etc.:

• Generally state “First published [year]” or “First edition [year]”
• Academic presses are typically consistent and clear
• Reprints clearly marked

Small Press / Limited Editions

Arkham House, Black Sparrow, City Lights, New Directions:

• Often state print run on colophon page (“This edition limited to 3,000 copies”)
• Number line or “First Edition” statement
• Small press books are often the true first appearances of important works

Quick Reference by Era

Pre-1920

• Most publishers: absence of reprint notices is the only indicator
• “Published [year]” without later dates
• Textual points and binding variants often necessary

1920–1960

• Major publishers begin stating “First Edition” or “First Printing”
• Scribner’s “A” system active
• Knopf states “First Edition”
• UK publishers: “First published [year]“

1960–Present

• Number line system becomes standard
• Most publishers use number line OR statement OR both
• Digital printing complicates matters (print-on-demand)

Practical Protocol

Five-Step Identification

1. Identify the publisher from the title page or copyright page
2. Check the copyright page for edition statements, number lines, or printing notices
3. Look for reprint indicators — any mention of “Second Printing,” “Reprinted,” etc. means it’s NOT a first
4. Check for book club indicators — no price on flap, blind stamp, smaller size
5. Verify textual points — for high-value titles, check the specific identification points known for that book (typos, printing errors, binding variants)