Identifying First Editions from Specific Publishers

The below will probably make more sense if you first read our article about methods of identifying first editions.

Please note: I've concentrated here on publishers that have often offered books by the Beats, small press publishers, and publishers of modern poetry. Information is drawn from various sources, and my own experience.

For publishers not listed here, I'd recommend purchasing a copy of Bill McBride's Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, which is quite comprehensive, and small enough to easily fit in your pocket on book-hunting trips. Buy it at Amazon.com.

• Ace Paperbacks: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Anvil Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Arion Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Atlantic Monthly Press: If no later printings are noted on the copyright page, it is a first edition.
• Big Sky: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page with no additional printings noted.
• Big Table: "First Printing" will appear on the copyright page.
• Black Sparrow Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page. Also, first editions will have more than one color of ink on the title page.
• Breitenbush Books: Number line, must have the "1" present.
• Broadside Press: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page.
• Burning Deck: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Cadmus Editions: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page with no additional printings noted.
• Capra Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Castle Books: "Published" will appear on the copyright page, or, there will be no additional printings noted.
• Chronicle Books: Number line, must have the "1" present. (For books before 1885, there will be no additional printings noted, no number line.)
• City Lights: It's often difficult to determine a City Lights first edition. Later printings are sometimes noted on the copyright page, sometimes on the back cover, sometimes not at all. Sometimes you have to go by the price on the book, the appearance of the book, or other factors. It's best to consult a bibliography or someone with expertise regarding the particular book in question.
• Coffee House Press: Later editions will be noted on the copyright page; printings within an edition are not noted.
• Copper Canyon Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Crossing Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Dalkey Archive: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page, or there will be no additional printings noted.
• Delacorte Press: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page.
• Dustbooks: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page, or there will be no additional printings noted.
• Ecco Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Empty Bowl: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Four Seasons Foundation: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Four Walls Eight Windows: "First Edition" & "First Printing" will appear on the copyright page.
• Grey Fox Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page. "First Edition" will sometimes appear on the copyright page.
• Grove Press: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page. Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Hanging Loose Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Hill and Wang: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Jargon: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Kayak: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• New Directions: Like City Lights, New Directions has not used a consistent method of identifying first editions. Paperback books will usually note later printings on the back cover. Hardcovers are more difficult to identify. Sometimes the printing was indicated on only the dustjacket. Recent ones will often indicate a later printing on the copyright page. It's best to consult a bibliography or someone with expertise regarding the particular book in question.
• New Rivers Press: Check the colophon page for the edition and printing.
• North Point Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Oyez: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Pantheon Books:
• Paragon House: "Published" or "First Edition" must appear on the copyright page, with a number line. Number line, must have the "1" present.
• Penguin: "First Published" will appear on the copyright page.
• Phoenix Book Shop: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• The Poet's Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page, or on the title page.
• Quicksilver/Quartermoon Press: All publications are first editions.
• Random House: Random House number lines only go down to 2. A first edition will have a number line going down to two and will state "First Edition." For the second printing the First Edition statement will not be present, and the number line will go down to 2. A third printing will have a number line going down to 3, etc.
• Sand Dollar: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Second Coming Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Something Else Press: The dates on the title page and copyright pages must match, with no additional printings noted.
• Station Hill: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page, or there will be no additional printings noted.
• Stonehill: "First Printing" will appear on the copyright page.
• Talisman House: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Talonbooks: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Thunder's Mouth Press: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page.
• Totem/Corinth: It's difficult to identify a first edition from this publisher. One can note when the books advertised in the back of the book were published and make a deduction from there, but the best thing to do would be to consult a bibliography.
• Turtle Island Foundation: Later printings will be noted on the copyright page
• Villard Books: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page, or, will have a number line, with the "1" present.
• Water Row Books: "First Edition" will appear on the copyright page.

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Many more articles about 1st. eds. & book collecting can be found in our index of Book Collecting Articles. Please email Denise if you have a suggestion for this page.