Identifying first editions the new antiquarian the blog. How to tell if you have a harry potter first edition set and. Ladybird books how to identify first editions ladybird. Book collectors frequently ask how can i identify a first edition of a book. Identify first editions books abookman, a book man, book. Seuss first edition books for many years prior to the publication of the youngerhirsch book, and in the process had compiled our own list of points to help us identify many of the older first edition books. General guidelines for identifying a first edition.
First edition most often refers to the first commercial publication of a work between its own covers, even if it was first printed in a periodical. First edition copies state first edition on the page and the number sequence will be 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3. Adam blakeney, senior specialist in modern literature at peter harrington explains how to identify first editions. Sometimes publishers include the words first edition next. A true first edition will be free of a small debossed square or circle near the bottom next to the spine. Could you become a successful antiques and collectables dealer. When asked about identifying first editions, james gannon, who oversees rare books for heritage auctions, shared that each publisher marked first editions differently. So if you ask the printer to print 10,000 copies of a book and then you sell them all and go back and ask for another 7,500 copies, the first 10,000 copies was the first printing. To confuse matters, a first state is a term for the first printed form a book takes each state referring to a minor change or group of changes to the type or paper.
In this example, the book is technically a first edition but fourth printing or fourth state. Print runs are a way for collectors to identify which first edition is truly the earliest version of the book to exist in the world. In collecting terms, a general definition of 1st edition book would be a works first commercially available appearance in. If no changes are made to the book, such as a new chapter, a new preface by the author, etc.
At first this can become somewhat confusing because when a book becomes very popular and is often reprinted many times over a number. The vast majority of first editions published before 1900 had the year of publication on the title page this is true for fiction and nonfiction titles. How to identify first editions and care for old books. I share some examples to hight a few very basic rules that can be helpful to identifying them. Identifying first editions the new antiquarian the blog of the. Nov 08, 2012 the string of numbers can be descending, as it is here, ascending, or in totally random order. Verify the book s date using barry neavills dating key. For example, random house did use, until roughly 2003, the words first edition in place of the number 1. Trim size is given because book club editions are often smaller than trade editions. Edition a guide to identify points of issue for first. Identify a first edition book guide to first editions millersmiles.
Since the modern library series was founded in 1917, it has always had a distinctive colophon, which may also be helpful in first edition identification. Jun 03, 2014 could you become a successful antiques and collectables dealer. Remember that even if the lowest number is 2, 3, or whatever, if the publisher is still. The idea is to get the book as it appeared in the bookstores the day it was released, says john larson, specialist in 19th and 20thcentury literature at swann auction galleries. Our guide to first edition books will help you to identify a first edition and can find resources to help you further with identifying the edition of a book. A general rule is that if the number 1 is listed, the book is a first edition. As the book series grew in popularity the later books were printed by the millions even on the first print run, so for the final books in. In the world of book collecting, a first edition is generally considered to be the first appearance of a work, in its first printing. Lately, first edition has become widely accepted tto mean first edition, first printing when buying or selling books although, technically speaking, it shouldnt be. Many modern first editions indicate they are later printings by dropping one of the numbers in a number sequence on the page.
There are many ways that publishers identify their books as a first edition. Books to identify first editions and help the book seller in the book collecting world, there are exceptions to the exceptions, and many publishers indicated first edition in their own unique way. Thus you could see the words first edition on a book with the number starting at 4 or d. Generally speaking, a first printing will have the same isbn as all subsequent printings, unless the book changes publishers, formats, or is reissued with some hoopla. To check books without first edition slugs, use the article stalking the unmarked first. In many cases, the points will include photographs of the book s essential identifying points.
The best site on the net for info on rare stephen king books. Make sure that a book that does have a first edition slug hasnt carried the slug forward beyond the first printing by checking the table presented in the article false firsts. Another note here on the use of the term first edition. A very basic description of first edition, according to, would be the first appearance of a work in question. If there are two or more books described as a first edition, then a collector will want to know which one is superior. Positively identifying first editions from later editions in the shortest possible time. To a publisher, all printings within an edition are the first edition. Find out how to tell if a book is a first edition with this handy. You first must determine what edition you have as most prices quoted are for first editions only. In this example, the lowest number is 1, so i have a first edition, first printing. When we were young remembering the first book we loved. First edition identification by publisher ag book collecting tips. The majority of booksellers and collectors want the true first edition the edition of the book that supersedes all other editions chronologically and sometimes detective work is required to.
A recent search on abebooks where 15,000 book dealers listed their books, search of first edition copies of wonderful wizard of oz returns only 15 copies for sale see the first photo and as can be seen on the second image we. Collectors use the term first edition to mean first edition, 1st state. You must determine what condition the book is in as mint, fine, good, poor or junk. Welcome to bookpoi the first comprehensive free online guide dedicated to identifying first edition books, as well as collectible and rare books. To publishers, a first edition is the first version of a book before changes are made forewords added, afterwords added, typos corrected, whatever. Book collecting guide identifying and collecting first editions. Firstly its important to establish what actually constitutes a harry potter first edition. In many cases, the points will include photographs of the books essential identifying points. Collectors distinguish between a first edition the first printing of a book and a modern first edition which moreorless applies to books printed.
Print runs are the set number of copies of the book printed at one time. On each of the web pages, the title of the book links to its first edition identification points. If the publisher prints more copies of the identical book, those are not first editions. The book is only described as a second edition if significant changes are made to the copy. You can have a large print run or a small print runits completely up to the publisher, and generally speaking the size of a. There are exceptions so check the list of publishers. Although it is sometimes confusing, there are certain things to look for when trying to identify a rare book. If you buy, sell or collect books, these should be your first investment. Over the years there have been thousands of publishers, each using various methods for distinguishing a first edition.
Collecting, identifying, and valuing first edition childrens. The introduction explains the background and the problems encountered when trying to identify first edition ladybird books. Collecting, identifying, and valuing first edition dr. Our collection of first edition oz books exceeds all of the antique book dealers combine. The numeral 1 will be removed for a second printing. Since the modern library series was founded in 1917, it has always had a distinctive colophon, which may also be helpful in.
How to identify first editions or a first printing of harry. The following books will arm you with years of knowledge found nowhere else. The beginners guide to identifying first editions book riot. How to easily identify a modern first edition book youtube. The book collectors definition is the first printing of the first edition. A book is very hard to value without seeing it as one persons mint might be another persons poor.
A first edition is a book that has been printed and distributed for the first. Another common method of identification is the number line thats. The presence of a date on the title page alone may identify books published prior to the mid1800s as first editions. Can a first edition of a book be identified by its isbn. First edition criteria and points to identify in cold blood. If a book is a first edition it will carry the notice first publishedfirst published in great britian 19if it is a reprint or a second or subsequent edition the original notice will be followed by reprinted 19 or second edition 19 as appropriate. The majority of booksellers and collectors want the true first edition the edition of the book that supersedes all other editions chronologically and sometimes detective work is required to identify the true first. The first edition statement was occasionally left out in subsequent printings, but the presence of laterpublished titles within the book may help to identify it as a later edition. How to tell if a book is a first edition or valuable book riot.
Many books have additional printings, even first editions may have later dates that are not true first editions and will affect value. Firstedition identification by publisher ag in the case of titles published before 1900, the key to firstedition identification is often the date on the title page. Most collectors prize the first edition, first printing because it was the way the book first appeared. The first edition continues until the book is changed. Seuss, caldecott award, and other key childrens picturebooks at the rate of two to three per week. This list is included in the childrens picturebook price guide. The specifics of a identifying a particular books first printing often benefits from the use of reference books, but there are some basic things to look for. A time to kill a guide to identify points of issue for. How to tell if you have a harry potter first edition. Just because a book is a first edition, which is the very first printing of a book, does not make it rare. Abebooks explains how to identify a first edition book youtube. All following statements 1976, 1981, and 1988 are essentially the same.
Thus a random house book before about 2003 stating first edition starting with the number 2 is a first edition, first state book. This is the first trade edition page for in cold blood. You can search for first editions and limited editions of a time to kill on, and. A new version of the book is then typeset, which becomes the second edition. A time to kill a novel of retribution by john grisham identifying first edition points of issue. In publishing terms, a first edition book is all copies that were printed from the same setting of type as when first published. First edition identification by publisher ag in the case of titles published before 1900, the key to first edition identification is often the date on the title page. First edition identification would be an easy task if there were only one publishing house and they remained consistent in their printing methods over the years, but alas this is far from the case. How to identify first editions or a first printing of a book.
The publisher may actually state the words first edition or first printing on the page. Edition and printing can be used fairly interchangeably in talking about collectible books, especially in regard to modern fiction. But publishers are the only ones who use the term that way. Our intention is to post first edition points for dr. To identify what printing you have, look for the lowest number in the string. Are the books on your shelves or in your grandparents attic worth something. An extremely useful book for book collectors or sellers giving the identification metods of publishers to identify first editions of their books covering from the late 20s to 2000. You will find an ever growing list of book titles and their important points of issue, as well as author, illustrator and editor bibliographies and biographies and book publisher information on this site. Down our ebook how to make a serious second income buying and selling collectables and find o. Many publishers use the term first edition to mean a book reprinted without changes.
As weve mentioned elsewhere, first edition means the first printing of a book. Over the years there have been thousands of publishers, each using various methods for distinguishing a. Oct 03, 2019 print runs are a way for collectors to identify which first edition is truly the earliest version of the book to exist in the world. The book is quarter bound in black cloth with black boards. The reference guide a pocket guide to the identification of first editions is an excellent pocket guide for the book buyer, the book collector, and the book seller who is interested in knowing the number lines and the lettering systems used by different publishers both past and present in order to identify true first editions of books. But a first edition, first state is more desired and valuable among collectors, as a first edition usually is closest to the most original source. The string of numbers can be descending, as it is here, ascending, or in totally random order. The firstedition statement was occasionally left out in subsequent printings, but the presence of laterpublished titles within the book may help to identify it as a later edition.
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