theOZer
01-02-2010, 11:27 AM
What is a book First Edition versus First Print of the Trade Edition? What is a Limited Edition, First Trade Edition or, better yet, a First Hardcover Edition? I mean, what?!!? Why, check the Verso. The Verso of the Title page, called the Verso here, is the back side of the title page leaf and is more commonly known as the copyright page or edition notice page.
The way theOZer sees it (see disclaimer at bottom):
A true FIRST EDITION has FIRST EDITION clearly printed on a separate line on the Verso.
The same is true for First Trade Editions and First Hardcover Editions. I don’t know if this rule applies to Limited Editions and/or a First Edition that is the limited edition, also.A book may be a first printing of the Trade Edition but that does not make it a First Edition.
FIRST EDITION is a formal separate first printing and stated as such. A First Edition with no Printer’s Key was only printed once, period. If a First Edition also has a Printer’s Key on the Verso then the number 1 must be in the numbers rule applies if the book is from the first printed lot.
FIRST TRADE EDITION is the formal first printing of the Trade Edition and is a separate printing before subsequent Trade Edition printings. A signed Limited Edition and/or a First Edition printing may precede a First Trade Edition.
LIMITED EDITION printings are printed in small lots, normally on better book stock and released at a private event. The author receives the ‘first copy’ (THE association copy; other association copies may exist). Author signed copies become dedication copies or presentation copies; these are THE copies to collect if you can afford them.
FIRST PRINT or FIRST PRINTING is the first printing of an edition. This is not the FIRST EDITION, per se, just the first lot printed of this edition. The public release is known as the Trade Edition. ALL Trade Editions have a Printer’s Key on the Verso. The Trade Edition’s first lot’s printing has the number 1 in the Printer's Key number series, normally listed 1 to 10 or 10 to 1 inclusive, but does not have the distinct words FIRST EDITION printed on a separate line anywhere on the Verso.
FIRST HARDCOVER EDITION is the first Trade Hardcover Edition printing of a book previously only published in paperback.
Book Club Editions or BCEs:
BCEs cannot FIRST EDITIONs be; BCEs cannot be, just aren't, first editions, too.
BCEs have no price anywhere on the DJ back or flaps, period.
Not all BCEs have Book Club Edition printed anywhere on the DJ and/or on the Verso.
Most BCEs do not have a ISBN printed on the Verso page, nor anywhere on the DJ.
Most BCEs do not have a Printer's Key on the Verso.
ALL 'Store Bought' (versus Book Club Edition) books have a price on the DJ back and/or the DJ inside front flap. Some stores clip the price off the DJ flap if the book is to be given as a gift, but, Seconds and/or Misprints (by law) have the price clipped on the DJ flap; seconds are sold at a discount to booksellers; a known Second should be noted when you sell a book; you won't find a price clipped book being sold at Barnes & Noble. So, watch out. Before buying look close at the book's condition if a book's price has been clipped off on the DJ flap. Only a store bought book can be a First Edition, or a First Trade Edition, or a Trade Edition First Print, for that matter.
Not all books have a Limited Edition printing. Not all books have an initial First Edition printing. Few books, following the First Edition (and/or Limited Edition), have a second separate special edition, aka First Trade Edition, before the public release Trade Edition.
Not all novels are released initially in hard cover and can only be found in a BCE hard cover if that's what you're looking for. Shy away from BCEs if you're building a collection.
Never accept an Amazon or eBay 'First Edition' purchase that turns out to be a flippin' BCE. And, make sure a first edition is a FIRST EDITION and not a First Print if you are paying good money and expecting a true FIRST EDITION to show up in the mail. Before buying a supposed First Edition contact the seller and ask if FIRST EDITION is indeed on a separate line on the Verso.
If you can't find a First Edition then a Trade Edition First Print is the next best thing and settle for nothing less if you are building a collection.
Ciao, theOZer
TWtOrSI#1: Check the Verso
The first in the 'The Way theOZer Sees It' FYI series.
[disclaimer: I don’t know shit.]
The way theOZer sees it (see disclaimer at bottom):
A true FIRST EDITION has FIRST EDITION clearly printed on a separate line on the Verso.
The same is true for First Trade Editions and First Hardcover Editions. I don’t know if this rule applies to Limited Editions and/or a First Edition that is the limited edition, also.A book may be a first printing of the Trade Edition but that does not make it a First Edition.
FIRST EDITION is a formal separate first printing and stated as such. A First Edition with no Printer’s Key was only printed once, period. If a First Edition also has a Printer’s Key on the Verso then the number 1 must be in the numbers rule applies if the book is from the first printed lot.
FIRST TRADE EDITION is the formal first printing of the Trade Edition and is a separate printing before subsequent Trade Edition printings. A signed Limited Edition and/or a First Edition printing may precede a First Trade Edition.
LIMITED EDITION printings are printed in small lots, normally on better book stock and released at a private event. The author receives the ‘first copy’ (THE association copy; other association copies may exist). Author signed copies become dedication copies or presentation copies; these are THE copies to collect if you can afford them.
FIRST PRINT or FIRST PRINTING is the first printing of an edition. This is not the FIRST EDITION, per se, just the first lot printed of this edition. The public release is known as the Trade Edition. ALL Trade Editions have a Printer’s Key on the Verso. The Trade Edition’s first lot’s printing has the number 1 in the Printer's Key number series, normally listed 1 to 10 or 10 to 1 inclusive, but does not have the distinct words FIRST EDITION printed on a separate line anywhere on the Verso.
FIRST HARDCOVER EDITION is the first Trade Hardcover Edition printing of a book previously only published in paperback.
Book Club Editions or BCEs:
BCEs cannot FIRST EDITIONs be; BCEs cannot be, just aren't, first editions, too.
BCEs have no price anywhere on the DJ back or flaps, period.
Not all BCEs have Book Club Edition printed anywhere on the DJ and/or on the Verso.
Most BCEs do not have a ISBN printed on the Verso page, nor anywhere on the DJ.
Most BCEs do not have a Printer's Key on the Verso.
ALL 'Store Bought' (versus Book Club Edition) books have a price on the DJ back and/or the DJ inside front flap. Some stores clip the price off the DJ flap if the book is to be given as a gift, but, Seconds and/or Misprints (by law) have the price clipped on the DJ flap; seconds are sold at a discount to booksellers; a known Second should be noted when you sell a book; you won't find a price clipped book being sold at Barnes & Noble. So, watch out. Before buying look close at the book's condition if a book's price has been clipped off on the DJ flap. Only a store bought book can be a First Edition, or a First Trade Edition, or a Trade Edition First Print, for that matter.
Not all books have a Limited Edition printing. Not all books have an initial First Edition printing. Few books, following the First Edition (and/or Limited Edition), have a second separate special edition, aka First Trade Edition, before the public release Trade Edition.
Not all novels are released initially in hard cover and can only be found in a BCE hard cover if that's what you're looking for. Shy away from BCEs if you're building a collection.
Never accept an Amazon or eBay 'First Edition' purchase that turns out to be a flippin' BCE. And, make sure a first edition is a FIRST EDITION and not a First Print if you are paying good money and expecting a true FIRST EDITION to show up in the mail. Before buying a supposed First Edition contact the seller and ask if FIRST EDITION is indeed on a separate line on the Verso.
If you can't find a First Edition then a Trade Edition First Print is the next best thing and settle for nothing less if you are building a collection.
Ciao, theOZer
TWtOrSI#1: Check the Verso
The first in the 'The Way theOZer Sees It' FYI series.
[disclaimer: I don’t know shit.]