A collector's glossary

Advance reading copy (ARC) / proof

Pre-publication copies sent to reviewers and booksellers, usually in printed wrappers. They precede the first edition but are not the published first edition.

BCE (book-club edition)

A copy printed for a book club such as the Book-of-the-Month Club or Literary Guild. Tells include no price on the jacket flap, 'Book Club Edition' on the jacket, a small blind-stamp on the rear board, a gutter code, and cheaper, slightly smaller format. BCEs carry little collector value.

See also: Blind-stamp, Price-clipped

Blind-stamp

An uninked impression pressed into the cloth or boards. A small dot, square or maple-leaf blind-stamp on the lower rear board is a classic book-club mark.

See also: BCE (book-club edition)

Copyright page (verso)

The back of the title page, where publishers print copyright, edition and printing statements, the number line and the ISBN.

See also: Number line (printer's key)

Ex-library

A copy withdrawn from a lending library, usually with stamps, pockets or labels. Even a true first loses most of its collector value.

Facsimile

A reproduction of an earlier edition, sometimes including its copyright page and jacket, such as the First Edition Library series. Look for a modern printer's note, later ISBN or series slipcase.

See also: True first

First edition

All copies printed from the first setting of type (or first set of plates). Collectors usually mean the first edition, first printing: the very first batch of copies.

See also: Printing / impression, True first

First-issue jacket

The dust jacket as first issued with the book, often identified by price, reviews printed on it, or the absence of later award announcements.

See also: Points (points of issue)

Limited edition

A specially produced run of stated size, often numbered and signed, sometimes issued before or alongside the trade first.

Number line (printer's key)

A row of numbers on the copyright page, such as '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'. The printer removes the lowest number at each new printing, so the lowest number shown is usually the printing. Random House is a notable exception: for roughly 1970–2001 its first printings began at 2.

See also: Printing / impression

Points (points of issue)

Specific details, such as a typo, a binding colour or a jacket price, that distinguish the earliest copies of a first edition from later ones. Points should come from a published bibliography, not rumour.

See also: State vs issue

Price-clipped

A dust jacket with the price corner cut off the front flap. It removes evidence used to tell trade copies from book-club copies and reduces value.

See also: BCE (book-club edition)

Printing / impression

One press run from the same setting of type. A first edition may have many impressions; British publishers traditionally say 'impression', Americans 'printing'.

See also: Number line (printer's key)

Remainder mark

A mark (ink stamp, spray dot or pen stroke) on the edges of the page block showing the copy was sold off cheaply as publisher's overstock. It does not change the edition but lowers value.

State vs issue

A 'state' is a variant made during production before publication (e.g. a corrected typo); no state necessarily has priority unless the evidence shows it. An 'issue' is a variant deliberately produced after publication and put on sale separately (e.g. a cancel title page), so the first issue has clear priority.

See also: Points (points of issue)

True first

The first appearance of a work anywhere in book form, as opposed to the first edition in a particular country. A 'first UK' or 'first US' edition may follow a true first published elsewhere.

See also: First edition

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