First Editions & Early Printings

In collecting terms, a very rough description of first edition would be when it is the first appearance of a work in question and that is how we describe a First Edition with our Ash Tree Books listings.

To shed a little more light, the first time a publisher releases a new book all copies of that book that are printed without major changes can be considered a first edition. If the initial print run of this first edition sells out and the publisher decides to produce a subsequent printing with the same typeset the book would be described as a first edition, second printing. On the other hand, if substantial changes are made to the book after its first printing, perhaps the addition of a chapter or a foreword, then the book would be described as the second edition.

All books listed in this category are either First Editions or very early printings of a first or second edition. It will be clear in the product description exactly what it is.