Advanced search
Updates
Help & FAQ

No results found

ISBN: 9780877791010

New search

Search auctions
Search auctions (Sold auction items)
Library holdings

Advanced search

© BookGilt 2025
Website Accessibility
Terms of use
Privacy policy
Contact us

Home
Advanced search
Website Accessibility
Terms of use
Privacy policy
Contact us
© BookGilt 2025

Help & FAQ

Close

Login or register

Registration and/or logging into your account gives you access to even more features, including saved searches, want lists, wishlists, search preferences and search history. You can either create an account with us or log in using Facebook below.

Login

Login
Login via Facebook
Login via Biblio

E-mail

Password

Need to register? | Reset your password

Login via Facebook

If you are a registered customer or bookseller on Biblio.com or Biblio.co.uk, you may log in to BookGilt using your Biblio account here.

E-mail

Password

Searching...

From the Glossary:

number line: A series of numbers appearing on the copyright page of a book, where the lowest number generally indicates the printing of that particular copy (e.g., a "1" would mean a first printing, and a "29" would indicate a 29th printing).

The following example is of a book that is in its 4th printing from Citadel Press. Note that despite the apparent declaration of "First printing 1997" the number line indicates the actual printing.

Often, the number line does not appear in sequence, as shown below in this first printing from Macmillan. However, the lowest number still indicates the printing:

There may also be times when a number line also contains intended years of publication as well as printings. This number line, for example, describes a first printing, published in 1989 by Harper & Row:

Random House is a notable exception, where for a period of several decades a first printing was indicated with a number line that began with "2", often accompanied by the words "First Edition".

Still other times, publishers may choose to use a letter line rather than a number line, as here shown in a first printing from Harvill Press (the "A" being indicative, rather than a "1"):

A more in-depth article on number lines can be found on our blog.